Everyone used to think that the new Jim Crow is the new caste system in which the race no longer matters anymore. That it is the age of colorblindness where colorblindness is a term referring to the apathy of any racial characteristic at the moment of making any decision. However, the author Michael Alexander shows us a reality disguised, which differs significantly from what we know and what we see. Mass incarceration, war on drug, discrimination, humiliation, suffering, poverty and other things that involved the race factor is what blacks always had to fight from 1870until these days. The mass incarceration especially of African Americans is a reality of today, yet few are aware of this happening. Three out of four blacks at some point go to jail as "criminals" even without having committed a crime, blacks are admitted to prison fifty-seven greater than white men, although the majority of illegal drug users and dealers are white. Since most blacks never have had the chance to go to college and be professional, after having a criminal record, are trapped forever into an inferior second-class status, or even worse, jobless. We live in a society that belief that blacks are innately intellectually and culturally inferior to whites. Discrimination against colored people has always existed, and no law or system has been able to abolish it. Incredibly, we live surrounded in a racist society. An outrageous example is what just happened last week in The Heights residence complex at Montclair State University, sometime around 10:30 pm, a hateful message directed against African Americans and women was written in marker on the door of a room. Students reported the incident to the University Police, and the Police launched a rigorous investigation, which is currently underway. Although the University says it will have “zero-tolerance” about it, the damage against this student is done. I guess after all the most significant difference between the old Jim Crow era and the New Jim Crow laws is the language we used to justify the causes.
When people hear the word new they often think of change or reform. Although there is said to be a “New Jim Crow” reading this passage in fact outline that there is nothing new or changed in the law, however that is just my personal belief. Historically it is believed by a preconceived notion that someone established a long time ago that African-American’s and Latino’s are the cause of this Drug War. Statistically that may be true, however there are still Americans who participate in this criminal activity who somehow seem to fly under the radar and escape becoming a statistic to our country, that would make the united States seem less appealing to the hundreds of thousands of people who immigrate every year for new opportunities. A horrifying and sickening line that I read in this passage was that “The Supreme court has actually authorized race discrimination in policing, rather than adopting legal rules banning it.” That line just proved to me that no matter what politicians and people in the government might say about abolishing racism, segregation and profiling, it will always and forever be present in a society and politically corrupt government that we have, and call home. The simple fact that this still exists in a society that supposedly got over this fifty years ago makes me have knots in my stomachs and causes me nausea. More so however, the fact that after on is let out of prison they are no longer considered apart of “us” makes me question authority and law. What makes them no longer apart of us? They are still human beings who have a moral an conscious, so what delegates them to no longer be considered us? We all have learn to become better people trough mistakes and rough patches in our lives, however some people may not get it the first time around it does not declare them as a segregated part of the society does it? Another line that specifically stood out to me was “The war on drugs is the vehicle through which extraordinary numbers of black men are forced into the cage.” Yet again I am wondering why it is only African American men being targeted? There are still Americans, and Latinos who participate in the same illegal an criminal activity that are unnoted. It is an absolute disgrace to me that the United States of America can say that there has been radical change in laws with racism and profiling since the time of the original Jim Crow law when in fact the new Jim Crow law is that in fact the old law with harsher words and discrimination to African Americans. All in all I think it is pretty clear on where I stand and see this “New Jim Crow Law”.
Frederick Augustus Washington Douglass was born a slave in Maryland February 1818, although there is no know date or year of when he was actually born. With that being said, he declared February 14th his day to celebrate his birthday. Just before he was a teenager he was taught the alphabet although it was against the law to teach slaves to read. He enjoyed reading and learning how to read very much that he secretly keeps teaching himself how to read and write. Once he was hired as a slave to William Freeland he ended up teaching other slaves on that plantation to read at Sunday school. Once other slave owners had heard about this, they were outraged that slaves were being educated. A short time later during a Sunday school session a group of angered slaves owners busted in the doors on the school and ended the congregation for good. After that ordeal and altercation Douglass was “given” to a tougher slave name Edward Covey. He was known as the man that would “break slaves”. It is speculated that Douglass was routinely whipped at the age of 16 and was at the breaking point of being psychologically broken down. One day after being so fed up with Covey he fought back, and lost in an altercation with him, prompting him to never beat, or abuse him ever again. It was at this point in time when he began his fight for freedom to himself and African Americans in the south.
Frederick attempted many times to flee from the south but was unsuccessful. However, on September 3, 1838 he was successful and boarded a train to Havre de Grace Maryland, where his 24 hour journey to the safe house of David Ruggles where he was then, a free African American. Moving on to his later life, he argued with other abolitionists that the aim of the Civil War was to end slavery and that being said that African Americans should have the opportunity to fight for their own freedom. After returning from over seas he was the only African American to attend the first women’s rights convention in 1848. He was in great favor of women’s rights going to the extremes of even saying that if he could not accept the right to vote as a black man if women could not also do the same. After the Emancipation Proclamation took effect, Douglass started to fight for equality for his people. Alongside President Lincoln they joined together to move the slaves out of the South. A short time after that slavery was outlawed in 1865 with ratification to the 13th amendment. Even more so after that the ratified 15th amendment was made to protect all citizens from being discriminated against in voting because of race. Even though Douglass was a great supporter of this amendment he was later felt betrayed by the women’s rights movement since it field to give women the right to vote.
With all of that being said, Douglass was a great man seeking reform in the way African Americans were treated during that torturous time period and fought tremendously or equality between men and women. Having said that he has been honored greatly since then with statue’s, stamps, bridges, and homes have all been named in his honor along with several school around the world. In the end he was a man with great character looking for equality amongst all people, male female, black and white. "We were waiting and listening as for a bolt from the sky ... we were watching ... by the dim light of the stars for the dawn of a new day ... we were longing for the answer to the agonizing prayers of centuries. Thee Civil War Years - The Fight For Emancipation
Juliet Lee Homework: Feb. 14, 2012 February 28, 2012
W.E.B. DuBOIS WEB DuBois was born in February 1868 and died in August of 1963. DuBois was born in Massachusetts in a relatively tolerant community where he experienced very little racism while growing up. WEB DuBois always had a concern for the development of the black race. He worked to push the black race ahead by lectures to make them knowledgeable of the need for the black race to become more political. WEB DuBois first encountered Jim Crow segregation when he was a student at Fisk College in Tennessee between the years 1885-1888. DuBois held many positions throughout his life; he was a historian, civil rights activist, and an author. His primary focus was to fight against racism by protesting against the lynching and discrimination against the education and employment of the black race. One of his beliefs was that blacks should have a chance to excel in education so that they can become capable people in leadership positions.
DuBois was married twice, first in 1896 to Nina Gomer. They had two children, a son who died at child birth and a daughter whom lived on and later married. After the death of his first wife, he remarried in 1951 to Shirley Graham. She brought a son into the marriage David Graham DuBois whom carries the name of his stepfather and also was involved in African American causes.
During the World War 1 period lots of rioting and beatings took place. Many blacks were beaten and massacred by whites because of the hiring of blacks to replace striking white workers. DuBois was so appalled by the horrific actions that he organized the “Silent Parade”. This was a march that took place in New York with about 9,000 African Americans demonstrating for Civil Rights. There was another riot that took place in Houston, Texas around 1917 that was also very disturbing. During this riot, the police arrested and beat two black solders and, in retaliation, over 100 black soldiers went out and killed 16 white people. As a result, sixteen of the black people were court marshaled and hung and about 67 of them were put in jail.
DuBois, was also the founder of the Niagara Movement in 1909 advocating civil rights for blacks. The organization was short-lived because of the lack of funding and support. A year after the failure of the Niagara Movement, the NAACP was founded in 1910. The organization opposed the mistreatment and portrayal of African Americans. DuBois believed that there should be common schools and education free to all Americans.
In 1934 DuBois resigned from the NAACP due to a bitter dispute with the head of the NAACP stating that black children would receive a better education from black teachers; this method DuBois did not agree with. He began a new advocacy of an African American nationalist strategy. This method opposed the NAACP’s commitment to integration. Subsequently, DuBois returned to the NAACP as a consultant wherein he worked towards helping with grievances and presenting them before the United Nations.
DuBois had a passion for writing books, he wrote 21 books and two novels, edited 15 more and published over 100 essays and articles. DuBois is considered the outstanding African American intellectual of his time.
DuBois was scheduled to speak at the civil rights march in Washington, D.C.; however, DuBois died in Ghana on August 27, 1963 on the very day of the march. DuBois was given a state funeral in recognition of his hard work and dedication to the civil rights movement. He will always be remembered as a civil rights activist, a scholar and as Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana remarked that DuBois was “a phenomenon”.
“Once we were told: Be worthy and fit and the ways are open. Today the avenues of advancement in the army, navy, and civil service, and even in business and professional life, are continually closed to black applicants of proven fitness, simply on the bald excuse of race and color.” By: DuBois, address at Fourth Niagara conference, 1908.
Malcolm X (1925-1965): 1925: Born in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. 1929: Little’s house was burned, so they moved to Lansing. 1931: Earl Little, father of Malcolm, was fatally struck by a street car in Lansing. 1935: Louise Little, mother of Malcolm, began dating an African American. 1937: Louis became pregnant. 1938: Louise had a nervous breakdown. The Little siblings were sent to different foster homes. 1941: Malcolm X dropped out school with sixteen years and moved to Boston with his sister Ella Little. 1943: Moved to NYC. Started drug dealing, gambling and robbery. 1946: Arrested and sentenced to eight to ten years in prison. 1948: Wrote a letter to Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam. 1952: Paroled and release from prison. 1954: He expanded Temple Number 12 in Philadelphia, PA. 1955: Malcolm X met Betty Sanders. 1958: Betty and Malcolm X got married. 1964: Malcolm X announced his break from the Nation of Islam and soon converted to Sunni Islam and decided to make his pilgrimage to mecca. 1965: 3 guys shot him at a conference in Manhattan. They killed him instantly.
Malcolm Little was born in Omaha, Nebraska. The fourth of seven children. His father, Earl Little, was a revolutionary priest in a Baptist church. He also was an organizer for the organization founded by Marcus Garvey (back to Africa movement). Due to his activities as a member of Garvey’s Ku Klux Klan constantly harassed him. His mother, Louise Little, was a strong woman who always tried to keep her family together. Unfortunately, after her husband was killed she had a breakdown and was declare legally insane. The Little siblings were split and sent to different foster home. At school Malcolm Little was one of the best students. One day a white teacher asked him “what would you like to study?” Malcolm answered he would like to be a lawyer, the teacher responded “that’s not a realistic goal for a nigger” Those words were really humiliating to him and made him realized about the tendency of the white mentality over blacks. After that he dropped out school, so he moved to Boston with her sister, Ella Little Collins. He became involved in drug dealing, robbery and gambling. By the age of 20, on January 16, 1946, he was sentenced to eight to ten years in prison. While in prison Little met a man named John Elton Bembry, who convinced Malcolm to educate himself. Two years later Malcolm became a member of the nation of Islam. After his release from prison he became a full time minister. He replaced the white slave master name of Little by X, which symbolized the true African family name to Muslims. Malcolm X was selected to lead Temple Number 7, he rapidly expanded its membership in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Georgia. Malcolm X also known as “El-Hajj Malik El- Shabazz”, decided to make his pilgrimage to Mica. After his trip, he came disappointed with Nation of Islam headed by Elijah Muhammad. He founded Muslim Mosque, a religious organization and the organization of Afro-American Unity a secular group that advocated Pan-Africanism. Tensions increased between Malcolm X and The Nation of Islam. Elijah Muhammad told once to Boston Minister “Hypocrites like Malcolm X, should have their heads cut off”. On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X prepared to address the Organization of Afro-American Unity in Manhattan when a man rushed forward and shot him in the chest. Malcolm X has been recognized as one of the most greatest and influential African American in history. Malcolm X always said: “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything”.
Frederick Washington Douglass was born on February 14th 1818 in Maryland into slavery. Around the time he became a teenager he gained the knowledge of reading and writing by offering rewards to white boys such as bread in exchange for teachings. Even though it was outlawed for African Americans to be tough how to read and write he continued to learn since he enjoyed it so immensely. He was hired as a slave to William Freeland later on in his teen years. As a slave he thought it would be great to teach other people to acquire the knowledge of how to read and write like he did. With that said, he devoted his Sundays to teaching other slaves on the plantation during Sunday school. However, this would not last very long as it wasn't accepted by the white slave owners. Shortly after it was know this was occurring, a congregation of white slave owners busted the school and ended the teachings for all. Frederick was then given to another slave to receive a harsher punishment for his involvement in the teaching of reading and writing to other slaves. He was given to Edward Covey who was known as a tough and abusive slave owner. It is speculated that Douglas was repeatedly beaten and abused so severally that he had both a mental and physical breakdown. After several occurrences like this he had finally had enough and stood up for himself fighting back with Edward. From this day forward he began his fight for equality for himself and other African American slaves like him in the south.
Douglas attempted several times to flee from the south but was unsuccessful until September 3rd 1838. On this day he boarded a train in Havre de Grace Maryland bound for the safe house of David Ruggles. Later on down the road Frederick argued and argued continuously with abolitionists that the aim of the civil war was to end slavery in the south for good. Additionally he added that the African Americans should be granted the opportunity to fight for their own freedom. Another interesting fact about him is that he was the only African American to ever attend the first women’s rights convention in 1848. Fred was in great favor of bestowing women the right to vote amongst men. He had even gone as far to say that he could not accept the right to vote as a black man if women could not also do the same. Alongside President Lincoln they joined together to move slaves from the south. With ratification to the 13th amendment in 1865 slavery was outlawed and the movement of slaves from the south could now begin. A short time after that the 15th amendment was ratified which stated to protect all citizens from being discriminated against in voting due to their race. Although that had been accomplished the women’s right movement felt betrayed by him since he was in great favor for granting the women the right to vote, and granting women to vote it had not been placed in the ratification.
With all of that being said, Douglass was a great man seeking reform in the way that African Americans were treated during that torturous time period. More so he fought tremendously for the equality between men and women. Having said that he has been honored with statues, stamps, bridges, and homes in his name along with several school around the country. In the end he was a man with great character looking for equality amongst all people, male, female, black and white.
"We were waiting and listening as for a bolt from the sky ... we were watching ... by the dim light of the stars for the dawn of a new day ... we were longing for the answer to the agonizing prayers of centuries. Thee Civil War Years - The Fight For Emancipation
Everyone used to think that the new Jim Crow is the new caste system in which the race no longer matters anymore. That it is the age of colorblindness where colorblindness is a term referring to the apathy of any racial characteristic at the moment of making any decision. However, the author Michael Alexander shows us a reality disguised, which differs significantly from what we know and what we see.
ReplyDeleteMass incarceration, war on drug, discrimination, humiliation, suffering, poverty and other things that involved the race factor is what blacks always had to fight from 1870until these days.
The mass incarceration especially of African Americans is a reality of today, yet few are aware of this happening.
Three out of four blacks at some point go to jail as "criminals" even without having committed a crime, blacks are admitted to prison fifty-seven greater than white men, although the majority of illegal drug users and dealers are white. Since most blacks never have had the chance to go to college and be professional, after having a criminal record, are trapped forever into an inferior second-class status, or even worse, jobless.
We live in a society that belief that blacks are innately intellectually and culturally inferior to whites. Discrimination against colored people has always existed, and no law or system has been able to abolish it.
Incredibly, we live surrounded in a racist society.
An outrageous example is what just happened last week in The Heights residence complex at Montclair State University, sometime around 10:30 pm, a hateful message directed against African Americans and women was written in marker on the door of a room. Students reported the incident to the University Police, and the Police launched a rigorous investigation, which is currently underway. Although the University says it will have “zero-tolerance” about it, the damage against this student is done.
I guess after all the most significant difference between the old Jim Crow era and the New Jim Crow laws is the language we used to justify the causes.
When people hear the word new they often think of change or reform. Although there is said to be a “New Jim Crow” reading this passage in fact outline that there is nothing new or changed in the law, however that is just my personal belief. Historically it is believed by a preconceived notion that someone established a long time ago that African-American’s and Latino’s are the cause of this Drug War. Statistically that may be true, however there are still Americans who participate in this criminal activity who somehow seem to fly under the radar and escape becoming a statistic to our country, that would make the united States seem less appealing to the hundreds of thousands of people who immigrate every year for new opportunities. A horrifying and sickening line that I read in this passage was that “The Supreme court has actually authorized race discrimination in policing, rather than adopting legal rules banning it.” That line just proved to me that no matter what politicians and people in the government might say about abolishing racism, segregation and profiling, it will always and forever be present in a society and politically corrupt government that we have, and call home. The simple fact that this still exists in a society that supposedly got over this fifty years ago makes me have knots in my stomachs and causes me nausea. More so however, the fact that after on is let out of prison they are no longer considered apart of “us” makes me question authority and law. What makes them no longer apart of us? They are still human beings who have a moral an conscious, so what delegates them to no longer be considered us? We all have learn to become better people trough mistakes and rough patches in our lives, however some people may not get it the first time around it does not declare them as a segregated part of the society does it? Another line that specifically stood out to me was “The war on drugs is the vehicle through which extraordinary numbers of black men are forced into the cage.” Yet again I am wondering why it is only African American men being targeted? There are still Americans, and Latinos who participate in the same illegal an criminal activity that are unnoted. It is an absolute disgrace to me that the United States of America can say that there has been radical change in laws with racism and profiling since the time of the original Jim Crow law when in fact the new Jim Crow law is that in fact the old law with harsher words and discrimination to African Americans. All in all I think it is pretty clear on where I stand and see this “New Jim Crow Law”.
ReplyDeleteHomework 2/14/12: Frederick Douglass
ReplyDeleteFrederick Augustus Washington Douglass was born a slave in Maryland February 1818, although there is no know date or year of when he was actually born. With that being said, he declared February 14th his day to celebrate his birthday. Just before he was a teenager he was taught the alphabet although it was against the law to teach slaves to read. He enjoyed reading and learning how to read very much that he secretly keeps teaching himself how to read and write. Once he was hired as a slave to William Freeland he ended up teaching other slaves on that plantation to read at Sunday school. Once other slave owners had heard about this, they were outraged that slaves were being educated. A short time later during a Sunday school session a group of angered slaves owners busted in the doors on the school and ended the congregation for good. After that ordeal and altercation Douglass was “given” to a tougher slave name Edward Covey. He was known as the man that would “break slaves”. It is speculated that Douglass was routinely whipped at the age of 16 and was at the breaking point of being psychologically broken down. One day after being so fed up with Covey he fought back, and lost in an altercation with him, prompting him to never beat, or abuse him ever again. It was at this point in time when he began his fight for freedom to himself and African Americans in the south.
Frederick attempted many times to flee from the south but was unsuccessful. However, on September 3, 1838 he was successful and boarded a train to Havre de Grace Maryland, where his 24 hour journey to the safe house of David Ruggles where he was then, a free African American. Moving on to his later life, he argued with other abolitionists that the aim of the Civil War was to end slavery and that being said that African Americans should have the opportunity to fight for their own freedom. After returning from over seas he was the only African American to attend the first women’s rights convention in 1848. He was in great favor of women’s rights going to the extremes of even saying that if he could not accept the right to vote as a black man if women could not also do the same. After the Emancipation Proclamation took effect, Douglass started to fight for equality for his people. Alongside President Lincoln they joined together to move the slaves out of the South. A short time after that slavery was outlawed in 1865 with ratification to the 13th amendment. Even more so after that the ratified 15th amendment was made to protect all citizens from being discriminated against in voting because of race. Even though Douglass was a great supporter of this amendment he was later felt betrayed by the women’s rights movement since it field to give women the right to vote.
With all of that being said, Douglass was a great man seeking reform in the way African Americans were treated during that torturous time period and fought tremendously or equality between men and women. Having said that he has been honored greatly since then with statue’s, stamps, bridges, and homes have all been named in his honor along with several school around the world. In the end he was a man with great character looking for equality amongst all people, male female, black and white.
"We were waiting and listening as for a bolt from the sky ... we were watching ... by the dim light of the stars for the dawn of a new day ... we were longing for the answer to the agonizing prayers of centuries.
Thee Civil War Years - The Fight For Emancipation
Juliet Lee Homework: Feb. 14, 2012 February 28, 2012
ReplyDeleteW.E.B. DuBOIS
WEB DuBois was born in February 1868 and died in August of 1963. DuBois was born in Massachusetts in a relatively tolerant community where he experienced very little racism while growing up. WEB DuBois always had a concern for the development of the black race. He worked to push the black race ahead by lectures to make them knowledgeable of the need for the black race to become more political. WEB DuBois first encountered Jim Crow segregation when he was a student at Fisk College in Tennessee between the years 1885-1888. DuBois held many positions throughout his life; he was a historian, civil rights activist, and an author. His primary focus was to fight against racism by protesting against the lynching and discrimination against the education and employment of the black race. One of his beliefs was that blacks should have a chance to excel in education so that they can become capable people in leadership positions.
DuBois was married twice, first in 1896 to Nina Gomer. They had two children, a son who died at child birth and a daughter whom lived on and later married. After the death of his first wife, he remarried in 1951 to Shirley Graham. She brought a son into the marriage David Graham DuBois whom carries the name of his stepfather and also was involved in African American causes.
During the World War 1 period lots of rioting and beatings took place. Many blacks were beaten and massacred by whites because of the hiring of blacks to replace striking white workers. DuBois was so appalled by the horrific actions that he organized the “Silent Parade”. This was a march that took place in New York with about 9,000 African Americans demonstrating for Civil Rights. There was another riot that took place in Houston, Texas around 1917 that was also very disturbing. During this riot, the police arrested and beat two black solders and, in retaliation, over 100 black soldiers went out and killed 16 white people. As a result, sixteen of the black people were court marshaled and hung and about 67 of them were put in jail.
DuBois, was also the founder of the Niagara Movement in 1909 advocating civil rights for blacks. The organization was short-lived because of the lack of funding and support. A year after the failure of the Niagara Movement, the NAACP was founded in 1910. The organization opposed the mistreatment and portrayal of African Americans. DuBois believed that there should be common schools and education free to all Americans.
Juliet Lee Page 2 continued
ReplyDeleteFebruary 28, 2012
In 1934 DuBois resigned from the NAACP due to a bitter dispute with the head of the NAACP stating that black children would receive a better education from black teachers; this method DuBois did not agree with. He began a new advocacy of an African American nationalist strategy. This method opposed the NAACP’s commitment to integration. Subsequently, DuBois returned to the NAACP as a consultant wherein he worked towards helping with grievances and presenting them before the United Nations.
DuBois had a passion for writing books, he wrote 21 books and two novels, edited 15 more and published over 100 essays and articles. DuBois is considered the outstanding African American intellectual of his time.
DuBois was scheduled to speak at the civil rights march in Washington, D.C.; however, DuBois died in Ghana on August 27, 1963 on the very day of the march. DuBois was given a state funeral in recognition of his hard work and dedication to the civil rights movement. He will always be remembered as a civil rights activist, a scholar and as Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana remarked that DuBois was “a phenomenon”.
“Once we were told: Be worthy and fit and the ways are open. Today the avenues of advancement in the army, navy, and civil service, and even in business and professional life, are continually closed to black applicants of proven fitness, simply on the bald excuse of race and color.”
By: DuBois, address at Fourth Niagara conference, 1908.
Malcolm X (1925-1965):
ReplyDelete1925: Born in Omaha, Nebraska, United States.
1929: Little’s house was burned, so they moved to Lansing.
1931: Earl Little, father of Malcolm, was fatally struck by a street car in Lansing.
1935: Louise Little, mother of Malcolm, began dating an African American.
1937: Louis became pregnant.
1938: Louise had a nervous breakdown. The Little siblings were sent to different foster homes.
1941: Malcolm X dropped out school with sixteen years and moved to Boston with his sister Ella Little.
1943: Moved to NYC. Started drug dealing, gambling and robbery.
1946: Arrested and sentenced to eight to ten years in prison.
1948: Wrote a letter to Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam.
1952: Paroled and release from prison.
1954: He expanded Temple Number 12 in Philadelphia, PA.
1955: Malcolm X met Betty Sanders.
1958: Betty and Malcolm X got married.
1964: Malcolm X announced his break from the Nation of Islam and soon converted to Sunni Islam and decided to make his pilgrimage to mecca.
1965: 3 guys shot him at a conference in Manhattan. They killed him instantly.
Malcolm Little was born in Omaha, Nebraska. The fourth of seven children.
His father, Earl Little, was a revolutionary priest in a Baptist church. He also was an organizer for the organization founded by Marcus Garvey (back to Africa movement). Due to his activities as a member of Garvey’s Ku Klux Klan constantly harassed him. His mother, Louise Little, was a strong woman who always tried to keep her family together. Unfortunately, after her husband was killed she had a breakdown and was declare legally insane. The Little siblings were split and sent to different foster home.
At school Malcolm Little was one of the best students. One day a white teacher asked him “what would you like to study?” Malcolm answered he would like to be a lawyer, the teacher responded “that’s not a realistic goal for a nigger” Those words were really humiliating to him and made him realized about the tendency of the white mentality over blacks. After that he dropped out school, so he moved to Boston with her sister, Ella Little Collins. He became involved in drug dealing, robbery and gambling. By the age of 20, on January 16, 1946, he was sentenced to eight to ten years in prison. While in prison Little met a man named John Elton Bembry, who convinced Malcolm to educate himself. Two years later Malcolm became a member of the nation of Islam. After his release from prison he became a full time minister. He replaced the white slave master name of Little by X, which symbolized the true African family name to Muslims. Malcolm X was selected to lead Temple Number 7, he rapidly expanded its membership in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Georgia. Malcolm X also known as “El-Hajj Malik El- Shabazz”, decided to make his pilgrimage to Mica. After his trip, he came disappointed with Nation of Islam headed by Elijah Muhammad. He founded Muslim Mosque, a religious organization and the organization of Afro-American Unity a secular group that advocated Pan-Africanism.
Tensions increased between Malcolm X and The Nation of Islam. Elijah Muhammad told once to Boston Minister “Hypocrites like Malcolm X, should have their heads cut off”.
On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X prepared to address the Organization of Afro-American Unity in Manhattan when a man rushed forward and shot him in the chest.
Malcolm X has been recognized as one of the most greatest and influential African American in history. Malcolm X always said: “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything”.
Frederick Douglass:
ReplyDeleteFrederick Washington Douglass was born on February 14th 1818 in Maryland into slavery. Around the time he became a teenager he gained the knowledge of reading and writing by offering rewards to white boys such as bread in exchange for teachings. Even though it was outlawed for African Americans to be tough how to read and write he continued to learn since he enjoyed it so immensely. He was hired as a slave to William Freeland later on in his teen years. As a slave he thought it would be great to teach other people to acquire the knowledge of how to read and write like he did. With that said, he devoted his Sundays to teaching other slaves on the plantation during Sunday school. However, this would not last very long as it wasn't accepted by the white slave owners. Shortly after it was know this was occurring, a congregation of white slave owners busted the school and ended the teachings for all. Frederick was then given to another slave to receive a harsher punishment for his involvement in the teaching of reading and writing to other slaves. He was given to Edward Covey who was known as a tough and abusive slave owner. It is speculated that Douglas was repeatedly beaten and abused so severally that he had both a mental and physical breakdown. After several occurrences like this he had finally had enough and stood up for himself fighting back with Edward. From this day forward he began his fight for equality for himself and other African American slaves like him in the south.
Douglas attempted several times to flee from the south but was unsuccessful until September 3rd 1838. On this day he boarded a train in Havre de Grace Maryland bound for the safe house of David Ruggles. Later on down the road Frederick argued and argued continuously with abolitionists that the aim of the civil war was to end slavery in the south for good. Additionally he added that the African Americans should be granted the opportunity to fight for their own freedom. Another interesting fact about him is that he was the only African American to ever attend the first women’s rights convention in 1848. Fred was in great favor of bestowing women the right to vote amongst men. He had even gone as far to say that he could not accept the right to vote as a black man if women could not also do the same. Alongside President Lincoln they joined together to move slaves from the south. With ratification to the 13th amendment in 1865 slavery was outlawed and the movement of slaves from the south could now begin. A short time after that the 15th amendment was ratified which stated to protect all citizens from being discriminated against in voting due to their race. Although that had been accomplished the women’s right movement felt betrayed by him since he was in great favor for granting the women the right to vote, and granting women to vote it had not been placed in the ratification.
With all of that being said, Douglass was a great man seeking reform in the way that African Americans were treated during that torturous time period. More so he fought tremendously for the equality between men and women. Having said that he has been honored with statues, stamps, bridges, and homes in his name along with several school around the country. In the end he was a man with great character looking for equality amongst all people, male, female, black and white.
"We were waiting and listening as for a bolt from the sky ... we were watching ... by the dim light of the stars for the dawn of a new day ... we were longing for the answer to the agonizing prayers of centuries.
Thee Civil War Years - The Fight For Emancipation