Christine E. Parthree
HIS 204
Prof. Joshua Ozymy
February 19, 2012
African Americans have helped to end segregation, discrimination, and isolation to bring forth equality and civil rights by producing strong outstanding citizens like Roas Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. While segregation and isolation have completely ended for the African American people, discrimination is still around today.
Rosa Parks was an outstanding woman. She spent all day working and had to ride the bus home. When a white man entered the bus and wanted to sit down, in the front, Ms Parks was told to move, she refused. This led to trouble. Ms Parks was arrested and the boycotts began. Ms Parks should not have had to move just because a white person wanted to sit in the front of the bus. She had worked all day, why did she have to move just for him? “Rosa Parks (1913–2005), whose refusal to move to the back of a bus touched off the bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama.” (Bowles, 2011)
Rosa Parks was a woman to be admired. She stood up for what she believed was right and did not back down, not even with the threat and happening of being arrested. All Rosa Parks did was say, “No.” to a white man, and she was arrested. She worked hard, just like the white man. She raised a family, just like a white man. Was she treated equally, though? No, she and every other African American person was treated as though they were still slaves. In fact, they pretty much were slaves, because they still did not get paid equally, were not allowed the same niceties as a white person.
African American people worked hard, harder than most white folks. They got paid, yes, but were still treated as though they were slaves. Why should they have to suffer serving the white man still, even though they were freed? They were “free” yet not really. There were no more whips and chains, but they did not really gain anything, except to be treated slightly better than
References: Bowles, M. D. (2011). American History: 1865-Present/End Of Isolation (Ashford University Discovery Series ed.). San Diego, California, USA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Wilson, H. W. (1964, January UNK). Nobelprize.org. Retrieved February 19, 2012, from http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1964/king-bio.html: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1964/king-bio.html