African American Discrimination in the United States

African American Discrimination in the United States

NO! NO? This is the word most often heard by African Americans throughout our vivid history. Although at one time we were a majority of judgment and unfair discrimination, it is now more than likely safe to say, white or black, we are proud to be Americans. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird she elucidates what it was like, during the 1930s, to live in a small town who often put judgment before thought.

When thinking of discrimination the words unfair, segregation, and prejudice all come to mind. And why we ask ourselves, because someone or something is DIFFERENT. Is that really how our world should think? Should we separate ourselves into groups depending on our differences? This is a question that many white Americans neglect to ask themselves.

According to statistics, African Americans make up approximately thirteen percent of the world’s population, with nearly ten million of them in poverty. A large part of black discrimination is due to white racism. Black is automatically seen as opposite of white and therefore seen as different. It is known that black skin stands out more than tan or white skin, which may be the reason why African Americans are the most segregated minority group in the U.S. society (faculty).

Black Americans first received freedom from slavery in 1865, and the right to vote in 1870, when the 15th Amendment was established. Why then were they still discriminated against and not truly given the right to vote until 1964, when the Civil Rights Act was passed. To this there may not be an answer (Lieda).

In 1964 the Civil Rights Act was passed stating that: “All persons should be entitled to the full and equal enjoym...

... middle of paper ...

...vantage of a young white woman when posed with the opportunity (Lee). This can be very misleading and inaccurate when it comes down to the innocence of a black man. That is in no way civil to all men if that is the way our justice system works in the U.S. today. When compared to how the way things were in the 1930s, it can easily be seen that our society has come a long way and such assumptions are not usually made.

When one looks back through the piles of history our country has made it is easily visible that the world today is much different than it was years ago. Many obstacles have been thrown our way but it seems that each one of them was overcome with the strength and hope many of our people have. Remember different does not necessarily mean wrong. We as a whole have fought a long hard battle to bring us where we stand today, a nation united as one.