The Influence Of Slavery On African Americans

After years of suffering endured by the African Americans through slavery, slavery had finally been abolished. On January 31, 1865, Congress passed the 13th amendment of the Constitution abolishing slavery from the United States. This, of course, was great news to African-Americans everywhere because now they could become just like every other American, right? Well while many black people hoped this to be true, unfortunately, it was not. While black Americans gained their freedom from being slaves, many African Americans in the North still lacked many rights that other Americans had. It was because of this that African-Americans in the North weren’t very free because they couldn’t get as many jobs as white people, they couldn’t have as many political rights like voting or the right to attend on a jury, and they couldn’t interact with other races.
When slavery was abolished, black people were able to get an education, (While the schools were still segregated). After a black citizen got out of school, it would be very difficult for them to get a job because many businesses did not accept them. Based on a speech made by a newly graduated black student, it states, “...Why should I strive hard to acquire all the constituents of a man...pardon me if I feel insignificant and weak… Shall I be a mechanic? No one will employ me; white boys won’t work with me. Shall I be a merchant? No one will have me in their office; white clerks won’t associate with me…”(Document C) I can infer from this that this man is obviously well educated. This quote shows that no matter how high the education a black man receives, he will never have the same opportunities to get the jobs that a white man