Strategies and Actions of African American Women to Overcome Race-Based or Gender-Based Discrimination - Essay Example

Strategies and Actions of African American Women to Overcome Race-Based or Gender-Based Discrimination Over the last few centuries, women’s movements have remained vibrant throughout the United States. Politically powerful and culturally influential, on the liberal side, the activism has included nationwide organizations for gender equality, advocacy for race-based equality and other fundamental reforms (Crosby 16). On the radical side, the movement has encompassed women’s liberation and consciousness awakening groups together with other grassroots and cultural projects. The contribution of women activism against gender-based and race-based discrimination has also entailed countless organizing schemes and conventions in unions, occupations, and administration institutions. It is this reinvigorated movement that opened to women the blue-collar jobs and professions that were traditionally reserved for their male counterparts. When it comes to the fight against race-based inequality, it is plausible that women formed a crucial segment of the Civil Rights Movement, with their contribution seen in their volunteering to organizational and grassroots leaders. Indeed, the women created, mobilized, energized, and spearheaded particular efforts in the movements, ostensibly serving as bridge builders to the rest of the society (Epstein 4-6). Women movements worked tirelessly behind the scenes to bring about the changes that everyone in the movement sought by taking the advantage of the white elite’s ignorance towards women power. Furthermore, women movements successfully framed oppression and discrimination as a political issue, thereby initiating public discussions on issues that were previously perceived as private, and hence beyond public scrutiny. Comparing and contrasting "Civil Rights" and "Black Power" It is evident that the modern expression of black power stemmed from two distinct, yet superimposed traditions that shaped black political activism before and after the Second World War. For instance, the New Negro radicalism during the 1920s and the subsequent freedom protests that preceded the Great Depression, and the Second World War era precipitated an enlarged vision of citizenship, democracy, and civil rights. While the legislative and legal victories of the civil rights era performed a fundamental role in these struggles. It is black power that proved decisive in the inauguration of the first generation of black elected representatives (Ellis 46-63). It is also the black power that made the greatest contribution to the production of an eclectic array of multi-themed and multi-ethnic movements of social change. In this regard, black power could be demarcated as progressive in black political action. Nevertheless, the militancy encapsulated by the black power movement contrasted with the most measured tone that characterized the civil rights movements and appeared to signal a diversion from traditional modes of black activism. Despite these differences, it is plausible that the black power ricocheted through United States a bold call for African American liberation. This is done by introducing a style of social protest and political organization that echoed the civil rights-era practices (Peniel 751-754). Thus, both civil rights and black power pursued the sole purpose of carving out bold space through militant posturing, as well as scathing affronts on racial and class discrimination. The importance of visibility in black political, social, and cultural organizing In their pursuit to achieve their desired objectives, social movements had a single most distinctive aspect of sustaining the visibility of their activities. This aspect revolves around the movements’ demonstration that despite their relative powerlessness, they could initiate social change by adopting large-scale use of social protest (Robinson 54). Another major avenue that sustained the visibility of the social movements, especially the Civil Rights movements, was to use the contemporary church in perfecting their art of social protest. This choice was formidable given that the church had served politically ambiguous roles ever since the era of slavery. It is through church sermons that black ministers and black singers conveyed coded messages with a call for the masses to hold on to their quest for freedom and equality. Apart from the church, music was another key force adopted by activists in shaping and sustaining the movements’ culture, and hence their political messages. Music had proved to have great appeal across regional, gender, class, and generational lines. The movements realized that music was a sure way of ensuring consistent media coverage for their activities (Reed, 13). Analyzing the various definitions of freedom for African Americans Ever since the declaration of independence and the subsequent turn to Constitutionalism, inequality remained a source for great acrimony and anguish. This is regarding its causes and a deep conflict concerning the steps that should be taken to change it (Armitage 12-22). All American citizens were involved in the devastating period of revolution to free the country from colonialism. However, it is plausible that the anticipated freedom was not as universal as articulated in the country’s constitution. Rather, it is only the white populations that have continued to reap the full benefit of being “ free” while other groups, including the Native Americans and African Americans continue to suffer. They suffer from an environment of less liberty, inequality and a conspicuous lack of protection for their human rights. From a political perspective, freedom for the African Americans meant securing the right to vote, as well as other basic political rights and freedoms for the blacks. Such kind of freedom could only happen by bringing down the xenophobic system in which these prejudices formed a fundamental part. When it comes to the social domain, freedom for the African Americans meant nothing less than the desecration and removal of the myriad forms of segregation. However, this is not just in education institutions, but also in other public facilities, as well as private businesses (Tsesis 18-34). It is notable that no sooner had the Declaration for Independence been made than the Native Americans and African Americans began to realize that they had to survive under limited liberty. Moreover, unequal opportunities and diminished protection for human rights increased than before. It is plausible that the dawn of independence meant less liberty and lack of equality for people of color, from schools, hospitals, public transport, housing facilities and almost all social facilities. Works Cited Armitage, David. The Declaration of Independence: A Global History. Washington: Harvard University Press, 2007. Print Crosby, Emilye. Civil Rights History from the Ground Up: Local Struggles, a National Movement. Georgia: University of Georgia Press, 2011. Print Ellis, Joseph. American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic. New York: Knopf, 2007. Print Epstein, Barbara. What Happened to Women’s Movements? Monthly Review, 2001, 53 (1); 1-12). Peniel, Joseph. The Black Power Movement. The Journal of American History, 2009, 3 (4); 751-776. Tsesis, Alexander. For Liberty and Equality: The Life and Times of the Declaration of Independence. London: Oxford University Press; 2012. Print Reed, Thomas. The Art of Protest: Culture and Activism from the Civil Rights Movement to the Streets of Seattle. Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press, 2005. Print Robinson, Dean. Black Nationalism in American Politics and Thought. New York: UAP Publishing, 2001. Print Read More