Racial Issues Involving African Americans - 1021 Words

Shkumbin Elmazi Mr. Bivona U.S. 1 Academic December 8, 2014 Racial Issues Involving African Americans The Declaration of Independence and Common Sense are one of the most important documents ever written. The point of the Declaration of Independence was to show why the thirteen colonies were separating themselves from Great Britain. Common Sense was written to to help strengthen the colonies argument for their freedom. Eventually, the colonists had won the Revolutionary War and formed a brand new government. Common Sense and the Declaration of Independence helped create this government where â€Å"all men are created equal.† Both documents expressed ideas of greater possibility for humanity. However, have we achieved the maxims expressed in these documents? The answer is no. Take a look at African Americans throughout history and even today. From the colonial period to the year 1877, African Americans have been victimized, abused, and mistreated. Norman L. Macht and Mary Hull published a book titled World History Series: The History of Slavery. In this book they wrote, â€Å"Americans today have a difficult time understanding justified slavery with the Declaration of Independence. Its message, ‘All men are created equal’ did not include slaves† (76). African Americans were property to early White Americans. Slaves had no rights and if a slave were to run away, they were returned rightful owner like a horse or cattle. Slaves were viewed as animals because there was no room forShow MoreRelatedMass Incarceration : The Color Of Justice Essay1352 Words   |  6 PagesMass Incarceration: The Color of Justice (DRAFT) Racial discrimination in the United States has been a radical issue plaguing African Americans from as early as slavery to the more liberal society we see today. Slavery is one of the oldest forms of oppression against African Americans. Slaves were brought in from Africa at increasingly high numbers to do the so-called dirty work or manual labor of their white owners. Many years later, after the abolishment of slavery came the Jim Crow era. In theRead MoreRacial Injustice And Profiling Within The United States1455 Words   |  6 PagesSlavery was just the beginning of when racial injustice and profiling all started. The colored people were discriminated against, mistreated, beaten, and sold to plantations across the southern part of the United States. There was once a time and place in the United States when African Americans were known as colored people and the rest were white. This was when segregation and slavery received national recognition for being wrong. Back in the 1960â⠂¬â„¢s, this was a time period where everyone was notRead MoreThe Voting Rights Act Of 19651288 Words   |  6 PagesDuring this year, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act and the Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 helped enforce the 15th Amendment and prohibited racial discrimination in voting. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 abolished quotas based on nationality and allowed Americans to sponsor relatives from their countries of origin. The Voting Rights Act and the Immigration and Naturalization Amendments of 1965 did not only reduce previous state-sponsored discriminationRead MoreEssay about Racism: Then and Now991 Words   |  4 Pageshistory in America there has always been the idea of racism. When Americans think of racism, they usually think of slavery and that racism is no longer a problem in America. However, this is not the case. Racism is still very apparent in America. It is true that since the end of slavery, the U .S. has made great strides towards becoming a less racist country. In reality, racism will never be extinct. In today’s society, all American citizens of all races have the same rights as one another, yet thereRead MoreRacial Profiling: Is it Intentional? Can We Correct it? Essay991 Words   |  4 PagesRacial profiling is a wide spread term in the American justice system today, but what does it really mean? Is racial profiling just a term cooked up by criminals looking for a way to get out of trouble and have a scapegoat for their crimes? Is it really occurring in our justice system, and if so is it done intentionally? Most importantly, if racial profiling exists what steps do we take to correct it? The answer to these questions are almost impossible to find, racial profiling is one of many thingsRead MorePolice Brutality Based On Racial Profiling1682 Words   |  7 PagesFor years, minorities have fallen victim to police brutality based on racial profiling, stereotypes an d other unjustifiable reasons that has cost several innocent lives. The involvement of officers in police brutality against minority social groups causes tainted and negative views on policing and their overall duty to protect, when they are ultimately the aggressors in this case. Police brutality is a violent incident involving an officer and a victim, usually including excessive force, unnecessaryRead MorePolice Brutality Of African Americans1405 Words   |  6 Pagespolice brutality towards African Americans has increased. This violence has resulted in riots across the United States. The August 2014 death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri many Americans, some who are former Civil Rights activists, have spoken out against police brutality. Black Lives Matter states that the movement’s goal is to bring justice to the present unjust police killings of African Americans. Looking at prior cases of brutality and its connection to racial profiling, such as theRead MoreRaci sm And The American Criminal Justice System1584 Words   |  7 PagesToday, African Americans and other minorities are over-represented in the criminal justice system, but under-represented politically in the United States of America. Since well before its inception in 1776, the United States of America has been a nation characterized by white supremacy. In fact, modern day America may not exist if not for the taking of land from the Indigenous Peoples on this very premise. Today, many Americans believe they live in a post-racial nation, citing the abolition ofRead MoreAnalysis Of Humor In Angel Puss1299 Words   |  6 Pagesall over again. Humor from the episode Angel Puss is founded in African-American racial stereotypes involving behavior and appearance, which eventually led to the episode’s censorship. The most apparent racist feature is Sambo’s depiction; he is drawn in blackface style. Blackface is a highly offensive theatrical make-up style popular in comedy shows, where non-black performers coat their face in black paint to play African-American roles. Jenee Desmond-Harris, a reporter, describes blackface asRead MoreAfrican American Of African Americans1491 Words   |  6 PagesAfrican Americans have witnessed much discrimination throughout the years. The issue of reparations for all African Americans is argued by one scholar and a credible newspaper. The debate about reparations started with the agreement side from the opinion of Robert Allen. He stated historical aspects that showed the crusade that many African American leaders started to get a compromise with the government. Allen continues to research the problems of African American involving with financial worth