The Apartheid Of African Americans

Nearly every aspect of American history involves white supremacy. Upon the discovery of the Americas, the Europeans believed they entered into a land inhabited by savages (Boyer 20). According to President Jackson, the mistreatment of the Indians was to “kill the Indian, but save the man” (Williams) in order to purify America. They were forced to adapt to the dominate society or be killed. According to Wiethaus, “the Trail of Tears is a story of tragedy far overshadows the longer term economic consequences of Indian land for the United States economy and the disruption of individual lives for those dispossessed of their homes” (29). The Columbian Exchange involved the slavery of Africans which later became an issue during the 1800’s once the colonies formed into states. African-Americans did not receive emancipation until after the civil war. Before then, slavery was at the heart of the Commercial Revolution which set the stage for the modern era of economic growth (Wright 14). During the 1800’s, states became divided upon the issue of being a Slave or Free State. After the Civil War, Johnson approved of the emancipation of slaves (Boyer 497). However, during the Reconstruction, “black codes” were constructed to prevent African-American to be considered worthy citizens. Many Acts were passed to give them equality, but they still received inhuman treatment (Boyer 509-511). It took years of marches, protest, and riots

For the greater part of the nineteenth century, black people were slaves for white men. The Fourteenth Amendment was placed into effect to protect the rights of the black community after emancipation. It stated that, “all persons born or naturalized in the United States” would be supported under the doctrine. However, this article failed to uphold the rights of the newly freed slaves. The blacks, ridiculed and scorned by the public, were greatly suppressed by the white backlash. The states put into effect laws that would suppress the blacks even further, even though they were protected under the Amendment. The states made stipulations on rights the African Americans were granted, like the right to own land, vote, and even hold certain jobs. Voting was a major controversy for the newly freed slaves, they wanted the chance to be heard through politics. Nevertheless, they were still denied the simple right to vote in many of the states if they could not meet the prerequisites for reading or could not pay a voting tax. They made contracts for them to work for white men, just as if they were slaves and nothing changed. Black people were still waiting for their salvation under this new piece of legislation, but were unable to grasp it through the government. African Americans stood for their newly given rights under the Constitution and were denied by the people who put

“Racism was used aggressively to divide poor white southerners from slaves. The relationship between the wealthy and the poor was aggressively exploited by the rich white slave holder to ensure the poor whites non-slave holder that they had a similar cause” (Shaping America: Lesson 16). This caused non-slave holding whites to have a similar view as latter. Non-slave holding whites were in direct competition with slaves and more often than not were forced out of work due to the free labor slavery had offered.

During the period of Apartheid in South Africa between 1948 and 1994 the reactions of the South African citizens towards the legal separation of races varied depending on race, ideals and time period. After gold and diamonds were fud inSouthAfrica both the dutch and British wanted the land to themselves, leading to the Boer War from which the Dutch farmers emerged victorious. Following the Boer War and the creation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the Dutch Boers gained control over the majority of the land in the previously British Cape Colony along with the settlements they had already built, the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. Blacks in South Africa made up about eighty percent of the population but only lived on ten percent of

From the 1930s to the 1950s, African Americans were being severely persecuted and ostracized. The Jim Crow Laws allowed for legal segregation and continued control over blacks in the South. Those laws severely restricted the rights of the African American in the southern half of the United States and essentially continued to restrain them even though the United States Constitution forbid it. The North did not have such laws, but blacks still suffered. When African Americans migrated to the North, they were disillusioned by the fact that they were still not equal. The African Americans were instead delivered a subtler form of the discriminatory actions within the South. African Americans struggled for equality everywhere because of white

In the same way, the issue of racism was more opposed to people and was more openly abused in the past compare to present. African Americans were mistreated, and were slaved for a long time, and they did not have any rights until the 18th century. In 1865 and 1866 Southern states passed a laws called "black codes" which was meant to limit the rights of black and segregate them from whites; however, during the 1865 African American believed that the process of reconstruction would bring equality. The main object of reconstruction was to help African Americans become equal citizens, but reconstruction failed to help them, because the Southerners were not willing to accept the laws that were placed to give rights to the African Americans.

The South African Apartheid, instituted in 1948 by the country’s Afrikaner National Party, was legalized segregation on the basis of race, and is a system comparable to the segregation of African Americans in the United States. Non-whites - including blacks, Indians, and people of color in general- were prohibited from engaging in any activities specific to whites and prohibited from engaging in interracial marriages, receiving higher education, and obtaining certain jobs. The National Party’s classification of “race” was loosely based on physical appearance and lineage. White individuals were superficially defined as being “obviously white'' on the basis of their “habits, education and speech as well as deportment and demeanor”; an

The United States’ treatment of African Americans has changed tremendously since the country’s founding up until now. African Americans were first introduced to the country in one of the harshest manners possible. They were brought over on tightly compacted slave ships and then forced into hard labor for the entirety of their lives. This went on for centuries until African Americans were finally given their freedom after the Civil War. Albeit this was much better than slavery, citizenship came with many troubles of its own. The years following the Civil War, known as the Gilded Age and the Progressive Era, would prove to be, aside from slavery, some of the hardest times for African Americans in all of U.S. history.

The status of black Americans improved under Reconstruction, and then deteriorated towards a low point by the end of the century. African Americans in many parts of the South were politically powerful in the first years after Reconstruction. The timing and nature of white supremacy in practice was determined by demographics, economics, class, occupation, gender, and even the tone of skin color. The exclusion of black workers from major sectors of the Northern and Western economy during a period of industrialization set a pattern of racial exclusion and oppression at the workplace. This pattern also helps to explain why black migrants in the North fared particularly badly in comparison with immigrant groups. Forced into ‘dirty’ jobs or domestic

After these laws were abolished, caste oppression in the south, the decline of cotton agriculture (which was due to floods), and the shortage of labor in the Northern Factories created the conditions that incentivized African Americans to emigrate towards the North. Here they faced the ghetto. Although they had more freedom and opportunities, many African Americans were forced into a ‘Black Belt’ which became a community with the following attributes: overpopulation, underserved, crime, disease, and dilapidation. Beneath that facade of freedom was a ‘job ceiling’ - restricting Blacks to the most underpaid jobs - and a wall between them and White cliques, keeping them from true ‘social equality.’ Smiley & Fakunle state that overt racism is not

Throughout history, African Americans both free and enslaved were not treated equally nor permitted with the same rights as white men. African Americans were enslaved and not allowed to vote or hold public office. Since the 15th century, African Americans have been treated less than human, some even experienced brutal punished for justifiable mistakes. The use of African American slave labor was an enormous contribution to agriculture and labor. It became a part of southern state’s economy within America. Additionally, African Americans were forced or born into slavery where they endured harsh working conditions with zero pay and often times were punished by their masters. Even slaves that became emancipated or paid for their freedom were also treated differently than whites. Notably, blacks did not have the same privileges as whites and were forced to carry a “freedom card” wherever they went. Failing to do so would lead to severe consequences, such as being forced back into slavery. Once African Americans were considered free, they faced additional discriminations such as not being able to vote or serve as a figure in public office. Due to this and additional factors, African Americans were almost entirely incapable of defending themselves against whites. Since the start of the 17th century, African Americans, free and enslaved were punished for their skin color and were considered the lowest scale by not being allowed to the same opportunities and rights and white men.

African Americans have continued to struggle and do the best they can to be seen as equal humans in America. The early 20th century was no exception. Jim Crow laws from the late 19th century greatly impacted the lives of the African Americans. The “American dream” was not a reality for African Americans and they, rightfully, wanted more. Thus, we start to see a new attitude in African Americans through race riots, a new movement called “Black Nationalism”, and the Great Migration1. The race riots are caused by the growing racial tensions between Blacks and Whites, partially due to intense segregation. The Blacks were not going to be accepted into the world of the Whites and they knew this, so they strived to create their own world. Marcus Garvey founded the “Black Nationalism” movement, seeking a separate nation within the American nation, but ultimately failed due to corruption1. During the Great Migration, African Americans moved north to escape segregation and to find better paying

“Captive African and their descendants paid with their blood and sweat for the phenomenal expansion of human possibilities in the Atlantic world”(Rice, 62). Among many groups of people that migrated to America are the African Americans. At first it was by choice, but that gradually changed to being captured and forced to migrate to America to work in the plantation fields. African Americans faced racial oppression and prejudice in a land that put in its constitution “all men are created equal.” They were treated with disrespect, hostility, and cruelty and made inferior to their fellow beings. Despite the abolishment of slavery with the thirteenth amendment, African Americans still faced prejudice and racial hostility from all around.

In America, it is to no surprise that a large percentage of the African American race has and still is struggling financially. Many African-Americans are subjected to live in poorer areas where sanitation isn’t as heavily emphasized compared to more prosperous neighborhoods. Due to this blatant divide there has been many detrimental effects this has to minority communities. In specifically predominantly black communities the effects are seen heavily. Over the years the most frequent illnesses affecting African-American’s are high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, stroke, kidney failure and cancer. Racism and classism are contributing factors to this environmental crisis’ because of the where toxic waste is disposed, where pollutive industries are located, and the financial challenges African-Americans face.

Oppression is at the root of many of the most serious, enduring conflicts in the world today. Racial and religious conflicts; conflicts between dictatorial governments and their citizens; the battle between the sexes; conflicts between management and labor; and conflicts between heterosexuals and homosexuals all stem, in whole or in part, to oppression. It’s similar to an article in south africa that people have with racial segregation between black and white . Many people need to know that indiviual have their own rights in laws and freedom . Everyone should have an equal rights and better community . A black person would be of or accepted as a member of an African tribe or race, and a colored person is one that is not black or white. The Department of Home Affairs (a government bureau) was responsible for the classification of the citizenry. Non-compliance with the race laws were dealt with harshly. All blacks were required to carry ``pass books ' ' containing fingerprints, photo and information on access to non-black areas. The apartheid in South Africa which was in effect from 1948 until 1994 was not only a racist policy which greatly affected the quality of life of minorities in the country for the worse but was a outright crime against humanity. It include with civil right that violence verses non-violence that the government could or