Blank Slates In African-American History

In the mid-nineteenth-century, the economic power switched in the South from the “upper South” to the “lower South,” which was expanding agriculturally. This switch resulted in the growth of a cotton-based economy. Economically, the change from cultivating tobacco and rice to cotton helped immensely. The high demand for cotton led to tremendous profits in the South and this drew the population to move to the prospering agricultural lands. The increase in cotton farming made African American slaves a necessity to the white males. These slaves were required to obey their masters and work the fields all day. The increase in slavery changed the social systems down South; the order now went African American slaves, poor white males, and at the top was wealthy white plantation owners.

During the 20th century, African American starting leaving the south. They left behind the racial segregation, discrimination, and violence in search of greater economic opportunity. This was the forming of the “Great Migration” of 1.5 million African Americans that happened between 1910 and 1945. Also another 6.5 million moved north and west between 1945 and 1970. Since the 1960’s, many black urban immigrants have achieved success where as some have been left behind. It was known that if the first generation failed to find employment, skills, and upward mobility, the next generations to come most likely failed too. The residential racial segregation continues according to some statistics showing that the average white person lives in a neighborhood

African American Studies was a great experience. Has opened my eyes to my surrounding and the world around me. This course with Dr. Sheba Lo, was something out of me confront zone. I learned so many things from race to cultural to the importance aspect of African American. We are isolated to an environment that hide so much history that we all don’t think they are important to who we have become. I know just from being from a certain race people believe that sometimes that defines us as a whole. There is always a race being discriminated, oppressed and even treated unequally. I clearly understood that taking this course opened me up to the different events. It is really difficult to see that we live in this environment even though many whose

Many Americans were concerned by the change that needed to happen for the people. The people were starting to stand up for what they believed in. With population increasing, things started to get out of control. Many political people held to much power over the people. People living in poverty were suffering more than they have been. Companies started creating monopolies all over and controlling jobs, and money. African-Americans took one of the biggest tolls during the progressive era. They had to fight for what they believe in, and literally fight. These people, as they use to say, were discriminated from the school house, all the way to the water fountains. African-Americans were looked at like a disease at this time. They had unfair housing,

In Chapter 1 and 2 of “Creating Black Americans,” author Nell Irvin Painter addresses an imperative issue in which African history and the lives of Africans are often dismissed (2) and continue to be perceived in a negative light (1). This book gives the author the chance to revive the history of Africa, being this a sacred place to provide readers with a “history of their own.” (Painter 4)

I used to go, every Thursday at 7:30 p.m., to choir rehearsal and, while there I would sing praises to God along with other choir members, It never appealed to anyone to ask about the origin of these songs and how Gospel music came to us. We just sang what we were taught to sing. Well, one day while in choir rehearsal, I decided to ask about the origin of Gospel music. My choir director shouted, “It comes from black folks’ soul.” After he said this, I decided to research more about the origin of Gospel music and found out that African Americans started it and that it is then a music that African Americans feel, experience and sing. When African Americans sing Gospel music, it comes from deep within. It comes from the soul and from experience. It is thus, this experience of Gospel music by African Americans that I will discuss

African Americans fought in the Civil War on the Union and Confederate side. Most of the slaves were free and run away slaves. The emancipation proclamation helped the slaves be free and get their citizenship. Black soldiers did not receive equal or treatment white soldiers made more money. In June 1864 Congress granted retroactive equal pay meaning blacks and whites made the same pay. The fugitive slave act allowed the capture and runaway slaves return to their territory. The fugitive slave act gave slaveholders protection it protected free slaves that were seized for the wrong reason.

Throughout chapter three of The Myth of the Negro Past, Melville Herkovits writes about the African culture back before slaves were brought to the Americas. He refutes many previously thought ideas that African Americans have no past or shared culture which the myth in the title of the book. In chapter three entitled, “The African Cultural Heritage,” Herskovits argued that African Americans descended from a people with a rich series of cultural traditions (Willaims 3).

Post Civil War, African Americans started to gain rights to gain rights, and soon gain rights equal to whites. While there were some people/things standing in their way (KKK, Black Codes), in the end they got what they needed; Equality. Many acts and laws were passed to aid the new rights now held by African Americans, as well as the numerous people willing to help.

“The process of enslavement was almost unbelievably painful and bewildering for the Africans. Completely cut off from their native land,

Frederick Douglass’s narrative provides a first hand experience into the imbalance of power between a slave and a slaveholder and the negative effects it has on them both. Douglass proves that slavery destroys not only the slave, but the slaveholder as well by saying that this “poison of irresponsible power” has a dehumanizing effect on the slaveholder’s morals and beliefs (Douglass 40). This intense amount of power breaks the  kindest heart and changes the slaveholder into a heartless demon (Douglass 40). Yet these are not the only ways that Douglass proves what ill effect slavery has on the slaveholder. Douglass also uses deep characterization, emotional appeal, and religion to present the negative effects of slavery.

Before the American Civil War happened close to four million African-Americans were slaves. At the turn of the century the Naturalization Act of 1970 allowed only white men to vote. After the Civil War the thirteenth (1865), fourteenth (1868) and fifteenth (1870) amendments were passed, allowing African-American males to vote and have citizenship, which also led to ending slavery. Even after the ending of slavery, there were still some white men who tried to keep white supremacy alive thereby dehumanizing and alienating African-Americans from the mainstream of people.

The late 19th century, a period including Reconstruction, the Industrial Era, and “manifest destiny,” was marked by the freeing of slaves, imperialism, immense economic growth, and the rise of big businesses. (pg. 579, pg. 619, pg. 625, pg. 630) This was an age of “prolonged peace,” where many Americans sought to change their lives and their country for the better. (pg. 579) Industrial growth resulting from the North’s need to “supply the massive Union armies” presented various opportunities to make enormous fortunes. (pg. 619-620) However, this period also involved a considerable amount of violence, ranging from racial and labor conflicts to brutal wars overseas. (pg. 646-654)

Now the Cubans used two fellow yellow journalists, known as William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. The two both wrote about how the Spanish atrocities in Cuba, many were fabricated. Hearst and Pulitzer manipulated public opinion in order to have the American people intervene.

Its spring 1865 and the Civil War is finally over- costing more than 600,000 lives, and a downfall economy for the South. Although economic reasons, slavery and state’s rights led the Civil War and had caused much damaged to the South, it still gave many African Americans slaves their freedom. But now what? What should the Nation do with the free slaves besides focusing on reuniting and reconstructing the South? Just because African Americans weren’t no longer slaves, does that mean they have the same social, politic and economic life as a white American? Well, according to the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments, African Americans in the South had the same constitutional and legal rights as any other American in the United States. For example,