Racism remains one of the unsolved problems in the United States since the colonial era. This has led to many complexities and profound effects on managing racism ideology among people of different races. Millions of African Americans who were formerly enslaved anticipated citizenship equality after the end of the Civil War.[1] Although there were some positive responses to equality initiatives, others worked towards spreading divisions based on racial lines. Subsequently, the current society in the United States and some other European countries have similar racism issues. It’s because various countries have taken various interventions to eradicate racism by formulating policies that protect the rights of each citizen regardless of race. This essay bases its argument on the aspect that despite the war on slavery seeming to bear fruits, there is a racial gap that remains unaddressed from people’s consciousness.
On 19 November 1863, Abraham Lincoln delivered a speech that moved masses at the cemetery conducted at the Gettysburg battlefield. The speech was later named the Gettysburg Address. The drive behind his speech was based on long-awaited freedom and the end of slavery. The expectations he had in mind for ending slavery activities were to be executed by moral and peaceable means, but it had to die through war. One of his influential sayings that significantly impacted current politicians was the motive and anxiety to end slavery by creating hope, one nation, one nationality, and one destiny. This element brought about equality among people and established a strong foundation for unity regardless of individual differences that may take different dimensions.
The war that had prevailed in the Gettysburg battlefield is an icon that depicts efforts to end slavery. The consequences of the civil war led to casualties exceeding 45000 by both sides that engaged in the war. Robert Lee had lost almost half of his army men and was compelled to retreat, which became a turning point for Civil wars in America.[2] The speech delivered by Abraham Lincoln disappointed many supporters since it went contrary to many’s expectations. However, the impact of his speech transformed the meaning of the Constitution and emphasized equality. According to Abraham Lincoln, if a country has to provide a proposition for its citizens, it must deliver its missions and visions irrespective of race. Currently, there are few cases of slavery due to enacted policies that protect each citizen from the acts of slavery.
A century after the end of the Civil War, another historic movement of activists emerged, headed by Dr. Martin Luther King. The movement wanted black freedom from slavery. This marked the black revolution, which agitated for Civil Rights that were not in place for inferior groups, especially black people. Some denied Civic rights include the right to vote and the subject tax on polls. In addition, the movement wanted economic justice, respect, and dignity to complement the definition of freedom purposely.
Martin Luther King, an activist for American Civil rights in the 1960s, made a revolutionary speech known as ‘I have a Dream.’ He gathered approximately 250,000 supporters of Civil rights on 28th August 1963. The main subject of his speech was geared towards ending racism in the United States and the provision of freedom rights to all citizens, especially the enslaved black men in America. In his speech, he said that even after a hundred years from the due date, the black man still did not have freedom. After completing his speech, he encouraged people to keep spreading the news regarding the dream.
According to Martin, equal rights and freedom should be embraced worldwide. The intention in this context was to enable black people and other races to live freely across the globe as well as ending hatred developed along racial lines.[3] Martin longed for the future when children will live unified regardless of color or being judged by their skin color but rather on their characteristics and qualities. This was an exceptional speech that, up to date, upholds relevance in the 20th century. A year later, the Civil Rights movement made the first two accomplishments that became one of its greatest successes. They include endorsing the 24th constitutional amendment that abolished the barrier for voting among African American voters and the poll tax. Secondly, approval of the 1964 Civil Rights Act that banned racial discrimination in education and employment. Besides, the act outlawed racial line segregation in facilities that belonged to the public.
In 1870, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) extended to each Southern State, which was a resistance movement by the whites against the economic equality that favoured blacks and Reconstruction-era policies of the Republican Party. This movement made silent campaigns geared towards violence and intimidation of both black and white Republican leaders. However, the Klan anticipated terrorism was suppressed by the passed Congress legislation. KKK had established numerous branches in the south. The leadership of the Klan did not have a well-defined leadership structure.[4] The local members of the clan were seen wearing hoods, white long robes, and masks. The reason for having this kind of wearing was purposely for night attacks, which aimed at restoring the supremacy of the whites and defeating the radical reconstruction. In the 1920s, the membership of the KKK reached approximately 4 million individuals across the globe, which marked its peak. This was considered the reconstruction of the Civil War against the Congress of the Republican Party.
In the early 1860s, President Andrew Johnson had reconstructed lenient policies that the KKK later rejected. Congress had to pass the Reconstruction Act. The South was classified into five distinct military districts. Each military district was to agree with the 14th Amendment that provided equal protection to enacted suffrage of male and former slaves. KKK activities thrived well, particularly in the southern regions of the state. This was because the South had very few blacks that formed the minority group of the population, and the majority were white people. Some parts of the South were limited to the blacks. The most commonly known notorious region for Klan activities was South Carolina. In 1871, over 500 men wearing masks were spotted in South California who invaded the jail of County Union and murdered eight black inmates.
In the 20th century, groups of protestant nativists revived the Klan, which burned, staging rallies, marches, and parades and denouncing immigrants, Jews, Catholics, organized labour, and blacks. In the 1960s, the activities of the Klan became extreme, which led to further consequences that included bombings of churches and schools that belonged to the blacks. Besides, in the South, violence erupted against white and black activities.
There is the existence of racism in many European countries due to certain personal perceptions of blacks that have roots in historical times. Changing these perceptions might take quite a long time for this element based on black discrimination to cease. However, laws should be enforced to protect individual rights against prejudice and judgment of the minority along the racial aspect.
References
[1] See: Krishnamurthy, R. (2013). Ethnic, racial and tribal: The language of racism? In Texts and Practices (pp. 137-157). Routledge.
[2] See: Gienapp, W. E. (2002). Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America: A Biography. Oxford University Press.
[3] See: Alridge, D. P. (2006). The limits of master narratives in history textbooks: An analysis of representations of Martin Luther King, Jr. Teachers College Record, 108(4), 662.
[4] See: Bostdorff, D. M. (2004). The internet rhetoric of the Ku Klux Klan: A case study in web site community building run amok. Communication Studies, 55(2), 340-361.
