African American Equality In The 19th Century

In America, centuries have evolved and the people acknowledge that there are continuous issues in the struggle of Black identity. These issues have been witnessed in jobs, schools, restaurants, neighborhoods, etc. Evolving since slavery, leaders in the Black community wrote motivational speeches and literary narratives. These expositions promptly exposed and articulated the inhumane oppression inflicted on the African American race.

“Under God’s guidance in this great democracy, we are rising out of the darkness of slavery into the light of freedom.” - Mary McLeod Bethune. Throughout the early 19th century, African Americans were not given freedom whatsoever, regardless of the situation. “We have helped to build America with our labor, strengthened
“We have fought for the democratic principles of equality under the law, equality of opportunity, equality at the ballot box, for the guarantees of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” - Mary McLeod Bethune. It was not until February 3rd, 1870, when Congress ratified the 15th Amendment granting African American men the right to vote. “The inauguration of a President is an event in which the whole nation is interested, and which emphasizes the fact of citizenship, as perhaps nothing else does, coming as it does after the election, and growing out of it.” - Francis J. Grimke. Nevertheless, many colonists did not agree to the ratification of the 15th Amendment, therefore they gave a hard time for African Americans cast their vote on election day. For example, the South was a more intimidating part of the United States for African Americans. As a result of that, a high rate of individuals from the Black community moved to the North, where it consisted of less segregation and discrimination. “Some kind and good friends advise me to quit my country, and stay in Canada, until the tempest is passed.” - Jermain Wesley Loguen. Consequently, then came the establishment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to strengthen the voting rights guaranteed by the 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution, therefore this act secured voting rights for racial
However, African Americans struggled searching for jobs due to the fact that they were considered as inferior in society. Between the lines of Mary McLeod Bethune, “The democratic doors of equal opportunity have not been opened wide to Negroes.” Many African Americans thought that the best approach to receive equality was to fight in the Civil War and other wars that had followed as well. “We have fought to preserve one nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” Racial discrimination continued into the 1930’s, where as the African Americans were the last hired and first hired. In fact, jobless African Americans were excluded from state and local relief programs. However, Some New Deal programs that were introduced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, such as the WPA and the CCC did provide low-paying jobs for African Americans, although they were often segregated.

In conclusion, inhumane oppression inflicted on the African American race still occur in the 21st century. Regardless of the type of President the United States has, there will be no progress whatsoever because this is an issue that comes from the people. Meaning you cannot force an individual to get along with another, regardless of the color, race, gender, religion and etc. This is a society