The Slave Codes Of African Americans

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The most prominent demonstration of racism in America had to be the slave codes that were in place in all states where slavery was practiced. In “From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African Americans,” John Hope Franklin went into detail on slave codes on pages 137-138, “…these laws varied from state to state, but most of them expressed the same viewpoint: that slaves are not people but property and that laws should…protect whites.” One law stated that those enslaved could not bear arms or strike a white person, even in self-defense, but when a white person killed a slave it wasn’t even considered murder. Africans had no standing in court, they couldn’t testify or be a party to a lawsuit and their marriages were not legally binding. Raping an African American woman by her master wasn’t considered a crime either. The slave codes were designed to oppress, persecute, and humiliate blacks by the hands of the whites. With the slave codes and the eventual Jim Crow laws and any oppressive laws and segregation practiced in America, the idea of blacks being inferior was stamped into the minds of any person living in the country. African Americans were treated as subpar, they weren’t considered human beings and to this day the same belief is held unto, although not nearly as outright or not as blatant as in the past centuries. Slavery in itself is a large example of how racism is and may always be embedded into American society; blacks had to fight to even be considered citizens, be able to vote, and be given basic human rights. Though many would deny the existence of racism, the sad truth is that racism may be an ever-present concept in American society. Violence and racism ultimately goes hand in hand throughout most of history. Secret ... ... middle of paper ... ...esitation. I want everyone to be able to have a full, successful life. One conscious effort I have made trying to “buy black”. Keeping our own dollars in the black community is one of the biggest contributions we can make to the betterment of our own people. It was found in 2010 that there is $850 billion moving through black consumers’ hands each year, but 90% of that amount goes to non-black controlled businesses. Spending money in our own community can stimulate the economy, lower unemployment, and improve the conditions of black neighborhoods by having our money be put into our own communities. I also have made it a mission to educate myself in African American history and help to spread my knowledge to all I can. Knowing our history can help change our future so that the past doesn’t repeat itself and our conditions can be better than those that came before us.

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