...Poverty, discrimination, segregation, oppression, violence. These are all a few of the many things that African Americans struggled with before the civil rights movement, and some even today. African Americans will most likely deal with some sort of unfair opinions and treatment forever, but hopefully not to the caliber as they were in the past. For decades, African Americans faced racism, unfair treatment and opinions, and everything that goes along with it. The Civil Rights movement was a movement that started in 1954 , and was made up of protests and other actions that were focused on obtaining one goal, equality for African Americans. Even today, African Americans face unfair treatment, and harsh judgement that still motivate them to strive for complete equality, and to be treated as so. The Civil Rights Movement...
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...The African Americans: The Birth of Equality after 1865 Leonard Stinson HIS204: American History Since 1865 Instructor John Durr December 5th, 2011 The African Americans: The Birth of Equality after 1865 This was a time when America was trying to find herself. These were the years known as the Reconstruction Period from 1865-1877. During this time period, the African-American people became free from slavery but one can only imagine what free really is. While the nation search for ways to establish true meaning of equality, African-American people continued to struggle to find out just what equality means and to have the same rights and freedom as the white people in the nation. Whether as slaves or free people, the political and social status of African Americans has always been to obtain the ability to participate in the nation’s economy. While many historians believe that slavery and politics can be attributed to the Civil War, more than 600,000 Americans died and with the help of the Emancipation Proclamation to start the motion to free the slaves, America became even more a divided country in 1865 than the previous earlier years (Bowles, 2011). Although freedom in the post-Civil War years did not guarantee equality, African Americans continued to struggle from racism, segregation and discrimination for many years, but the birth of equality is beginning to grow and show that all men and women are created equal. The effort to integrate...
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...Racial Equality in a modern society Racial Equality Brian Dugas University of Phoenix In the decades previous to the nineteen fifties, African Americans were the subject of more discrimination than any other race or religion in all aspects of being treated both as a person, and a race. These people were up until almost the mid 1900’s as slaves, even though slavery was abolished long before, even in the mid 1900’s, African Americans were still considered “second class citizens”, not seen as equals in the eyes of others. It was during the 1950’s that African Americans, and other racial authorative groups collaborated to change their status in society. This challenge of fighting against discrimination and for racial equality among racial groups became one of the most important times in United States history; it was the beginning of what we know as the Civil Rights Movement. The fight for racial equality started long before the 1950’s, in the early 1900’s, the NAACP (the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People) was created by Booker T. Washington, and Webb Du Bios, Mr. Washington was actually an ex-slave. As the NAACP grew in numbers and support, the NAACP also published its own newspaper, showing progress, and enticing people to come forward to support for their rights. One of its first victories was the laws of segregation in housing, and also the right of African Americans to jury duty. The NAACP helped in establishing other groups...
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...Andrew Mendez Professor Arrowsmith HIST-112 December 2, 2013 The Fight for Equality In the 1950's and 1960's there was many inequalities that really held back many people from especially the African Americans to have the right of being just like everyone else. But as well all know the white refused to give those type of right to them. So this is when the African Americans would start to take a stand for one another in a Civil Rights Movement lead by many African American activists such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Eisenhower. These Americans stood up for what they knew was right not only for them but fir the good of their people. Martin Luther King Jr. immediate purpose was to convince Americans across the country to embrace racial equality and to further strengthen the resolve of those already involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Audiences could really embrace these words that Dr. King was saying in his "I Have A Dream" speech. Though audiences' purposes are not as easily summarized to the fact of the racial inequality towards the whites and African Americans. Some at the time may have sought to be inspired by Dr. King. Opponents to racial equality who heard his speech may have listened for the purpose of seeking to find ways to further argue against racial equality. Audiences since then may have used Dr. King's speech to educate or to advocate for other social justice issues. Eisenhower also having to do with acting to those same ideas of inequality...
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...RACIAL EQUALITY James Shahan University of Phoenix February 15th, 2014 Racial Equality There exist different ideas and ideologies that surround the subject of race and racism. Opinions vary as to what racism is and what it is not. Racial equality is one such ideology. By definition, racial equality denotes the uniform or equal treatment of members from different races. The term loosely applies to both biological and social equality (Painter, 2006). Racial equality differs markedly from racial equity which denotes an ideal situation where markets and other systems work equally for all racial and ethnic groups. This essay centers on racial equality as a tool for social justice looking at the activities of various organizations and groups in promoting racial equality. There are many organizations and groups that serve to ensure social justice. These groups and organizations push for racial equality among different racial groups. They target a specific marginalized community or race and fight all aspects of institutional racism that might affect these groups. Most of these groups serve as civil right agents that advocate for the rights of these minority groups. National Urban League (NUL) is a good paradigm of a civil right group that fights for the rights of the minority. National Urban League as a civil right group fights against racial inequality for the African-Americans. This group advocates for equal rights for the African-Americans and...
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...Jesse Jackson’s Role in the Civil War Jesse L. Jackson, born on October 8th, is an African American that has always pushed himself to achieve the best. He became a baptist minister in 1968, was a politician of the Democratic Party, and was a civil rights activist. Jackson has always been a very successful man. Jackson was elected high school class president. In 1959-1960, he attended The University of Illinois on a football scholarship. It was there that he first became interested in the civil rights demonstrations in the town (Biography.com). “He then transferred to the predominantly black Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina … and received a B.A. in sociology (1964)” (Encyclopedia). Jackson joined the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). He participated in walk-outs, sit-ins, and marches. Next, he was in Selma, marching on Bloody Sunday for Martin Luther King. After moving to Selma, Jackson began working for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). He did many great things in there. He helped achieve the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He helped establish the Chicago Freedom Movement, which was a plan to spread the civil rights activities to the north. After becoming close with Dr. King, Jackson was assigned director of Operation Breadbasket, which...
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...contemporary United States? History tells us that African Americans were discriminated for many years in the United States, and today we celebrate the achievements that were fought for and gained. The marking of civil rights anniversaries are an important part of identity and represent a truly extraordinary shift in the American culture and politics (Romano, 2014). The politics of race has been a long fought fight for African Americans to achieve given rights like the right for voting, they celebrate this through anniversaries for remembrances of given occasions and for celebration. This is emphasized by the civil rights anniversary to show the history of struggle for freedom, to show racial progress and reconciliation in increasingly multi-racial society (Romano, 2014). History shows African Americans has been fighting for the achievement of equality and justice within the state and for possible peaceful changes within the system (Romano, 2014). This can be proved by the anniversary celebration as it represent the movements of struggle for civil rights and much attention given for ending the legal segregation over the economic justice demand. History even shows, how some given deaths of prominent people occurred who were in the race fighting for the freedom of achievement of their rights (Romano, 2014). The history of politics shows the achievements that have been achieved by the African Americans like the nomination of African American president Barack Obama for two consecutive...
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...Does one believe we were made to be separated? The Civil Rights Movement was about African Americans trying to achieve being equal to the whites. Also, gaining equal opportunities like the right to vote, to get a job, education, and the right to be free of discrimination. Americans believed African Americans weren't good enough to be in the same building as whites. They showed that whites were more superior and that they were better and higher above. It was a struggle for justice and a fight for equality. It was a struggle for equality, but we got through it and fought for our rights. The Civil Rights Movement changed Americans point of view of everything. Plessy v. Ferguson was one case that segregated public facilities. This case began in Louisiana and it was a decision made by the US Supreme Court that it was created to be "separate but equal." Which means that we are all the same, but just different as individuals. It still separated blacks from going to the same bathroom as white people, or riding the same bus, but having blacks sit only in the back and whites in the front. Africans were brutally beaten up by whites if they do not obey the law....
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...D. Hayden “Same-Sex Marriage and the Civil Rights Movement” Is the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and the fight for same-sex marriage the same? African Americans fought discrimination and unfair treatment, segregation and hate for being who they were. Same-sex couples are doing the same thing, now in fighting for equality, rights, and liberties that America owes them all. Same-sex couples may not have been enslaved, but doesn’t that mean same-sex couples don't feel hurt all the same by not being allowed to be with someone they love or in danger because of it. Just because they didn't endure the years of hardship that African Americans doesn't mean same-sex couples don't have their fair share of discrimination for extremely illegitimate reasons. It boils down to people’s blatant fear of change and allowing anything new to blossom. Marriage equality is the same fight as the Civil Rights Movement because it will benefit everyone, end discrimination, and make a better future for our country. Marriage equality will benefit everyone like the Civil Rights Movement did in the 1960’s. Federal, state, and local government will benefit the same ways it did after the Civil Rights Movement. There are 1,138 benefits, rights, and protections available to married couples, but not to same-sex couples until marriage equality is approved everywhere. Marriage equality will create opportunities in employment so that poverty levels will decrease. It will provide financial gain to the...
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...journal dealing with the African American history, I chose the journal article named “The 1964 Civil Rights Act: The Crucial Role of Social Movements in the Enactment and Implementation of Anti-Discrimination Law”, written by Gerald Rosenberg. After just reading this title, I have a question about how the status of African American have been changed due to the Civil Rights Act. Through reading some material from classes and researching about African American history and culture, I found out that for centuries, the African American never gave up to fight for the equal rights, especially after the Second World War black American civil rights movement. The Civil Rights Act is actually the result of long struggle to achieve the content of equality by the black people. The American blacks in politics, education, economy and other aspects have brought a great impact. The Civil Rights Act basically ensures that the rights of the law on the equality....
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...The Evolution of Langston Hughes In the 1900s America was constantly evolving. Langston Hughes, an African American poet, wrote poems about civil rights, hope, and the American dream that inspired other African Americans to fight for equality in the 1900s. Hughes wrote during a time period that African Americans were not treated equally. In 1964 the Civil Rights Act was signed creating equality and ending segregation for African Americans. As America changed, Hughes perspective on America and equality evolved affecting his writing. In the beginning of Hughes’s writing career he was critical of America, but was inspiring to the lower class. For example, In “Let America Be America Again”, by Langston Hughes, he states, “There’s never been equality...
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...Professor Kodi Roberts African American History 09 October 2012 African Americans and the Revolutionary War The American Revolution, also known as the Revolutionary War, was a significant event that changed the whole world. Although the Revolutionary War lasted only for eight years, the American Revolution started developing years before the first shots at the battle of Lexington and Concord were fired. African-Americans joined the Revolutionary War, because the principles underlying the revolution implied the end of slavery and granting of rights for them. American historian Benjamin Quarles, understood the African-American community's need for equality and freedom. Around 5,000 African-Americans served as soldiers in the Continental Army and about 20,000 in the British Army. The Revolutionary War was a blessing in disguise for many African-Americans, as it paved the way to freedom from slavery and helped them to embark on their journey towards equality and civil rights. At the start of the war General George Washington did not want African Americans to fight in the military. In November of 1775 Lord Dunmore, the Governor of Virginia, promised freedom to any slave, owned by a rebelling colonist that fought for the British. This caused many slaves to escape to the side of the British. The Americans still did not let slaves fight with them. As time passed and the Americans lost many soldiers, some of the colonies began to let slaves enlist in1778. Virginia did not let slaves...
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...and 1960s. An abundance of unfair events created a desire to secure equality for all Americans. Numerous historical leaders poured their lives into fighting for the basic privileges and rights of U.S. citizenship. Many African-American men and women, along with whites, organized and led the movement to fight against injustice. The eight resources below provide information about several historical leaders that made an impact on the Civil Rights Movement. These resources may be used to create assignments to help students develop a deeper understanding of the Civil Rights Movement. Furthermore, students will benefit from meaningful classroom discussions about these heroic leaders. Important People There are numerous well-known historical figures that influenced the Civil Rights Movement leading up to the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is probably one of the most powerful leaders involved in the fight for civil rights. Coretta Scott King worked and marched alongside her husband, Dr. King and continued his fight for justice after his death. In addition, Thurgood Marshall became the first African-American judge on the Supreme Court appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. In 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to play Major League Baseball which contributed significantly to the Civil Rights Movement. African-American, Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white...
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...During this movement African Americans wanted to end segregation. They protested in marches and joined small groups which later became bigger. All the fight they did to pursue their goal was nonviolence. Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee volunteered to register them to vote in 1960-1960 in Mississippi. By having African American to vote, they would gain power and they were a step closer to be equal as everyone else. There was an increase of African American who registered through the time.(Doc E) On the march to Selma, Martin Luther King Jr. and Southern Christian Leadership Conference focus was to have more African American register to vote but they had a hard time because they made them recite the literacy test. He would protest without using violence which made him get far in accomplishing his goals. The white community voted for George Wallace to become president so he can forbid African American to gain more equality since he was a racist person. Martin Luther gave a speech on the Washington March to be able to end segregation and discrimination. He wanted his protest to go worldwide so people can observe how they were treated and help them gain what they want.(Doc F)...
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...Analysis For many years African Americans have struggled with segregation and inequality. The 1940s Blues song discusses some of the racial aspects of the era and focuses on issues dealing with Jim Crow laws. Near the end of Reconstruction in 1877, Jim Crow laws were passed and were intended to put restrictions on African American rights and privileges (Brown and Stentiford XVII). For Example, the Jim Crow Laws segregated bus seating and train cars. The buses had the back reserved for African Americans (Wormser 162) and the trains reserved certain cars called “smokers” or “Jim Crow cars” for African Americans (Wormser 63). Also, the term “separate but equal” was an important statement in the Jim Crow era. This statement describes how segregation was passed as constitutional. Even though colored individuals and white individuals had separate facilities, they were supposedly equivalent in quality, even though this was never the case (Klarman 43 and 50-51). The blues song that I have chosen discusses many of the issues that African Americans faced due to the Jim Crow Laws and discrimination in general, but most noticeably discusses issues dealing with war segregation. During World War I and World War II, African Americans were recruited to the American Army. They were trained for battle, but normally were not involved in the fighting of the battles. The African American community hoped that their involvement would help further the fight for equality, but learned it was not going...
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