Jacqueline Berrien's Journey

Historically, Black women have been fighting for civil rights through their blood, sweat, and tears. They are the structural foundation upon which the United States is built. Women like Sojourner Truth who were part of the Abolitionist Movement exhibited self- sacrifice and resilience during a time when they were slandered through a racist, sexist, and oppressive system. Take for example, slave owners raped many women and had control over Black women’s reproductive

Selflessness is defined as “concern more with the needs of others than with one’s own” (dictionary.com). Suzanne Spaak is the perfect example of selflessness. She was willing to die for a meaningful cause she believed in: rescuing Jews throughout the Holocaust. Spaak did whatever she could to help the struggling Jews, and joined an underground movement that’s goal was to put an end to racism. She risked all that she had to stand up for what she believed in, putting all personal problems aside, to do what she knew in her heart was right. Because of her willingness to do whatever it took to help, many innocent children and adults’ lives were saved. By examining Spaak’s selflessness, bravery, and persistence, it is clear that she was indeed full of moral courage.

The admirable actions of women have been slighted, as they are almost non-existent in the pages of our history books. The contributions of the civil right movement have many a time excluded the contributions of prominent African American woman who tirelessly fought. One of these profound leaders was Ida B. Wells who led a tireless crusade against lynching during the late 1800s. She became a vital leader in the fight for civil

In her speech, “For the Equal Rights Amendment” Shirley Chisholm addresses her views on securing women’s equality to ensure women have better opportunities. She is an American politician, educator and author that became the first black woman elected to the United States Congress. Chisholm supports her claims about equal rights for women by using examples of statistics to prove a point. Her purpose is to persuade her audience that women in America are neglected by equal rights and excluded from things that men are not. Throughout her deliverance she expressed an inspiring and informative tone to uplift her audience so that Congress can make a change for women. The speech is highlighted as Chisholm carefully builds an affirmative case for change,

In John Kennedy’s Profiles in Courage, he defines political courage as one’s willingness to take action on personal ethics, even though it may trigger public criticism, retaliation, and political death. (Kennedy 7) Shirley Chisholm, the first African American Congresswoman used her voice to advocate for racial minorities, women, and the poor. Chisholm was a bold woman who wasn’t afraid to raise current social issues that many avoided talking about. On account of her strong sense of justice, she faced numerous obstacles in her years in office for doing what she believed was in the best interest for our country. Throughout her political career, Chisholm strived for education opportunities and social and economic justice for all.

She encourages the members of her audience to be a mentor to someone who is different from them, and who does not have the same opportunities as them (Abdel-Magied, 9:56). Everyone has the tendency to gravitate towards those similar as themselves, she acknowledges (Abdel-Magied, 10:00). But by finding someone with a completely different background than you, you can create opportunities for them that were not there before. Many times we don’t even realize that others lack the opportunities that we have (Abdel-Magied, 10:35-10:45). By making the decision to look beyond your own bias and reach out to someone, you have the potential to create more opportunities for people, and in doing so you are helping the world by creating equal

Throughout the diversity in the United States, there is a multitude of factors that underestimate and terminate the presence or idea of women and minorities in government roles. In current times, awareness of gender equality and excluded minorities has rose to an all- time high. Many are advocating that the way our country sees and treats intersectionality needs to change for the better. Judge Sonia Sotomayor is an advocator by spreading this public announcement through a piece of a speech. She discusses the obstacles she and other minorities face to place higher on the social ladder and to be represented during a speech at the Judge Mario G. Olmos Memorial

“There are things you can 't back down on, things you gotta take a stand on. But it 's up to you to decide what them things are. You have to demand respect in this world, ain 't nobody just gonna hand it to you. How you carry yourself, what you stand for--that 's how you gain respect. But, little one, ain 't nobody 's respect worth more than your own,” (Taylor, 134). Cassie Logan embarks naively, unworldly, and oblivious to it all, but soon after she goes to school and receives filthy racist books that are required for her and all her peers to have, she then says she doesn 't want them when she shows her teacher the ignorant crude writing on the inside cover only to get a harsh beating in front of the class. Cassie later on gets her arm wrenched by a grown white man, has deceived little Lilly Jean, who is a pretentious devious child, and sees TJ, her brother 's best friend, plunge down a dark abyss to the wrong path. In Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D Taylor there are both static and dynamic characters, one of which is named Cassie Logan who out develops the rest by learning the importance of family, bravery and self respect, and love when maturing into a harsh cold reality of degradation.

A. I research my topic for approximately two weeks and I’m creditable to speak on Dorothy Irene Height.

Viola Irene Desmond has been recognized as an important person to Canadian history because it is to commemorate and acknowledge the brave actions of a woman who took a stand against racism and segregation. Also it is important to remember and to learn from history so that history does not repeat itself. Desmond was a beautician and mentor to young black women at her beauty school. She was falsely arrested on November 8th, 1946 at Roseland Theatre in Nova Scotia. Because of this action she rose up and fought against her charges. She changed the public opinion locally and internationally about racism and also raised awareness about it. The public history vehicles for her history are in many forms. There is a stamp, an apology made, books were

Civil disobedience does lead to progress, just like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. disobeyed the laws which gave African Americans more rights.

“Unbought and unbossed” is an interesting film that covers issues with African American women, and sexual politics that also offers a simple  literary perspective of a black woman who puts herself in the middle of at the some of the most political and important issues like: black nationalism, feminism and african american women, etc. Chisholm herself writes in her book “unbought and unbothered”, “…My present attitude toward politics as it is practiced in the United States: it is a beautiful fraud that has been imposed on the people for years, whose practitioners exchange gilded promises for the most valuable thing their victims own, their votes. And who benefits most? The lawyers. (Chapter 4)”. Shirley was very active in the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People

There is so much history that surrounds this act. The EEOC was the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and on July 2nd 1964,was the day that was marked as the day that Congress created the EEOC to give life to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act was to become effective exactly one year later. There were so many different situations, and circumstances that were happening during this time. These times were very reckless times, there were so much hate, racism, happening during this time. The EEOC was brought about by President John F Kennedy but was actually signed by President Lydon Baines Johnson due to President Kennedy 's assassination. July 1965 was when the EEOC opened its doors. Whiched marked exactly one year after

When people think about affirmative action, the first thing that comes to their mind is positive discrimination. That is not quite right. Affirmative action is necessary in order to achieve equal opportunity, especially in the fields of higher education and employment. Affirmative action should not be banned or regulated because it gives women and people from ethnic and social minorities the chance of obtaining the job they want or studying at the school they choose. Affirmative action is very important system to our society and employers should dedicate all their resources to ensure that people are not discriminated against on the basis of their ethnic group or their gender.

Ida Bell Wells-Barnett commonly known as Ida B Wells was one of the nation 's most vocal anti-lynch activist of her time.(Steptoe) It all started when three of her African American friends were lynched after they opened up a store, the People’s Grocery, which competed well with a white owned grocery store nearby. A white mob attacked the People’s Grocery and three white men were injured, the owners of the store were then jailed when they were later broken out and lynched. This infuriated Wells and she wrote after the incident urging African Americans to leave Memphis, “There is, therefore, only one thing left to do; save our money and leave a town which will neither protect our lives and property, nor give us a fair trial in the courts, but takes us out and murders us in cold blood when accused by white persons.” This caused some 6,000 African-Americans to leave Memphis while others started boycotts on white businesses.(Wikipedia)