Examples Of Oppression In America

Words: 2311
Pages: 10

Oppression of Blacks in America
John M. Johnson
Virginia Commonwealth University Historical Evidence of Oppression Black immigrants have been in America for over 400 years. According to Miller (2014), most of the black migration came from Africa. Slavery has been one of the largest struggles for black people. For blacks, slavery will always mark a period of hate, cruelty, persecution, and oppression. Their families were broken up and divided. The men were beaten and forced to work while their women were as well. The women would have to endure rape on top of the already difficult circumstances of slavery. According to Gooden (2014), education was denied to all blacks as reading was frowned upon and had to be kept a secret from
…show more content…
In 1954 the Supreme Court struck down the “separate but equal” doctrine. The Civil Rights Movement had been born and for over a decade black activists and leaders protests and brought about disobedience for discriminatory laws. One example is The Freedom Riders who were Civil Rights activists consisting of both black and white individuals who broke Jim Crow barriers by traveling down to the South and demonstrated their dislike of such laws by occupying designated areas for both races. This activist group spread their influence to ensure that ALL are treated equally and fairly. The historical evidence of oppression of blacks is very much evident today. Blacks have made progress but there are still issues of inequality as it pertains to education, workforce, and other areas that will be …show more content…
Since then, there have been several acts of police involved killings toward unarmed blacks. Black Lives Matter became widely known and instrumental in protesting the inequalities and exposure of a broken justice system. According to Wellington (2015), the phrase "Black Lives Matter" is often used as a convenient banner encompassing the groups that responded to recent events by disseminating protest - both online and in the streets. They include Dream Defenders, The Million Hoodies Movement for Justice, Millennial Activists United and other youth-oriented groups in Ferguson, Mo and other cities across