The Dilemma Facing African Americans During The First...

The dilemma facing African Americans during the first few decades after emancipation was profound. The post Civil War-Reconstruction era in the South was one where African Americans had political voting rights, members of Congress, and a vision for the future that would extend the principles of democratic government to all black people. Quickly though, it changed to a situation that was akin to slavery itself. With the removal of the Federal forces in the South following Reconstruction, the gains that were made eroded both political power and the civil rights of African Americans. Economically, millions of poor southern blacks were trapped in the sharecropping system structured to ensure that they provided cheap agriculture labor for the benefit of white landlords. Throughout the South, with the institution of the Jim Crow laws, blacks began to be excluded from all public accommodations, denied access to schools and other essential services, and restricted from living in certain residential areas. Essential to the racist assault against black people’s rights was lynching, fear and death. The extreme denial of due process of law arose during this time. People who committed crimes against African Americans failed to be arrested or prosecuted, and African Americans who were accused of wrongdoing were not assured a fair trial. The Supreme Court Case of Plessy vs Ferguson in 1896 set the legal precedent and made it possible for states to enforce racial segregation lawsShow MoreRelatedThe Historical Progression of African Americans4523 Words   |  19 PagesProgression of African Americans Jeff Brown HIS 204: American History Since 1865 Prof Carl Garrigus May 16, 2010 The Historical Progression of African Americans America in 1857 was a â€Å"Nation on the Brink.† Relationships between the Northern and Southern states had been strained for decades. During the 1850 s, the situation exploded. The Compromise of 1850 served as a clear warning that the slavery issue—relatively dormant since the Missouri Compromise of 1820—had returned. African AmericansRead MoreCase Studies13817 Words   |  56 PagesCASE STUDY #1 A Job Search Dilemma Eric, a second-semester senior, is looking for a job. Anxious about finding work in the worst economy in decades, he sends out scores of resumes for a wide variety of positions. The first call he gets is for a position that doesnt really interest him, but he figures he should be open to every opportunity. He schedules an interview, which he aces. In fact, the recruiter offers Eric the job on the spot. He would like Eric to start as soon as possible. Should EricRead MoreDo Muslim Women Really Need Saving?7400 Words   |  30 PagesDo Muslim Women Really Need Saving? Anthropological Reflections on Cultural Relativism and Its Others Author(s): Lila Abu-Lughod Reviewed work(s): Source: American Anthropologist, New Series, Vol. 104, No. 3 (Sep., 2002), pp. 783-790 Published by: Blackwell Publishing on behalf of the American Anthropological Association Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3567256 . Accessed: 18/01/2012 15:55 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms Conditions of Use, available atRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesand Paul Buhle, eds., The New Left Revisited David M. Scobey, Empire City: The Making and Meaning of the New York City Landscape Gerda Lerner, Fireweed: A Political Autobiography Allida M. Black, ed., Modern American Queer History Eric Sandweiss, St. Louis: The Evolution of an American Urban Landscape Sam Wineburg, Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of Teaching the Past Sharon Hartman Strom, Political Woman: Florence Luscomb and the Legacy of Radical Reform