Thelma Robinson 's Original Writing

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

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

More than hundreds of years, Africans Americans had abided in inhuman lives and were thrown into passivity like lower social positions. Jim Crow laws, lasted from 1876 to 1965, “prevented ex-slave from riding in the same train cars as whites, from eating in the same restaurants, or from using the same toilet facilities” (Roark et al

The African American population in the United States have always seemed to have been oppressed and persecuted throughout the history of the country. They have been targeted and put down using emotional, physical and sometimes, extremely violent methods. The time period from 1865 to 1905 was a particularly bad period for Southern African Americans. Huge hurdles had to be crossed for the people that were newly allowed to participate in the United States as citizens.

Racial disparities and inequality dates all the way back to slavery: when whites abused, raped, tortured and killed black people. “Slavery transformed America into an economic power; the exploitation of black people made the south the richest and most politically powerful region in the country” (ABS). Black people did not have any rights, instead they were forced

In 1865, when the civil war ended in America and slavery was abolished, the African American population in the South faced many challenges related to their new found freedom. Following the post-Civil War Reconstruction period, white supremacy resurfaced in the South (A&E Television, 2015). Beginning in the early 1900s through 1970 there was a mass exodus of African American 's from the South to the North in America. Although some African American 's were known to have moved from the South as early as 1850, there were two major waves during the 1900s (A&E, 2015; Gates, Jr., 2013). The Great Migration brought new opportunities to African Americans, but not without significant challenges.

Racial inequality during this period of time was immense in the Southern part of the United States. Neighborhoods were segregated on the distinction of color, businesses were segregated, and all aspects of life were bounded by segregation. Racial inequality was rampant, and the idea of white

Their duties consisted of being the mother, house workers, and field workers. While both African American men and women in the South suffered and were “systematically deprived of self-determination” , African American women struggled greatly under their employers, husbands, and even their children. “[B]lack women helped to fulfill the economic as well as the emotional needs of their families. … [B]lack women performed housekeeping and childcare tasks, earned modest sums of cash, and worked

Even though, the civil war ended in 1865; we can understand the different dynamics of racism, ethnicity, and social class in America because the way that African, Indians, and Mexicans were mistreated do to the fact that they were consider a lower class. This period it was hard for humanity because of the way this beautiful human beans were treated. It was not mercy for the African Americans and Mexicans faced a system of extremely legal restriction, specially blacks people with the system knows as the Jim Crow, the violent and the constants abuse of people human rights and dignity were painful for the rest of humans, who believe in life. The southern oppression of white people it was hard because one can see the separation of people. This

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

In the years following the Civil War, a majority of white Americans still continued to support white supremacy which lead to African Americans being denied of power, wealth and position (Gillette 191). Denial of equality for African Americans led to an improvement in government intervention. The Civil Rights Act of 1860 was enacted but failed to address big civil rights issues, such as segregation, for African Americans (Gillette 197). The main reason that the government failed in its efforts was due to the peoples unwavering feelings towards African Americans. People’s racist sentiments questioned if it was

In Susie King Taylor’s Memoir, we are submerged into a vivid retelling of an African American woman’s experience during her time serving as a nurse and laundress for African American infantries during the Civil War. Taylor describes in great detail what life was like for the African American soldiers whom she would care for during their battles against the rebels of the confederacy. Taylor also shares what her own life was like prior to, during, and after her time as an infantry worker. Taylor’s personal story parallels the lives of many African Americans during the civil war era, and the array of social challenges African Americans were forced to endure day in and day out. As we look into this great recollection of history, it is important to understand the significant influence education had over Taylor. During Taylor’s lifetime, education granted her the ability to survive during her time working for the military, educate those around that were around her, and formulate her own life experiences into literature.

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.

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.

Slavery in the middle of the 1800's was abolished except for the rebellion states in the south. In 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was issued which made slavery illegal in the states that had rebelled and allowed black slaves to serve in the army and get other jobs, or continue to work on the plantations, as employees making money. The nightmare of slavery was over but a new one was to begin. One that was worse for it was prevalent but was secret and silent. One that exists today. One that does not shrink but rather grows. Racism was and is still upon us.