African Americans

In the wake of the Civil War, the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were ratified which abolished slavery and in theory granted people of all races the citizenship rights, equal protection, and suffrage that society owes them. However, that did not stop a wave of backlash policies from passing especially in Southern states that felt their way of life was threatened by the newfound independence of black Americans. These laws served to perpetuate racism and white privilege, and further divide the racist,

The first American slaves were brought to the North American colony of Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. Their job was to aid in the production of crops such as tobacco as the Virginians “were desperate for labor, to grow enough to stay alive… needed labor, to grow corn for subsistence, to grow tobacco for export” (Zinn 24,25). The slaves that were being brought to the Americas were seen as builders of the economic foundations of the new nation and as time passed the ownership of slaves dwindled but inequality and segregation grew to be more prevalent in the U.S (“Slavery in America”). On January 1st, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, an executive order which freed slaves in the United States not within the Confederacy, under Union Control. Two years later the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution which abolished slavery but many Southern States managed to create unattainable prerequisites for blacks to live, work or participate in society. With nearly one hundred years after the Emancipation Proclamation, African-Americans were still treated just as unequally. Oppression, race-inspired violence, segregation and an unequal world of disenfranchisement lingered across Southern States for African-Americans. The Jim Crow Laws

During 1866, even though the 13th Amendment ended slavery, Black Codes passed in the South, limited the rights of African Americans. Black codes had many affects on African Americans and the North itself. The Black Codes kept African Americans from owning any land or renting land. The South did not think of this as a new type of slavery. On the other hand, the North thought it was reinventing a new type of slavery. The Republicans got ride on slavery with the help of Congress and the Freedmen’s Bureau. Congress gave power to the Freemen’s Bureau to address the unlawful Black Codes. They punished anyone who did not give African Americans their rights by putting them on a special trial. Congress then passed laws that would take away Black Codes, but President Andrew Johnson vetoed the bill, which means the laws were rejected. Since there was so many Republicans in Congress, they were able to override the President 's veto and the bills became

After the Civil War, the southern whites were extremely resentful and bitter. In 1865 the southern states began issuing “black codes,” which were laws made subsequent to the Civil War that had the effect of limiting the civil rights and civil liberties of blacks. This term tends to refer to the legislation passed by southern states to control the labor, migration, and other activities of newly freed slaves. When the slaves were freed, they still had

One of the main goals of Reconstruction was to create equality for African Americans, but the rules and laws that were created, were not enforced by the government. Soon after the 13th Amendment was passed, most Southern states started to enforce Black Codes. These codes, as described in St. Landry’s Parish’s Black Codes, required African Americans to work under a white man, not to have a house or land, and to receive permission for meetings, preaching, carrying weapons, and selling items (Document 6). The purpose of the St. Landry’s Black Codes, and Black Codes in general, was to inform the public about the rules African Americans have to follow, but also to maintain the social order of whites coming before blacks, and to limit African American’s rights. Southern whites continued to take away African Americans rights throughout Reconstruction.

The South was still extremely unhappy regarding the freedom of the slaves. The Thirteenth Amendment states, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their

African Americans have come a very long way from 1865; they have fought many battles to earn their place in America’s Society. From the ending of slavery African Americans have had various achievements from their suffering. Some fought, some spoke, some marched, some sat, some cried, some died, some even dreamed, but all of these things left a footprint in history. In this paper I will discuss some very important events in African American history beginning with the ending of slavery which has brought us to the America we all enjoy today.

Soon after the war, and after slavery was ended, there was a shortage of people to work for those who once had slaves as their main workforce. This posed a challenge for the southern economy. So during the constitutional convention of 1865 various states including South Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi included language in their state constitutions that regulated and managed the now free slaves. This served at the basis for the Black Codes -- a series of codes that restricted the rights of African Americans. These Black Codes made it difficult for former slaves to work in a labor economy that wasn’t based on low wages and debt tactics, as well as restricted them from owning property, conduct business, and move freely through public spaces.

The thirteenth amendment was the first to abolish slavery, or so people say. The thirteenth amendment reads, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude except as punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction,” the constitution. This amendment could easily fool people into believing that all was right within the world. However, soon after this amendment was added to the constitution unjust laws started to pop up within the states, “When slavery was legally abolished. A new set of laws called Black Codes emerged to criminalize legal activity for African Americans. Through the enforcement of these laws, acts such as

19th Century America was a hard time for African Americans. Though slavery had legally ended at the end of the 1800’s, life and rights for blacks did not improve much at all.

In 1865, the American government successfully passed the thirteenth amendment: ending the institution of slavery in America. “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” The thirteenth amendment opened up economic opportunity for African Americans as slaves were no longer owned by someone else. However, not long after the thirteenth amendment was passed, former slaveholders and southerners created the black codes. Black Codes were a set of laws intended to restrict African American freedoms, causing them to go into low wage labor. A black code passed in the state of South Carolina stated, “To do farm work, a black in South Carolina had to have a written contract, attested to by white witnesses; failure to obtain one before commencing to work was a misdemeanor

The increased number of newly diagnosed HIV cases among young males who have sex with men (MSM) are due to the epic behavioral activities of the young African American males who have sex with men. However, identifying health disparities, stigmas and barriers, and prevention interventions can help alleviate HIV among young African American males who have sex with men.

Laws such as the black codes, Jim Crow laws, and Pig laws were employed after the 13th Amendment: reversing the progress of abolition. Slavery was abolished, but racism was expanding exponentially. Not only did this restrict former slaves from developing into a unified nation, but it annulled basic privileges far after abolition was ratified. In the feeble human mind, it is easy to possess the mindset “out of sight, out of mind”. Many did not want to make the

Since the arrival of Africans in America the image in America for the African Americans both male and female have been portrayed in a negative light. Although African Americans today have risen up to some of the highest positions in America such as entrepreneurs, CEOs, and even as high up as the President of the United States of America being an African American man. Though there are many other top job positions being held by African Americans both male and female that prove that the African Americans have made their mark in America, the race of African Americans as a whole still has a long way to go. However, though both African American men and women are both viewed in a negative light the African American man is the one who is stereotyped most of all. A prime example of how the image of the African American man is still portrayed in a negative light is in the film world. The film world has only contributed to help produce the negative image of African American men and the roles they play inside of films. Films portray the African American men being the aggressors, delinquents, criminals and more, since some of the older films in America. Then with the African American male stereotypes still being relevant in contemporary films today. The film world has made these stereotypes come to life and be seen by the world on screen. In this paper I will discuss the birth of the black male stereotypes from early films to current films today and how the image of the black male and

Although the road to discrimination is still a work in progress, we as African American are making great strides. There have been numerous acts, bill and movements over the years that have said or promised change only to be altered. They were meant to improve the lives of everyone, but was the better life meant for African American in the 1800’s up until now. The events and developments in this assignment will depict why there has to be continues effects to improve our way of life. It was the leaders that were not afraid brave and fearless motivators that continue to shape the racial bias, making for a brighter future for black.