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The Black Codes
There was plenty of opposition when it came to the rights of African Americans, but in 1865, The Black Codes were created, causing lots of controversy among the south. At this time, Johnson’s Reconstruction policy was in motion, and laws were passed in the new southern governments that attempted to regulate the lives of those who were once slaves. Among the rights received there was legalized marriage, ownership of property, and limited action to the courts. -
The Effect of the Fourteenth Amendment
Although the Fourteenth Amendment was adopted in 1868, its true effect didn’t come into play until the 1880’s. Instead of looking at the Fourteenth Amendment as something that was written to embody the freedoms that former slaves, it was being interpreted as a perfect way to quiet down the African American population through “liberty of contract,” or in other words, making them feel like they have more opportunity to change the way they are treated without the courts holding them back. -
Black Life in the South
The treatment of African Americans in the South was progressing, but only because of the “fake freedoms” they were given. Although blacks were now able to own land and compete for jobs, it was impossible for them to get ahead economically. Because of how far behind they had been, and the treatment that the whites had forced upon them, there was absolutely no way for them to earn enough money to become a part of the “middle class.” -
The Awareness of a Corrupt Nation
The capitol of the United States is something that is supposed to represent freedom for all (emphasis on the word all,) but this was never the case. Being black and being white are two different things in this country, and at this time, being African American in Washington was a reminder every day of the freedoms that they were not granted. There was talk of “rights,” but they were never received, and this was becoming more clear. -
The Repercussions of The Great Depression
After the Great Depression, African Americans took the hardest hit, and were being suppressed of the right to benefits after losing everything they owned. Recognizing this, a leader in the Black community named W.E.B. Du Bois suggested that instead of laying down and giving up, they should create their own
“community within a community.” Not only was this one of the first signs of truly coming together as a race, but it was also a sign of advocating for change. -
The Four Freedoms
As conditions got worse after World War II, African Americans got bolder. Finally, they were speaking out about the inequality happening among them, and calling for a change to be made. They were arguing that they were not granted the “Four Freedoms” that the constitution is supposed to give them. It’s safe to say that whites did not like this at all, which is exactly why the blacks fought so hard to speak out about these issues. -
The Montgomery Bus Boycott
During this time, Rosa Parks refused to sit at the back of the bus—as required by the law—and this turned into a year-long crusade known as “The Montgomery Bus Boycott.” Because of this movement, not only did the African American community come together in the hopes of gaining their rights, but the Supreme Court ruled segregation among public transportation unconstitutional. This was the beginning of hope for blacks, and was also the beginning of a new era of peaceful protest. -
A New Era of Protesting
Before this time, peaceful protests were the way to get things done, but times were about to change. Out of the shadows emerged a man by the name of Malcom X (the X standing for the “loss of African American heritage,”) and he was not one for peace. He was someone who saw peaceful protests going nowhere, and decided to introduce the idea of taking what you want, when you want it—and soon enough, people jumped on board with these beliefs, using violent tactics to advocate for their freedoms. -
A Change in History
Before this time, there was never a thought in anyone’s mind that a Black man would be the President of the United States. In 2009, Barak Obama, was named the President, ultimately splitting the country in half. Although this progress seemed to help our country economically in many ways, it also had the opposite effect socially. Many people were still against the idea of a black man being president, and did not know how to react to this, or handle the situation they were forced to be apart of. -
Progression or Digression?
The treatment of blacks by this time had become much better, but there still remained some closeted hatred. Simultaneously, Americans had somehow found a way to make sure they pretended they were okay with African Americans and simply went along with accepting them to avoid social out casting. With this being said, in 2015, a white supremacist with a confederate flag shot and killed nine black men in a Church, causing us to rethink whether or not racism was as closeted as we thought it was. -
Digression
In January of 2017, Donald Trump came into office—shocking the whole world. Because of this, people have started rioting, killing, and creating more division in this country than has been seen in a long time. As for all of the progress African Americans have made, it is scary to think that such a man could come in and change the way this world perceives racism. Racism still exists today, and he is making that very clear.
