Effect of Federal Policies on Minorities

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In the past several decades, laws and federal policies have changed dramatically. Most people believe the drastic changes America has faced were for the better. Of all the policies noted, the most significant were those documented during the Civil Rights Movement. Prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, white majorities in America restricted minority groups in several ways. One way minorities were restricted was by segregation. Segregation for minorities meant separate schools, and neighborhoods. Minorities were not able to openly associate with the white population. Minorities, such as Blacks; were labeled as inferior intellects in comparison to the white majority. The segregation of schools was based on the belief of the intellectually inferior label associated with Blacks, and in an effort to maintain the majority white population’s educational experience. The segregation of minorities also had an effect on public transportation. Blacks were prohibited from sitting in the front of a public bus. Rosa Parks has been acknowledged for her refusal efforts to move herself from the front of the bus, after a long day at work. Many other Black minorities have attempted the same action in an effort to take a stand against segregation. Joe Louis and Sugar Ray Robinson too refused to move to the back of the bus in Alabama, and they were both arrested. In 1935, The Wagner Act was enacted. This act legalized collective bargaining and labor organizing. The Wagner Act established the right to unionize. Minorities in the workforce were ultimately affected by this act. As a result of this act, minorities were locked out of higher paying jobs. Minorities were denied union protection and benefits such as: medical care, full-time employment, and job security. Minorities were also legally barred from challenging their exclusion. Minorities faced many difficulties in
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