(1919) - A New Crowd - A New Negro - Asa (A.) Philip Randolph

Change is occurring, and they need to be prepared. In his newspaper article from the Messenger, Randolph talks about the different occurrences of oppression and the accompanying change occurring. He then poses the question of what change means to Black Americans and that, given the changes occurring, they must also change. Through this, he categorizes people into two groups, the Old Crowd and the New Crowd. The Old Crowd, who have been subjected to remaining meek and submissive to white Americans, and the New Crowd, who are there to carry out change. He calls on the New Crowd to take control of spaces such as the press, Church, schools, politics, and labour and to rewrite the narrative as a means of empowerment. Their tactics must shift from being defensive to offensive. This will not only help Black people, but the working class in general.