Importance Of Reparations For African Americans

Although slavery was declared over after the passing of the thirteenth amendment, African Americans were not being treated with the respect or equality they deserved. Socially, politically and economically, African American people were not being given equal opportunities as white people. They had certain laws directed at them, which held them back from being equal to their white peers. They also had certain requirements, making it difficult for many African Americans to participate in the opportunity to vote for government leaders. Although they were freed from slavery, there was still a long way to go for equality through America’s reconstruction plan.

During the late 1800s, because the South had been decimated by the end of the Civil War, .the Reconstruction Period was initiated to aid the South’s recovery. Although the Civil War did abolish slavery and unify the North and the South, the war not resolve racial prejudice, the South’s damage, and the African Americans’ economic instability. The Reconstruction Period was initiated in order to prevent economic instability and the structural ruin, because since slavery was abolished, and the South was completely dependent on slaves, therefore slaves could not work for the South to maintain the economy, and slaves also could not fix up the damages done to the structures done to the South during the war. By starting the Freedmen’s Bureau and passing

[Doc. 7 ] This lead to the ratification of 15th Amendment. The 15th Amendment protects the right to vote of the emancipated slaves as it says on the document, “the right to vote shall not be denied on the basis of race, color, or previous condition.” The aftermath of civil war, resulted with good economical changes.

Once the Civil War ended, many people suffered from weaknesses. The war caused many problems, therefore, causing the need for Reconstruction. Reconstruction was used to fix the majority of problems that the Civil War caused. During Reconstruction, which occurred from 1865 to 1877, many people’s lives were impacted, especially African Americans because many were having to deal with political, economic, and social issues. A political perspective was that African Americans should be given more rights, a social perspective was to allow African Americans to have a normal life, while an economic perspective was that African Americans shouldn’t be allowed to connect with the government.

In Atlanta Ga, Charlottesville Nc, and in every other formerly Confederate State in the U.S. there has been controversial debates on whether or not the current standing Confederate statues should be removed from public areas. Many people claim that a modern society should not honor the racist soldiers who fought for slavery. Others believe that preserving historical accuracy is essential to learning from the mistakes of the past. The opinions of thousands of citizens clash with one another over the debate between offense and information. I believe that it is most beneficial for the majority of people if the current Confederate monuments remain where they are.

The allusions used various aspects of America in order to tell the story of the hardships that African Americans had faced. African Americans lack of basic rights during this time period in a place where everyone is considered, “free” is frustrating and created anger. African Americans should be considered as an equal citizen, they seemed to have found a home in a place where hopes and a better future was not there. Hughes wanted to convey that America should be free for all, and stand by its motto instead, of restricted for

For hundreds of years, longer than what should have been, many races excluding white men have been subjected to discrimination and segregation. Races such as African Americans and Native Americans have been oppressed by society and the United States government without remorse. The fight for equality for African Americans and Native Americans began when the first slave decided enough is enough. It started with the first slave to run away, the first person to speak out, the first person to stand their ground, and the first person to take risks that could end their life. That fight still continues today.

Many wonder how a minority group like the African American community were able to achieve their goals with all the hate that they were presented with. Starting with an force immigration that made them become slaves, to having to fight to be free from slavery and now having to fight for their rights of equality. If it was not for Movements like the Civil Right Movement, the Black Power Movement and the Black Life Matter movement that helped to let the African American voice to be heard and to help improve the hardship and disaster they were presented with. The Civil Right Movement was about fighting to end segregation, that was affecting the education and equality to the African Americans community. After the battle against segregation was ending the African American population began The Black Power movement which was about having equality with the involvement in politics and the American Economy, and was lead by The Black Panther.

Just because people choose to overlook the negative aspects of reconstruction does not mean they did not occur. Freedmen were indeed given land to live on post-Civil War, which followed the premise of reconstruction. However, when the land was stripped from them, the steps on the path of reconstruction ceased. Even though President Andrew Johnson followed a path of reconstruction, he was reconstructing the nation to his own personal liking, not for the betterment of the nation and all its people. Due to the fact that mistreating African Americans was still a normality post-Civil War and during Reconstruction, the KKK, a group founded on racism, came to be.

America the free, land of opportunity--but only if you fit a specific mold. Slaves, especially women, were certainly not included. Even after their emancipation, African Americans struggled with exclusion, whether it be direct, indirect, political, social or other. James Baldwin, an African American man, contrasts the types of oppression he, and others, have faced in “A Letter to my Nephew” , drawing parallels from slavery to the discrimination of the 60’s. He explains how many think blacks must assimilate into “white” culture, but, in reality, it must be those who think that way who must escape from the mentality of needing to assimilate.

Sure, reparations from the government show that they acknowledge that blacks have suffered for many generations. But, the wrongs done to blacks cannot be simply waved off so easily. No amount of money can right the wrongs and suffering that blacks have endured. And to use reparation as a way to manage a multicultural society would

The different audiences of the sites that families were believed to be transported from the slave castles to America believe that they should not have to pay to see their own heritage, and many African Americans have protested about the preservation of the castles that Osei-Tutu addressed observed “African American Criticism of the preservation is a part of the prolong struggle they have waged over preservation of their heritage” (Osei-Tutu, 2004). From the point of view of the African American community the problem lies with the site being painted and modified to look real and authentic which they believe made the actions done in the castle romanticized and not a serious as it is to get your culture and home stripped away. So, African American who have protested this monument want the actions done it this not to lose it legitimacy. The monument is important and has been painted over to look authentic before its original state where the site would have been overlooked if the walls weren’t painted. This site may be debated about among some visitors and it does not tell a inaccurate story of the overall and is deemed as an authentic site.

African Americans have been below the white class for a very long time. Although slavery had ceased for over a century, blacks were still treated like they were in servitude, being seized of their profits, and being subject to sharecropping. Many of the victims families still suffer from the problems of the past, and find themselves at the bottom, where there ancestors lied. Blacks today may even be segregated more financially than they were racially a few decades ago. Giving reparations to the victims wouldn’t make all their problems disappear, but it would help many get closure for their ancestor’s involuntary services.

Overall, going to this event was such a good idea; it opened my eyes to another culture other than my own. I 'm guilty of focusing on myself sometimes that I forget that people in other cultures struggle just as I do, we all have issues, we all have things we face and struggle with on a day to day basis. African Americans have been the victims to injustice for such a long time, coming from slavery and now high levels of incarceration. Understanding how correcting this can actually change history little by little is so important but cannot be done by one person, we all need to come together as one and correct these deep rooted issues that African Americans have been the victims to

The United States of America’s wealth and country was constructed from the ground up on slave labor and on the suffering of the entire black community. Tobacco energy and insurance companies had profited from slavery and these businesses continues to exist. But black people has never been compensated for their labor or received reparations for the monstrosity that slavery has caused to the black culture. The U.S. government should provide reparation to African-Americans for the injustice of slavery and the repercussions that continue to affect the opportunities of millions of African-Americans.