Racial discrimination against the African Americans was at its peak in the 60s, more specifically in 1965 when the Blacks were lobbying for their rights to vote. Racism was widely directed towards the Blacks and perpetuated by the Whites. Then slave trade promoted more discrimination by the white in America. They practiced racism and socialized their children to believe that they were the superior race in the country . The Blacks experienced some of the hardest and tried times in the history of racism as they could not even vote in a land they called home. This period was the 1950s and the 1960s. There occurred too many killing of innocent African American lives, and no one was ever apprehended. To the Whites, it was normal to kill a Black and get away with it. All these atrocities that occurred during this time and the fact that the blacks were denied their fundamental right as human brought about a need to address the issue through many public demonstrations lead by some of the most prolific activists of the time. The lives of the African Americans were valued less than those of any other animals. This research will be drawing from some popular works by Robert Bauman, Martin Luther King, Molnar, and Rosa Parks to give a preview of the situation racism was at during the period 1950s and 1960s .
Robert Bauman (2005) narrates the story of segregation stating that it began when millions of African Americans migrated from the South for defense-related employment in the major cities of the West during World War II. During the migration, the African American were cruelly discriminated against and had fewer freedoms than any other race in the US. Robert Bauman (2005) researched on Jim Crow in the tri-cities highlighting many challenges the Blacks went through in the tri-cities where they were supposed to integrate with the Whites. As expected, they faced the discrimination as a result of the rampant racism during the time. Blacks moved to big cities to get better jobs and better homes, but racial inequality would not allow that to happen. The Jim Crow’s laws saw segregation of races where there were schools, medical care facilities, and even public transportation for either race. The two cannot mix. Racism was so adverse that opportunities such as real education were appalling . The White went to the best schools, lived in the richest households, and most importantly enjoyed their human rights while the blacks were had the worst housing and poor education. To the whites, they were superior to other races and, therefore, their lives more equal than any other person. At some point, policemen would kill, and they would not answer to anyone. This just shows how cruel the Blacks were being treated by the Whites during this time .
Martin Luther King (1961) discusses how African American slaves were suffering from slavery some scores of years ago. In “I Have a Dream”, King states how the day would go down in history as the greatest demonstrations of American history of freedom. Martin explains the freedom that was granted to the Blacks and reminds them of the situation they are in now. He repeatedly says that hundreds of years after the Emancipation of the announcement was signed; the Blacks were still segregated and subject to social injustices. They still found themselves not welcome in their land. He quotes how categorical the American Constitution states about the fact that every citizen was guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. According to the situation they lived in, that was not the case. Martin Luther King continues to urge the Americans listening to his speech of the urgency that was in front of them. How important it was to let justice prevail. To address social inequality that affected the American propel.
Martin Luther King believed that there was hope, and asked the people to believe. As he repeatedly said that he had a dream of a future just America. A country is free from social injustices and racism that will be borne of the existing viciousness that filled the land . Martin Luther King believed in freedom. At one point he says that “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but the content of their character.” This dream came true as America is the embodiment of civilization . Today, the country has an African American president. Like King, Rosa Parks was a devout activist who fought the injustices in the American society. Parks & Haskins (1997), she states how an individual should chase their dreams and stand with what is right. Like Martin Luther King, she believes that it is after standing on one’s ground that a person can really claim what theirs is.
Molnar (1989), another person who has offered great insight on racisms beside the above two activists, outlines how racism has changed and what has been retained since the 60s when the most famous activists were fighting for racial equality. In his article, he states that race is still a serious problem although it is different that it was before in 1960s. Just like Martin Luther King noted and actually experienced racism at its worst, Molnar details the injustices the African American race went through in the country. For most Americans, racism is something that they took care off in the 60s and something that does not exist today (Molnar 1989). The truth is, according to the article, bitter to the American people as racism is still in existent today. Currently , America has an African-American president in office. In the 60s, that was something that no one would not even think of. The Blacks were denied even the right to vote. Racism was also so rampant that there were “Whites only” hotels and washrooms. In the 60s, the African Americans were fighting for freedom and being accorded the same rights as their White counterparts were enjoying. Today, a lot has changed. While racism is not as adverse as it was about five decades ago, it cannot be said that there is no racism in the US. Racial inequality still exists, between the Whites and the Blacks in the US. Molnar , King, and Parks went through more pronounced and ‘unhidden racism’ something that is different from how things are today. Still, things are better off than they were a few decades ago.
A lot has changed since the 1960s. During this time and before that, issues such as school integration were unheard of. It was just a dream that someday the whites and the blacks would be united in a spirit of brotherhood. During this time, the blacks did not vote and did not have the rights that other races enjoyed. After the coming of famous activists and people such as Robert Bauman, Martin Luther King, Molnar, and Rosa Parks as had been discussed earlier, things started to change. Initially, things were very unfair to the African Americans as they were not even supposed to share even restaurants with the Whites. They did not even have the right to vote. Killings were common as had been mentiosned earlier and the Whites who would always kill the Blacks, walked Scott free. This just shows what motivated the people above to write about the unfairness that was in America and why it was important for the country to change? Currently, there is very little racism that exists in America. Still, there are several factors that continue to raise some questons. Such include why there are so many poor African Americans while compared to the whites. For now, people still hope that judging others in terms of their skin color will change soon enough.
Bauman , R. (2005). Jim Crow in the Tri-Cities, 1943-1950. The Pacific Northwest Quarterly, 124-131.
King, M. L. (1961). The American Dream. Martin Luther King, Jr. Center.
Molnar, A. (1989). Racism in America: A Continuing Dilemma. Educational Leadership, 47(2), 71-72.
Parks, R., & Haskins, J. (1997). I am rosa parks. Dial Books for Young Readers.
If this were your final essay in your portfolio, it would get a 67/75=89%. If you organize it more, proofread, and add more detailed quotes, you should be able to get an A.
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