American History

During the 1950s, there came a period in the American History when racial tension became a controversy and official abuses were unbridled. This was also the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. Robert Franklin Williams, a civil rights leader, first published a book entitled Negros with Guns in 1962. Wanting to build a nation against racial discrimination and to promote assimilation and armed black self-defense in the United States of America, Williams wrote a book to inform the many citizens about what he had experienced within the arms of the brutal pacifists of Civil Movement. Williams became a President of the  National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Monroe, North Carolina where he was also brought to life on the 25th of February, 1925.

Williams fought against racism. He produced publicity campaigns, wrote articles, made radio addresses, became a spokesperson of African-American rights, and protected them against violent racists. Williams stated that the organization had only a handful of core members but could call on as many as two hundred publics at a moments notice to look after the black community. In order to protect the local black people and community from racist activities, he started a Black Armed Guard. Several individuals, as well as his own office opposed such movement. For this fact, he was suspended as a president of the NAACP because he campaigned for the use of violence as a means of Self-defense for the black community and was also accused of kidnapping two white couples by the FBI. Williams received several threats in his life and in his own family. He wrote a newsletter entitled The Crusader to reach out to other people and inform them about his movement. He also made collaboration with the Black Power to make a documentary about his public and private life.

Williams became a very controversial man in his time. He made everyone remember his activities by writing a book that is based upon his own life. The concept of his book, Negros with Guns is generally regarding racial discrimination. This issue between the Americans and African-Americans has never come into an end. Up to this generation, the two races could not find a way to solve their problem.

The first act of race-based slavery ever recorded in the American history was dated back over the year 1619. These slaves were the Black Americans. There also came a time when slavery was legalized in Massachusetts. Even statesmen who made movements against human slavery had several slaves within their grounds. Those were the days when human slavery flourished in the state.

Williams stated several instances when he experienced being racially discriminated in his state. One of these said occurrences was when Roy Wilkins suspended Robert Williams because of his movement of letting Black Americans with arms. Wilkins believed that Williams perspective over the issue was not the solution of the race problem. NAACP was against Negros with Guns but other pacifists, including those white people, were into the movement. Williams found out that no provision in the NAACP constitution could justify Roys action against him.

Gradually, Williams realized that there was more important than fighting for his suspension. He realized that what was more important was a better communication within the race. There were several information about the struggle of equality within the black Americans and the white Americans during that time that was why Williams was very much determined to make a change. He wanted to change the impression of people with Negros. In order to provide accurate information about them, he decided to produce newsletters which were called The Crusader.
 
After that, he developed a sit-in campaign in 1960. This campaign proved that self-defense and non-violence could be effectively combined and that it could be of great help for the black Americans. They thought that this would become a big break for the problem, until Williams was arrested and was sentenced to serve the chain gang within thirty days. No lawyer filed for his case. Letters were delivered to him asking to cease his civil rights movement. Others believed that what he was doing could bring more trouble to the state. Threats of taking his life and his familys safety did not stop from occurring.
 
Another instance of racial discrimination in Monroe was when a Negro was beaten up and was kidnapped by white mobs. When the FBI learned about this, they refused to demand any charges for kidnapping. Williams requested protection from the police. He wanted to protect the lives of the Negros from harm and violence. They had an agreement, but after that, no single police came to rescue whenever there are Negros who needed help.
 
Williams made another program for fighting for the rights of the Negros. He petitioned ten points for the civil rights movement. They demanded for equal rights in matters of education, leisure and most of all, for employment purposes.
 
Another movement called Monroe Non-Violent Action Committee was developed by the Freedom Riders in cooperation with Williams. The Freedom Riders reflected an manner of certain Black American leaders who said that Williams had messed up the condition and that they would show people how to be successful without violence. The Freedom Riders were also beaten up by white Americans. Williams called for protection from the police, but nothing happened. There was chaos all over the place. Negros became some of the victims of the incident. After that, several Freedom Riders as well as Negros were arrested. Some Freedom Riders were missing. These victims sent to prison were badly bruised up and some were bleeding to death. In spite this situation, no medical support was given to them. Upon knowing this injustice way of treating prisoners, Williams immediately called the chief of Police and demanded medical treatment for those who were badly damaged. If he would not know this situation, those who were severely hurt could be dead at that moment.
 
During the race trouble, when everyone was fighting violently within the state, a white couple, Mr. and Mrs. Stegall, came riding through Williams neighborhood. Thinking of the safety of these two, Williams took them to their place. Unfortunately, Mrs. Stegall misinterpreted his actions and accused him of kidnapping them. He convinced the couple that they were only there to help them. Later on, the FBI arrested Williams and charged him of kidnapping two white Americans. The Williams flew away to New York. Threats did not stop even when they left Monroe. Williams saw on newspapers around town that Mrs. Stegall turned him down by saying different side of the story. Most people thought that the Williams left Monroe because they were fleeing a condemnation. The FBI made different stories from the matter and continued on searching for Williams.
 
All these instances were written in the chapters of Williams Negros with Guns. Racial discrimination was a very controversial issue regarding that time. Until now, different races compete for liberty. He showed his desire to change an ineffective system of justice in the state. This book made a completely different approach to activism. He made a movement that was able to change the way people think about Black Americans. Williams, with the use of his written piece created a vision that Black Americans have the capacity to fight for their own sense of democracy. They could think of ways to show other people that they should not be treated as slaves or anybody whos less of a person.
 
The use of Comparison and Contrast enriched the significance of the book. Williams used different races and wellknown persons to further discuss his message. He stated that his cause was the same as Asians fighting against imperialism, or African against white savagery, or Cuba against white supremacy imperialism. He used different races and cultures to extend his message to other individuals other than the American nation. The more people would learn and understand the struggle of races in their nation, the better it was for his purpose of disseminating accurate information to the public. The White Americans were the ones who led everybody with misunderstands and misinformation with the status of their races. Williams was never against the white people. He was against what they were doing with the Black Americans. He was against racial discrimination. He was against injustice and slavery.
 
Regarding Williams movement, his giving of permission to Negros to be armed with weapons seemed quite problematic. It seemed very ambitious. In a real life situation, not everyone could use such weaponries to defend themselves. Not everyone has the courage to use violence over violence. Physical self-defense could be more effective and could be of great help to all individuals. Black Americans should be equipped with the knowledge of fighting for the sake of defending ones self. If this movement would be granted, result will probably lead to more violence than beneficial ends. Everybody knows that people have different thoughts regarding this issue. What the state should be doing is to educate everybody with precise learning without any biased perspectives.
 
The state should refrain from degrading those belonging from the different races especially the Black Americans. Everybody is made equal and should be treated equally too. Individuals should learn that everybody has hisher own capabilities and skills, weaknesses and strengths no matter what race theyre in. There should be another system of justice to support the needs of every single race there exists. If the state would not be able to change their way of processing or seeing justice, then there will never be justice for everybody.

The book also explored Williams influences on Black Power supporters beginning with the reverberation of Negroes with Guns, his discourse on African-American armed self-defense. Unfortunately, the overall treatment of Williams association to the Black Power Movement lacks fine distinction and seems perfunctory. The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense is the only black power organization that is named and existing links between Williams and black power leaders are not talked about. If this is discussed Negros with Guns will be sufficient enough to explain why all events during that time happened.

Nonetheless, Williams should be very much commended with all of his contributions with the American History. He became one of the proponents who fought for the rights of Black Americans. His name will always be remembered and will be adored for giving hope to every Black person in the state.

Williams showed chivalrous acts of protecting the civil rights of African-American people.  During his time, he became one of the few who were willing to risk their lives for human justice. His efforts of giving the rights to black people made great changes in the history of America. He became one of the evidences that black persons are not violently brutal and that they deserve respect just like any other human beings do. His book also became a revelation of the ineffectiveness of the justice system and the miscarriages of its constitution. Anomalies happen even before and up to now, it is still occurring. People cannot take full control over the individuals way of thinking and deciding upon certain matters. The only thing that is possible to do is to give guidance and knowledge of what is right or wrong or what can be justified and not.
 
Negroes with Guns provided voice and flesh to a man whose great effort for his people has been downgraded to the sidelines of civil rights history. It presented Williams by addressing straightforwardly the serious issue of African-American armed self-defense. This literary piece presented a new approach to activism. Williams showed his life as an activist without using violence to reach out to other people. He showed that activism doesnt have to include throwing stones, pumping water, vandalism and the like for them to be heard. One could speak for his rights and others rights if one knows what he truly stands for or what hes fighting for. The astounding lack of profundity to the black power discussion, on the other hand, was a major dissatisfaction in the book.