African Americans From The Civil Rights Era Essay

Delana C. Henry Prof. Kim L. Dulaney Cultural Diversity 1020.51 2 October 2015 African Americans 1968-Present Introduction We re not Americans, we re Africans who happen to be in America. We were kidnapped and brought here against our will from Africa. We didn t land on Plymouth Rock - that rock landed on us (Malcolm X). This quotation symbolizes the sentiments of many African Americans past and present who were involuntarily brought to the shores of the United States of America. Since arriving here, African Americans have been mistreated, misinformed, misguided, misplaced, and misunderstood more than any other ethnic group that has set foot on these soils. In this paper, I will attempt to provide a brief history and describe the timeline of African Americans from the Civil Rights Era until the present day. Coming to America History.com explains that Africans first came to America in the year 1619 as indentured servants in Jamestown, Virginia. These indentured servants voluntarily contracted to work for a set amount of time in exchange for their freedom. To provide a cheaper form of labor, in beginning of the 17th century, the European settlers opted to capture slaves from the western shores of Africa to work for a small fraction of the cost they were paying indentured slaves. The numbers of slaves that were brought here was estimated to be between 6 and 7 million in the 18th century. Slaves were used for many types of work such as, picking cotton, harvestingShow MoreRelatedThe End Of The Reconstruction1318 Words   |  6 PagesIn the 1860’s there was an Era that started called the reconstruction. The main purpose for the reconstruction was to give African-American people full political and civil equality. However, it was very tough to do this, especially since most white in the south didn’t want the African-Americans to have the same rights as themselves. During this Era there were multiple good things that happened, yet, there were also many bad things that happened. For instance, during the reconstruction the 14th amendmentRead MoreThe Civil War Of African Americans1010 Words   |  5 Pagesnineteenth century. For an African American, the word â€Å"life† evolved from a word that meant absolutely nothing, to a word that stood for an individual’s highest commodity. After the civil war, emancipation for slaves transformed from a dre am to a reality. Although the civil war finally ended in 1865 after four years of fighting, certain citizens and groups across the nation still remained in a state if disagreement with the freedom granted to African Americans. The years after the civil war revolutionizedRead MoreMusic of the Civil Rights Era1007 Words   |  5 Pages The words â€Å"civil rights† trigger a sense in the human mind. One of remorse, passion, and hope in a cause worth fighting for. 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This group call themselves the ku klux klan, their numbers fromRead MoreEssay about Hist204 African American Annotated Bibliography1098 Words   |  5 PagesAfrican Americans Hester 1 The African American race and the events they have been involved in from 1865- resent day, have single handedly contributed to and shaped the race they are today and the issues they deal with now. There are six specific areas of history that had great impact an effect on shaping African Americans, their culture, the society, and even social status to date. These events include The Civil War, this marked the beginning of freedom for blacks or so they thought. It directlyRead MoreAfrican American civil rights has been one of the biggest domestic issues ever in the Unites700 Words   |  3 Pages African American civil rights has been one of the biggest domestic issues ever in the Unites States. The early civil rights stage of 1945-1954 was the start of the biggest civil rights movement in American history. 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The Reconstruction’s intentionsRead MoreAfrican American Women During The Civil Rights Era942 Words   |  4 PagesThe Civil Rights Era, which took place during the years of 1955 till 1968, was indeed the movement that gave African Americans the push to achieve their first major accomplishments of the decade. The Civil Rights Movements goals were to break down the walls of legal segregation in public places, achieve equality and justice for African Americans, and to help make African Americans become more self-conscious when standing for all their interest. This movement not only benefited men, but it also benefitedRead MoreThe American Civil War And The Civil Rights Movement1725 Words   |  7 PagesAfter the American Civil War (1861-1865), major changes which were crucial to the establishment of African Americans in the American society took place. Before the bloody war, slaves were comprised of thirteen percent of the total population of the United States. The treatments they receive from their masters ranged from generous to abusive. The issue of slavery was becoming more and more apparent in social, economic, and most importantly political aspects of the country. In fact, even before the