Civil Rights Act of 1964: Platform for Reform - Essay Example

?Civil Rights Act of 1964: a platform for reform Race and dis are critical elements that have literally transformed the dynamics of the Americasociety. Race is defined as “having a system of distinctions in the human race.” Race Discourse is defined as an “institutionalized way of speaking that determines our reality.” Racism and prejudice have been vital aspects that have been plagued the society of the United States of America. The root causes of racism and anti-Semitism are derived from the ideology of the white man’s burden that continues to be the hallmark of white supremacy. In addition, one cannot diminish the fact that America was founded upon the idea of “melting pot.” Even prominent figures such as Albert Einstein, called racism America's "worst disease.” Prejudice has been the norm and the dream of “free spirit” of liberty has been obliterated. The country has literally shed blood of innocent civilians to fight for few basic rights that are God-given. Racism and prejudice are clearly present through Terkel’s narration of Ellis as he projects his emotional level of prejudice, his self-justification, and his displaced aggression. In order to combat this racism, the Civil Rights act has become a hallmark to combat this disease and to propagate for reform. The Civil War serves as a crucial testament towards the self-proclaimed status of America, a nation in which freedom and liberty can be celebrated. Nonetheless, the nation has struggled to grant the idea of equality throughout history. What was ironic was the fact that the efforts of black soldiers during the World War II is taken for granted. All enlisted men ninety-first division were Negroes and that became controversial for many factors. First and foremost was the fact that all the men enlisted in this division were poor black individuals, who were illiterate and labor workers. They possessed no official military training and were up against an army which had prior experience. The division possessed around 600 military black officers, most of them which came from the Southern states. The 92nd Division comprised of 12,000 officers, in which 200 of them were white and 600 black officers. A major flaw that plagued this division was the fact that racial and prejudice haunted the infantry. The whole experience for these black men was bitter sweet as no chance of error was given to these men. Any training mistakes would be overblown by the media as the reports went back across the nation initiating a scream of hatred and racism. In essence, there was no respect for these brave warriors who were putting their lives in the front lines for their country. Without a doubt, it was unfortunate that these same men were living under the Jim Crow laws. One of the main concepts of prejudice and racism that is outlined in Ellis’s narration is his level of prejudice that is prevalent throughout his life. Vincent Parillo, author of Causes of Prejudices questions the whole essence of social categories of racism, which is then depicted in Terkel’s work. When people are nurtured in an environment where they are biased culturally against a group of individuals; they naturally assume that those views are correct. This can be no doubt detrimental as these perspectives are embraced and become the foundation for hatred. Prejudicial attitudes are prevalent amongst many groups and are a key catalyst towards conducing hatred. The Jim Crow laws that plagued the United States of America during the 1890’s was the clear illustration of the unfortunate reality that degraded the citizenship rights of African Americans. The racial segregation that was dominant in southern states was due to factual legislation that the state government imposed. The Supreme Court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson, which clearly gave a mandate of “separate but equal facilities” added more gasoline to the fire. It undoubtedly hindered growth for adequate economic opportunity and give rise to hatred groups such as the KKK. Without a doubt, legislative achievements that were obtained during the reconstruction were completely dissolved. The fact that the idea of “separate by equal” may be feasible to the American society, but the reality of the matter was the fact that nothing was equal. The profound impact of this doctrine was clearly diminishing the power of the federal government to interfere in state affairs to deter another civil war. The Supreme Court’s decision at the Plessy case was further elaborated by Supreme Court justice john Harlan as he states,” “we shall enter upon an era of constitutional law, when the rights of freedom and American citizenship cannot receive from the nation that efficient protection which heretofore was unhesitatingly accorded to slavery and the rights of the master.” Undoubtedly, Harlan himself was alarmed about the non-implementation and the upright ignorance of the 14th Amendment. To combat this absurd idea of racism and prejudice, the NCAAP became one of the first organizations that advocated for the civil rights. The result was a collaborative effort in which the NAACP initiated the Civil Rights Movement. Nonetheless, frustration continued to mount as the integration blacks in white school was resisted by the mass majority of the white population. Hence, the goal then for Martin Luther King and other civil rights leader was to combat this type of racism through the use of civil disobedience. Well-known to others, the NAACP along with Martin Luther King took inspiration from the Indian leader known as Ghandi, who had used civil disobedience in his efforts to fight for Indian independence against the British. Thus, the push to incorporate civil disobedience through boycotts and “sit-ins” became essential tactics for the Civil Rights movement. One can argue that it was also effective as evidence of changing attitudes were seen throughout nation in which even small businesses began supporting the movement. The three most important events that occurred in the civil rights movement were: the bus incident of the Rosa Parks, the Civil Rights act of the 1964, and the “dream speech” of Martin Luther king. These events were vital to the development and progression of the civil right movements for various reasons. The Rosa Parks incident was critical to the Civil Rights movement because it initiated the Montgomery bus boycott. The boycott was essential because it boycotted all the buses because it implemented social and political campaign that attempted to eliminate segregation. The boycott caused a huge financial strain on the transit system since most of the commuters were blacks. Due to this incident, the federal court ruled in Browder v Gayle that bus segregation in supreme courts was unconstitutional. Undoubtedly, the bus companies were hurt in a serious manner as they failed to attract customers. The boycott was a huge success as it completely showed the American society that oppression will not be tolerated. Furthermore, it signified the mass populous of African Americans who were given their business to these bus companies. Another critical event that occurred during the Civil Rights Movement was the “dream speech.” The “dream speech” given by Martin Luther King is a prominent piece of civil rights movement. This speech inspired many citizens to take action and understand the importance of a beautiful society in which diversity was celebrated. Moreover, it called for the abolishment of segregation, which forced the government to enact new laws. This speech became the catalyst for many legislation and gave a strong push towards the freedom movement. In essence, this particular speech was a call for society to unite despite its differences. The whole purpose of this speech was to truly to understand and celebrate the beauty of diversity. The civil rights act of the 1964 was a critical piece towards the success of the civil rights movement for several reasons. First of all, it eliminated legal discrimination domestically. Secondly, it ended unequal implementation of voter registration. Moreover, it dissolved segregation and school and removed the barriers of using the same facilities in general public. Without this legislation, one could safely say that the movement became dramatically strong. These three acts are vital because they ensure that African Americans can enjoy the basic rights of freedom that had dreamed of in ages. These laws enacted diminished segregation and discrimination and implemented unorthodox legislation that propagated equality. It implemented strict discipline within the spheres of commerce and attempted to dissolve the traditional superiority complex of the “white man’s burden” that dominated the society. Without these laws, one cannot refute the advancements of the Blacks in the modern society. A clear example of this can be perfectly elaborated at the nation’s decision to elect the first African-American president, a feat that many had envisioned for centuries. Although the country was feeling the sense of mutual brotherhood, the country still possessed hate groups that had their own missions to eliminate this social reform. A great example of a self-justifying group can be clearly seen through the rise and the terror caused by the KKK. The re-enlightenment of the second era had many different views than its predecessors. Post 1920, the Klan grew a strong membership of 4 to 5 million. Unlike the first Klan movement in the reconstruction era, it extended beyond the traditional motives. The second wave of the Klan continued to focus national agendas at hand that went beyond the agrarian economy. Since the Klan compromised majority of white and Protestant, it was vital that they elaborated on array of social and political issues. The macro focus was on civil issues such as Prohibition, employment, immigration restriction. One might even insist that it was a reformation movement. However, this movement did have many ramifications as it propagated violence and publicly humiliated the status of minorities. The Klan’s supreme strength was unpredictable as it held strong ground in Indiana, Oregon, and Colorado. The Klan played a huge role in politics according to Jackson as it affected the Democratic convention in 1924. The Klan was fed up from the fact that black workers on the domestic front earned decent wages and were being accepted in this new America. According to scholars, the Klan made its moral duty to halt this new type of African American growth in society. The second wave of KKK was much stronger, organized, and confident that the emergence of the first KKK. As mentioned, this organization not only propagated for “white supremacy,” an intense attachment to anti-Semitic and anti-Catholicism. One of the famous sayings of a white leader of the KKK insists, “Because the American economy has been taken over by strangers, who have stacked the cards against us.” The Klan’s motives and beliefs were simple; which was to take control of the politics. In addition, it continued to propagate against the Jews and blacks by distributing literature. Conventionally, the second wave of Klan was more educated and knowledgeable than the first wave. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that much of the emphasis was to protect and preserve the urban white Protestant culture. The KKK was started a group that just wanted to distract white men from their domestic problems. However, it evolved into something that was more drastic and literally destroyed the lives of individuals. The Klan’s supreme ability to use fear and terror to embed white supremacy enabled them to gain superior advantage. The modern KKK has been renounced by all mainstream media, political, and can be easily labeled as a “national political lobby.” Despite the emergence of the KKK in the 1920’s, one can argue that the emergence of the Civil Rights movement during the 1964 was pivotal. It was seen as an essential reform as segregation and discrimination plagued the American society. In addition, it was collaborative cry as Americans to unite in midst of international affairs that the country was dealing with. One can also argue that the Civil Rights act of 1964 was a direct catalyst towards the enactment of the Title IX act. The Civil Rights era served as a horrific reminder of how the implementation of equality continued to be a myth even after the civil war. Inequality will continue to plague American society unless the younger generation acknowledges the problem and takes the proper solutions to address this issue. Works Cited Freedman, Russell. Freedom walkers: the story of the Montgomery bus boycott. New York: Holiday House, 2006. Print. Fireside, Harvey. Plessy v. Ferguson: separate but equal?. Berkeley Heights: Enslow Publishers, 1997. Print. "NINETY-SECOND INFANTRY DIVISION." Home of Heroes. N.p., 13 June 1997. Web. 5 Aug. 2011. www.coax.net/people/lwf/92INFD Jackson, Kenneth T.. The Ku Klux Klan in the city, 1915-1930 . New York: Oxford University Press, 1967. Print. Morris, A. (2011). Fighting for Democracy: Black Veterans and the Struggle Against White Supremacy in the Post War South [review of the Social Forces, 89(3), 1060-1062.  Retrieved July 18, 2011, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 2350835711). Read More