Black Diaspora Movement

Between 1945 and 1968, Africans began to make major leaps in progress in securing their independence and protecting their rights. Throughout the globe blacks were rising up and fighting back against oppression and injustices which they were caused to endure for numerous years. During this span of 23 years, the original ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson, which declared that separate but equal was constitutional was overturned in the land mark case of Brown v. Board of Education. Before this even happened though black soldiers who fought in World War 2 came home ready to destroy oppression they faced just like they did in Germany. Even though this major step in the right direction, the people of Africa rose up and gained their independence from their inhabitants such as Britain. Even though some of the African colonies gained independence peacefully, some had to fight tumultuous battles in order to earn their freedom and by 1975 most of the continent had achieved this. Things were moving rapidly and people like Kwame Nkrumah believed that there could one day be a United States of Africa. To further help these movements in the right direction organizations like the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), and CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) where formed and fought constantly in order make sure that the rights of blacks were protected all over the United States. Leaders/ individuals like Martin Luther King Jr. began to come to the front and lead many people in peace protests/boycotts which eventually helped African Americans gain rights which many take for granted today. For example, Martin Luther King Jr. helped set up a boycott after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white person in the front of the bus. This boycott caused the Alabama transportation system to lose lots and lots of money, until eventually they broke down and allowed blacks to sit where they wanted to on buses. Other people like W.E.B Dubois and Marcus Garvey inspired others to rise up through publications like The Negro World. The final movement which prevailed before this time period and still can be seen today is the culture of blacks across the spectrum. In the United States many blacks began to wear their hair in afro’s and wore afro centric things to identify themselves as proud African Americans. Besides fashion blacks made many contributions to the arts through literature, art, and especially music. From the early 1900’s blacks have contributed to the music world by creating genres such as blues, jazz, and rock and roll. Gospel is another music which blacks have made their own, by adding a little bit of pain and soul. In Trinidad the steel pan, the only instrument to be created in the 20th century was in invented. Besides all of this Africans also excelled in other areas such as athletics, with the creation of the Negro League. This league gave blacks a chance to show their skills proving they were just as good or better than their Caucasian counterparts in the MLB, later allowing for blacks to be scouted by major league teams. Since the turn of the century blacks have made major steps in securing their rights and freedoms, while spreading their culture for the world to see. Let it be through music, literature, art, athletics, blacks have proved they will not be considered second but equal to all.