Adams, John Quincy: Editor of The Appeal, responsible for expanding the professional class of black St. Paul, most notably for inviting Fredrick McGhee. His wife was a patroness of "Cuba." 

 

The Appeal: An early black newspaper in St. Paul, founded in 1885. Most of the coverage of "Cuba" comes from The Appeal.

 

The American Law Enforcement League: a civil and legal rights activist group founded by Fred McGhee, John Quincy Adams, and William R. Morris (another prominent black lawyer) in 1898. The League was the beneficiary of "Cuba."

 

Barnett, Ida B. Wells: A radical black leader at the turn of the century, Ida B. Wells worked especially hard to speak out and campaign against lynching.  She even brought her campaign to Britain, gaining the support of English philanthropists.

 

DuBois, W.E.B.: W.E.B. DuBois was an extremely significant black leader and intellectual in the early 20th century. He led the Niagara Movement and NAACP, and published many influential works, perhaps most notably The Souls of Black Folk in 1903.  The Souls of Black Folk introduced the concept of double consciousness, which has been used extensively by scholars.

 

Dunbar, Paul Laurence: Often called the first great African American poet, Dunbar was active in the 1890s and early 1900s.  He wrote poems in the style of "black dialect," as well as in "standard english."

 

Ferris, William H.: An early black nationalist who was shunned by both W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington. Ferris believed blacks needed to prove themselves against the standards of white civilization.

 

Garvey, Marcus: The most significant black nationalist, active in the 1910s and '20s. Marcus Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and the Black Star Lines (an all black international shipping company). Garvey believed black people all over the world needed to unite in a massive project of mutual economic benefit.

 

Harrison, Hubert: A black nationalist and a socialist also active in the 1910s and '20s. Harrison became disillusioned with mainstream socialist thought because he felt it ignored the significance of racism and racial inequality in the labor struggle.

 

Harry Burleigh and R. Nathaniel Dett: African American composers who were trained in the European classical style and blended spirituals and ragtime into their work.

 

McGhee, Fredrick: A pillar of the black community in St. Paul around the turn of the century and a highly talented attorney. He played the role of General Maceo in "Cuba," and he and his wife debated J.C. Reid about the "Cuba's" cakewalk, arguing that it was harmless entertainment.

 

McGhee, Mattie: an important patroness for "Cuba" and the wife of Fred McGhee. Mattie also debated J.C. Reid about "Cuba's" cakewalk, arguing that it was merely graceful entertainment.

 

Micheaux, Oscar: A black filmmaker of the early 20th century. Produced "race movies," that dealth with important racial issues and attempted to portray African Americans in a positive light.

 

The NAAC: The National Afro-American Council. The NAAC brought together black leaders from all over the country, including both Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois.  The NAAC had a fairly conservative agenda, and eventually a more radical faction broke off to form the Niagara Movement.

 

The NAACP: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.  The NAACP has been one of the most prominent civil rights organizations since its inception in 1909, when progressive white philanthropists shifted allegiance away from Booker T. Washington to W.E.B. DuBois and his more radical allies.

 

The Niagara Movement: A group of African American activists and community leaders who wanted to pursue a more radical agenda than Booker T. Washington and the NAAC.  The group was suggested by Fred McGhee and organized by W.E.B. DuBois.

 

Reid, J.C.: Editor of the Minneapolis black newspaper, the Afro-American Advance. He debated with Fredrick and Mattie McGhee about whether "Cuba's" cakewalk was detrimental to African Americans. Reid argued it perpetuated negative stereotypes.

 

Tuskegee Institute: Booker T. Washington founded Tuskegee in 1881, as a school for black people to obtain agricultural and industrial training.  The school also encouraged thrift, good morals, and compromise with whites.

 

Washington, Booker T.: Arguably the most influential African American leader in the late 19th century, Booker T. Washington championed an agenda of compromise among blacks in the South. He argued that blacks should accept what whites were willing to offer them, which meant low-level industrial and agricultural labor.  He believed blacks did not need the vote, shouldn't seek political office, and should work hard to eventually gain full respect and citizenship from whites. He did not speak out against segregation or lynching. 

 

Wheaton, J. Frank: Another pillar of the black community in St. Paul, also an attorney. Wheaton was also the first African American to serve on the Minnesota state legislature.