African Americans History The ethnic group that I selected was African Americans. Even though that I don’t belong or identify myself with this group I wanted to learn more about African Americans. I believe that it is interesting the way that they immigrated to this country, how they faced segregation, racism, redlining and reverse discrimination and the cruelty that they had to suffer. African Americans were brought to the United States from Africa as slaves, they have to go through many years of discrimination.
During the Civil War, slaves were freed and granted citizenship, but discrimination did not stop there. African Americans faced a combination of prejudice, segregation, and racism. Segregation “is the isolation of a race, class or ethnic group by enforced or voluntary residence in a restricted area”. (Merriam-Webster’s online Dictionary) Some examples are the “Jim Crow” laws in the South required that Black people had separate bathrooms, nursing homes and were forced to ride in the back of the buses.
Before the landmark 1954 U. S. Supreme Court decision of Brown vs. Board of Education (Topeka, Kansas), segregation of school systems was legal. Many years later school systems stayed segregated. Racism “is a belief race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race”. (Merriam-Webster’s online Dictionary) Acts of Racism are when Some clubs had restrictions that did not permit African Americans, women and others to join.
Some studies revealed that African Americans convicted of first degree murder have a higher possibility of receiving a death penalty than whites convicted with the same charges. African Americans were victims of lynching in the South and other parts of the United States. Even laws and federal statutes were no giving the opportunities to Black population, they were eliminating them from the employment market that could give decent jobs, and this situation means that employers had the choice to give white people better jobs without having to explain anything to Black people. Grobman, Gary M. 1990). African Americans were affected by Institutional Racism. Institutional Racism” is top- down usually practiced or approved by the government”. Slavery could be seen as the beginning of Institutional Racism. In Some States, mostly in the South, felons can vote again, on the other hand numerous black men were prevented from voting because of their incarceration rates. (Encyclopedia II African Americans Contemporary Issues. Redlining “to withhold home-loan funds or insurance from neiborhoods considered poor economic risks” (Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary) despite laws and other protection against discrimination, African American still face discrimination in housing, employment, and education. They are still victimized by insurance redlining. (Grobman, Gary M. ). In 2004, African Americans homeowners who received subprime mortgage loans for defendants were over 30% higher than the rate is charge to Caucasians with the same qualifications.
Baltimore’s Suit argues “that Wells Fargo is more likely to foreclose an African American neighborhood, and that suit does not even attempt to adjust for similar qualifications of finances, just for racial issues. (Olson, Waitel on Oct 14, 2009) Reverse Discrimination a discrimination in hiring, college admissions that suffer members of certain social race or racial group. (Webster’s dictionary 2010 by Wiley) In their long and excruciating struggle for equal rights following the end of slavery, African Americans counted the right to vote as essential to win full freedom.
Giving them the opportunity to elect members of their own race. (Lawson F Steven pg 477-481, 1999) I culturally identify myself with both group African Americans and United States mainstream culture, because African Americans always fight for their freedom, I personally feel that I would do anything for my freedom, and to have equal rights on the other hand I am living in the United States of America a country that has given me the opportunity to have a better life and equal rights and I will respect and honored this country.
In conclusion when we judge people and groups based on our prejudices and treat them in a different way we are engaging in discrimination. Racism against African Americans is still prevalent in the United States. Even though that they had fight for their rights after many years of discrimination, segregation, redlining and much more. References
