African American History - Admission/Application Essay Example

African-American History Inserts His/Her Inserts Grade Inserts inserts How did the Great Depression affect African American in the North, South, and West in the countryside, and in the city, and how did they respond? A great economic crisis hit America on 29th October, 1929, which is also known as the Black Tuesday which led to collapse of the American stock market, and from there began a ruthless story of suffering, and hardships , and bringing in what is known as the Great Depression. “Americans were living out a harsh game of survival. Workers lost their jobs, families lost their homes, and some children had to drop out of school” (Ruth, 2002: P 7). The Depression began to show its horrible effects throughout America, and no place was an exception to it— towns and villages alike suffered from it. Thousands of Americans faced problems concerning debts. The stagnation or loss of a business brought in disastrous effects as well. People suffered from serious problems like the lay off and sending away of workers. The laid off workers were unable to pay the debts. These are just a few among the problems with which the people of that time of America had to cope. Among the problems faced by people on account of the serious effects of the Great Depression, those faced by the African Americans, must be noted with special concern as they were the group of people who were people who were hit harder. If we take into account the immensity of the problems the African Americans faced in the North, we will be able to understand that it is the African Americans who suffered from the many sided effects of the Great Depression. Whereas in the case of other sections of population of America who had only to face the problems on the economic front, the African Americans had to face problems from the side of racism as well. We may note in this regard that the issues of racism also creep in when a major problem strikes, and naturally, it may seem that the Population of the African Americans fall prey to it. The reaction of the whites who lost jobs on account of the crisis, in a crazy mood which reflected their attitude also demanded that the employed blacks at that time also be fired. “By 1932, approximately half of black Americans were out of work. In some Northern cities whites called for blacks to be fired from any jobs as long as there were whites out of work” (Great Depression and World War II, 1929-1945, 2002). This is well indicative of the abhorrence the whites have harbored in them, towards their fellow black citizens. In short, it is to be noted that the issue of one being black was dragged into the phenomenon of the time which was quite awesome. On account of this, it becomes quite easy for us to understand that the economic crisis of the time also led to the increase in the cases of racial violence and related atrocities committed against the African Americans. The same article goes on to mention that there was a shift in the voting pattern of the African Americans who traditionally favored the Republicans.” In southern cities white workers rallied around such slogans as, “No Jobs for Niggers Until Every White Man Has a Job” and “Niggers, back to the cotton fields—city jobs are for white folks” (African Americans, Impact of the Great Depression on , 2004). The Great Depression had its severe impacts on all walks of life. The most targeted in this crisis were the African Americans, as we find in the following the precarious situation they were in: “By 1933, African Americans found it all but impossible to find jobs of any kind in agriculture or industry. As cotton prices dropped from eighteen cents per pound on the eve of the Depression to less than six cents per pound in 1933, some 12,000 black sharecroppers lost their precarious footing in southern agriculture and moved increasingly toward southern, northern, and western cities” (African Americans, Impact of the Great Depression on , 2004). The mechanical cotton pickers were brought in, and this led to the displacement of the black farm workers. The article then tells us an interesting fact that the number of blacks living in the urban areas increased from 44 percent in 1930 to almost 50 percent by the time the World War II began. The blacks began to look for jobs in an increasing manner, that too in the cities. There were great problems which the urban blacks faced. The unemployment the blacks faced almost amounted to 50 percent and it was quite alarming if we take into account the rate was almost twice that of the white people. There was migration on a large scale during the period between 1910 and 1920s. “ it occurred on account of large number of unskilled factory job openings as northern manufactures boosted production for World War I” (America in the 1930s, n.d.). There is also a stress on the fact that the migration was slightly less during the Great Depression Period. Though the New Deal introduced by Franklin Roosevelt, the program could not bring in much relief to the people belonging to the African American race. “A shortage of jobs in the Southwest led to the illegal deportation of 400,000 Mexican-Americans so that whites could get more jobs or government relief. Native Americans, though, received their own New Deal, bringing economic relief and some political recognition to this most beleaguered group (America in the 1930s, n.d.). In general, we may say that the Africans could not gain anything worth from the New Deal. The proper perspectives of a person who looks objectively at the New Deal, could be this, as found in the article The First Years Of The Great Depression, (African-American Perpective, n.d.): 1) Most programs in the rural South aided land owners. Most African Americans did not have land. 2) Much of the aid given to the South was not distributed among the African Americans. 3) Many African Americans held jobs as janitors, farm workers, hospital aides, and restaurant and kitchen workers. Social Security did not apply to these jobs. Most New Deal programs were segregated. The Civilian Conservation Corp, for example, segregated workers. Federal housing programs also separated African Americans from white people. In addition to these, the site goes on to illustrate why the African American liked Roosevelt on account of his having invited the Professionals belonging to the African-American race and sought opinions from them, and appointed them to top posts in certain agencies. Works Cited: African Americans, Impact of the Great Depression on . (2004). Retrieved December 20, 2009, from Macmillan Reference USA.: http://www.novelguide.com/a/discover/egd_01/egd_01_00017.html African-American Perpective . (n.d.). Retrieved December 20, 2009, from The First Years of the Great Depression: http://www.brtprojects.org/cyberschool/history/ch24/24answers.pdf America in the 1930s, The Great Depression. (n.d.). Retrieved December 20, 2009, from Ibis Communications, Inc.: http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/snprelief1.htm Great Depression and World War II, 1929-1945. (2002, Sep 26). Retrieved December 20, 2009, from http://memory.loc.gov/learn//features/timeline/depwwii/race/race.html Ruth, A. (2002). Growing up in the Great Depression, 1929 to 1941. Lerner Publications . 2. What was the philosophy of nonviolence as articulated by Martin Luther King Jr, and other leaders of the civil rights movement, and how successful was it as a strategy for the struggle between 1956 and 1966? Martin Luther King Jr’s philosophy of nonviolence has been regarded as the key factor of the American Civil Rights Movement. Many studies have identified the staunch faith of Martin Luther King in the nonviolent resistance, like Mahatma Gandhi. Analyzing his speeches one can infer that he strongly believed that nonviolence is the only solution that could cure the society, leading it to justice by removing the evils. King’s experience with theology had a great influence throughout his life and the same paved the way for intervening in the social issues and discovering a solution to end social ills. It is evident from his nature that he believed in the power of love which can alleviate individual conflicts and resolve social problems. He advocated the Gandhi’s philosophy of "turn the other cheek" and "love your enemies" and implemented among divergence between individuals and not racial groups or nations (Martin Luther King, Jr. Philosophy on Nonviolent Resistance, Civil Rights Movement, 2008). Later King was attracted to Mahatma Gandhi and his teachings, especially Satyagraha. It is this moral teaching that enabled him to think of the new method based on nonviolence and the Christian doctrine of love. He was certain that it was the most potent weapon for the browbeaten people in their struggle for liberty. As a result, he used this weapon effectively in the Civil Rights Movement. King could win the support of the people for achieving the goals in 1950s and 1960s. The actions of the revolutionaries included boycotts, calculated public disobedience to unjust laws, sit-ins and mass demonstrations (Non-Violence and the Civil Rights Movement, n.d.). While going through the pages of the history, one can see that the actions and protestations of King and the others were effective, and as such, their actions aroused popular sympathy and even for legislative revolution. It also promoted separate seats, drinking fountains, and schools for African Americans Illegal (Non-Violence and the Civil Rights Movement, n.d.). One of the notable features of this movement was that it caused for an evolution in the attitudes of whites toward African Americans and toward racial discrimination. The “freedom rides” during that time were one among the elite part of nonviolence movements. Through these rides the civil rights activists actually tested the attitude of the whites against them by travelling in interstate buses across the Sothern regions. Even if the United States Supreme Court ordered that the racial discrimination in waiting rooms and dining rooms of stations serving buses that crossed state borders was illegal, the activists had to encounter angry mobs and it often ended either in fighting or in arrest being accused as unpatriotic. These Freedom Rides very often resulted for the direct involvement of many Americans, including the whites to the civil rights movements. The study of the African-American Civil Rights Movements leads to the fact that these movements were under the shade of religion. James Graham makes it clear when he says, “The philosophy of non-violence was heavily rooted in religion and common sense” (Non-Violence and the Civil Rights Movement, n.d.). As such, the real success of the non-violent protest was in need of the active participation of the black population in addition to their support. But in reality the black churches were the only black prevailing organizations which can support the civil rights movement. Religious leaders during the civil rights movements were given due respect and their involvement could invigorate the movement. It is because of this fact the Montgomery activists requested their ministers to lead the action when they organized the bus boycott. King and other activists attempted to prove the northern whites that they were worthy of and were assuring the future peaceful civil rights protests through love and self-sacrifice. Another significant incident for the civil rights was the “Journey of Reconciliation,” designed to test the Supreme Court’s 1946’s decision in the Irene Morgan case, which declared segregated seating of interstate passengers unconstitutional” (Cozzens, 1997). But this Journey of Reconciliation was soon suppressed and interracial groups had to face many adversities from the whites. Even after the election of John F. Kennedy, there occurred many attacks against the blacks. It was to test the commitment of the president to the movement; the activists conducted the “freedom ride.” They adopted the same strategy as the previous, the black travelled with the whites in buses with whites sitting in back and blacks in front. The blacks justified their actions that they could never regard it as civil disobedience because; they were obeying the Supreme Court. Lisa Cozzens (1999) writes, “Freedom Ride left Washington DC on May 4, 1961. It was scheduled to arrive in New Orleans on May 17, the seventh anniversary of the Brown decision” (Cozzens, 1997). Cozzens also adds that when it reached to the Freedom Ride, the resistance lessened in upper South. As part expanding their protestations, the Freedom Riders split up into two groups and travelled through Alabama. On the way the first group had to encounter a violent mob that attacked the Riders with stones and slashed the tires of their bus and later it was firebombed. The second group also had to face similar incidents that they were severely beaten. This incident proved that the Riders could not gain the least governmental support. Despite this violence the Freedom Riders decided to go on with their strike and they strongly believed that non-violence can prevail over violence. But after two days of failure, the Freedom Riders flew to New Orleans, fearing their safety (Cozzens, 1997). A group of Nashville students resumed the Freedom Ride but they were arrested and kept in protective custody for the fear that they would cause for violence in Birmingham. Here also the result was not different and the Riders were severely attacked, though they had been offered protection. Martin Luther King Jr., intervened in this situation and held a mass meeting, in order to protect the Freedom Riders. Btu the Freedom Riders were arrested in masses and sentenced for 60 days in the state penitentiary. Though the Freedom Riders could not achieve their aim, one can say that their activities were really praiseworthy and the same has energized the civil rights movement. These movements followed the ways of non-violence and Satyagraha which imprinted its own marks in history. Works Cited: Cozzens, L. (1997). Freedom Rides. Retrieved December 20, 2009, from : http://www.watson.org/~lisa/blackhistory/civilrights-55-65/freeride.html Martin Luther King, Jr. Philosophy on Nonviolent Resistance, Civil Rights Movement. (2008). Retrieved December 20, 2009, from Kingian.net: http://www.kingian.net/ Non-Violence and the Civil Rights Movement. (n.d.). Retrieved December 20, 2009, from Monterrey. Mexico: http://monterrey.usconsulate.gov/pd_cul_civilrights.html 3. What were the main "push" and "pull" factors, (that, factors that impelled people to leave the South, and factors that drew them North) behind the massive African American migration of 1914-1929? How did these various factor interact and which were the most important? The southern states were economically backward, whereas the north was quite prosperous with cultural attractions and the industries which were on the rise. The efficient farm machinery made the farm work efficient and easier. Due to this, the tenant farmers had to take refuge in the cities. The boll weevil which came from Mexico destroyed the southern economy which thrived on the cotton industry for about ten years from the year 1910. This necessitated that the poor African Americans take shelter in the northern region for their survival. The steep increase in the unskilled factory job openings during the time of the First World War, also prompted migration. The agents who offered jobs to the African Americans stressed on the latter are signing unscrupulous terms for hardship based work. The boll weevil had brought great destruction to the cotton-growing areas by 1920, as these were beetles feeding on cotton buds and flowers which eventually destroyed the prospects of the farmers engaged in the cotton industry. Since this industry in the south faced disastrous effects from the boll weevil, the workers mainly the African-Americans had to move to other places in their efforts to sustain themselves. The massive African American migration from south to north was the great movement in between 1910-1930 (Peterson, 1979). Later this movement recognized as ‘The Great Movement’. The Great Migration of Afro-Americans produced the first large urban black communities in the northern region. African-Americans travelled out of the southern hinterland to make a place for themselves in the emerging urban, industrial society of the United States (Trotter, 1991). There were around 1.4 million Afro-Americans left from southern part of United States to the Northern United States (What is the story? Past and Present, n.d. ). Political, economical, and social are the prime reason behind of this Afro-American Movement. The Push factors for the migration to the north were poor economic state in the south. They are sharecropping, agricultural failure and crop damage from the insects like boll weevil. The other main push factor was racial harassment in the form of Jim Crow laws. Good wages, more job opportunities and good living condition were the pull factors for the Migration from the south to north region of United States. They had got encouraging reports from the news paper or from the word of mouth about the salary package and the living conditions which provided by the factories of south. Many of the migration took place in Texas and Louisiana to California because of defense jobs. Later, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana contributed large number of Afro-American migration to the northern part of United States. There were only few percent of Afro-American population resided in the Northern part of the United States when the period of Emancipation Proclamation signing. In 1900 most of the Afro-Americans, that means almost 90% of them were lived in the former slave holding states (What is the story? Past and Present, n.d. ). Most of Black American moved to the place like New York, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburg, St. Louis, Kansas city, Milwaukee, Buffalo and Indianapolis. They also migrated to small industrial cities such as Dayton, Youngstown, Gary, Peoria, Omaha, and Flint and so on. By the duration of 1910-1930 the Afro-American population increased about 40% in Northern part especially in the major cities. Afro-American migration was either family or individual movement. The major factor for the movement was racial discrimination and extensive violence of lynching in the southern states. In the Northern States, black-American could find better schools and rights of doing vote for adults. There were many burgeoning industries at that time and offered more job opportunities. The ‘boll weevil’ infestation of southern cotton field was the other main factor for leaving Afro-Americans from south to north. Boll weevil is an average length of six millimeters insect which destroyed the cotton buds and flowers in South America. Therefore the people and sharecroppers of south seek for alternate job opportunities. By the beginning of World War 1, that accelerated the migration rapidly. ‘World War 1’ and ‘immigration act of 1924’ stopped the European immigrants very effectively to the rising industries in the north east and mid west that caused the shortages of employees in the factories. Except these, the massive expansion of war industries opened so many jobs for African Americans. The job was not in the factories but it was in the service jobs departed from new factory employees. The major reasons for the migration of the African Americans to the northern part of America, were mainly two: to escape racism and become employed, because the northern part was quite supportive to and growing in industry, especially while taking into account the particular situations in the second phase of the migration are noted . For example, California offered plenty of opportunities to work especially in the defense industry. While discussing this way the factors that prompted the migration of the African Americans to the northern parts of America, it is needed that the study takes into account the Immigration Act of 1924(The Johnson—Reed Act) by which it is intended to sustain the unique America homogeneity, might also have been a factor for the quite rapid migration of the African Americans from the southern parts to the north, where they could be given a better treatment and work opportunity. “A provision in the 1924 law barred entry to those ineligible for citizenship — effectively ending the immigration of all Asians into the United States” (Immigration Act of 1924, n.d.). From this, it is very evident that the U.S tried to stipulate the number of migrants to U.S, and that the steps of segregation were taken to restrict the number of migrants into the U.S. Then it was quite easily assumable that the treatment of the African Americans would have been worse, prompting them to locate to places of safety and employment opportunities. The fact that the South which had traditionally been oppressive of the blacks and predominantly White-assertive, was not the proper destination for the blacks to live--the black population would have judged so—and lacked in employment opportunities, definitely led the African Americans to seek refuge in places of northern parts of America. Prominence should be placed on this fact while noting down the points and reasons for the black migration to the North. Works Cited: Immigration Act of 1924. (n.d.). Retrieved December 20, 2009, from U.S. history.com: http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1398.html Peterson, J. S. (1979). Black Automobile Workers in Detroit, 1910-1930. The Journal of Negro History , 177. Trotter, J. W. (1991). The Migration in Historical Perpective: New Diamensions of Race, Class and gender. Indiana University Press . What is the story? Past and Present . (n.d.). Retrieved Dcember 20, 2009, from North West American Museum: http://naamnw.org/docs/Curriculum_9-12.pdf Read More