Niagara Movement Founders. Photograph, 1905.

In 1905 a group of African American men met at Niagara Falls to begin to formulate a program seeking full rights for blacks and to discuss alternatives to Booker T. Washington’s conciliatory policies. They were led by W. E. B. Du Bois and William Monroe Trotter (1872–1934), a journalist and businessman. The platform they developed included demands for free speech and press, the right to vote, equal civil rights, and educational and economic opportunity. Although the group met several times, they did not have the funds to implement their program. The NAACP later adopted most of their platform.

The Niagara Movement, founded in 1905, was a significant early civil rights organization in the United States. It was established by a group of African American leaders who sought to challenge racial discrimination and promote civil rights and social justice. The founders of the Niagara Movement were:

1. W.E.B. Du Bois: A prominent African American scholar and activist, Du Bois was the most influential leader of the movement and played a key role in its formation and activities.
2. William Monroe Trotter: An outspoken journalist and activist, Trotter was a strong advocate for civil rights and an important co-founder of the movement.
3. Ida B. Wells: An investigative journalist and anti-lynching crusader, Wells was an important figure in the Niagara Movement, although her involvement was less direct than that of Du Bois and Trotter.
4. Mary Church Terrell: A teacher, author, and activist, Terrell was one of the few African American women involved in the early civil rights movement, and her contributions were significant.
5. George Edmund Haynes: A sociologist and social worker, Haynes was involved in the movement’s work to address racial inequality and promote social reform.

The 1905 photograph of the Niagara Movement founders is notable for capturing these influential figures together. It reflects the movement’s commitment to civil rights and social justice. The group met at Niagara Falls, hence the name, and their efforts laid the groundwork for future civil rights organizations, including the NAACP.