How far did conditions for black Americans improve in the period 1945-56? Civil right was a major issue in America during 1945-56, especially in the Deep South. This was because conditions of African Americans didn’t improve much, it was mainly the start to any change that happened, with some limited progress. The first issue is ‘Jim crow’ laws; this was a law in the Southern states of America that introduced segregation between black and white people, by passing laws which denied them access to white facilities. Many of these facilities were, education, healthcare, transport, cinemas, restaurants and churches and even housing and estates were segregated.
The Brown v. Board of Education case was a huge turning point in for the United States. Before the Brown v. Board of Education case, everything had been segregated. Separate schools and restaurants were built for black and white. Interracial relationships were frowned upon. White people were thought to be superior to black people.
How far has the importance of Martin Luther King’s role in the Civil Rights movement been exaggerated? In the 1950s and 60s, black Americans were victim to severe and brutal racist discrimination, particularly in the southern states, where segregation was “de Jure” ( by law), the ‘Jim-Crow’ laws made sure that everyday facilities such as buses, parks and schools were segregated, with different services for black and white people and where black people were violently threatened to prevent them from voting (for example in Mississippi, any black people who tried to vote faced intimidation and even lynching , this resulted in only five per cent of the black population there registering to vote.). In the north, things were a little better, in the sense that there were laws in place to prevent the amount of legal discrimination of that in the south, however, the discrimination in the North was De Facto, these laws could not control people’s racist attitudes and racism was still an everyday experience for black people; for example in the ghettos, discrimination in employment opportunities resulted in the formation of ‘Ghettos’ where, in some parts, black Americans lived in poverty stricken communities together, in the only housing that they could afford, shabby houses in dire conditions. Throughout the country, black Americans were not given the same educational and employment opportunities as white people and they lived in fear, not only of the daily racist abusers, but also from the police officers who were supposed to protect them, in fact the police often took part in racist killings and white juries almost always acquitted whites of killing blacks. However, amongst all this racism, brave Americans emerged who struggled in the fight for black civil rights and an end to this racism, one of these people being the Baptist minister, Martin Luther King.
Brown v. Board of Education American parents challenged the system of education in the United States which mandated separate schools for their children based solely on race. In Kansas alone there were eleven school integration cases dating from 1881 to 1949, prior to Brown in 1954. In many instances the schools for African American children were substandard facilities with out-of-date textbooks and often no basic school supplies. What was not in question was the dedication and qualifications of the African American teachers and principals assigned to these schools. In response to numerous unsuccessful attempts to ensure equal opportunities for all children, African American community leaders and organizations across the country stepped up efforts to change the educational system.
The areas of society affected by segregation included churches, hospitals, theatres and schools. Black people had the worst jobs and the poorest standard of education. Black people also found it difficult to register to vote because of the following: * Poll Tax – A tax had to be paid in order to be able to vote, and most black people were too poor to pay the tax. * Literacy Tests (reading) –
DHL and the men could not reach an agreement, therefore, on behalf of the federal government, the EEOC helped to process the charges and pursue litigation. The EEOC has filed racial discrimination charges against DHL. African Americans have been the subject of discrimination since the 1600s when they were brought to America as slaves. From 1890 to 1940 the Jim Crow laws enacted throughout The United States openly segregated Black and White Americans in public places. Black Americans were publically beaten, frightened, and even killed (Magar, 2010).
The Brown case took place in 1954, it was Brown v. The Board of Education of Topeka. Oliver Brown took the state of Kansas to court for not providing adequate education to his daughter – Linda Brown. Linda Brown was forced to attend an all-black school which was twenty blocks away from her home, her father argued that Linda would be much better served attending the local white school which was closer to the Brown’s family home. The Brown case was very significant as it was the first time the NACCP won a case that was at the root of segregation. The Supreme Court argued that the segregation of education had a negative effect on those who were black as it made them feel less worthy and could influence low self-esteem among those who were black.
Memphis Sanitation Strike African Americans struggled for racial equality throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s. Laws, cases, acts, protest and unconstitutional behavior were what lead up to the movement such as, Jim Crow laws and the Plessy vs. Ferguson case. The Civil Rights movement was a series of events that included the nonviolent protest of Memphis sanitation workers, which strived for freedom, equality, and recognition. Jim Crow Laws were racial laws that segregated blacks and whites throughout their state. Public schools, transportation, restrooms, restaurants, water fountains and most public areas were segregated.
Her father tried to get her into a white school, which was only seven blocks away, but the principle of the school refused to allow her to enroll. Brown went to the head of Topeka’s NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and asked for his help. The NAACP was all eager to help the Browns in their case against the school because they wanted to take on segregation in schools for quite some time. The case was described as, “the right plaintiff at the right time.” By 1951, with other black parents joining the cause, the NAACP pushed for an injunction to end segregation in Topeka’s public schools. When the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas heard their case, the NAACP argued that segregated schools gave the message to black children that they weren’t equal, and naturally inadequate.
If we look back in history race was what mattered most. Throughout History people have been discriminating and have also been judgmental about another person from a different race. Back then you couldn’t write the story of an African American because you will be in trouble with the laws, the Jim crow laws were the laws that enforced this from happening. People from different races have been used through out history for example slavery, experiments, and even torture. The year today is 2012 and we are still discriminating against others and we have been for many years, is society ever going to get along?