Actions that are morally right but go against status quo are notoriously difficult for many politicians to take. Several of today’s politicians are not brave enough to risk alienating their voters. Calvin Coolidge, in contrast, was courageous, and this value was cultivated from an early age. Whether it was dealing with his mother’s passing when he was only twelve years old, or his sister’s death when in high school, Coolidge had to overcome these difficult situations. He had to stick to his goals of becoming a lawyer and a politician. The strength gained from these experiences undoubtedly influenced Coolidge’s policies as president, where he was tasked with making controversial yet just choices. From discussing civil rights injustices at a time where minorities were treated unfairly, to bringing awareness about the need for more money into the education system, Coolidge had bold ideas that he eagerly expressed to the public. During the early and mid-1900’s, African Americans were discriminated against in many ways. They were forced to go to public places that were separate from Caucasians, had limited rights, dealt with racial slurs, and risked the threat of being lynched. Calvin Coolidge recognized the problems African Americans dealt with and courageously spoke up for their rights. During his First Annual Message to Congress, Coolidge voiced that African Americans were just as important as any other citizen of the United States. He condemned lynching and
This work by Booker T. Washington, “The Atlanta Exposition Address”, or also known as “The Atlanta Compromise”, was a speech given in 1895 at the Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta that had a lasting impact not only to the crowd listening, but to the nation as a whole. Booker T. Washington was admired and appreciated by many black Americans. Although, everyone in the African American Community admired his overall achievements leading up to his speech in Atlanta, some of his ideas and thoughts became very controversial within the black community and possibly encouraged the Jim Crow era by proposing the ideology of separate but equal. “The Atlanta Exposition Address,” was significant in shaping history because it; sparked a split and debate within the African American community over the ideas Booker T. Washington proposed in the address, and simultaneously affected the nation as a whole with future laws passed off the basis of Washington’s ideology. To understand the context of where Booker T. Washington’s stance is in the address, people must first understand Washington’s background and his audience during the speech.
Calvin Coolidge was president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. Calvin was born on July 4, 1872 in Plymouth Notch, Vermont. John, his father, was a farmer who worked in the Vermont House of Representatives and the state and with other local offices. He helped his father sell apples and doing chores around the store and at the farm. His mother, Victoria, died when was was twelve and his sister Abigail died several years later.
Maurice Willows: Unsung Hero of the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 During the early 1900s, African Americans continued their struggle for civil rights on a national scale with seemingly no definitive solution in sight. In the wake of one of the most violent race riots in American history, one man sought to overlook racial differences and the rules of his own organization to provide aid to those in need. Through the leadership of Maurice Willows during the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot, the American Red Cross compromised their mission enabling the organization to be the sole responder, provider of relief, and champion of African American rights. Maurice Willows’ decision to defy the tenets of the Red Cross made him an unsung hero who saved countless lives.
His ability to recognize and appreciate those around him played a large part in his prosperity in both law and politics. “[G]ood influences” had a habit of walking into his life and therefore he always let the ideal that “good predominates” guide his actions and influence his beliefs (Coolidge 52). Throughout his career in public service, Calvin Coolidge focused predominantly on establishing peace rather than initiating conflict. The effects of his advocation for tranquility are apparent in both his actions and his relations. His involvement in the “World Peace Treaty” and his positive relationships with his comrades, family, and ordinary citizens highlighted his desire for concord (Coolidge 152).
The opinionated article “The Racist Legacy of Woodrow Wilson,” written by Dick Lehr, reveals insight into Wilson's shadowed discriminatory views when an incident occurred at the White House between Wilson and a black civil-rights leader. Wilson’s segregation in federal offices went unnoticed until William Trotter, a civil-rights activist, tried relentlessly to gain the president’s support for blacks. Trotter was a political supporter of Wilson and was convinced he would seek equality among all Americans if elected. Wilson deceived Trotter and other civil-rights leaders by using persuasive techniques that influenced them to vote for Wilson in the presidential election. Throughout Wilson’s presidency segregation worsened, so Trotter and other
1. What does Du Bois mean by the “double consciousness” of African Americans? What Du Bois meant by the “double consciousness” of African Americans is that they look at themselves through the eyes of others. “This double consciousness, this sense of always looking at oneself through the eyes of others, of measuring one soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity” African Americans know that the rest of America see them as a lowly and controversial group of people because they were once viewed as a piece of property and not a human being. Now that they are freedmen, America doesn’t know what to think about them.
By the 1950’s, America’s illusively plaid appearance was being disrupted by a growing multitude of problems: increasing visibility of poverty, rising frustrations from African American communities, and a growing angst concerning America’s position in the world. In response, the United States’ leaders sustained their constitutional promise to promote the general warfare of society, by confidently indorsing policies that directly attacked these problems-to the best of their ability. When President Lyndon Johnson, Kennedy’s successor, sworn into office, he believed in the active use of power and legislation. “Between 1963 and 1966, he compiled the most impressive legislative record of any president since Franklin Roosevelt” (Brinkley 784). Among
However, Roosevelt did nothing to improve African American rights, even though he believed that African Americans deserved equal treatment and that they could achieve this through hard work and education. He was too afraid of losing the Southern vote to accomplish anything, although he did invite African American activist Booker T. Washington for dinner at the White House to discuss the
In September 18, 1895, Booker T. Washington gave an address, that was known as the “Atlanta Compromise”, at the Atlanta Cotton States and International Exposition. The fact that Mr. Washington was invited to speak to this all-white southern audience, was itself a historic event. In his speech, Washington made the argument that the African-American people should not ask for the right to vote, they would not retaliate against any racist behavior, and they would tolerate segregation and discrimination. Washington strongly argued that African Americans to get rid of Reconstruction-era notions of social equality.
Jim Crow laws were still prevalent and continued to restrict their freedom (Doc D). During the 1920s, the American economy took a giant step forward. Economic prosperity put the “roar” into the twenties. A new
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a large portion of Americans were restricted from civil and political rights. In American government in Black and White (Second ed.), Paula D. McClain and Steven C. Tauber and Vanna Gonzales’s power point slides, the politics of race and ethnicity is described by explaining the history of discrimination and civil rights progress for selective groups. Civil rights were retracted from African Americans and Asian Americans due to group designation, forms of inequality, and segregation. These restrictions were combatted by reforms such as the Thirteenth Amendment, the Fourteenth Amendment, the Fifteenth amendment, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, etc. Although civil and political
The New Deal, World War II, and post-World War II marked significant periods in American history as the federal government created various programs to relieve the nation from the Great Depression and spur economic growth. However, as Ira Katznelson points out in his book, “When Affirmative Action Was White,” these programs held disparities that disproportionately benefited white Americans. This essay will examine how New Deal, World War II, and post-World War II programs represented affirmative action for white Americans. In “When Affirmative Action Was White,” Katznelson explores how New Deal programs represented affirmative action for white Americans.
These controversies cast illegitimacy over his entire presidency and damaged his legacy. Harding was killed by a heart attack in 1923, leaving Calvin Coolidge to assume the office of the president. Coolidge’s first actions as president were to restore integrity to the office undermined by corruption under Harding. His quiet demeanor, which earned him the moniker “Silent Cal”, was exactly what the nation needed to recover from the instability of the previous administration. Coolidge’s presidency was characterized with honesty, modesty, and integrity.
In the 1960’s during the era of the Civil Rights movement, America had been divided by the voting rights that were not given to the African Americans. Although, a decade ago the African Americans had been freed from slavery, but they were still not considered “equal” because they weren't able to vote. The discrimination in the area even had political leaders affected, therefore many of those political leaders during that time attempted to put an end to the several agonizing events going on. Lyndon B Johnson, a white persistent president speaks out to the lawmakers using compassionate encouraging appeals about voting for Civil Rights, in order to unify the nation “to build a new community”. President Johnson utilizes many devices in his speech such as anaphora, emotional appeals, and
Theodore Roosevelt’s speech, Strength and Decency, included a variety of rhetorical strategies that allowed him to persuade educated, mature, and, strong men to become powerful and decent human beings. Roosevelt’s purpose of presenting this speech was to persuade the audience to behave like the strong men they are but with decency and manners because, in the 1900s, men behaved in a very manly fashion. However, men lacked manners and morality. Due to the very questionable propriety of men, Roosevelt was driven to address how men should act the way a real mature man would in order to further improve society. By using rhetorical strategies such as repetition, Christian appeal, and a serious tone, Roosevelt is able to show his audience how strength and decency go hand in hand.