...African American's Journey Essay Below is a free essay on "African American's Journey" from Anti Essays, your source for free research papers, essays, and term paper examples. “African American’s Journey to Freedom” Charity Johnson HIS204: American History since 1865 Instructor: Leslie Ruff February 11, 2013 “African American’s Journey to Freedom” To some African Americans it may seem ironic that The United States of America is known as “the land of the free” considering that majority of their ancestors entered the US as slaves. African Americans were brought to North America via the middle passage which originated during the fifteenth century. They were enslaved for approximately 400 hundred years until the end of the Civil War in 1865. Although African Americans were enslaved in America, they were determine to survive and one day be freed in this great country. During The African American’s journey to freedom several significant events took place which was inclusive of but not limited to: The Civil Rights Movement of 1865-1877, Separate but Equal Legislation (Plessy vs. Ferguson court case) in 1896, The Harlem Renaissance of 1920, Brown vs. Board of Education in 1954, The March on Washington Movement of 1963, and The Black Power Movement of the late 1960s and 1970. I will discuss the significance of these events in relation to the African American journey to freedom and how they have help shape American society today. THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OF 1865-1877 Frequently when...
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...literally dies of grief at seeing he is alive and well. This intrigued me, as I wondered why she was so upset he wasn’t dead, and I wanted to find out more about women’s roles in 1894. At the time this story was written, women did not have many rights. They could not seek higher education, own land or property, and they could not vote. In 1894, the fight had started but the battle was still a long way from being won. This story was inspiring to me, and it made me want to learn about the fight for women’s suffrage since 1848, which is when the Seneca Falls Convention was held on July 19 and 20th (“Rights for Women”). According to the National Woman’s History Museum, it took women more than seventy-two years to get right the vote (“Rights for Women”). I find it amazing that the United States denied women the right to vote for that long. The fight for women’s suffrage, which started with the Seneca Falls Convention and is still going on today, reveals a long and arduous struggle. This paper will explore the origins, the early history, the advancements in the 1900’s, the final outcome, and finally the fight for women’s equal rights that still exists today. According to the National Women’s History Museum, “In the early 1800’s, women were second class citizens. Women were expected to...
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...The word was first used by Kimberlé Crenshaw (1989) to describe the marginalization of black women during consideration of separate civil rights and women’s rights movements. The marginalization of individuals belonging to more than one stigmatized group is an important factor to consider when conducting research into discrimination and prejudice, and a focus on the experience of black women specifically is a valuable perspective (Aiken, Salmon, & Hanges, 2013; Rosenthal, 2016). In hindsight, it is clear that rights movements in the United States evolved alongside each other (Aiken et al., 2013). One of the earliest examples of this would be the fact that early calls for women’s suffrage were inspired by the abolitionist movement gaining ground in the late 1800’s (Aiken et al., 2013). Much later in our history, we witnessed a similar phenomenon as the radical politics of change that helped women and African Americans in the 1960s and 1970s emboldened gay rights activists (Aiken et al.,...
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...Women’s Role (1865-Present) Kimberly Burrows HIS 204 Joseph Scahill February 2, 2013 Women’s Role (1865-Present) Throughout history, women have suffered fewer rights then men and are discriminated against because of their gender. Historically, a woman’s main role was to tend to the home isolated in the domestic “bubble” and to raise their children while their husbands were away at work. In this paper, I will describe the historical significance of this issue from 1865 to the present. I will explain the historical developments that presented new opportunities for women in society. I will discuss the main individuals that were involved in these struggles. To conclude, I will analyze ways in which it contributed to an “ending of isolation” while assessing the challenges involved. Even today, women still face discrimination based on their gender. However, the role of women has changed significantly which has created a lasting and ongoing increase of women's rights. The woman’s role presents a historical significance from 1865 to today for many reasons. Prior to the Civil War, women were perceived as the weaker sex and were considered intellectually inferior to men. Their freedom was limited and they had fewer rights than men. Women were expected to marry, care for their home, cook, make clothing and raise their children. According to Manning, M. J. (2005), “Women were viewed as wives and mothers, whose economic rights were mainly to be supported by a male breadwinner and...
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...The Reconstruction Era As a country, America has gone though many political changes throughout its lifetime. Leaders have come and gone, and all of them have had their own objectives and plans for the future. As history has taken its course, though, almost all of these “revolutionary movements” have come to an end. One such movement was Reconstruction. Reconstruction was a violent period that defined the defeated South’s status in the Union and the meaning of freedom for ex-slaves. Though, like many things in life, it did come to an end, and the resulting outcome has been labeled both a success and a failure. When Reconstruction began in 1865, a broken America had just finished fighting the Civil War . In many respects, Reconstruction was a time period of attempted healing and building. It was the point where America attempted to become a full running country once more. This, though, was not an easy task. The memory of massive death was still in the front of everyone’s mind, hardening into resentment and sometimes even hatred. The south was virtually non-existent politically or economically, and searching desperately for a way into the political scene. Along with these things, now living amongst the population were almost four million former slaves, who had no idea how to make a living on their own. The former slaves had been freed by the 13th amendment in 1865, and in the future became a great concern to many political leaders. Still, it was no secret that something...
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...Women and their forgotten role in Slavery Nigel Sadler Sands of Time Consultancy Often when the history of slavery is studied the argument is over whose history is being told. This debate rarely goes beyond whether it is the history as written by or about the white or black involvement. There is often an assumed male history. History books mainly reflect the involvement of men. The abolitionists (Clarkson and Wilberforce), the Slave traders (Canot) and the enslaved (Equaino). In portrayal of enslaved people, men appear more frequently. In the movie Amistad it is told from the point of view of Cinque; in the TV series Roots it follows Kunta Kinte. This male dominated history fails to acknowledge, belittles and devalues the role of women at all levels of slavery. What about the female slave traders, slave owners, enslaved females, female rebels and abolitionists? Are they really invisible? Verene Shepherd, in Women in Caribbean History states that up until the 1970s Caribbean books neglected women because early historians looked at colonisation, government, religion, trade and war fare, activities men were more involved in. Also some historians felt that women’s issues did not merit inclusion and where women could have been included, such as slave uprisings, their contributions were ignored. Shepherd believes changes occurred with the influence of women’s groups who tried to correct the gender neutral or male biased history. There was also a shift into social history...
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...Daryl Smith Introduction to African-American Studies March 23, 2014 Professor Yeboah Midterm Paper: Essay Questions 1. Describe (3) three African (Ancient or Medieval) civilizations that pre-date enslavement? Kush, Axum, and Ghana are three Ancient African civilizations that pre-date enslavement. The Kush civilization started in 1700 BC, where it reached its first peak. Its second peak dated to 1500 BC. The Kingdom of the Kush was also known as Nubia. It is located south of Egypt and was built at the bottom of the mountains, beginning at the Nile River. The Kush kingdom was exceptionally wealthy with many natural resources. They had gold mines, iron ore, and rich soil. Their soil was rich due to the ample amount of rainfall they had all year long, which kept all of the natural resources fresh and growing. Many kingdoms were jealous of the Kush’s wealth and prosperity, and wanted to take it over, but the Kush did now allow it to happen. The “Iron Age” was when iron ore was at its peak and every kingdom wanted it to make weapons and tools. Kush was the center of the iron trade in ancient Africa. Burnt wood was needed to produce iron from ore and because wood was running out, the Kush had to trade other goods. The Kush was the reason for the Trans- Saharan Trade Route. In 750 CE, the Kush used camels and camel trains to cross the sand. They knew it was a miserable and dangerous journey, but knew it could be done. Attention was then turned to trade with West...
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...Black Feminism Michelle Smith African American History Winter Quarter 2010 Purdue University Instructor: Professor Wilkens Introduction When the Black Feminist movement was developed, it was a revolution for black women. It gave them power, liberation, and a voice to overcome the emasculating efforts of white male power (Harrold, Hine, and Hine, 2009). When I first began this research, I discovered that Black Feminism is too broad of a topic to elaborate on as a whole. This paper defines the term “Black Feminism. It will explore two published articles that report on the theory and practice of how black feminism is making waves and what role of education in the development of the Black Feminist Thought from 1860 to 1920. This paper will examine when the National Black Feminist Organization was founded and lastly, how two outstanding women who made an impact in the Black Feminist Movement. According to Encyclo (n.d.) online encyclopedia the definition of black feminism is “A strand of feminist thought which highlights the multiple disadvantages of gender, class and race that shape the experiences of nonwhite women. Black feminists reject the idea of a single unified gender oppression that is experienced evenly by all women, and argue that early feminist analysis reflected the specific concerns of white, middle-class women.” In other words, black feminist argue that the liberation of black women entails freedom for all people since it would require the end of...
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...Civil Liberties In this research paper, I have learned about how different ethnic backgrounds have come about to be members of the greatest nation on Earth. Our country has had both its glory and flaws, but while studying our American History, we learn that our country has endured a lot of changes for the common good, and the irony of others. There have been many solid events that have defined who we are today, and also where we stand in the world. Some of these events include, but are not limited to The Civil Rights Act of 1866, The Progressive Era, The New Deal, Grand Expectations, the Reagan Era, and 21st Century. First, when we address The Civil Rights Act of 1866, we find that this is an Act to protect all persons in the United States in their Civil Rights, and furnish their means for Vindication. The Progressive Era (1890s-1920s), as the name implies, made huge changes towards the right of women and minorities. This Era was very crucial in the transformation of civil liberties that are enforced today. The New Deal (1933-1939), known for its lasting program of the Social Security Act of 1935, is still taking care of the elder and the disabled. Grand Expectations (1945-1974) was a period of optimism. African Americans finally began to realize many of the deferred dreams left over from decades of Reconstruction from the Civil War, the country was economically prosperous and social reforms promised an even better future. The Reagan Era (1981-1989) known for a restored...
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...Hate Crimes Hate Crimes In today’s society crimes are being committed all around us, but hate crimes are particularly hurtful crimes and are committed against people for things that they cannot change. Martin Luther King once said that “Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better.” So why is it that these crimes are still tolerated in 2012? Racism has been a major contributor to hate crimes but as the years have gone by it is not the only factor involved. Gender, sexual preferences, disabilities, and religious beliefs also play a role in this type of bias. Hate crimes are criminal offenses committed against a person property or society which is solely motivated by the offenders’ bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. Who, Why, What, When and Where? These crimes are usually committed out of fear, ignorance, prejudice, or just a general lack of understanding with the highest percentage (62.3%) being committed by our white society. The FBI Hate Crimes Statistic lists 6,624 documented cases for 2010 alone. Racial hate crimes contributed 47.3%, followed by religious hate crimes at 20%, sexual orientation at 19.3%, ethnic crimes at 12.8%, and crimes against people with disabilities at .6%. 32% of these crimes are committed on the victims own property, 28% across various locations, 19% on public roads, highways, and alleys, and the remaining 11% at our Public Schools and Colleges. Some things that are done during...
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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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...Women’s Role (1865-Present) Kimberly Burrows HIS 204 Joseph Scahill February 2, 2013 Women’s Role (1865-Present) Throughout history, women have suffered fewer rights then men and are discriminated against because of their gender. Historically, a woman’s main role was to tend to the home isolated in the domestic “bubble” and to raise their children while their husbands were away at work. In this paper, I will describe the historical significance of this issue from 1865 to the present. I will explain the historical developments that presented new opportunities for women in society. I will discuss the main individuals that were involved in these struggles. To conclude, I will analyze ways in which it contributed to an “ending of isolation” while assessing the challenges involved. Even today, women still face discrimination based on their gender. However, the role of women has changed significantly which has created a lasting and ongoing increase of women's rights. The woman’s role presents a historical significance from 1865 to today for many reasons. Prior to the Civil War, women were perceived as the weaker sex and were considered intellectually inferior to men. Their freedom was limited and they had fewer rights than men. Women were expected to marry, care for their home, cook, make clothing and raise their children. According to (Manning, 2005), “Women were viewed as wives and mothers, whose economic rights were mainly to be supported by a male breadwinner and protected...
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...of their gender differences which is a social construct. “Sex is considered a fact - one is born with either male or female genitalia. Gender is considered a social construction - it grants meaning to the fact of sex. Conversely, it could be said that only after specific meanings came to be attached to the sexes, did sex differences become pertinent” (Geetha, 2002: 10). Gender based discriminations and exploitations are widespread and the socio-culturally defined characteristics, aptitudes, abilities, desires, personality traits, roles, responsibilities and behavioral patterns of men and women contribute to the inequalities and hierarchies in society. Gender differences are man made and they get legitimised in a patriarchal society. This paper attempts to link the theoretical dimensions of patriarchy with its empirical experiences to engage in the ongoing debates and discussion on “patriarchy” which manifests itself in various forms of discriminations, inequalities, hierarchies, inferior status and position of women in society. Thus it is important to understand patriarchy in terms of its multiplicity, complexities and dynamics. What is Patriarchy? Patriarchy literally means rule of the father in a male-dominated family. It is a social...
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...History of the United States I AMH 1010 CRN 10800, December 1, 2014 Wood, Gordon. The Radicalism of the American Revolution. Vintage Books, a Division of Random House, Inc., New York, 1991 Gordon Wood describes the American Revolution as a journey from paternal colonialism to an egalitarian democracy. His contention is that the American Revolution does not seem to have the same kinds of causes that Revolutions usually display. There were no big social wrongs, no class conflict, no severe poverty, or gross inequitable distribution of wealth. Wood claims our revolution was not about independence as most history books claim but about the radical transformation of the American society. Monarchy In this section the author describes the structure of colonial America in the 1750s and 1760s. In colonial society, authority and liberty flowed from the structure of personal relationships. Society was held together by networks of personal loyalties, obligations and dependencies. In this hierarchical society, the elite or aristocrats ruled. The aristocrats (also called gentlemen) used their wealth and their hereditary advantages to keep the common people as dependents. The aristocrats lived a life of leisure which meant that they were not expected to labor. Their income was supposed to come from their landed estates. They used these landed estates to control the issuance of government offices and created laws that would keep their estates in the family. Most estates were passed on to...
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...social stratosphere of revolving and intricate subjects of change and progression represent a multitude of conflicting ideologies, theories and realities. The media serves as an informational anchor, particularly in its portrayal of social situations and change, primarily divided into Western and Eastern media. The broader subject at hand is gender and social change in the Middle East, but specifically, how women, as the primary subject of the gender discussion, and Islam, as the foremost engine to drive the social scene across the Middle Eastern peninsula co-exist to create an unprecedented dynamic in the Middle East. This research paper will attempt to progressively reveal and discuss related subjects in order to create a transitional framework for a relevant understanding of the gender and social dynamic of the Middle East. As an outline, this paper will begin by briefly discussing the global role of women from a gender and sexuality perspective. It will then analyze how such roles are portrayed and what movements exist in order to effect the global perception. More specifically, a discussion on the progress made by Middle Eastern women in terms of the women's movement will ensue. A brief historical perspective will be provided followed by arguably the most vivacious debate in the world today: how Islam directly affects women and social change in the Middle East, but also how it indirectly affects the gender social...
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