Chisholm stated, “Prejudice as a black person is becoming unacceptable...” (1) While she then states “Prejudice against women is acceptable” (1). Although race prejudice is unacceptable even though eliminating it would take years, prejudice against women is being accepted and allowed in where she believes both should not be allowed. She then comes to the House of Representatives with a more logical appeal stating, “As a black person, I am no stranger to race prejudice. But the truth is that in the political world I have been far oftener to discrimination against because I am a woman than because I am black.” (1). Chisholm wanted to prove from personal experience how society is more prejudice over gender than race itself.
This was true in the 1840’s and 1850’s, in the post World War I years, and in the 1960’s. I found that one of the earlier feminist novels, Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Hurston was controversial but also helped lead the path to progression of the feminist movement. Her work fell between not romanticizing Black folk life, and not condemning it either. The focus of the novel’s integrity and women-centered approach was the protagonist search for identity through a relationship with the Black community rather than White society.” (Giddings, p. 193) By the late twenties, Hurston’s perspective began to permeate the political thinking of Black women. During this time, Black feminism took place full force.
Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Dubois are arguably two most influential figures on the movement to achieve civil rights for black Americans. They both played large roles in trying to improve racial relations and civil rights during the late 19th and 20th centuries. Although they were both focused on enhancing the quality of black life in the United States, the fact that Washington was from the south and Dubois was from the north caused their views to differ. The “Atlanta Exposition speech” by booker T. Washington addressed the topic of racial relations in the south. “Of Mr.Booker T. Washington and others” was written by W.E.B Dubois as a critique of Washington and his views on the improvement of black life.
Her aim was to gain allegiance from middle class white women but in this process she lost esteem from the women within her own race. She played into assertive ideals and clichés in order to be recognized. The author focused too much on gaining acceptance from white people instead of having self-assurance and understanding of possibly never being fully welcomed by her aggressors. It is one thing to desire equality, but when the basis of gaining equality requires degrading your own race, it is no longer equality of race nor mankind, but only gaining appreciation based on performance. McDougald thinks that the low class black women intrude as a hindrance for the entire black race and the few who have proven their dominant are still associated with ignorance and the signification of being a black woman.
Great Leaders Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Junior were both African American who fought for equal opportunity for blacks in America, and both were in the civil rights movement, but they had different philosophy of life. Malcolm’s philosophies that violence must be stopped by any means necessary, and King’s philosophy was that in order to stop violence a person must ignore it, and sooner or later the violence will stop. They also had different beliefs Malcolm was a Muslim and King was a Baptist. King and Malcolm were two important figures who made a powerful impact in America during the turbulent 1960. In 1960 there was a lot of separation between the blacks and the whites.
Lee concluded that slavery would help both white and black races grow equally. In the letter Lee also questions the motivations and morals of the founding fathers about what equality really meant to them. The letter seems to be ironic, reason being Robert E. Lee should be the biggest supporter of slavery for the South but seems to be torn on the issue (Fair Use
Shipler in his essay “Jefferson Is America and America Is Jefferson,” Jefferson represents the most powerful contradiction of American society, because his declaration of individual liberty showed the brilliance of his extraordinary mind but also he claims that black people are inferior. Shipler considers that Jefferson had a deep understanding but at the same time he was such an ignorant person about what was happen, at that time concerning liberty and slavery. Slavery was a contradictory subject in Jefferson’s life. Although he was a defender for individual freedom and at one point he was against of slavery in America, but he owned slaves throughout his life. He was a politician that would speak out about slavery but would still employ slaves for his own use.
and his philosophy on non violence, Malcom X on the other hand had a completely different view on how to achieve people their rights by supporting violence. For many young African Americans, the need for greater sovereignty from the white majority was on full swing. They took inspiration from Malcom X who was the minister of the Nation of Islam. He captivated listeners with denunciations of whites and demands for black self respect. (Jacqueline Jones) To his admirers, he was a man who was an audacious advocate for the Civil Rights of African Americans who indicted white American in the harshest of terms (violence) for their crimes against blacks.
Douglas developed his own doctrine of letting the people decide the question of slavery. He ridiculed Lincoln about his idea of state uniformity rather than domestic institutions and accused him of promoting a war of sectionalism. He also mocked “black Republicans” who he accused of demanding racial equality. Overall, he believed in the Southern interest, but supported popular sovereignty and ultimately alienated Southern voters. On the other hand Lincoln shared some Southern attitudes towards slaves as he agreed with the Dred Scott decision that slaves could not be citizens and refused to support the Fugitive Slave Law as well.
Equality Opportunity’ in that the burdens of racism can only be overcome by taking race into account. Affirmative action also aims to reflect the racial diversity of the nation, the ‘Equality of Results’, within schools, the firm and the workplace. Despite being mainly supported by Democrats, and rejected by Republicans President Nixon played a significant role in affirmative action by instituting ‘set aside’ policies to reserve a certain percentage for minorities. The main advantage of affirmative action is that is leads to a greater diversity in societies main institutions, arguably this would not be achieved had things been left as they were. It is also argued on the basis of righting those previously wronged, by opening areas of education and employment that would not have previously been available to minorities.