Chapter five from Whose America by Jonathan Zimmerman explains the many struggles African Americans had to go through (even after the Brown vs. Board of Education desicion) to have an accurate version of their history in schools text. Based on Zimmerman, black activist used three main arguments when demanding a place in the American history. First, a correct retailed of history in schools texts might help persuades whites to "revise their views on present-day quests for racial justice" (Zimmerman 113). Activists claimed that an acurate and truthful history was necessary to make whites awaken from the myth of stereotype Negro. Second, when the 1964 Civil Rights Act was passed, african american activists claimed that new books in schools were …show more content…
One of the main arguments were that this new emphasis of race in textbooks might give antipatriotoic ideals to black children. Whites conservatives said that textbooks would "bias children of all colors against their own country"(Zimmerman 117). Zimmerman gives an excellent example of a cartoon where a parent compares the things he/she learned when he went to school, which were all good and perfect, to the things that his child was learning such as the Genocide, Washington being a slaveowner, slaves hating slavery etc. At the end he conlcuded, "No wonder my kid's not an American. They're teaching him some other country's history" (117). On the other hand, however, a parent from California said, "Of course we do have much of which we are not proud, but why put up our mistakes, downgrade our heroes and please our enemies?"(117-118). I think that by showing others, especially children, many of the error this country made throughout its building, is to provide them with the tools they need so that the mistakes we made in the past don't occurr in the future. After, all that's the reason history and the teaching of it exits; by learning about the past we can create a better future, thus a better
During the process of reading this compilation of works, Portrait of America, many different point of views were aired. The opinion or attitude on the subject was too tainted. The authors were very biased to their perception of the "story". This book could have been much more beneficial if the facts would have stayed to the straight and narrow. Only the detrimental facts needed to be applied to these chapters. For a history class, as broad as this, this book opened too many doors that could not be explained in as much detail as would be liked. Many of the authors enjoyed mentioning the most scandalous moments of the people's lives then dropped the fact without much support or follow through as to what happened to cause or end these events. Brief summaries only tease the mind, and with the course load of most students, there is hardly extra time to investigate the matter further in detail. For a class such as History 152, biographies and/or documentary style books are more worth the while of the student. For instance make a list of a selection of novels that could be read for the class, so that every student can then explore in depth what that student thinks is interesting. Although the book was teasing in nature the chapters did flow well and were easy to read. The procession of the chapters had wonderful transition as to not loose the student. While proceeding through this book there were several different reoccurring topics that appeared. This paper will discuss these two reoccurring topics: the civil rights movement and former presidents.
Throughout his literature, James Baldwin discusses the issues of racial inequality within America and discusses reasons for the conflicts between races, proposing his solutions to the problems. One of the most important and recurring motifs between his works is the idea of history; the history of whites in western society and its origin in European thinking and the history of the American Negro, whose history is just as American as his white counterpart’s. The importance of these histories as being one combined “American history” is integral to the healing process between the two races. The 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision is a landmark event for blacks and whites alike, and the events following three years later in Little Rock, Arkansas mark the beginning of a long journey to fulfill the promise of equal education made by the Supreme Court. The 1957 events in Little Rock quickly became the nationally covered story of the Little Rock Nine, a legacy that still lives on today despite a James Baldwin prediction made in his essay “Take Me to the Water.” Specifically, nine African-American students were given permission by the Little Rock school board to attend Central High School, one of the nation’s top 40 high schools, integrating a formally all-white campus. During the initial weeks, these students were prevented from entering the school by US military summoned by the Arkansas governor. The Little Rock case drew immediate media attention and became a nationwide symbol of the civil rights movement. The story of the Little Rock Nine embodies James Baldwin’s arguments and observations regarding necessity of education as a crucial step to achievin...
"Histories, like ancient ruins, are the fictions of empires. While everything forgotten hands in dark dreams of the past, ever threatening to return...”, a quote from the movie Velvet Goldmine, expresses the thoughts that many supporters of integration may have felt because no one truly knew the effects that one major verdict could create. The Brown v. Board of Education decision was a very important watershed during the Civil Rights Movement. However, like most progressive decisions, it did not create an effective solution because no time limit was ever given. James Baldwin realized that this major oversight would lead to a “broken promise.”
History plays a tremendous role in the present-day. Awareness of one’s history aids in understanding the significance of its effects. The Brown v. Board of Education case is a landmark in the history of the United States society and the judiciary system. It drastically affected education systems, the civil rights movement, and is known as one of the first cases to acknowledge social science results. This Brown v. Board of Education case took place over sixty years ago, and its affects continues to influence many aspects of today’s society, and more specifically today’s education systems. Despite its numerous accolades, it is still argued that Brown v. Board of Education failed to successfully accomplish its goal of desegregating
“IT IS NO ACCIDENT that the pivotal Supreme Court decision launching the modern civil rights movement was an education case -- the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka ruling. IN MANY WAYS, the drive to end segregated education and to put African American and white children in the same classrooms was the most radical and potentially far-reaching aspect of the civil rights movement” (ww.civil rights.com). And since this time the faces of the classroom have changed and been redefined. Students of all races, language backgrounds and learning abilities create a classroom of learners like never before. But, often the impact of the 1954 ruling was questioned because many wondered were all students in a better position now? It wasn’t until 2002 under NCLB that schools now mandated all schools must prove that infact all students were offered the same education. “Under the 2002 law, states are required to test students in reading and math in grades 3–8 and once in high school. All students are expected to meet or exceed state standards in reading and math by 2014” (www.k12.com). Unfortunately,
...ry kept black Americans in a state of oppression. Still, education was cherished as the way to get ahead. Today, a black is president of the United States and there are black politicians elected to the Congress and the Senate. Several Fortune 500 companies are headed by blacks. Admission to any college or university is open to black high school scholars. But now, getting good grades and an education is passé, construed as "acting white." It is as if black education rose from the ash heap of slavery and Jim Crow after the Civil War and, then, was pulled back down into a tar pit of welfare assistance and government dependency.
In 1954 through Brown V. Board of Education, the Supreme Court decided that forced segregation denied African Americans equal protection under the law as stated in the Fourteenth Amendment. Brown mandated equal access and opportunity. This decision created a wave of effects throughout the African American community. Unequal outcomes were fueled by low expectation and cultural incompatibilities along with the drainage of resources such as the removal of the best teachers through reassignment to desegregated schools or through firing (Green et al., 2005). Black students were also bused to predominately White schools disproportionately, causing many African American schools to close (Morris, 1999). Morris further state...
Paul E. Lovejoy realizes the importance of learning the history of a situation correctly and thoroughly. Lovejoy states (1997), “The failure to study enslaved Africans in the Americas from the perspective of African history is largely a result of the way in which African history developed as a sub-discipline” (p. 5). If African Americans points of view on their historical markers are not studied, that will cause a misrepresentation throughout history. During slavery, slaves were known to form communities composed of their homeland origins in order to keep their social identity (Lovejoy, 1997, p. 3). The Great Migration happened once millions of African Americans decided to leave the South in order to escape the oppressive laws and find better economic opportunities. The South was ruining their sense of social identity. Lovejoy also notes they would (1997), “…create a world that was largely autonomous from white, European society” (p 3). That shows African Americans were already capable of living in America without the need of white people. However, they were halted by unfair and evil treatments. After the Great Migration to the North, Midwest and West, they still faced those halts. The Civil Rights Movement sparked the acts of overcoming those problems. The oral history of those involved with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Congress of Racial
The time has come again to celebrate the achievements of all black men and women who have chipped in to form the Black society. There are television programs about the African Queens and Kings who never set sail for America, but are acknowledged as the pillars of our identity. In addition, our black school children finally get to hear about the history of their ancestors instead of hearing about Columbus and the founding of America. The great founding of America briefly includes the slavery period and the Antebellum south, but readily excludes both black men and women, such as George Washington Carver, Langston Hughes, and Mary Bethune. These men and women have contributed greatly to American society. However, many of us only know brief histories regarding these excellent black men and women, because many of our teachers have posters with brief synopses describing the achievements of such men and women. The Black students at this University need to realize that the accomplishments of African Americans cannot be limited to one month per year, but should be recognized everyday of every year both in our schools and in our homes.
Education played a very important part in civil rights history. Much time and effort has been spent on education for the black community. It was only right and fair that all people regardless of skin color be granted an equal opportunity to earn a decent education. Protests and other events that took place on the campuses of educational institutions all over the United States have made national headlines. The issue of equality in regards to educational has remained at the vanguard of the civil rights movement long after these events took place. By taking a glance at the changes in education between the 1950s and
Although African Americans were finally able to gain back their freedom; they did not gain equality in the eyes of their former oppressors. Resentful of the newfound freedom of African Americans, laws known as Jim Crow laws were established throughout the United Stated by states and local governments. These discriminatory laws worked to systematically oppress African Americans through segregation and violence. They were segregated from whites; forbidden to attend the same schools, eat in the same restaurants or intermarry. African Americans were treated as second class citizens; lesser beings that had no rights. “Blacks could not vote, sue whites, testify against them, raise their voice to them or even look them in the eye or stay on the sidewalk if they passed.” (BL p.98) The era of Jim Crow was a dangerous time where even a glance was enough for an African American to be murdered. But there was only so much abuse that would be withstood. The winds of change were beginning to stir and African Americans and their supporters were beginning to demand their equality.
The stories in all the books are part of our history, all the books are available to people to read to learn more about the American history. The Civil rights room did not only have books about one or two people, the room was very diverse. Not all the books were written by one person there were many authors. The videos to were diverse, all kids of speeches, protests, and racial discrimination. Not only are the books about African Americans, there are also a lot of books about how all kinds of races treated African Americans, for example many books were about how the white treated the African Americans. Religion was a big thing for African American, they wanted to build their own church’s after the civil war. There were books about how women and men were treated back then, and how gender was an important thing back then. It was really hard for men to get their civil right, on the other hand women had no rights what’s so ever. It was really hard back then for women to have any rights, which was presented in lot of books in the civil rights room. Class back then was very important, because rich stayed rich and the poor stayed
Other than Martin Luther King Jr. and his involvement in the civil rights movement, nobody covers the true history of black people. In the article ON THE ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH FOR LIFE: THE CREATION OF THE POST-RACIAL ERA the author speaks of how people should be taught more about the history of black people and how they effected america in a good way. “Many politicians and observers of racial issues have argued that current racial problems are largely caused or exacerbated by a general ignorance of black history among the American population, and that proper historical education can provide an antidote to current racial problems.” If we would teach our kids about the history of Black people, it could assist to solve the problems of civil rights. If the people of these movements knew the background of the problems maybe they would cease to cause problems themselves. In the article Deconstructing Black History Month: Three African American Boys’ Exploration of Identity, the author says that “teachers read books about famous African Americans to their students, recall the words, ‘I have a dream,’ and fulfill their responsibility to give a nod of recognition to the historic contributions of African Americans.” This sentence is saying that teachers go through the motions every month and do the simple stuff like the “I had a dream
It challenges America’s status quo by breaking the standards of American classroom traditions. Back in the days, the typical American classroom was taught by white women and white men, filled with white students. They all came from the same background, culture and economic status. There is no wrong in having people of the same culture, and race, come together in one classroom, but students and teachers do not gain as much opportunity or rich experience as they would if they were surrounded by diverse students and teachers.... ...
Massive protests against racial segregation and discrimination broke out in the southern United States that came to national attention during the middle of the 1950’s. This movement started in centuries-long attempts by African slaves to resist slavery. After the Civil War American slaves were given basic civil rights. However, even though these rights were guaranteed under the Fourteenth Amendment they were not federally enforced. The struggle these African-Americans faced to have their rights ...