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Earliest African civilizations originating in Egypt. The first hierarchical attitudes are developed due to discrepancies in societies focused on agriculture or hunting and gathering. First arguments over race with the white European deeming themselves superior to the black African. Believed they were incapable of civilization. -
Europeans had brought their beliefs in slavery into Africa when the Portuguese increasingly captured hundreds of Africans over several decades to work as servants in Portugal and Spain. Capturing people not capable of resisting, slave trading became so widely profitable that African families were being split up and dealt all over the the world, with various trades such as the Atlantic slave trade, sending young African men to the Americas. -
The reliance on slavery by Chesapeake planters mixed with racial prejudice and the wide availability of African slaves led a big shift from white slaves to enslaved black labor. Following the shift, an increase in demand for tobacco in Europe caused for a wide expansion of the system. By 1750, over 60% of all the slaves in British North America were working in the plantation fields in Virginia and Maryland. -
Adopted on July 4th, 1776, the ideas exclaimed mainly by Thomas Jefferson, a known believer in African inferiority, said that all men are created equal. Rather than grant full equality, the declaration distinguished between the rights of white men and those of color, and created skepticism towards slavery. This led the African Americans to develop strong belief in a war against slavery and eventual equal rights. -
To the weak effects of the declaration, slavery and discrimination still thrives. Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin leads to a rapid expansion of slavery from the east coast west towards Texas. This influence continues for decades, leading to the U.S. Army forcing inhabitant Indians of modern day Oklahoma out of their homes, where many would die on the migration. -
Thanks to the help of the American Colonization Society, Paul Cuffe was able to command a ship and bring 34 African American settlers to the free colony of Sierre Leone. By 1860 about 10,000 African American immigrants had made the journey. While not the dream they had hoped for, this event killed any doubt of ultimately achieving freedom for all. -
Throughout the early 1800's, many tried to flee from their owners and were even assisted by white people at times. Through the 40's and 50's, eventually led by Harriet Tubman, an underground railroad system was used to escape hundreds of families up to Albany and then into Canada. The system was a revolutionary point for its efficiency and commitment to the long and continuous process. -
With the country collapsing, Republican leader Abraham Lincoln wins the 4 way running of the 1860 Presidential Election. Lincoln's name barely appeared on Southern ballots because of his oppositions of expanding slavery west. It was surprising he won as many African Americans also didn't support Lincoln, for while he opposed expansion he still deemed blacks inferior and tolerated slavery in general. Frederick Douglas wrote that Lincoln's election "will indicate growth in the right direction." -
Issued by President Lincoln on January 1st 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in areas of Confederate states not under Union control. This freed nearly four million African people whose families had been slaves going back 250 years. This being in the heart of the Civil War led many to have hope and belief the war would set more free. Slavery would still exist in the border states under control of the union, but was still a monumental moment in African American history. -
Following the conclusion of the Civil War, the African American slaves were further appreciated for their necessary contributions. Slavery was beginning to be further abolished, and on March 3rd Congress created what is known as the Freedmen's Bureau; a temporary agency to assist freedmen in the transition to free life. The Bureau struggled with lack of assistance and lack of funding but was a big source of support for African Americans following the war. -
The new opportunities granted to African Americans following the war did not diminish the prejudice and discrimination they struggled with. Things like the 13th-15th amendments granted them citizenship and rights to vote, and while these are the things they wanted, the effects endured were not. White southerners believed if black men in politics was legitimate, then so was using violence to remove them. This mindset gave rise to terrible white supremacist groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan. -
Before the end of the Reconstruction period, Congress took one more action to protect African Americans from discrimination. The Civil Rights Act of 1875 basically gave protected access in standard gathering places such as inns and theaters. However, it was initially edited to not include churches, cemeteries, and schools, and then was later on deemed Unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1883. -
No matter what actions were taken, African Americans continued to face discrimination and segregation. Booker T. Washington had a different approach. He believed that if the black men and women took pride in their skills, economic acceptance would ultimately lead to political and social acceptance. Washington was a contributor to ensuring white people that cooperation between the races to achieve prosperity did not endanger segregation. -
Through the Great Depression, African Americans became very selfish and took advantage of any opportunity to diminish social inequality. The New Deal, starting it's passing in 1933, benefited black Americans but not as much as the whites.This increase in disparity of life between the two sides sparked new motivation in African American communities and would cause for an increase in demand for the government to protect African American rights. -
Following WWII, and transitioning into the Cold War, America feared some of its international policies. The U.S. enlisted millions of men and women by the early 50's and claimed most of the national budget. American policymakers were concerned about the country's ability to win over the support of African Americans and others in emerging nations. As the war progressed, America was pressured to change its policies on racial discrimination. -
As the Cold War progressed, now well educated African American communities formed the core of the Civil Rights Movement. On December 1st, 1955, Rosa Parks stood up for herself and refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man.This act led to the launch of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and inspired the fight for equality. It is here we first see Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was appointed president of the boycott. -
After President John F. Kennedy was elected in 1960, he aided the civil rights movement and sacrificed a lot for it. To support his legislation, a coalition of civil rights organizations came together and organized a march on Washington. On August 28th, 1963, nearly 250,000 marchers gathered to support the civil rights bill. 2 weeks later, a baptist church was bombed by white racists, killing four girls. President Kennedy would be assassinated 2 months after. -
On April 3rd, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr., gave a speech about seeing the promise land in the future. The next day King was murdered by James Earl Ray. Despite King's encouragement for nonviolent protest, more than 125 cities experienced uprisings. Within the coming days, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which outlawed discrimination in sale and rental of housing. King's death would be added influence and incentive to strive for equal rights. -
The Vietnam War showed the over representation of African Americans in the nation. Due to deferments of young white men, 18% of active duty soldiers were black. African Americans had more patriotism and more pride in fighting for their country even in the heart of the internal battle for equality. The Vietnam War highlighted some of the disparity that was already well known throughout the country and really put the motives and values of each side into perspective. -
Following the Civil Rights Movement, a new black power movement was developed to coordinate registration drives throughout the South, following the Voting Rights Act of 1965. By 1974 there were 1,593 black elected officials outside the South, and 2,455 by 1980. This event showed the shift in black power, for they've always had the political voice to vote, but have now developed the respect and influence to win over elections and become prominent voices in the government.