Blacks Voting Rights In The 1950's

After the Civil War the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were added on to the Constitution. These amendments were to assure equals rights for African Americans but struggles to keep these rights secure continued through the next century. African Americans were treated differently than whites, whites would intimidate the blacks that would wanted to vote. During this time it was a struggle to have equal opportunity to employment, housing and education. Not only racism was a problem but people who were gay were not respected either, it was often rude or inappropriate to have two men or two women show affection to one another in public. Many of these problems were solved in the civil rights movements of the 1950s. Today problems between the blacks
Although the 15th amendment guarantees the right to vote regardless of race or color, the amendment does not insure minorities the right to vote. At the end of the 1950s “45% of Mississippi's population was African Americans, but only 5% were registered to vote.” (Voting Rights) Mississippi had one of the highest ratings for beating, lynchings, and disappearances. To avoid blacks from voting many southern states used a variety of tactic to prevent blacks from voting. These tactics were literacy tests, poll taxes, intimidation, threats, and violence. Many blacks could not read or write because they had not gone to school so it was very hard for them to pass these literacy tests. Voting today is extremely different because of Constitutional Amendments, voting restrictions involving gender, race, religion and wealth have all been dismissed. “For much of American history, voting qualifications were such very few people actually had the power to vote.”(How has voting changed) Voting today has some requirements, you have to be a United States citizen, a resident of the state you are voting in and you have to be at least 18 years old. The right to vote used to be reserved for the white wealthy men that were over 21 years old and they had to belong to the accepted religion in their community. Voting in the United States has change a lot over the years and is now equal for
It was considered inappropriate. “Gay men and women were labeled “deviants,” “degenerates,” and sex criminals” by the medical profession, government officials, and the mass media.” (The Historian's’ Case Against Gay Discrimination) People didn’t accept gays and lesbians so they were often sent to jail for being gay. The federal government banned homosexuals from being employed at businesses. Getting married to the same gender was illegal during the 1950s. People believed that homosexuality was a mental disease that “a cure could be found through psychoanalytic treatment.” (Homosexuality in the 1950s) “Since the 1960s, however,and especially since the Bowers decision in 1986, official and popular attitudes toward homosexuals have changed.”(The Historian's’ Case Against Gay Discrimination) There are many groups in America that support gay and lesbian relationship. It is no longer illegal to be in a relationship with the same gender. People today can get married to the same