State of African Americans in the US of the 1900s - Essay Example

? Civil Rights Crusade Unit Introduction The condition of Afro-Americans in the United s can be explained in complex and diverse cultures from the eve of the Civil war to the twentieth century. Over the past 30 years, the Republican Party has come up with a conservative agenda that addresses the political agenda to represents the American historical values. The Afro-Americans condition in 1920’s was pathetic including high forms of taxes installed on the on the wealthiest people compared to today (Dunn, 1998). Additionally, the Afro-Americans contributes to the misunderstanding of their past because of liberalism they label as bad old days, which assumes a disregard of the Afro-American past. The Afro-Americans political experience can be explained by social injustices and liberals which forsake other elements of its past liberal which Dunn (1998) explains that it is what made America what it has become today. For example, labor movements, Roosevelt’s trust busting, and Johnson Great Society, as well as other civil studies that took place in America back in 1920. Looking back at Afro-American history, it becomes obvious that its social issues drove the electorate of the country through out the 20th century. However, the most important thing to understand is that the social issues shifted to various forms of parties and because of these, the country’s social electorate changed its economic platform. Some of them were slaves who served in rich white men land. However, historical figures like Washington educational legacy helped transform the condition of Afro-Americans in the twenty first century, and transformed them into liberal thinking and conservative black towards their economic success. Mathew (2006) asserts that Washington was a supporter of Afro-Americans education, who helped broaden their minds to a culture that included classics and Latin exploration. He had planned for their education in order to ensure that they had economic success and status. The legal rights in the South have changed over the past 30 years, especially from the time of Civil war to today. For example, the social conservatism helped in shaping American politics. Washington and Fonvielle helped the Afro-Americans in changing their legal rights by advocating for equal rights to each American citizen (Rubel, 2005). This kind of proclamation emancipation helped the African Americans to unite with the army in order to make a rapid progress like the white soldiers. The army tried to change the mind of their citizens as well as influence the legislative in terms of their legal rights. Additionally, from the time of civil war to today, Democratic Party was seen as a party of South. The party having being termed as common-man’ party, it is said to have favored the working class in terms of economic matters (Rubel, 2005).The south was therefore, a democratic region, but when it shifted its gear to republican, the economic implications changed. This is because, when blacks got the right to vote, they voted for the Republican Party because of Lincoln who was reconstructing the South at the time. They also wanted both economic and social change, for example, capitalism. and liberalism. The significance of the recent movement of Afro-Americans from South to North showed that there is free movement of people from one place to another, Rubel (2005). After the civil war, the South were still farmers, where the Democratic Party represented them. The movement of the South to North was mostly to escape from the slavery bonds and therefore, decided to move to the Free states. This was as a result of the Abolitionists like Washington’s and Frontier advocacy who were working underground to guide the Afro-Americans into freedom. However, during the reconstruction, America struggled to free the slaves and assimilate them into local and national communities, at the same time minimize those citizens who were not willing to help the African- Americans. The Washington, Frontiers and other supporters of the African-Americans were calling for the establishment of a bureau to assist them in finding work for the freed slaves. Some were advocating for equality as the First Amendment stated, and therefore, they were entitled to equal rights as other citizen’s from other races (Dunn, 1998). During this era, lynching was considered a weapon that was used against the African-Americans who were seeking to exercise their rights as provided by the First Amendment. The U.S expanded the legal rights to African- Americans after the Civil War, meaning that it abolished slavery and granted all African- American citizens citizenship through the constitution (Dunn, 1998). However, the supporters of Afro-American rights should still be encouraged by the aftermath of the recent World War 1, because what they advocated for during the war, managed to push through and as a result, the Afro-Americans are enjoying the fruits of their supporters. For example, they are enjoying equal rights like other American citizens as the First Amendment of the constitution requires. The Amendment extends equal rights to every citizen born in the country, protecting them under the law of the constitution. For example, they are free to vote and race cannot deny them this important right. Anyone can occupy any piece of land lawfully without being considered as Afro-American or white. Both the races are entitled to the same rights. Therefore, the Black supporters should be encouraged by the aftermath of the civil war because what they advocated or fought for, produced positive results (Mathew, 2006). The late Booker T. Washington was one of the supporters of the African-American who was born on a Virginia plantation, and grew up to become a leader and educator of the interest of the Afro-American interests. Mathew (2006) contends that he demonstrated how race, politics, public policy and education intersected in the country. However, the position of Washington placed him at the center of debate in terms of the proper path that Africans Americans were following to full and complete participation of citizenship in American society both socially, politically and economically. Additionally, he was an instrument of the other white industrialists like Robert C.Ogden and Baldwin among others who helped shape their shift in the educational focus of Africans Americans from state public education universally to an industrious education. This move helped accommodate the south white and their aims for industrialization demand for the African- Americans (Mathew, 2006). Because of this collaboration, Washington became the main advocate of white benevolent ways. Washington and the words Industrial education became one and the same in between his death and the time of speech. However, his legacy of education policy still continues to be a source of the twenty first century debate in terms of African Americans who are still attempting to combine questions as to how education can transform the working class to middle class African-Americans. This kind of debate also aims to ensure that a number of working African-American obtain a better life with through education as the main path to technology and modernization which transforms economic, social and political status in America. He was therefore, referred to as a black leader in education as well as patron for education and industrialists philanthropists. To add to this, he was also a president advisor to Roosevelt, Howard Taft and McKinley. Because of such supporters and associates, he got enough political support from them and later became the most powerful South politician. The African- American, including Washington, valued education and relied on it to define their citizenship and earned freedom. According to, Mathew (2006) he claims that black people who emerged from the slavery were committed to supporting universal education. Reading and writing became important skills in the community. Washington and other black working class goals acknowledged that freedom was a great responsibility and therefore, the African-Americans realized that they think and plan of their colored children. Another supporter of the African American was a white former press secretary was William Fonvielle who was an African American student at the college of Living Stone in North Carolina. He was also an editor of a college newspaper and had promised to take his classmates on racial oppression and progress, Rubel (2005). When he went on a road trip at the crucial moment when Africans Americans were becoming educated, economically self-sufficient and exercising their vote, the whites were doing all they can, in order to wash out their accomplishments. According to, Rubel (2005) he explains that in the Deep South of Mississippi, he had come up with a new constitution that meant to disfranchise the African-Americans voters by making them read the constitution and give an interpretation before allowed to cast their vote. The white registrars would then decide if the black voter was eligible to vote or not as well as administered the law. The former white secretary wanted to make sure that the African-Americans got a right to vote as well as public space and transportation. Vardaman’s white constituency had separate railway stations for white and blacks waiting room. They were not allowed to mix in any way, including schools. Sometimes a train would stop in order to force the black passengers to board a separate car. Dunn (1998), explains that this was a period of extreme racial oppression where the blacks could not be taught how to read and write because, the whites knew education was a way of community standing, economic success and citizenship. As a result, there was Africana –Americans literacy rose to high levels and demanded even for high class education that the white citizens were getting. For example, Fonvielle had received classic education as well as had some knowledge on latin. They even owned a large percentage of land compared to what they used to own. However, when he arrived in South Carolina he was shocked to see how African-Americans were referred to as, Negroes and specific signs on where they should stay (Dunn, 1998). The African-Americans were also taxed in order to wash the animals, and were not allowed in hotels since they were referred to as dogs. References Dunn.J (1998). The Civil Rights Movement) San Diego : Lucent Books, Inc. Mathew.M(2006), Slavery and Politics in the Early American Republic. Chapel Hill : University of North Carolina Press Rubel.D ( 2005), The Struggle for African-American Equality. New York: DK Publishing. Read More