Angela Davis Political Activism

The civil rights movement was a very important part of not only the United States but also the 20th century in general. Even today many people believe that the civil rights movement is still going on. The bravery of men and woman during this period in the 1960s; some important figures included Martin Luther king Jr., John Lewis, Malcolm X, Bayard Rustin and Angela Davis. The letter from a Birmingham jail by MLK, Malcolm X’s The black Revolution, and Angela Davis’s I am a Revolutionary Black Woman are very important pieces of the civil rights movement in the united states for many reasons. The letter by MLK was created to response to criticism to the eight clergy man. The black revolution was a speech made to persuade the audience to follow Muslim. Angela Davis’s piece also was one of controversy, not only was she black and a woman but she was also a communist.

In 1963, the civil rights movement was going on in almost every city in America. Our African American neighbors were standing up for equality and their own basic rights. Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights activist, writes a book called Why We Can't Wait to describe the social conditions of the black people living in America in this era. In his book, MLK uses strong imagery, historical allusions, and rhetorical questions in order to describe what the black community was going through in the 1960s.

In this book, King is clearly speaking to a contemporary and mostly white audience. And the bulk of the book is devoted to answering the titular question. Time and again he steps out of the narrative to rebut various criticisms from contemporaries who said that his movement was too militant, too extreme, too impractical, too disorganized, too out-of-touch with ordinary people, too disengaged from the political process. The year 1963 marked the 100-year anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and Martin Luther King asks two questions: why should we wait for emancipation? And aware of what White Americans were doing to Black Americans, "What is the Negro doing for himself?  (King p. 8) Martin Luther King concludes by pointing out the importance of expanding on the current campaign, what his hopes are for the future, why he wrote Letter from Birmingham Jail, why the campaign was the right thing to do, why America was a better place in January of 1964 than it was in January of 1963, and why America can't wait any longer to be wholly free. King examines the history of the civil rights struggle, noting tasks

The issue of racism in the mid twentieth century played a huge role in Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Throughout the 1960’s he gradually became a civil rights activist, participating in multiple boycotts and riots against

America stands for equality, freedom, and choice, but upon looking into the history behind America the everlasting struggle of racism, bigotry, and inequality are revealed. Through the 1950s to the 1970s, the fight for civil rights by African Americans was prominent throughout America. Schools, restaurants, and all public facilities were segregated, African Americans were blocked from voting through literacy tests and poll taxes, and The KKK, a white supremacist group, would lynch African American men. The need for the immediate cease of these practices and the desire for equality gave way to the Civil Rights Movement. Leaders and groups arose from this movement, such as Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, and the Black Panther Party. The overall goal was to achieve rights but there were two significantly different methods of achieving this goal, non-violent civil disobedience and “black power”. The shift from non-violent civil disobedience to “black power” was caused by the emotional toll of being complacent during personal attack and the truth that immediate change calls upon the use of force, and the result of the shift was the further spread of violence.

Nearly three centuries ago, black men and women from Africa were brought to America and put into slavery. They were treated more cruelly in the United States than in any other country that had practiced slavery. African Americans didn’t gain their freedom until after the Civil War, nearly one-hundred years later. Even though African Americans were freed and the constitution was amended to guarantee racial equality, they were still not treated the same as whites and were thought of as second class citizens. One man had the right idea on how to change America, Martin Luther King Jr. had the best philosophy for advancing civil rights, he preached nonviolence to express the need for change in America and he united both African Americans

As a result, the black feminist movement developed, where black women were the sole leaders of the movement that liberated all people. Many black women believed that it was counterproductive for the Civil Rights Movement to neglect the needs of black woman because black men continued to use the same systemic oppression that white people used against them on black women. In “I Am a Revolutionary Black Woman,” Angela Davis writes that “black women constitute the most oppressed sector of society” (Davis 461). It is evident that black women have been super exploited by American society economically, sexually, and politically, making them the lowest on the social hierarchy. Because of black women’s low social standing, if the black woman is liberated, then everyone else will follow, which will ensure the liberation of all people. Thus, Davis argues that “women’s liberation is especially critical with respect to the effort to build an effective black liberation movement” (461). Unlike Hamer, Davis believes that black women should liberate themselves from the black man if they are too oppressive like the white man; black men should be held accountable for their chauvinistic efforts, and should embrace the fight for liberation of women just as black women supported the liberation of black men.

Angela Davis achieved many great things in her life and now she is getting recognized by many people on International Women's Day. She had worked very hard to become the person that she is today. Angela is an American Politician activist, who then become an academic scholar and which then lead to her becoming an author who has had her book read by many people. She was always involved in many marches all over including the Black Panther Party, and the Civil Rights Movement. Davis has always been involved in all different types of activities which played a big role in her life. After she started to get involved she has started to have a higher interest in such political and more informational things.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s effective policy of non-violence. Furthermore, the “Black Lives Matter” movement’s disruptive protest and impassionate public mission statement speeches about the persistent purpose of racial inequality have been disconcerting to many Americans who wonder what the real message for this new generation of civil rights protests are, and if their arguments, tactics, and cause is effective and productive to inciting change. To many times their stances have appeared contradictory and hate filled because of their lack of specific purpose and a central governing body. Responding to this criticism, Black Lives Matter leaders assert this is, “not your grandfather’s civil-rights movement,” to distinguish its tactics and its philosophy from those of nineteen-sixties-style activism. However, despite insinuating they are not typical of older civil rights movements they frequently allude to past civil rights

The racial disparities against African Americans lies is shameful, but not surprising. Race matters in the United States. People of color do not receive the same benefits and equality as white people; whether it be in education, the workplace and in the judicial system. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the racial disparities to African Americans in what subsequently led to the Black lives Matter movement. I have chosen a series of photos that capture historical events of protests and movements including an analysis of one of my images.

Angela Davis an Autobiography is a declaration of Davis’ life journey within “Bombingham” (Birmingham) Alabama to her political ties within Communist Party. Davis is a prototype of an anomaly within the US. She went from being placed on the FBI’s most wanted list, to escaping the death penalty, to becoming a professor at one of the premiere colleges within the US, University of California- Los Angeles . How did she do it ? What is Davis’ secret ? Simply becoming aware of the world she lived in, but was engulf in systemic ways of doing things.

Despite not single handedly ending prejudice with a small revolution, even the most seemingly small results provide advancement in the road toward social and systematic innovation. One of these results includes educating others and bringing awareness to the situation and problem at hand, so that citizens would ‘not be on the side of the executioners’. An example of using peace to effectively spread a message that would not only have a huge effect on obliterating the national discrimination of its time but as well being honored and remembered for decades after would be Martin Luther King Jr’s iconic ‘I Have A Dream’ speech on August 28, 1963. A century after slavery was outlawed, and nevertheless African-Americans were still regarded as less by the white American government, who allowed discrimination, separation, and exclusion everywhere - schools, water fountains, buses - between the races to be legal. Being an African-American man himself, King would not tolerate this. Rather than succumbing to violent measures in order to get his message to end racial discrimination instead, he used words as his force and in doing so educated and inspired thousands to contribute toward attempting to make a change in the nation. People are the product of what they are taught - even the most obstinate can be influenced, especially during this time period and

Chapter 11 discusses Social Protest and Affirmation. This includes protests against military action, anti-war art, fighting for the oppressed, questioning the status quo, and politically charged art. The strategies used for protesting oppression is beauty, illustration, narrative, shock, and humor. The powerful and amazing thing about art is that there is no set definition for it and no rules or regulations; it is simply a way of expressing oneself through a variety of different mediums. Anything creative can be considered “art” and it can be used to express ones emotions and opinions. Because art is so powerful and so free I believe that it should question the status quo. By questioning the status quo it can convey a powerful message and incite

America in the 1960s was not the finest time for African Americans, especially in the South. There was racism, injustice and inequality. However, the ‘devotees’ of the civil rights movement were dedicated and passionate about making a difference. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of those pioneers that remained true in what he believed in no matter what the circumstance.

During the Civil Rights Era from 1954-1968, leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Bayard Rustin and many others utilized the strength of voice to empower the people they were representing. When they stood up to speak, their reason for speaking was not to make others change their minds, but instead, to encourage and inspire those who already believed in their cause and shared their hardships. Fast forward to today, and the same methods are being used. In Jeff Chang’s book, “We Gon’ Be Alright”, he is constantly using examples and stories as the evidence to back up his ideas and his perspective. While most people think the reason for that is to change the reader’s way of thinking, Chang doesn’t try to persuade anyone. His target group is not racists or xenophobes and he’s not trying to change their minds. The people he’s really trying to reach out to are those who understand the struggle he’s describing and are interested in/participating in the new civil rights movement that has been building for years. This essay aims to show that Chang is trying to unify that movement by showing his target audience how media bias, law enforcement misconduct, and the normalization of racially-charged attacks are slowing down the progression towards equality.