Witnessing the American Civil Rights Movement: A Journey of Liberation & Equality - Essay Sample

Introduction

War is an event that any individual with a humanistic philosophy would never wish to witness. However, in a situation where the war necessitates human rights and equality, then it ethical to believe that it is worthwhile. Witnessing the American civil rights movement would be the most extraordinary experience because this was the primary source of liberation among black American people and equality in the Education sector. The movement laid a rigid foundation for the formation of Black Lives Matter in the 21st Century, which campaigns against systemic racism. The movement also contributed in the abolishment of segregation in learning institutions and discrimination in government institutions; hence learners acquired a platform to interact and experience a different culture and develop personal connections (Tushnet 20). Though the war was between the states, the entire impact was global. The event's outcomes are still being observed in the 21 century. Meanwhile, this historical journey appears continuous since racism continues to exist in a small scale.

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The civil war had played a critical role in the abolishment of the slave trade in the early 1860s. However, the devastating effect of racism persisted. There was enough prejudice and violence against such claims; hence, the blacks, along with other many whites, began to mobilize and fight for equality; a fight that spanned for two decades. The event can be termed as the longest historical event in the world's history since it transpired between 1896 and 1954. Although the campaign was initiated in 1896, the movement was thorough between the 1950s and 1960s. The campaign was launched by black people who sought to gain equal rights and social justice under American law. Marginalization was imminent such that the blacks could not use the share government facilities with the whites or attend the same schools. The blacks were denied the right to vote, and interracial marriage was illegal. The supreme declaration in the Plessy v. Ferguson case grounded the southern segregation by enforcing that blacks and whites could be equal but separate.

Much of the activism was conducted in the southern part. People from all over the country joined the activists to proclaim a commitment to equality and freedom. Activists participated in non-violent protest and civil disobedience such as Greensboro Wool sit-ins and Montgomery Bus Boycott. It revealed a sense of unity among the African people. The Montgomery Bus Boycott began when a black female failed to give up a seat to a male passenger in a public service bus. Martin Luther proposed the boycott against public transportation and racial segregation, which continued for 381 days. Following a continued failure to achieve goals, the Birmingham campaign intended to end discriminatory economic policies for Alabama residents. Approximately. 250,000 Americans congregated to Washington to have their voices heard. Martin Luther King Jr. was the most influential activist whose speech remaining instrumental in history. The campaign included boycotts of businesses that specifically hired white people.

Groups such as the National Association for the Advancement of people of color, Students Non-violent Coordinating Committee, and the local activists were involved in the Albany Movement (Tushnet 20). Even though Martin Luther was a council giver other than a participant, he was sentenced to jail for 45 days during a demonstration but was freed later after three days. The campaign experienced a bloody encounter, where police violently beat protesters who made efforts to protest peacefully from Selma to Montgomery. Although the police violence brought the protest to an outrageous end, the footage from the brutality boosted support for the movement.

Through continued struggle, the Supreme court declared racial segregation as unconstitutional. State laws that advocated for white and black students were also declared unconstitutional. The civil rights legislation was passed between 1954 and 1968. This legislation resulted in significant and permanent change that is observable in numerous ways in the present society. Such issues addressed include racial disparities, perpetual segregation in all schools, and immigration in the criminal justice system. The Act prohibited discrimination in public places and hence strengthened integration in schools. The Act also certified that employment discrimination in terms of color, race, sex, or religion was illegal. The legislation was the most effective since the campaign reconstruction.

The voting rights were legislated in 1965. The law protected the voting rights and created barriers to prohibit discrimination of minority voters. Local governments with histories of voting discrimination were required to formally get approval from the central government when enacting changes for voting procedures and or amending laws. The final civil rights act ratified was the fair housing act which was passed in 1968. The Act provided equal housing opportunities regardless of racial orientation. The Act illegalized any form of interference to housing rights concerning creed, race, or national origin.

Despite enacting all these Acts, systemic racism and violence continued among the black people. Statistical data presented in graphical form by the federal bureau of the investigation showed that the U.S had the highest rate of police killings compared to other countries. In the data presented in 2015, the number of black people killed by police was nearly thrice that of the white. The rate declined in hierarchical order, with the Hispanic community closely ranking with Native Americans. Fatal attacks from police officers, including profile attack killings of nationals of a particular race, not only taints a bad image of the criminal justice system but also to the entire nation. Such acts arouse questions in the universal scale and is a threat to international unity. The movement is more of a civil rights movement that seeks to fight for the fundamental rights to reorder the society, which still portrays an inhumane nature.

Ironically, racial discrimination continues to exist in the 21 century, an era where humankind views themselves as civilized. Hate crime continues to be a daily reality in the U.S and other developed countries. Even after Barack Obama's presidency, the majority feels that extensive policies should be enacted; policies that extend beyond the black community to include all government and non-government institutions. 21st Century is an era where humankind should not be debating about black liberation from violence; many years after world wars and independence. Any civilized individual understands the merits of peace. Embracing a global philosophy of humanism contributes to systemic and societal benefits such as political and economic stability.

Practices of discrimination and inequality stagnate development in the educational system since ideas that could create a significant impact on the world are disregarded. Most of the essential time that would be spent in the construction of the world's economy is wasted in solving conflicts and renovating ruins from such disputes. Wars is only critical if it allows noble innovations. Ideally, if humankind should fight, they ought to fight for humanity. Such fights have contributed significantly in uniting the world and positively impacted the world economies and peace.

Work Cited

Tushnet, Mark V. The NAACP's legal strategy against segregated education, 1925-1950. Vol. 2. Univ of North Carolina Press, 1987.