History: Racism In Turn Of The Century America

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Race in Turn of the Century America Melony R. Hadden HIS 204 American History Since 1865 Prof. Angela Cranon-Charles November 10, 2012 The United States entered the twentieth century still confronting numerous problems such as corruption in business, economic depression, and labor unrest. Among these problems, America also faced the increasing racial tension in its society. Although free from slavery, African-Americans still encountered racial violence, segregation, and isolation from white society (Bowles, 2011). America’s desire to attain “Manifest Destiny”, technological advancement, and support of segregation hindered equality among races in American society. The signing of the Emancipation Proclamation and the addition of the thirteenth through fifteenth amendments to the Constitution freed African-Americans from slavery and granted them equal rights…show more content…
Race has always been attached to history primarily to the person’s color and the relationship between race and their social status. Although there were many white Americans that welcome the idea of having African Americans as equals, others did not agree to the change. They let their ignorance, racism, and self-interest to continue and spread their ideas of racial division to everyone around them. However, governments in the south, where ninety percent of blacks lived, barred them of their constitutional rights through poll taxes, limitations on registration, and literacy tests. Southern state governments also created legislation that restricted and controlled the lives of the ex-slaves, known as the “Black Codes”. “These differed among states, but the Black Codes all shared some general provisions” (Bowles, 2011). African Americans were only allowed to marry within their own race, and they were only allowed to do farm
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