How Have African-Americans Worked to End Segregation to Attain Equality and Civil Rights - Research Paper Example

How have African-Americans worked to end segregation, discrimination, and isolation to attain equality and civil rights? (course number/ code) (Instructor’s name) (Date of submission) How have African-Americans worked to end segregation, discrimination, and isolation to attain equality and civil rights? Introduction Martin Luther King Junior, perhaps one of the most outstanding American statesmen appears synonymous with struggle against segregation by the African American community. Many other activists across the world had initiated the struggle against discrimination and segregation against the African Americans, but the American case was special in several respects. Racial discrimination had evolved in the United States to an extent that the African American community had completely been isolated from normal public and social life. However, this was not to take place for ever since the spirited struggle against such a corrupt social regime would come to an end and several decades later today, one of the African American descendants is president. How this became a successful story is through a tough battle which could only be won with special dedication and commitment. Strategies to end segregation in America began specific with steps such as on transport system, job opportunities, protestations and violent reiteration, repatriation and lobbying for legislation to allow equality. Segregation in the US One of the most potent channels where segregation became rooted in the USA was through the use of public amenities, particularly the transport system. Segregation was manifested in several forms where initially, African Americans would not share a bus with the White. Train transport could not allow mixing of these two races and separate cars were provided, with the conditions of transport exposing the African American community to suffering and humiliation beyond explanation. Several other public amenities systems had similar discrimination policy which deliberately isolated and banished the African American people from a pleasant public life. For instance, hotels, schools and theatres would not permit free mixing of these races. Later on, where the two mixed, the African Americans were reserved for the back sits to make them feel inferior to the White people. This backdrop implies that the African American had no human and civil rights when compared to other Americans. This had to be stopped by the African American community assisted by humane Whites who sympathized with their plight during the regime. A spirited fight was launched beginning with the sensitization and mobilization of the African American community to rally their support for the plight of their civil and human rights. Angry scenes of resistance from the regime’s mechanisms such as judiciary are on record, with courts giving ridiculous rulings and retrogressive laws being passed to brand the African American community as less human before the American law. Ending Segregation in the US One of the strategies that worked well with the mammoth fight was to target the transport system that had a significant demoralizing impact on the African American community. Led by able activism and leadership of Homer Plessey and other anti-segregationists, the attack on the poor policy on public transport was destined for success. According to Brown (2001), Plessey defied the segregation policy in public transport which defined the sections of boarding a train for the two races. Having himself incarcerated for deliberately boarding in the White section, Plessey drew all the attention and sympathy since he had to be subjected to a lengthy court procedure. The local citizens committee liaised with Plessey to follow the judicial proceedings which were unfavorable to the African American community up to the Supreme Court which similarly favored segregation. Civil Activism Massive following by the African Americans as well as White sympathizers only worked to awaken the African American community for a major revolution against the segregation regime. Blakely, Gelfand and Hull (2006) present Rosa Parks’ brave show of activism when she defied odds and boarded a bus against the segregation regulation drawing a serious reaction from the regime. Her arrest and subsequent conviction on violation of Alabama State segregation laws suddenly caught the attention of hundreds of supporters at the courthouse. With similar courage coupled with the sudden rise of such defiance of the retrogressive rules, these activists had chanted the way for the civil revolution seeking recognition of African American civil and human rights. Perhaps without the initiative by Homer Plessey and Rosa Parks, Martin Luther Juniors mass defiance of bus boycotts in Montgomery would not have achieved the success thereon. This strategy applied the refusal to board buses instead of directly defying segregation regulation, which led to nasty treatment against Luther but eventual ruling by the Supreme Court in 1956 to disband such a policy in public transport (Kelly, 2011). Additionally, relentless activism was launched against regressive job opportunities that did not favor the African Americans. African Americans had a difficult time enjoying equal employment opportunities which made their lives unbearable, yet the government did not provide for their needs. The segregation policy implied that the African Americans had limited options to cater for their needs, perhaps an impact that can be observed today, with rampant crime being selectively among this community. Jesse Jackson became vocal in providing activism and leading civil activism that targeted business owners for segregation of the African American community (Mis, 2008). While it was not possible to get a job at a White owned enterprise, it was not discriminatory to sell goods and services to the African American community because the Whites would benefit. Such a retrogressive policy was attacked by instigating boycotts against business owners, employers and contractors who discriminated against the African Americans. Being a church minister, Jackson was able to move masses to the course of seeking justice against laws that discriminated against the African American community in the USA. According to Mis (2008), Operation Breadbasket and other projects of the activism started by Jackson bore fruits in seeking recognition for the African Americans. Perhaps such success contributed to his personal belief of becoming the President of the US, in an organized bid which however did not succeed. Radical approaches Furthermore, there were more radical approaches among the African American communities that defied the segregation regulations and policies by all means even if it implied violence. A section of the continuing activism during the civil revolution against segregation, believed that nothing would stop the African American from attaining an equal status with the Whites. Malcolm X’s factor in the violent incidents in the struggle stood out from the rest of activism, since his approach planted deep hatred among the African Americans against the Whites. Certain literature claims that his ideologies of the struggle against discrimination of the African Americans were misguided for allegedly being under the influence of drugs. From his speeches, analyses point at a possibility of deep hatred against the Whites due to use of abusive words such wolves and foxes referring to White politicians. Most famously is his speech calling for changes in electoral laws for accommodation of African Americans in the voting process, particularly in his Bullet of the Ballot Speech (LiveJournal, 2007). Incidents of violent protests can therefore be traced from leadership such as that by Malcolm X who called for African American community to reiterate by all means possible. Repatriation of the African Americans In addition, a section of the activism against segregation was in support of repatriation of the African Americans back to Africa where it was deemed better and close to fellow black people. Under the circumstances of the deeply rooted hatred against African Americans, this ideology was of the thinking that the long term solution was not forthcoming and difficult to attain in America. Foreign influence on the struggle in America came from Jamaica from Marcus Garvey who strongly believed that the closest to resolution of the standoff would only be through repatriation to Africa. Several considerations were made by Garvey to arrive at his suggestion as based in religion and social ethics which found no reason to subject human beings to such life and human dignity threatening environment (Kalenga, 2008). According to the author, anthropological studies on the call for repatriation point at necessity to take care of human dignity and ethics devoid of direct confrontation within the society as Garvey proposed at the cost of many long distant journeys across the Atlantic. Change of legal regime Alternatively, incessant lobbying and calls for the change of legal regime in America presented another important phase in the sociopolitical developments regarding race. While it could easily be said that African Americans solely took part in the struggle, it would be incorrect since numerous activist activities were going on among the Whites for the sake of America as a country. Prominent White leaders provided invaluable lobbying for correction of the erroneous treatment of the African Americans community which presented a section of the population that could not be erased. Among major fronts of such support was the lobbying for abolition of segregation laws both in the Congress and in the Judiciary. The office of the President of the United States particularly during John F. Kennedy’s era speaks volumes in the support that the White activism contributed. Fighting for the right to vote was enshrined in the Constitution but myopic agenda among racist White sections of the population blocked implementation (LiveJournal, 2007). It was only after the clarification of the legal position and interpretation of constitutional rights that the Whites were brought on board to the campaign to champion for the civil rights of the African Americans. Conclusion In conclusion, the democratic space enjoyed by the African American in the modern day, conspicuously manifested by the rising to the office of the current President is as a result of a long fought battle. African Americans struggle for recognition as Americans with civil rights and human dignity was on a specific agenda tackling main areas of discrimination and segregation as highlighted in the discourse above. Apparently, the leadership of the black activists bore fruit by convincing and rallying all African Americans as well as the support of White activists. If there are special steps taken worth a mention in the history books, it would be unjust to leave out developments in the transport sector, employment, protests and collective bargaining. References Blakely, G., Gelfand, D. E. & Hull, M. (2006) Rosa Parks: civil rights leader. Westport, CT: Infobase Publishing Brown, U. M. (2001) The interracial experience: growing up Black/White racially mixed in the United States. New York, NY: Greenwood Publishing Group Karenga, M. (2008) “The Moral Anthropology of Marcus Garvey: In the Fullness of Ourselves,” Journal of Black Studies, 39(2):166-193 Kelly, M. (2011) “Martin Luther King Jr.” Retrieved from: http://americanhistory.about.com/od/afamerpeople/p/mlking.htm LiveJournal (2007) “Malcolm X” Retrieved from: http://malcolm-x-4evr.livejournal.com/823.html#cutid1 Mis, M. S. (2008) Meet Jesse Jackson. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group Read More