African Americans have fought against slavery, segregation, and racism in politics since they arrived in the United States. From the beginning of the slave trade to the present times in the United States, African Americans have fought to be seen as worthy of having a place in this country. African Americans have had to work for political freedom; it was not handed to them. The African American struggle began when they forcibly became slaves in America. Even when they were declared free, they were not seen as equal to whites and had to fight for civil rights. After earning civil rights, they still had to fight to live among white people and no longer be segregated. Today, there is an ongoing struggle of racism and discrimination in America. …show more content…
Therefore, African Americans had to find ways to respond to the politics of America. African Americans dealt with the political structure in America through forms of resistance. A journal article by Karenga clearly outlines this struggle. In the article “Black History: A Critical Review,” the author explains that “evidence reveals that resistance among African Americans was strong and continuous.” The article describes how “By 1830 free Africans had organized fifty anti-enslavement societies dedicated to abolition of the system of enslavement and aid to enslaved Africans in escaping and to those who escaped or were freed by purchase or other means.” Africans longed to have their freedom back but faced oppression under the American system of enslavement. These excerpts from Karenga show that African Americans put significant effort into gaining freedom. However, it was difficult because the pressure from white slave owners and United States law was so heavy and weighed down their efforts. It is disheartening to learn that the pleas of African Americans were so blatantly ignored by those in power in the United …show more content…
Their racist attitudes led to a rise in police brutality against black people. While police are supposed to protect the country, African Americans feel far from safe or protected. These issues ultimately led to the Civil Rights Movement, where African Americans began to take a stand against segregation. A catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement was the bus boycotts. A girl named Claudette Colvin stood up to segregation, and for this, she was arrested. According to the article, “This Day in History” “15-year-old Claudette Colvin was arrested on March 2, 1955 for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery, Alabama bus.” Colvin was told to give up her seat to a white man, but she refused. Her brave act inspired a woman named Rosa Parks to do the same. Parks was arrested as well. Many African Americans lived in fear of disobeying the laws that were put into place. However, Colvin and Parks inspired people to push the boundaries of segregation. The primary method of the Civil Rights Movement was to do things peacefully. They did not use violence, even when met with violence from angry white Americans. One important group to recognize is the Black Panther