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Difficulty: MediumRacial Terror and the Anti-Lynching Movement

In her 1895 pamphlet *A Red Record*, Ida B. Wells-Barnett wrote:

> "The modern mob-law is the child of the Reconstruction period, and was birth-marked by the white-liners of Mississippi, who declared that 'no Negro shall rule this country.'"

Based on the excerpt, which of the following best describes Wells-Barnett’s analysis of the historical origins of modern mob-law?

  1. It was established as a deliberate political mechanism to dismantle Black political gains and re-establish white political dominance.Answer
  2. B
    It emerged as a spontaneous, community-led response to police inefficiency and rising crime rates during the post-Civil War era.
  3. C
    It was a direct outcome of legal loopholes in the Thirteenth Amendment that allowed involuntary servitude as a punishment for crime.
  4. D
    It arose as an informal means of enforcing racial segregation in public spaces when state laws were not yet enacted.

Answer

The correct answer states that mob-law was established as a deliberate political mechanism to dismantle Black political gains and re-establish white political dominance.
The correct answer correctly identifies that Wells-Barnett traced modern mob-law back to the political struggles of Reconstruction, where groups like the white-liners used terror and violence to overthrow biracial governments and prevent Black Americans from holding political power.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the provided quote from Ida B. Wells-Barnett's work.
The quote traces the origins of 'modern mob-law' directly to the Reconstruction era and quotes opponents who declared that 'no Negro shall rule this country.'
This establishes that the root cause identified by Wells-Barnett is directly linked to the political struggle over governance and civil rights during Reconstruction.
2
Evaluate the motivations of the 'white-liners' mentioned in the text.
The 'white-liners' were white supremacist paramilitary groups in the Reconstruction South who used violence to overthrow Republican-led reconstruction governments and restore white rule.
Connecting the historical groups in the text to their actual political goals clarifies the systematic nature of the violence.
3
Select the option that aligns with the political motivations described.
The correct option correctly frames lynching as a political tool aimed at suppressing Black political advancement rather than a spontaneous community response to crime or simple social separation.
This aligns with the central argument of the excerpt.

Key Concept

Ida B. Wells-Barnett's analysis of the political origins of racial terror in the post-Reconstruction South.
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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Topics

Racial Terror and the Anti-Lynching Movement

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