The document discusses how race has historically been used as a social construct in America to categorize and oppress non-white groups for political and economic gain. It provides examples like the 1790 Naturalization Act that limited citizenship to whites and the 1887 Dawes Act that broke up Native American tribes and seized land for white settlers. Throughout American history, laws and policies have benefited whites and perpetuated racial inequalities, like systemic racism in the prison system today. The document argues that as long as whites remain in political power, they will continue using race to profit from oppressing other groups and maintain control over who is considered a true "American."
MINORITIES AND POLITICS Understanding the Common Cause of Their Rise in Polit...Nam Kyu Kang
This document is a thesis submitted by Nam Kyu Kang analyzing the common factors that caused three minority groups in the United States - African Americans, Chicano Americans, and Korean Americans - to seek and gain political power. The thesis examines how each group endured years of discrimination and having their livelihoods overlooked by the government before rising up politically. For African Americans, it was the Civil Rights Movement that pushed them to gain political power. For Chicano Americans, it was the Delano Grape Strike that protested poor working conditions. And for Korean Americans, it was the 1992 LA Riots where the government failed to protect them during civil unrest. The document provides background on the oppression each group faced and reviews literature analyzing their paths to
Racial segregation in the United States stemmed from white supremacist attitudes that took hold during Reconstruction. These attitudes corrupted the goals of equality and led to oppression through policies like Jim Crow laws and segregation. Attempts at establishing equality, such as amendments and court rulings, did not succeed in overturning generations of racial prejudice and the belief in white supremacy. It was not until the civil rights movement in the 1950s-60s, sparked by events like Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat to a white passenger, that major progress was made toward legally establishing racial equality. However, racism still persists in societal attitudes today.
Slavery was a national institution in the United States that benefited many northern families and immigrants economically up until the Civil War. Over the past few decades, there have been increasing calls from African American organizations for reparations to repair the legacy of slavery and ongoing racial inequalities. Some state and local governments have offered apologies and limited compensation programs. However, the debate around broader federal reparations continues as proponents argue it will only end when racial inequality is fully addressed.
This document summarizes the history of racial segregation in the United States from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Movement. It discusses how Reconstruction opened the door for further discrimination through Jim Crow laws and the rise of groups like the Ku Klux Klan. It then covers the Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896 that legalized "separate but equal" and how this led to continued segregation. The document concludes by discussing key events and figures in the Civil Rights Movement like Rosa Parks and the Freedom Riders that helped challenge racial segregation and inequality.
The document discusses the civil rights movement in the 1960s, including the rise of black nationalism and black power ideology in response to the slow pace of progress and urban riots. It also summarizes the federal government's increasing efforts to address racism and discrimination through new laws and policies like affirmative action in the late 1960s. Key events and leaders discussed include Malcolm X, the Black Panther Party, Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, and the Bakke Supreme Court case challenging racial preferences in university admissions.
Country study Lecture 3 population of the usabatsaikhan_mm
Native Americans originally inhabited what is now the continental United States and parts of Alaska and Hawaii. They comprised many distinct tribes and ethnic groups that lived in hunter-gatherer societies with value systems different from European colonists. After colonization, conflicts arose between Native Americans and settlers as the US expanded westward. Today, over 562 federally recognized tribal governments exist with rights to self-governance, though some advocates argue for full sovereignty as independent nations.
The document discusses key strategies and events of the American Civil Rights Movement. It covers major court cases like Brown v. Board of Education, protests like the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Birmingham campaign, key leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, civil rights organizations, and important legislation under presidents Truman through Nixon aimed at desegregation and voting rights.
MINORITIES AND POLITICS Understanding the Common Cause of Their Rise in Polit...Nam Kyu Kang
This document is a thesis submitted by Nam Kyu Kang analyzing the common factors that caused three minority groups in the United States - African Americans, Chicano Americans, and Korean Americans - to seek and gain political power. The thesis examines how each group endured years of discrimination and having their livelihoods overlooked by the government before rising up politically. For African Americans, it was the Civil Rights Movement that pushed them to gain political power. For Chicano Americans, it was the Delano Grape Strike that protested poor working conditions. And for Korean Americans, it was the 1992 LA Riots where the government failed to protect them during civil unrest. The document provides background on the oppression each group faced and reviews literature analyzing their paths to
Racial segregation in the United States stemmed from white supremacist attitudes that took hold during Reconstruction. These attitudes corrupted the goals of equality and led to oppression through policies like Jim Crow laws and segregation. Attempts at establishing equality, such as amendments and court rulings, did not succeed in overturning generations of racial prejudice and the belief in white supremacy. It was not until the civil rights movement in the 1950s-60s, sparked by events like Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat to a white passenger, that major progress was made toward legally establishing racial equality. However, racism still persists in societal attitudes today.
Slavery was a national institution in the United States that benefited many northern families and immigrants economically up until the Civil War. Over the past few decades, there have been increasing calls from African American organizations for reparations to repair the legacy of slavery and ongoing racial inequalities. Some state and local governments have offered apologies and limited compensation programs. However, the debate around broader federal reparations continues as proponents argue it will only end when racial inequality is fully addressed.
This document summarizes the history of racial segregation in the United States from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Movement. It discusses how Reconstruction opened the door for further discrimination through Jim Crow laws and the rise of groups like the Ku Klux Klan. It then covers the Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896 that legalized "separate but equal" and how this led to continued segregation. The document concludes by discussing key events and figures in the Civil Rights Movement like Rosa Parks and the Freedom Riders that helped challenge racial segregation and inequality.
The document discusses the civil rights movement in the 1960s, including the rise of black nationalism and black power ideology in response to the slow pace of progress and urban riots. It also summarizes the federal government's increasing efforts to address racism and discrimination through new laws and policies like affirmative action in the late 1960s. Key events and leaders discussed include Malcolm X, the Black Panther Party, Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, and the Bakke Supreme Court case challenging racial preferences in university admissions.
Country study Lecture 3 population of the usabatsaikhan_mm
Native Americans originally inhabited what is now the continental United States and parts of Alaska and Hawaii. They comprised many distinct tribes and ethnic groups that lived in hunter-gatherer societies with value systems different from European colonists. After colonization, conflicts arose between Native Americans and settlers as the US expanded westward. Today, over 562 federally recognized tribal governments exist with rights to self-governance, though some advocates argue for full sovereignty as independent nations.
The document discusses key strategies and events of the American Civil Rights Movement. It covers major court cases like Brown v. Board of Education, protests like the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Birmingham campaign, key leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, civil rights organizations, and important legislation under presidents Truman through Nixon aimed at desegregation and voting rights.
While indigenous populations in Canada, the US, and Latin America faced disease, land disputes, and human rights issues following European colonization, their experiences varied. In Canada, treaties established indigenous rights but were sometimes violated, while the US pursued an "Indian removal" policy. In Latin America, indigenous groups faced poverty, poor living conditions, and discrimination. Overall, indigenous rights have improved in recent decades through legislation and court rulings in all three regions, but full equality has yet to be achieved.
This document covers topics related to civil liberties and civil rights in the United States, including protections from and by the government. It discusses the evolution of equality through constitutional amendments such as the 19th Amendment granting women's suffrage. Key civil rights issues addressed include the rights of blacks before the Civil War, Plessy v. Ferguson establishing the "separate but equal" doctrine, Brown v. Board of Education rejecting separate public schools, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibiting discrimination. The document also examines feminism and the failed Equal Rights Amendment along with "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and the Defense of Marriage Act regarding LGBQT rights.
February is Black History Month, which celebrates African American history and leaders. One topic discussed is voting rights, as a major goal of the civil rights movement was gaining equal voting rights for all citizens. While the 15th Amendment guaranteed this right, many states enacted laws to prevent African Americans from voting through literacy tests and poll taxes. Over time, civil rights activists worked to overturn these laws through protests and advocacy. In 1965, the Voting Rights Act outlawed barriers to voter registration and ensured equal access to voting.
The Civil Rights Movement achieved several important accomplishments in the fight for African American equality and rights, including banning school segregation through the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court decision, limiting racial discrimination through NAACP legal victories, and gaining the right to vote for African Americans through the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The Movement saw many milestones on the path to freedom and equality through strategic legal battles and passage of influential legislation over decades of effort.
Civil rights remain an important issue in the US despite gains such as the Voting Rights Act and ADA. The document discusses the history of civil rights movements and legislation regarding minorities, women, people with disabilities, and other groups. It outlines key Supreme Court cases and amendments that have shaped understandings of equality, discrimination, and equal protection under the law over time.
This document is a student paper about the civil rights movement in the United States. It discusses key events and figures in the movement, including Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat which sparked the Montgomery bus boycott, and the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. It also mentions Thurgood Marshall's role in the Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court case that ended school segregation. The paper analyzes the tactics of nonviolent protest advocated by King and the more militant views of Malcolm X. It concludes by noting some laws passed to promote desegregation but that discrimination continued in other forms.
The document summarizes the struggles for equal rights by various groups in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s, including women, Latinos, American Indians, Asian Americans, disabled Americans, gay Americans, and older Americans. These groups drew inspiration from the African American civil rights movement and organized efforts to fight discrimination in areas like employment, education, healthcare, and housing. Key events and leaders in each group's movement are highlighted.
The document discusses several topics related to the US immigration debate:
1) The debate has humanitarian costs as it causes undocumented immigrants to go underground and drives up prison populations.
2) Panelists in 2007 voiced little hope for substantive immigration reform before the 2009 presidential election due to the political complexity and risks involved.
3) The document argues Mexico should take a stronger, more engaged position in the US immigration debate by expanding services for Mexicans living abroad and pressing the US government to treat immigration as a regional issue requiring cooperation.
4) Immigrant rights are an important part of the debate, as undocumented immigrants come to the US seeking better lives despite lacking formal rights, though the focus has been on
This is the introductory lecture for 1st year's students of English in American Civilization. It introduces them to the founding values of the American Nation
The document discusses different perspectives on the definition of the American Dream. The author believes the American Dream consists of three main components: the ability to pursue one's dreams, the right to be accepted as an individual, and freedom from oppression. These characteristics are exemplified through quotes discussing Americans pursuing their passions, a culturally diverse society accepting differences, and declarations of equality and liberty. In conclusion, while definitions vary, the American Dream in the author's view is defined by a set of rights that allow individuals to chase their goals and live freely without unjust restrictions.
The document discusses the history and current state of illegal immigration to the United States. It describes how the U.S. has long welcomed immigrants seeking opportunity but now faces challenges with the rise in illegal immigration. There are approximately 11.7 million illegal immigrants currently living in the U.S. This issue sparks debate, as some argue illegal immigrants negatively impact the economy and culture, while others believe they should be given amnesty. The document also examines how illegal immigration policies have separated families and how public opinion on solutions is evolving.
The document summarizes key events and developments related to race relations in the United States after the Civil War. It discusses the formation of the Confederate States, the results of the Civil War including the end of slavery, and the continued persecution of African Americans through laws and organizations like the Jim Crow laws, the Ku Klux Klan, and Plessy v. Ferguson decision upholding "separate but equal". It also outlines the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s-60s and its role in advancing racial equality.
This document summarizes the history of discrimination and civil rights in the United States. It discusses how African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and women faced discrimination and unequal treatment. It then outlines key civil rights legislation passed from the 1950s onward that aimed to outlaw discrimination, including the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968. The document also discusses changes over time to immigration policy and how American citizenship can be obtained through birth or naturalization.
1.12.23 Movement Mythologies and the Legacies of Reconstruction .pptxMaryPotorti1
The document discusses the "master narrative" of the civil rights movement. It summarizes some key issues with this narrative, including that it minimizes the importance of local struggles and organizers like Black women, emphasizes morality over disruption as a tactic, ignores diversity within the Black community, and suggests change came from national leaders rather than a long struggle. It also discusses how the narrative focuses only on 1955-1968 and ignores earlier movements, takes a top-down view of how change happened, and overlooks daily organizing work.
The American Revolution or the American War of Independence was on.docxmehek4
The American Revolution or the American War of Independence was one of the most remarkable wars in the history of the world. The motives behind the war can be interestingly explained by Zinn from the chapter Tyranny Is Tyranny in A People’s History of The United States: 1“Around 1776, certain important people in the English colonies made a discovery that would prove enormously useful for the next two hundred years. 2They found that by creating a nation, a symbol, a legal unity called the United States, they could take over land, profits, and political power from favorites of the British Empire” (Zinn). Indeed, the American Revolution left a significant impact on early American society and government in terms of social, political, and intellectual adjustments. Typically, one of them is the gap between social classes. 3From the chapter A Kind of Revolution, it is surprising to know that “About 10 percent of the white population - large landholders and merchants - held 1,000 pounds or more in personal property and 1,000 pounds in land, at the least, and these men owned nearly half the wealth of the country and held as slaves one-seventh of the country's people” (Zinn). What’s more: “The people resented the tax system, which was especially burdensome on the poor” (Zinn). Besides, the ability to have a political say can only be in the hands of the rich and powerful. Consequently, mutinies and slave revolts broke out because one finds inequality everywhere. To my surprise, it was this political tyranny, economic burdens and unfairness in social hierarchy that motivated people in the 13 colonies to stand up and revolt against the corrupted government at that time.
We are taught by the modern-day history books to revere our Founders as superhuman leaders of a superior generation. Yet in fact, on the opposite, they were not perfect. They were also problematic and thus do not deserve their current level of popularity. 4“Shouldn't we applaud the Founders’ restored popularity? Yes - but like anything else, it can be taken too far” (H. W. Brands). Pondering over this question, we take the shortcomings of the Founders into consideration. In scrutinizing the Declaration and the Constitution, “two grave sins of omission hung ominously over the country: the Founders' failure to deal with slavery, and their failure to specify whether sovereignty lay with the states or with the nation” (H. W. Brands). The intentional ignorance of slavery in the documents which represent American history makes us look over the Founders' perspectives. “For one thing, challenging slavery's validity within those documents was completely irrational, seeing as slavery was a critical part of culture both in America, and in Europe. The majority of the Founders simply didn't see anything wrong with it; or if they did, they did not express it. Another
reason that they didn't mention slavery is because it would do more harm than good. If they openly condemned slavery, they would quickly ...
1.17.23 The Nadir: Race Relations in Early 20th C America.pptxMaryPotorti1
This document provides an overview of race relations in the early 20th century United States, known as the Nadir era. It describes how the 1896 Plessy v Ferguson Supreme Court decision established the "separate but equal" doctrine, legitimizing racial segregation and the rise of Jim Crow laws across the South. During this period, white supremacy was strongly enforced through policies of segregation and discrimination across all areas of life. Black Americans faced widespread oppression, disenfranchisement, violence including lynching, and the emergence of systems like convict leasing and sharecropping that maintained economic oppression. The document discusses key events and figures that exemplified the nadir, including the popularity of the film The Birth of a Nation, the
The History of Voting Rights and Racial Discrimination in Texas: 1865-1965AJHSSR Journal
ABSTRACT :The struggle for voting rights juxtaposed with racial discrimination in America was and is
prevalent in numerous parts of the United States and, in some states, the discrimination is more prevalent than in
other states. For historical reasons, the Southern states such as Texas have a much deeper racialized climate and
discrimination history than the Northern states. Even after the Civil War ended in 1865, Texas was the last state
in the Union to recognize the formal emancipation of slavery and was reluctant to given in to federal
enforcement. However, while great civil rights progress has been made for minorities, especially Blacks to gain
full civil rights, Texas has made valiant efforts to roll back those rights and to prevent Blacks, Hispanics,
Indigenous Americans and other minorities from engaging in voting and thus continuing to harm their future
civil participation in our democracy. Our paper will discuss the historical background of the struggle for voting
rights in Texas.
22320171The Struggles for Equality Civil Rights.docxtamicawaysmith
This document provides an overview of civil rights issues in the United States, including:
- A history of slavery and its abolition through the Civil War and 13th Amendment.
- Key Supreme Court cases like Plessy v. Ferguson that upheld "separate but equal" and Brown v. Board of Education that overturned it.
- Events of the Civil Rights Movement like the Little Rock Nine and Montgomery Bus Boycott that challenged racial segregation.
- Federal civil rights laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that banned discrimination and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
- Ongoing debates around issues like affirmative action, discrimination, and ensuring equality.
While indigenous populations in Canada, the US, and Latin America faced disease, land disputes, and human rights issues following European colonization, their experiences varied. In Canada, treaties established indigenous rights but were sometimes violated, while the US pursued an "Indian removal" policy. In Latin America, indigenous groups faced poverty, poor living conditions, and discrimination. Overall, indigenous rights have improved in recent decades through legislation and court rulings in all three regions, but full equality has yet to be achieved.
This document covers topics related to civil liberties and civil rights in the United States, including protections from and by the government. It discusses the evolution of equality through constitutional amendments such as the 19th Amendment granting women's suffrage. Key civil rights issues addressed include the rights of blacks before the Civil War, Plessy v. Ferguson establishing the "separate but equal" doctrine, Brown v. Board of Education rejecting separate public schools, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibiting discrimination. The document also examines feminism and the failed Equal Rights Amendment along with "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and the Defense of Marriage Act regarding LGBQT rights.
February is Black History Month, which celebrates African American history and leaders. One topic discussed is voting rights, as a major goal of the civil rights movement was gaining equal voting rights for all citizens. While the 15th Amendment guaranteed this right, many states enacted laws to prevent African Americans from voting through literacy tests and poll taxes. Over time, civil rights activists worked to overturn these laws through protests and advocacy. In 1965, the Voting Rights Act outlawed barriers to voter registration and ensured equal access to voting.
The Civil Rights Movement achieved several important accomplishments in the fight for African American equality and rights, including banning school segregation through the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court decision, limiting racial discrimination through NAACP legal victories, and gaining the right to vote for African Americans through the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The Movement saw many milestones on the path to freedom and equality through strategic legal battles and passage of influential legislation over decades of effort.
Civil rights remain an important issue in the US despite gains such as the Voting Rights Act and ADA. The document discusses the history of civil rights movements and legislation regarding minorities, women, people with disabilities, and other groups. It outlines key Supreme Court cases and amendments that have shaped understandings of equality, discrimination, and equal protection under the law over time.
This document is a student paper about the civil rights movement in the United States. It discusses key events and figures in the movement, including Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat which sparked the Montgomery bus boycott, and the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. It also mentions Thurgood Marshall's role in the Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court case that ended school segregation. The paper analyzes the tactics of nonviolent protest advocated by King and the more militant views of Malcolm X. It concludes by noting some laws passed to promote desegregation but that discrimination continued in other forms.
The document summarizes the struggles for equal rights by various groups in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s, including women, Latinos, American Indians, Asian Americans, disabled Americans, gay Americans, and older Americans. These groups drew inspiration from the African American civil rights movement and organized efforts to fight discrimination in areas like employment, education, healthcare, and housing. Key events and leaders in each group's movement are highlighted.
The document discusses several topics related to the US immigration debate:
1) The debate has humanitarian costs as it causes undocumented immigrants to go underground and drives up prison populations.
2) Panelists in 2007 voiced little hope for substantive immigration reform before the 2009 presidential election due to the political complexity and risks involved.
3) The document argues Mexico should take a stronger, more engaged position in the US immigration debate by expanding services for Mexicans living abroad and pressing the US government to treat immigration as a regional issue requiring cooperation.
4) Immigrant rights are an important part of the debate, as undocumented immigrants come to the US seeking better lives despite lacking formal rights, though the focus has been on
This is the introductory lecture for 1st year's students of English in American Civilization. It introduces them to the founding values of the American Nation
The document discusses different perspectives on the definition of the American Dream. The author believes the American Dream consists of three main components: the ability to pursue one's dreams, the right to be accepted as an individual, and freedom from oppression. These characteristics are exemplified through quotes discussing Americans pursuing their passions, a culturally diverse society accepting differences, and declarations of equality and liberty. In conclusion, while definitions vary, the American Dream in the author's view is defined by a set of rights that allow individuals to chase their goals and live freely without unjust restrictions.
The document discusses the history and current state of illegal immigration to the United States. It describes how the U.S. has long welcomed immigrants seeking opportunity but now faces challenges with the rise in illegal immigration. There are approximately 11.7 million illegal immigrants currently living in the U.S. This issue sparks debate, as some argue illegal immigrants negatively impact the economy and culture, while others believe they should be given amnesty. The document also examines how illegal immigration policies have separated families and how public opinion on solutions is evolving.
The document summarizes key events and developments related to race relations in the United States after the Civil War. It discusses the formation of the Confederate States, the results of the Civil War including the end of slavery, and the continued persecution of African Americans through laws and organizations like the Jim Crow laws, the Ku Klux Klan, and Plessy v. Ferguson decision upholding "separate but equal". It also outlines the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s-60s and its role in advancing racial equality.
This document summarizes the history of discrimination and civil rights in the United States. It discusses how African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and women faced discrimination and unequal treatment. It then outlines key civil rights legislation passed from the 1950s onward that aimed to outlaw discrimination, including the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968. The document also discusses changes over time to immigration policy and how American citizenship can be obtained through birth or naturalization.
1.12.23 Movement Mythologies and the Legacies of Reconstruction .pptxMaryPotorti1
The document discusses the "master narrative" of the civil rights movement. It summarizes some key issues with this narrative, including that it minimizes the importance of local struggles and organizers like Black women, emphasizes morality over disruption as a tactic, ignores diversity within the Black community, and suggests change came from national leaders rather than a long struggle. It also discusses how the narrative focuses only on 1955-1968 and ignores earlier movements, takes a top-down view of how change happened, and overlooks daily organizing work.
The American Revolution or the American War of Independence was on.docxmehek4
The American Revolution or the American War of Independence was one of the most remarkable wars in the history of the world. The motives behind the war can be interestingly explained by Zinn from the chapter Tyranny Is Tyranny in A People’s History of The United States: 1“Around 1776, certain important people in the English colonies made a discovery that would prove enormously useful for the next two hundred years. 2They found that by creating a nation, a symbol, a legal unity called the United States, they could take over land, profits, and political power from favorites of the British Empire” (Zinn). Indeed, the American Revolution left a significant impact on early American society and government in terms of social, political, and intellectual adjustments. Typically, one of them is the gap between social classes. 3From the chapter A Kind of Revolution, it is surprising to know that “About 10 percent of the white population - large landholders and merchants - held 1,000 pounds or more in personal property and 1,000 pounds in land, at the least, and these men owned nearly half the wealth of the country and held as slaves one-seventh of the country's people” (Zinn). What’s more: “The people resented the tax system, which was especially burdensome on the poor” (Zinn). Besides, the ability to have a political say can only be in the hands of the rich and powerful. Consequently, mutinies and slave revolts broke out because one finds inequality everywhere. To my surprise, it was this political tyranny, economic burdens and unfairness in social hierarchy that motivated people in the 13 colonies to stand up and revolt against the corrupted government at that time.
We are taught by the modern-day history books to revere our Founders as superhuman leaders of a superior generation. Yet in fact, on the opposite, they were not perfect. They were also problematic and thus do not deserve their current level of popularity. 4“Shouldn't we applaud the Founders’ restored popularity? Yes - but like anything else, it can be taken too far” (H. W. Brands). Pondering over this question, we take the shortcomings of the Founders into consideration. In scrutinizing the Declaration and the Constitution, “two grave sins of omission hung ominously over the country: the Founders' failure to deal with slavery, and their failure to specify whether sovereignty lay with the states or with the nation” (H. W. Brands). The intentional ignorance of slavery in the documents which represent American history makes us look over the Founders' perspectives. “For one thing, challenging slavery's validity within those documents was completely irrational, seeing as slavery was a critical part of culture both in America, and in Europe. The majority of the Founders simply didn't see anything wrong with it; or if they did, they did not express it. Another
reason that they didn't mention slavery is because it would do more harm than good. If they openly condemned slavery, they would quickly ...
1.17.23 The Nadir: Race Relations in Early 20th C America.pptxMaryPotorti1
This document provides an overview of race relations in the early 20th century United States, known as the Nadir era. It describes how the 1896 Plessy v Ferguson Supreme Court decision established the "separate but equal" doctrine, legitimizing racial segregation and the rise of Jim Crow laws across the South. During this period, white supremacy was strongly enforced through policies of segregation and discrimination across all areas of life. Black Americans faced widespread oppression, disenfranchisement, violence including lynching, and the emergence of systems like convict leasing and sharecropping that maintained economic oppression. The document discusses key events and figures that exemplified the nadir, including the popularity of the film The Birth of a Nation, the
The History of Voting Rights and Racial Discrimination in Texas: 1865-1965AJHSSR Journal
ABSTRACT :The struggle for voting rights juxtaposed with racial discrimination in America was and is
prevalent in numerous parts of the United States and, in some states, the discrimination is more prevalent than in
other states. For historical reasons, the Southern states such as Texas have a much deeper racialized climate and
discrimination history than the Northern states. Even after the Civil War ended in 1865, Texas was the last state
in the Union to recognize the formal emancipation of slavery and was reluctant to given in to federal
enforcement. However, while great civil rights progress has been made for minorities, especially Blacks to gain
full civil rights, Texas has made valiant efforts to roll back those rights and to prevent Blacks, Hispanics,
Indigenous Americans and other minorities from engaging in voting and thus continuing to harm their future
civil participation in our democracy. Our paper will discuss the historical background of the struggle for voting
rights in Texas.
22320171The Struggles for Equality Civil Rights.docxtamicawaysmith
This document provides an overview of civil rights issues in the United States, including:
- A history of slavery and its abolition through the Civil War and 13th Amendment.
- Key Supreme Court cases like Plessy v. Ferguson that upheld "separate but equal" and Brown v. Board of Education that overturned it.
- Events of the Civil Rights Movement like the Little Rock Nine and Montgomery Bus Boycott that challenged racial segregation.
- Federal civil rights laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that banned discrimination and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
- Ongoing debates around issues like affirmative action, discrimination, and ensuring equality.
22320171The Struggles for Equality Civil Rights.docx
Ethnic lit paper
1. Emma Moll
Survey of Ethnic American Literature
Midterm Paper
March 5, 2015
Race As A Social Construct
Throughout American history, race has been hidden in the background of both
politics and economics in America. Race is used as a way to categorize and group people
together, which requires no background knowledge of the races being grouped. Although it
may be easy to look at various ethnic groups and categorize them, various laws and acts
enacted by the United States government have added in how ethnic groups that are living in
the United States are categorized and whether or not they can be considered American
citizens or not. The laws and acts enacted on the various ethnic groups have historically always
benefitted one racial group living in America; whites.
Historically speaking, the status of various ethnic groups as American citizens has
depended on various acts and laws during particular time periods. One such act that had a
significant impact on all non-whites living in the United States was the Naturalization Law of
1790. This law stated that only free "white" immigrants would be eligible for naturalized
citizenship. This law affected all "non-white" races living in the United States and remained in
effect for 162 years, which is 162 years of all "non-whites" being considered as aliens and not
as citizens like they should be. The effects of the Naturalization Law can be seen especially
with the Native Americans. "The Naturalization Law excluded Native Americans
from citizenship. Though they were born in the United States, they were regarded as members
of tribes, or as domestic subjects or nationals. (Reflections of Racial Patterns, Takaki, pg
2. 29)." Out of any race living in the United States, the Native Americans are the most natural
United States citizens because this is their land and were living here for many years before
English settlers even discovered America. Even though being white is seen as the mark and key
feature of being American, European settlers immigrated to America and could never be
considered as natural American citizens.
Another such act that was supposed to help the Native Americans become citizens but
actually hurt them quite significantly was the Dawes Act of 1887. This act would allow
individual Native Americans citizenship but it came with a price. "What the act actually did
was grant the president power, at his discretion and without Indians' consent to break up
reservations and allot lands to individual Indians. The Dawes Act also permitted the federal
government to secure tribal consent to sell "surplus" reservation lands to white settlers.
(Reflections of Racial Patterns in America, Takaki, pg 31)." The Dawes Act was a way for the
United States government to attempt without the use of war or relocation to break up tribes and
gain land for white settlers in the process. Like other laws and acts enacted by the government,
the only people that would benefit from the laws and acts would be white citizens and those in
the government. "Between 1887 and 1934, 60 percent of the Indian land base had been
transferred to whites: 60 million acres had been sold as "surplus" lands to whites by the federal
government and 27 million acres of the land allotted to individual Indians had been transferred
to whites through private transactions. (Reflection of Racial Patterns in America, Takaki, pg
31)" Based on those numbers and figures, you can really see that the United States government
was really just after a profit and did so by promising citizenship in exchange for Native
American land. It seems like profit has been one of the driving forces behind various race
related issues in the United States.
The Native Americans weren't the only race to be excluded from citizenship in the
United States. African Americans have faced an ongoing struggle for citizenship while being
3. enslaved for much of the history of the United States. In the writing of the constitution and in
the 1787 constitutional convention, slavery was a very important matter. "Slavery was central,
as a leading participant, James Madison, made clear in notes on convention debates. (Racist
America, Feagin, pg 2)." All of the founding fathers were white, rich, and slaveholders so the
constitution had to be beneficial to them. Although much of the slavery focus and profit was in
the southern part of the United States, the northern part of the United States still made profit
from the slavery in the south. "A great many northern white merchants, shippers, and
consumers still depended on products produced by enslaved workers on southern and border
state plantations, and many merchants sold manufactured goods to the plantations. (Racist
America, Feagin, pg 2)." Much suffering and pain for African Americans was allowed just so
whites could stand to make a profit. Whether or not the northern states were in support of
slavery or not, they were still supporting the institution on slavery by buying products made by
slaves. Although slavery was abolished, racism still exists at multiple levels of society in
America today.
Many types of racism exist in the world, on of the most overlooked types is systemic
racism. "Systemic racism involves reoccurring and unequal relationships between groups and
individuals. At the macro level, large scale institutions with their white controlled normative
structures routinely perpetuate racial subordination and inequalities. (Racist America, Feagin,
pg 13)." One such example of systemic racism is that of the prison system in the United States.
African Americans make up the largest percentage of those incarcerated and whites, for the
most part, make up the workforce of the justice and legal system. This further shows that whites
are again benefitting from the political system, while African Americans and other races are
potentially victims of the same system. "The incarcerated may be said to be victims of irrational
education and social economic policies. (Racialization of America, Webster, pg 112)" Using
Milwaukee as an example, the education that children get on the inner city is not the same
4. education that children get in Whitefish Bay. Because of the difference in education, it can be
theorized that those in the inner city will not be able to attend college and based on numerous
factors will end up incarcerated at some point. After being incarcerated these individuals could
potentially struggle to find a job, housing, and attend college if they desire. Systemic racism can
be considered a new type of enslavement. "When the Civil War and the Thirteenth Amendment
to the United States Constitution put an end to African American enslavement, systemic racism
soon took the form of officially sanctioned segregation. (Racist America, Feagin, pg 17)." Thus,
systemic racism can be seen as a chain that links current racial issues to the past laws and acts
regarding race and the concept of "American".
From looking at the Naturalization Act, the Dawes Act, the United States Constitution,
and the issue of systemic racism, it can really be seen how whites have always benefitted from
using race to define groups of people and whether or not these various races that live in the
United States are American. As long as a particular group is being oppressed, the oppressor will
prosper. The oppressor will always prosper because the oppressor is, in a sense, the same person
that makes and enforces the laws. If the oppressor can keep the various races oppressed, then
the oppressor will always benefit. Throughout the United States history, the laws have changed,
however the racial issues that are currently alive in America have just taken a new form in this
web of patterns that is apparent in America. The only time race or ethnicity is ever made
apparent and obvious has been when the white in power see an opportunity to make a profit or
to acquire more land. As long as whites remain in political and economic power, they will
always benefit because that's the way that they have, historically and presently, designed the
law.
5. Bibliography
Feagin, Joe R. Racist America. Routledge, 2000. 1-31. Print.
Takaki, Ronald. "Reflections on Racial Patterns in America." 26-36. Print.
Webster, Yehudi. "The Racialization of America." 101-52. Print.