American History

Historically, the United States has been the destination for many immigrants earning it the reputation of being a mixed raced state. However, the immigration of Africans into the country in the early periods stands out because such migrations were usually involuntary. Other immigration groups came into the US in the pursuit of political freedom and economic opportunity (Anderson  Stewart, 2007). Africans in America were commoditized into capital goods, through slavery, to promote the development and economic growth of the country (Anderson  Stewart, 2007, p. 1). The immigration was aided by slave trade that was carried out as early as 1619 all the way until it was abolished in 1850 (Painter, 2006). As Anderson and Stewart (2007) point out, the enslavement was driven by a form of racism based on color that effectively denied the Africans their language, history, culture, ancestral ties and homeland affiliations (p. 1). In short, freedom was denied.

The Africans were to be later integrated into the fabric of the American society (Americanized) hence the term African Americans. Any meaningful discussion of the history of African Americans must start by first acknowledging the roots of their enslavement. Only then, can the strides that have been made by the African Americans be fully conceptualized. This study focuses on the progress that has been made by African Americans in different times in history ranging from 1865 to present day. It focuses on the challenges encountered during these times, the actions taken and how those actions have affected the social, economic, religious and cultural dynamics of the American society.

The year 1865 coincided directly with the end of the civil war. The war was between the Southern faction (predominantly farmers) and the Northern faction that was against the continuation of slavery (Anderson  Stewart, 2007). The war was therefore fought primarily on the issue of slavery. Over this period, the African Americans provided free labor for their masters in farms and as such, they faced economic oppression. The few who had made it to the army faced the same kind of oppression owing to the militia act of 1862 enabled the War Department to pay Black soldiers less than whites (Anderson  Stewart, 2007, p. 65). The political issue they faced at the time was a lack of freedom as they were not even considered eligible to vote. African Americans perceiving an interest in the civil war joined forces with the Northern faction to help defeat the south.

The North with the help of African American supporters won the civil war. The war led to the abolition of slavery by the then president Abraham Lincoln. The 13th Amendment, adopted late in 1865, officially abolished slavery (Black history milestones, 2010). This was to be the first victory for the Blacks in America. Lincoln was assassinated that same year, possibly due to his stance against slavery, but tremendous gains were made even after his assassination. For instance, the 15th Amendment, adopted in 1870, guaranteed that a citizens right to vote would not be denied on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude (Black history milestones, 2010). Nevertheless, the freedom that was now instituted in law made little tangible real difference in their living conditions. But the passage of these laws was to be significant for future periods.

The period between 1877-1876 saw commendable gains being made to make freedom real for the former slaves. On a social front, many family members had been estranged from each other following the civil war. In the aftermath of the war, people made concerted efforts to reunite with their families. Painter (2006) observes that sympathetic newspapers published by or for African Americans, carried special lost friends columns (p. 131). The effect of this was closer harmony and cooperation in society. The economic hardships that the African Americans faced while being enslaved were addressed. As Painter (2006) observes, they meant to work the land, but less for the market or for the good of other people but more to raise crops to feed themselves and their families (p 131). The black people in a bid to secure land to farm on their own used a range of means- legal, economic and forceful. The effect of this as Painter (2006) points out was that by 1900 freed people did mange to acquire farms and even a few plantations through purchase (p 132). This resulted in the economic progression of the black people.

Illiteracy was a common feature among the slaves. This was a technique that was used by the bond masters to keep the blacks in ignorance as they equated education with freedom. As Painter (2006) notes, they made freedom real by creating their own educational and religious institutions (p. 130). Indeed, Painter (2006) asserts that they made education one of their priorities after being freed. Protestant churches were established to fill the need for religion. The setting up of churches was a way of confirming their freedom even to worship that had been stymied in previous periods. Anderson and Stewart (2007) note that, the black church was a major institution in giving important assistance to and in sustaining the perseverance of the freed slaves (p. 72). The church played an important role in the provision of supporting services such as caring for the sick, assisting new immigrants find housing and employment and feeding the hungry.

However, despite these gains that were being made, there was still resistance from whites to this new wave of emancipation among the blacks. For instance there was still segregation being practiced in schools between black children and whites. Racial protests prompted  W.E.B. Du Bois to form a civil rights organization, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909 (Black history milestones, 2010). According to Black history milestones, Among the NAACPs stated goals were the abolition of all forced segregation, the enforcement of the 14th and 15th Amendments and equal education for blacks and whites. The entry of the US in the World War 1 as stated by Anderson and Stewart (2007) saw may African Americans seek to enlist in the army. They were however rebuffed at first, but were later accepted. Notably, enlisted African Americans were relegated to supporting tasks and not active military service. This was a preserve of the whites (Anderson and Stewart, 2007).

The period between 1921 and 1945 saw the blacks who still worked in the Southern farms face economic crisis. This follows a major depression in the agricultural sector between 1920 and 1927 (Anderson and Stewart, 2007). Most of these blacks migrated from the south to the north since the farms could not sustain their livelihoods. The outcome of that was the Harlem renaissance movement where African American creativity in the arts, literature and music blossomed (p. 76). This had a tremendous effect in determining the cultural make up of America. Similarly, this literary genius of the African Americans, coming right after the World War 1 had huge economic benefits to the United States. It was marked by high employment rates and general economic growth. The migrations to the North caused the population there to soar. As such, the African Americans became a force to reckon with in the Northern politics. Both sides of the political divide, Republicans and Democrats, did everything possible to win this block of voters. Their efforts included offering small political amenities and appointments to blacks (Anderson and Stewart, 2007). This period marked the entry of African Americans into American politics.

Undeniably, by1945 notable gains had been made by African Americans in gaining economic, religious, literary and political freedom. However, segregation was still widely practiced with the whites being viewed as being superior to the blacks. Certain industries were still dominated by whites, there was discrimination in schools. Sports such as baseball and basketball were not spared discriminative practices either. For instance, in 1945 Jackie Robinson was discharged from the army for refusing to move to the back of a segregated bus (Black history milestones, 2010). The period between 1945 and 1976 would see some of this discriminative practices outlawed. This resulted from the brevity displayed by individual like Jackie Robinson who refused to accept the status quo namely, being relegated to second class citizens.

The NAACP brought cases before the Supreme Court. The late breakthrough was to come in 1954 when the court reversed the separate but equal doctrine that had been established in 1896 (Black history milestones, 2010). Up until then, blacks used to ride in the back of public buses, the front seats having been reserved for the whites. This was to change when a lady named Rosa Parks willfully violated this rule. She was arrested but her actions sparked a bus boycott by the black population. The boycott was successful owing to the fact that blacks constituted 70 of the bus riders at the time. The protests were led by a young Pastor called Martin Luther King, Jr. (Black history milestones, 2010). The boycott finally paid off with the Supreme Court declaring the bus companys segregation seating policy unconstitutional on November 13, 1956.

Rosa Parks is viewed to have pioneered the civil rights movement rightfully earning the title mother of civil rights movement. Martin Luther King, Jr. was to prove himself a force to reckon with in the civil rights movement. He vigorously advocated for the rights of the black man in various forums, imploring the African American community to stand up for their rights. Other notable individuals such as Malcolm X who served as the leader of a parallel movement with no name, one that had deep ties to local militants in urban cities as well as to Third World revolutionaries, also played a significant role in the liberalization. Malcolm X was credited with the concept of black power that implored African Americans to stop relying on the Whites institutions to get what they want as these institutions were essentially racist.

The period after 1976 saw the calming down of tensions between the whites and the blacks. Affirmative action referring to policies and initiatives aimed at compensating for past discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion or national origin was instituted in 1978 (Black history milestone, 2010). This period was marked by tremendous gains being made by African Americans in different arenas. In Hollywood, black actors have continually made a name for themselves. Celebrities such as Bill Cosby and Oprah Winfrey, whose show started in 1986 and runs up to date, have proved that African Americans can make it at whatever field (Black history milestone, 2010). The climax of the progression of the African Americans happened in politics. Barack Obama, the current US president made history by becoming the first African American person to rise to the highest office in the free world. Barrack Obama, on January 20, 2009 was inaugurated into the highest office in the land (Black history milestone). The ceremony was symbolic for most African Americans. It signified the climax of the struggle of the black person, attained through the painful sacrifices made by people such as Martin Luther King Jr. who paid with their own lives to get us where we are.