The Civil War: Racism In The United States
As slavery finally reached its ‘end’ in 1862 with Abraham Lincoln’s words of the Emancipation Proclamation, “I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves…henceforward shall be free”, the same racial segregation persisted throughout America. Many things remained the same during the Civil War and post, specifically racism, in comparison to before the war.However it was a new era for Blacks as they did gain new rights and roleswith their limited freedom. This was the inevitable destiny that African Americans experienced in the United States since the 1600s.
First and foremost, the Civil War was the African American's path to freedom. This was possible by displaying their potential that was hidden under the racist mindset. However, that …show more content…
positive attention was hard to achieve because whites didn't really give them a chance to show their abilities. After 2 years of the war, Lincoln decided to put the 2nd Confiscation and the Militia Act of 1862 into action because white volunteers lessened as the war went on. They needed more men and the blacks were eager to fight. African Americans fought for both sides of the war, the Union and the Confederate. In the Republican Party platform, it says, "Resolved, That the Government owes to all men employed in its armies, without regard to the distinction of5 color, the full protection of the laws of war..." The path became clear to many by Frederick Douglass who encouraged those in the North to volunteer in order to secure their citizenship and protection. This was not the first time that African Americans participated in a war; they did so in the American Revolution and the War of 1812. They weren't enlisted however because of the Law of 1792 that didn’t permit them to at the time. Most whites believed that the blackscouldn't as skilled or brave as white soldiers were. The 1st Kansas Colored Infantry would be the first African Americans to be to prove them wrong and be recruited in the North, as they were quite impressive. The Union had over 179,000 black men in the Army and Navy, including freed and runaway, making 10% of those who served.Free men rushed to fight for the North. 16 black soldiers won a congressional medal for their bravery and service in the Civil War. Those who came up from the South were also captured in battleas contrabands of war, who then served as spies for the Union. This was essential as both sides were able to find out secret information and movements of the opposing side. One spy that has been remembered for her work is Harriet Tubman, who led 300 slaves throughout the Underground Railroad and freed 750 more with the help of several hundred other black soldiers. She was the first woman in our country's history to lead a military expedition, which is a great accomplishment and step forward for the African American society.While this all occurred, about 40,000 black soldiers died of disease, ¾ of the army. They weren't treated as well as the white soldiers. They did not get adequate training or equal pay. A black man received $10 an hour plus a uniform charge, while a white man was paid $13 an hour with no charges. However, this is what those in North had to experience in order to fight for their citizenship.
While many fled to the North, many stayed at home in the South because they chose to stay with their family or saw the North as the enemy. Those in the South didn't get much encouragement due to the fact that they weren't allowed to fight. They only served labor positions being nurses, cooks, and blacksmiths.Sending them out into the battle would be essentially sending out the South's foundation, causing debates amongst Southerners. "What did we go to war for, if not to protect our property?" Is what Robert M.T. Hunter, a senator from Virginia, once questioned. In 1865, however, theygained the ability tobe armed to fight. This was the last resort of manpower for the Confederacy and they had to sacrifice their prized possessions in order to have a chance at winning the war. Blacks were able to enter the battle onlyunder master consent and they were guaranteed freedom because they couldn't be sent back after the war. Thousands of blacks were enlisted, but it was nothing in comparison to the Unions force. Many didn't go out into the fields because it was almost towards the end of the war, less than three weeks, and they didn't have enough adequate training to defend the whites.
The Emancipation Proclamation transformed the war and the spirit of African Americans with the words "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free", even though it didn't free every single slave. Lincoln also wanted to push them out of the United States to colonize somewhere else. At the Resolution of African Americans in New Yorkin 1862, African American's immediately dismissed Lincoln's idea of resettlement. "While bleeding and struggling for her life against slaveholding traitors...1 million freemen are believed to be scarcely sufficient to meet the foe...to carry out his favorite scheme of colonization. But at this crisis, we feel disposed to refuse the offers of the President since the call of our suffering country is too and loud and imperative to be unheeded." They felt that they, the freed blacks, were loyal to this hateful country and if they were not to help the country would be wasting theloyal contributions of it's new citizens. While Lincoln wasn't swayed by the cries for no resettlement, he was persuaded by the blacks willingness to fight. In response to those who opposed Abraham Lincoln's ideas, he wrote in a published letter from August 1863, "You are dissatisfied with me about the negro. I certainly wish that all men could be free...You say you will not fight to free negros. Some of them are willing to fight for you...why should they do anything for us, if we will do nothing for them?...if they stake their lives for us, they must be prompted by...the promise of freedom. And the promise being made, must be kept." He came to realization that he must keep his commitments and also allow those slaves in the South to fight for whichever side they chose to do so. The proclamationwasn't considered constitutional until an amendment was created. This was then that the Republican Senate would pass the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865that states "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude... shall exist within the United States," andprevent the secession of the South.Following that is the Fourteenth Amendment which guaranteed "all persons born or naturalized in the United States," including African Americans, "are citizens of the United States and of the state in which they reside." It also granted everyone be under "equal protection of the laws."This equality that is being presented in the amendments is only what the law says, and not what a lot of Americans wanted to adapt to.
The laws that were brought forth under Abraham Lincoln's presidency and the response to it shows that there is one thing that still remained from before the war, during, and post war, and that is racism.
Racism still manifested in the hearts of white Americans, because laws change rules not people's beliefs and morals. The new freed African Americans were still surrounded by the same hostile whites. This caused the ex-slaves to still stick with each other in tight knit groups.The North, despite being all for the emancipation of slaves,showed to be unsatisfied with the fact they now had other people besides the German and Irish immigrants that they had to hand over their jobs to. A tax was put onto those who tried to pursue in non-agricultural jobs. However some in the North saw a great, positive change in society. The New York Times stated in March 7, 1864 that, "Eight months ago the African race in this City were literally hunted down like wild beasts. How astonishingly has all this changed The same [African American] men...now march with shouldered muskets...through our gayest avenues...and are everywhere saluted with waving handkerchiefs...Such developments are infallible tokens of a new epoch." Others became empathetic for a short while as displayed in a cartoon by Thomas Nast in Harper's Weekly of 1865. It displayed Lady Liberty asking for equality for the Black veterans of the war. She is pointing at a Black man who was considered not fit for democracy despite being injured in uniform while fighting for the country. On the other hand, the South felt embarrassed that they lost and didn't welcome their ex-slaves that they have to face outside of the plantation. These lower states instituted laws known as "Black Codes", making it illegal for black people to serve juries against whites, serve in the state militia, and in a way force them involuntarily back into doing labor through contracts. They wanted to restrict their freedom to the greatest extent that they
could and arrested them when they had the chance. Many still took advantage of the new black citizens because of their lack of intelligence and lack of wealth. However, they tried to better themselves in this new environment by trying to become literate, something that the whites prohibited during enslavement because then they would lose much their dominance. A New England woman, Charlotte Forten, was an African American teacher in South Carolina who once stated, "I never before saw children so eager to learn...coming to school is a constant delight and recreation to them...they come here as other children go to play...It is wonderful how a people who have been so long crushed to earth...can have so great a desire for knowledge, and such a capacity for attaining it." Being able to read gives a person great power. It gives you the gift of knowledge through reading books and helps protect you from people who are trying to take advantage. As for their wealth, former slaves were never compensated for their enslavement, even though the North made an attempt to. The Blacks couldn't get proper food and help because of racism andtheir economic situation. Many children and adults died due to lack of nourishment and medical care. The death rates for African Americans were higherthan when they were slaves because they were being taken care of to an extent.
This post-war era was a great step forward for African Americans as they were free at last from enslavement. They were able to fight for their country that they were once forced into and for the one that many call home, even if they weren't welcomed. They were able to become literate when they were forbidden to by their slave masters. They achieved things that their slave ancestors dreamed about and didn't believe it wasn't possible. Racism still flourished throughout these times, but African Americans were able to remain strong and fight for their citizenship despite their inevitable destiny.
First and foremost, the Civil War was the African American's path to freedom. This was possible by displaying their potential that was hidden under the racist mindset. However, that …show more content…
positive attention was hard to achieve because whites didn't really give them a chance to show their abilities. After 2 years of the war, Lincoln decided to put the 2nd Confiscation and the Militia Act of 1862 into action because white volunteers lessened as the war went on. They needed more men and the blacks were eager to fight. African Americans fought for both sides of the war, the Union and the Confederate. In the Republican Party platform, it says, "Resolved, That the Government owes to all men employed in its armies, without regard to the distinction of5 color, the full protection of the laws of war..." The path became clear to many by Frederick Douglass who encouraged those in the North to volunteer in order to secure their citizenship and protection. This was not the first time that African Americans participated in a war; they did so in the American Revolution and the War of 1812. They weren't enlisted however because of the Law of 1792 that didn’t permit them to at the time. Most whites believed that the blackscouldn't as skilled or brave as white soldiers were. The 1st Kansas Colored Infantry would be the first African Americans to be to prove them wrong and be recruited in the North, as they were quite impressive. The Union had over 179,000 black men in the Army and Navy, including freed and runaway, making 10% of those who served.Free men rushed to fight for the North. 16 black soldiers won a congressional medal for their bravery and service in the Civil War. Those who came up from the South were also captured in battleas contrabands of war, who then served as spies for the Union. This was essential as both sides were able to find out secret information and movements of the opposing side. One spy that has been remembered for her work is Harriet Tubman, who led 300 slaves throughout the Underground Railroad and freed 750 more with the help of several hundred other black soldiers. She was the first woman in our country's history to lead a military expedition, which is a great accomplishment and step forward for the African American society.While this all occurred, about 40,000 black soldiers died of disease, ¾ of the army. They weren't treated as well as the white soldiers. They did not get adequate training or equal pay. A black man received $10 an hour plus a uniform charge, while a white man was paid $13 an hour with no charges. However, this is what those in North had to experience in order to fight for their citizenship.
While many fled to the North, many stayed at home in the South because they chose to stay with their family or saw the North as the enemy. Those in the South didn't get much encouragement due to the fact that they weren't allowed to fight. They only served labor positions being nurses, cooks, and blacksmiths.Sending them out into the battle would be essentially sending out the South's foundation, causing debates amongst Southerners. "What did we go to war for, if not to protect our property?" Is what Robert M.T. Hunter, a senator from Virginia, once questioned. In 1865, however, theygained the ability tobe armed to fight. This was the last resort of manpower for the Confederacy and they had to sacrifice their prized possessions in order to have a chance at winning the war. Blacks were able to enter the battle onlyunder master consent and they were guaranteed freedom because they couldn't be sent back after the war. Thousands of blacks were enlisted, but it was nothing in comparison to the Unions force. Many didn't go out into the fields because it was almost towards the end of the war, less than three weeks, and they didn't have enough adequate training to defend the whites.
The Emancipation Proclamation transformed the war and the spirit of African Americans with the words "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free", even though it didn't free every single slave. Lincoln also wanted to push them out of the United States to colonize somewhere else. At the Resolution of African Americans in New Yorkin 1862, African American's immediately dismissed Lincoln's idea of resettlement. "While bleeding and struggling for her life against slaveholding traitors...1 million freemen are believed to be scarcely sufficient to meet the foe...to carry out his favorite scheme of colonization. But at this crisis, we feel disposed to refuse the offers of the President since the call of our suffering country is too and loud and imperative to be unheeded." They felt that they, the freed blacks, were loyal to this hateful country and if they were not to help the country would be wasting theloyal contributions of it's new citizens. While Lincoln wasn't swayed by the cries for no resettlement, he was persuaded by the blacks willingness to fight. In response to those who opposed Abraham Lincoln's ideas, he wrote in a published letter from August 1863, "You are dissatisfied with me about the negro. I certainly wish that all men could be free...You say you will not fight to free negros. Some of them are willing to fight for you...why should they do anything for us, if we will do nothing for them?...if they stake their lives for us, they must be prompted by...the promise of freedom. And the promise being made, must be kept." He came to realization that he must keep his commitments and also allow those slaves in the South to fight for whichever side they chose to do so. The proclamationwasn't considered constitutional until an amendment was created. This was then that the Republican Senate would pass the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865that states "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude... shall exist within the United States," andprevent the secession of the South.Following that is the Fourteenth Amendment which guaranteed "all persons born or naturalized in the United States," including African Americans, "are citizens of the United States and of the state in which they reside." It also granted everyone be under "equal protection of the laws."This equality that is being presented in the amendments is only what the law says, and not what a lot of Americans wanted to adapt to.
The laws that were brought forth under Abraham Lincoln's presidency and the response to it shows that there is one thing that still remained from before the war, during, and post war, and that is racism.
Racism still manifested in the hearts of white Americans, because laws change rules not people's beliefs and morals. The new freed African Americans were still surrounded by the same hostile whites. This caused the ex-slaves to still stick with each other in tight knit groups.The North, despite being all for the emancipation of slaves,showed to be unsatisfied with the fact they now had other people besides the German and Irish immigrants that they had to hand over their jobs to. A tax was put onto those who tried to pursue in non-agricultural jobs. However some in the North saw a great, positive change in society. The New York Times stated in March 7, 1864 that, "Eight months ago the African race in this City were literally hunted down like wild beasts. How astonishingly has all this changed The same [African American] men...now march with shouldered muskets...through our gayest avenues...and are everywhere saluted with waving handkerchiefs...Such developments are infallible tokens of a new epoch." Others became empathetic for a short while as displayed in a cartoon by Thomas Nast in Harper's Weekly of 1865. It displayed Lady Liberty asking for equality for the Black veterans of the war. She is pointing at a Black man who was considered not fit for democracy despite being injured in uniform while fighting for the country. On the other hand, the South felt embarrassed that they lost and didn't welcome their ex-slaves that they have to face outside of the plantation. These lower states instituted laws known as "Black Codes", making it illegal for black people to serve juries against whites, serve in the state militia, and in a way force them involuntarily back into doing labor through contracts. They wanted to restrict their freedom to the greatest extent that they
could and arrested them when they had the chance. Many still took advantage of the new black citizens because of their lack of intelligence and lack of wealth. However, they tried to better themselves in this new environment by trying to become literate, something that the whites prohibited during enslavement because then they would lose much their dominance. A New England woman, Charlotte Forten, was an African American teacher in South Carolina who once stated, "I never before saw children so eager to learn...coming to school is a constant delight and recreation to them...they come here as other children go to play...It is wonderful how a people who have been so long crushed to earth...can have so great a desire for knowledge, and such a capacity for attaining it." Being able to read gives a person great power. It gives you the gift of knowledge through reading books and helps protect you from people who are trying to take advantage. As for their wealth, former slaves were never compensated for their enslavement, even though the North made an attempt to. The Blacks couldn't get proper food and help because of racism andtheir economic situation. Many children and adults died due to lack of nourishment and medical care. The death rates for African Americans were higherthan when they were slaves because they were being taken care of to an extent.
This post-war era was a great step forward for African Americans as they were free at last from enslavement. They were able to fight for their country that they were once forced into and for the one that many call home, even if they weren't welcomed. They were able to become literate when they were forbidden to by their slave masters. They achieved things that their slave ancestors dreamed about and didn't believe it wasn't possible. Racism still flourished throughout these times, but African Americans were able to remain strong and fight for their citizenship despite their inevitable destiny.