The Progression of African Americans

The Progression of African Americans
The Historical History from 1865 to Present
Ashford University
Brendolynn Champlaie
HIS204 American History Since 1865
Instructor Leslie Ruff
January 4, 2011

African Americans had to endure so much just to survive, slavery, discrimination, violence, owning no property, not having equal rights, not even considered a citizen of the United States. Even with Emancipation of Proclamation, the Black Code they were not respected as truly being free. African Americans were lynched burned out of their homes, and displaced from their families. The authors of Nation of Nations: A Narrative History of the American Republic takes us through the history of Reconstruction Era and how it affected African Americans. Life for African Americans was supposed to be better with President Lincoln’s Proclamation of Emancipation. President Abraham Lincoln felt that Reconstruction after the war was his responsibility so he tried to make amends. When in December 1863 he introduced a program Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction (James W. Davidson, Brain DeLay, Christine L. Heyrrman, Mark
H. Lytle, & Michael B. Stoff 2008). President Abraham used the 13th Amendment to help abolish slavery. The Emancipation of Proclamation was introduced to abolish slavery. Initially inclined against any frontal assault on slavery, unsure what role emancipated African Americans would play in society. President Abraham Lincoln came to hold core faith in slavery’s demise and, in steps large and small, helped guide the country to that historical goal (Philip Dray 2010).
President Abraham Lincoln, the Great Emancipator, suggested that he would assign the superior status to whites, and supported African Americans colonization because he doubted the ability of free African American people to live successfully among whites (Horace Huntley). The 14th Amendment was supposed to allow African American the equal rights like everyone else born in the United States. African Americans had their freedom, and the right to vote, but the new government did not allow African Americans any political rights or provisions for black education (James Davidson et al 2008 p. 474). Life for African Americans was still a struggle even though they were considered free. The era of Reconstruction and the new Freedmen (created in March 1865) was supposed to give stability and give African Americans a better life. Some states did pass a series of laws that only applied to African Americans called the Black Codes which granted African Americans some rights but not many. When the Black Codes came in effect these laws were unfair they granted them the right to marry legally which was illegal during slavery and to own property, but African Americans could not serve on juries, buy or rent farm land, sue, and if they were arrested they could be hire out to landowners (Davidson. et al. p. 474). One social issue African Americans faced economic dependence, discrimination, knowing that being free and, becoming citizens was a long way off. Thanks to President Andrew Johnson he vetoed Civil Rights bills designed to overturn the most severe provision of the Black Codes. In the House of Representatives United States on April 9, 1866, in pursuance of the Constitution, to consider the bill entitles, “An act to protect all persons in the United States, with his objections, and sent by the Senate to the House of Representatives, with the message of the President returning the bill: Resolved, that the bill do pass, two-thirds of the House of Representatives agreeing to pass the Same. With this law African Americans became citizens of the United States, granted them rights to own property, make contracts, and have access to courts as parties and witnesses privileges they did not have in the past (Davidson, et al. p.475). The 14th Amendment defined American citizens as being born in the United States so now African Americans were citizens and were given equal rights as citizens (Cited from Reconstruction the Second Civil War). One Social/cultural issue African Americans faced was discrimination by the Whites. African Americans wanted to be recognized, respected, and have the same rights as everyone. Racism replaced slavery as the central justification for white supremacy in the South (Davidson .492). African Americans did not return to the social position they had occupied before the war. Since they were no longer slaves, and black southerners went in search for family members, sent their children to school, or worshiped in churches things they controlled. Now they knew what momentous change emancipation was. African Americans were able to work and earn more money to survive and care for their families. The outcome of that was the 14th Amendment gave them equal protection and since this is written in the Constitution African Americans just wanted to receive their due in society with equal rights to own and harvest their own land. Freedom in the course of the Civil War, a great promise made amid the political turmoil of Reconstruction and a great promise broken, followed by disfranchisement, segregation and finally, the long struggle for equality. Life for African Americans lead to a lot of violence while they were trying to saved their equal rights. To the freed people the end of slavery brought hope of economic independence. Many rented land to grow cotton but as the years went by they were getting further and further in debt. Some had to work for shares of the proceeds after the owners harvest the crops (Davidson el al p 499). When the news spread that there was cheap land in Kansas and that African Americans can live more freely. This excited African Americans since they were plagued by hardship and violence. Many decided to go to Kansas and take a chance of a better life. Many had money, but many just had the clothes on their backs since this was an opportunity in a life time for many they took the chance and relocated Davidson et al. p.497). In 1879 as African Americans traveled up the Mississippi there were far too many frustrating outcomes and unfilled promises of changes. Changes came to the farming sector, but vast number of sharecroppers, tenants, and poor independent farmers saw little betterment in their lives. Mississippi suffered “terrible consequences” for its status as “the most rural, agricultural state in the nation (Cited from Martha Swain 2007). As largely agricultural regions, African Americans struggled to find their place in the new age of industry emerging from Reconstruction. African Americans fell into an economic dependence known as debt peonage, which lead into an agricultural slide, robbing small farmers of their land and sending them to the bottom rungs of tenancy, sharecropping, and migrant farm work. (Davidson et al. p 498, 500). African Americans needed to secure better jobs to secure their future. African Americans knew that it was up to them to use their own resources among themselves to survive the economic hardship and segregation. Segregation provided a formidable barrier to African Americans progress. African Americans were reduced to second class citizens because of the stifling economic competition between the races most of the jobs in the textile mills went to the whites. During the same time African Americans were barred from juries and usually received far stiffer penalties than whites for the same crimes committed. When African Americans crossed the color line they risked lynching whippings and beatings, there was an average of 187 lynching each year of the 1890s of African Americans. During this time there was a lot of inequality and African Americans knew that they had to fight back with any means necessary. Even though African Americans had to fight segregation, violence and intimidation they did not give up they choose to fight these issues. They decided to establish the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People which challenged the Jim Crow system of segregation and bigotry (Davidson et al. p. 645). The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was established in 1909 lead by W.E. Du bois. Starting the progress for African Americans to gain more legal rights and privileges that were earlier not acknowledged. NAACP an organization largely organized by African Americans, and by some whites who wanted to end racial discrimination and segregation. Although one could write great prose about the Civil Rights triumphs of the NAACP, there is nothing more powerful than the facts of how the existence of the oldest Civil Rights Organization. It has made a great change for African Americans it has given them the courage to stand up and fight for what is rightfully theirs. Life for African Americans leaned towards financial independence. So during the 1920s many sought jobs in the automobile industry. It was a very trying time for African Americans there were very few job opportunities for them. Henry Ford who had invented the mass assembly line hired many African Americans to work in his plant one by the name of James Charles Price he became the first salaried African American employee in the industry when Henry Ford promoted him to purchase of abrasives and industrial diamonds, a job at which he became regarded as one of the best in the industry. Labor economist Herbert Northrup said in the “20s and 30s African Americans came closer to job equality at Ford Motors than at any other comparable company.” Most would only hire African Americans for jobs the whites did not want. So when the United Auto Workers began to organize many African Americans were grateful to Henry Ford giving them the opportunity to work did not want to get involved in the political issue (Cited from The detnews.com). The downside was the African American women held low paying jobs in domestic service of the garment industry (Davidson et al. p 700). African Americans had jobs in the iron and tobacco industry in Richmond, one of the most industrialized cities in the South .Although African Americans were largely excluded from the booming industrial sector in the late nineteenth century economy, they nonetheless used their newly won freedom to participate in the mechanical innovations during the industrial era (Joe William Trotter Jr. 2000). This lead to the outcome of the growth of the Harlem Renaissance. By the end of the World War 1, Harlem had become the cultural capital of African Americans. The Harlem Renaissance drew on the new assertiveness of African Americans (Davidson et al. p.706). The Harlem Renaissance refers to the African American boom of cultural expression that peaked in the 1920s. The Harlem Renaissance was a celebration of African Americans heritage expressed through art, literature, music and dance. African Americans wrote, dance and drew art, music without embarrassment. The Harlem Renaissance drew on the new assertiveness of African Americans as well as on the alienation of white intellectuals. In 1924 Alain Locke, a African American professor from Howard University , collected a sampling of all their works in The New Negro. Locke wrote “not a cultural foundling without his own inheritance” but “a conscious contributor…collaborator and participant in American civilization” (Davidson et al. p. 706). The New Harlem Renaissance “is you crazy? This was once how people responded when someone asked them were they planning a trip to Harlem all because of the decay. But public funding and private initiative, as well as ever more unaffordable real estate downtown, have helped jump start a New Harlem Renaissance one that is moreover, doing more than simply surviving economic downturn. African Americans are experiencing a new blessing keeping the Harlem Renaissance alive. New tourist, strangers greeting strangers on the streets, Harlem is a little safer these days but people still need to be careful. They have all kinds of soul food restaurants art galleries and murals depicting that the Harlem Renaissance is still there. Change has always been hard for African Americans and how they see themselves and their worth and potential as they interact with others.
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis says ”the first and essential step is overcoming poverty in the communities is to take a page out of history when it comes to not letting the absence of full justice and equality to be used as a social excuse to do nothing and be silent. African Americans history is a struggle, perseverance, and making great strides forward irrespective of obstacles put in their way. African American patriotism should extend to own self-help and uplift. African Americans need to renew a sense of dedication to rebuild and launch new Black owned business (Cited from Black American Patriotism: Time to End Poverty). Even though after the postwar, African American found looking for work they were still at a disadvantage. For African Americans this brought back memories “last hired first fired”. They also return to segregation after fighting in the war which was unfair they could fight side by side but cannot work side by side. Although in 1946 President Harry Truman appointed a committee on Civil Rights discovering inequities for African Americans the committee exposed racial caste system that denied African Americans employment opportunities, equal education, voting rights, and decent housing (Davidson et al. p 811). Finally since African Americans have always had to fight for everything that that deserved it is no wonders that they can survivors in the worst situations. In the beginning Reconstruction was discussed, it depends on who opinion is respected more was it the best or worst for African Americans. President Abraham Lincoln tried to be fair to all of the African Americans but he was only one person and he did make it his responsibility to do the right thing. African American have fought so many years it is a wonder that they made it through this historical era. The historical progression of the African Americans struggles to secure their Civil Rights and equal opportunities as a United States citizen. Starting from 1865 it was such a dramatic era for African Americans. African American just wanted to have the same rights as everybody else. Own property, vote, and travel freely, and most of all be able to provide for their families in peace. African American know how to overcome obstacles in their way this is why they were able to live through all the segregation, discrimination, lynching and all the other abuse bestowed upon them. The past can never be forgotten but African Americans had to get used to so many changes. African Americans have their freedom and thanks to Reconstruction African Americans could vote and hold office. Some had no property so they had to work hard to earn money. Economically freed African Americans had some hard times especially when they still had to work for whites as sharecroppers. Finally the Civil Rights Act of 1866 granted them citizens and they had the same rights as white’s which was a big step to being truly free.

Reference
Baulding, L. (2004) (Associate Director) Reconstruction the Second Civil War
Baulding directed this film which is all about the struggles of African Americans from 1863 To 1877. Reconstruction; The second Civil War offers insights into topics in African American History including slavery, freedom, Civil Rights, and African Americans suffrage.
Chavis, B. (2010) Black American Patriotism Vol. 105, Iss. 29; p.11 Retrieved from ProQuest January 5, 2010
Davidson, J.W, DeLay, B. Heyrman, C.L., Lytle, M.H., Stoff, M.B.( 2008) Nations of Nations: A Narrative History of the American Republic 6th ed. Vol. 2. New York. McGraw-Hill
The authors chronicled the African American history from 1865 to the present. They took readers through the saga of facts and events that African American lived through. James Davidson received his Ph.D from Yale University. He is a historian who has pursued a full time writing career. Brain DeLay is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Colorado, where he has taught since receiving his Ph.D. from Harvard University. Christine Heyrman is the Robert W. and Shirley P. Grimble Professor of American History at the History of the University of Delaware. Mark Lytle a Ph.D from Yale University is Professor of History and
Chair of the Environment Studies Program at Bard College. Michael Stoff is Associate Professor of History and Director of the Plan 11 Honors Program T THE University of Texas at Austin. Horace Huntley (2007)
Litwick, L. (1979) Been in the storm so long: The aftermath of slavery (1979)
Mr. Litwick is an American Historian and Professor of American History Emeritus at the University of California .B Berkeley, he received a Pulitzer Prize for Been in the storm so long

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Cited: Chavis, B. (2010) Black American Patriotism Vol. 105, Iss. 29; p.11 Retrieved from ProQuest January 5, 2010 Davidson, J.W, DeLay, B. Heyrman, C.L., Lytle, M.H., Stoff, M.B.( 2008) Nations of Nations: A Narrative History of the American Republic 6th ed Horace Huntley (2007) Litwick, L