![\"Detail](\"https:\/\/oldsite.coloredconventions.org\/black-political-practices\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2018\/04\/Detail-from-Theo-David-Sketch-of-1869-Washington-DC-Convention.png\")
<\/a>Audience Conduct at the 1869 National Colored Convention in Washington D.C. Detail of a sketch by Theo R. David, “The National Colored Conventions in Session in Washington D.C.” Published in Harper’s Weekly, 6 Feb. 1869.<\/p><\/div>\n
In the image above, we can glean some of these expectations of conduct. On the left, a man escorts a woman to her seat, while two women and a child talk together on the right. Another man overlooks their conversation. Possibly, he is waiting to be introduced or greeted; or perhaps he is the escort of one or all of the ladies. The image exudes an air of gentility, emphasized by the clothes of those in attendence. As a public event open to both sexes, the conventions would be guided by strict conduct expectations expressed via dress, conversation, and the way in which delegates worded their addresses.<\/p>\n
Throughout the minutes, we can trace references to quite a few rules of conduct that would have been widely understood by audiences of that time for the social norms that they represent. These rules are related to both the political codes of conduct\u2014such as who can speak and for how long\u2014but also to the type of behaviors deemed socially acceptable from attendees. The minutes offer commentary upon the expected behavior of delegates as well as the broader audience who participated in this ritualized event.<\/p>\n
References<\/h3>\n
[1]\u00a0For analysis of the ways these debates played out in conventions see: Bella Gross,\u00a0Clarion Call: The History and Development of the Negro People\u2019s Convention Movement in the United States from 1817-1840\u00a0<\/em>(NY: 1947); Howard Holman Bell,\u00a0Survey of the National Negro Convention Movement\u00a0<\/em>(NY: Arno Press, 1969); Julie Winch,\u00a0Philadelphia\u2019s Black Elite: Activism, Accommodation and the Struggle for Equality,\u00a0<\/em>1787-1848 (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1988); C. Peter Ripley, ed.\u00a0The Black Abolitionist Papers, volume III\u00a0<\/em>(Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1991), introduction; Stanley Harrold,\u00a0The Rise of Aggressive Abolitionism: Addresses to the Slaves\u00a0<\/em>(Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2004); Patrick Rael,\u00a0Black Identity and Black Protest<\/em>; and Leslie Harris,\u00a0In the Shadow of Slavery<\/em>, chapters six and seven; John Ernest,\u00a0Liberation Historiography: African American Writers and the Challenge of History<\/em>, (UNC 2004); Harry Reed,\u00a0Platform for Change.\u00a0 The Foundations of the Northern Free Black Community, 1775-1865<\/em>\u00a0 (East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 1994).<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE \u201cCONVENTIONS\u201d OF CONVENTIONS: POLITICAL RITUALS AND TRADITIONS RULES OF CONDUCT Much of the attention on the Colored Conventions, and on the minutes of these conventions, has focused on content\u2014the important issues about educational access, emigration, legal and labor rights that were debated and entered into the record year after year.[1] When we focus on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":2872,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1675","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/a>