Sample Mla Essay: African American History Since 1877

The history of African-Americans in the United States can be traced back to the pre-dates of the highly outspoken Atlantic slave trade from the 16^th to 19^th centuries. The Black Americans, commonly referred to as African Americans, were mostly sourced from African counties and were enslaved to provide free labor in American plantations, such as sugarcane. The masters mistreated the blacks, and it was not until the 20^th century when their rights were enforced, although not fully, in the United States. In this century, many movements were formed to fight for their civil rights. “In the 1890s, the black’s demand for land, education, voting rights, and security intensified” (John, Lecture). However, the federal government and the white majority in the United States were opposed to these demands and continued to oppress the blacks. Black American Movements formed to promote the liberty of the blacks in the United States include the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA) and Knights of Labor. The Black American social movements reduced the level of racial and gender discrimination, violation of blacks’ civil rights, created a conducive working environment and increased the segregation of the Nigro community but failed to recognize the role of women extensively, all of which affected gender and social classes differently.

The Success of Black Movements  

            The black movements fought racial discrimination in the United States. Bay reports that “The racial injustices and of lynching and Jim Crow required a national response and federal action” (234). However, since the whites were opposed to the liberation of the African Americans since they felt they would lose their supremacy, the black social movements had to mitigate. The NAACP movement initiated a long fight with the federal government to promote the anti-lynching legislation that aimed at eradicating the tendency of the government to execute African Americans by extrajudicial actions – without legal proof for their alleged crimes. NAACP also fought racial discrimination in the legal system by “offering representation to blacks who had been unfairly imprisoned and support and guidance to black prisoners as a group” (Bay 10).

            The black movements, although less successful, fought for the recognition of women in society and the workplaces. For instance, the NAWSA organization, formed in 1890, fought for the women’s fighting rights in the United States. NAWSA influenced the passing of the “Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution” in 1920 that enables women to vote (John, Lecture). The relevance of this quote is that it shows how the movement helped the women to exercise their voting rights, thus influencing the political environment in the United States. In collaboration with labor leader Philip Randolph, NAACP convinced Eleanor Roosevelt to establish 1000 jobs for black women (John, Lecture; NAACP, n.p.). Also, the Knight of Labour promoted the admission of the blacks in the local assemblies, which enhanced better working conditions for the black community.

            The back movements also fought for the civil rights of the Nigro community. For instance, they ensured fairness in the legal system, where the blacks were not given a fair trial. The NAACP organization aimed at freeing and supporting the blacks who were convicted wrongly and had no power to fight for their rights to a fair trial. Bay reports that the organization “used lynching to draw attention to other racial inequalities in the United States” (265). The quote shows that at the time of its formation in 1909, the organization focused on promoting the equality of all Americans – whether white or black. For instance, the Knight of Labour required employers to pay equal pay for the same work, regardless of the race or gender of the workers. The union fought the imbalances experienced in the labor market, where the blacks were being mistreated and exploited by the employees and white workers.

            The black movements also enabled the creation of a conducive work environment for black workers. For instance, the Knight of Labour, especially in the 19^th century, negotiated for the better working condition in the united states (John, Lecture). After 1878, the labor union finally accepted the membership of women, the African Americans, and their employees. Some of the organization’s success include, “an 8-hour working day, abolition of child and convict labor, equal pay for equal work, the establishment of cooperatives and reduction of strikes action” (John, Lecture). This quote supports the thesis that the movements improved the working conditions for the blacks by opposing racial-based wages.

            Civil rights movements such as the NAWSA spearheaded the inclusivity of all races in the corporate world in the United States. Multiple movements emerged which advocated for equality of opportunities to the marginalized such as the Black Community, which saw increased involvements of the people of color in businesses and government organization. Also, the movements fueled the passing of The Civil Rights bill introduced by President John F. Kennedy which would become The Civil Rights Act of 1964. The statute is arguably the principal law that saw the establishment of a stable society where the interests of all were represented adequately. Thus, these movements paved the way for the enacting of several laws that stimulated the administration of equality to all.

            The NAACP’s continued advocacy for equality in jobs has seen many Black community members secure positions in various companies. Also, the movement has played a pivotal role in uplifting the place of women in the workplace by continually engaging in talks and affirmative actions to have segregate laws removed. Today, the aftermath of protests and other actions advocate by NAACP are still present in the social and working environments with more activities imminent. The movements also paved the way for more opportunities to Black women in the workplace, although Black women still face oppression as compared to white women and other black men in society.

            The black social movements failed to endorse black women in leadership, while others failed like NAACP failed to acknowledge women leadership at all. NAACP had limited support from the black leaders, who according to Mia Bay “had contented with the racist white majority that questioned the black qualification for leadership” (9). This quote shows the existence of disunity among blacks to fight for their freedom rather than promoting their selfish interests. Lack of sufficient support from the black community limited the achievements of the movements. It is surprising that some not only the whites but also some blacks were opposed to the liberation of African Americans in the United States. Also, Mia Bay reports that “Women had a gender disadvantage when it comes to navigating the highly contested black politics in Nadir” (235). The quote shows that despite the black movements’ attempt to reduce gender imbalance, the to achieve not only race discrimination, but also a gender imbalance in the country, which was one of its primary goals. The NAACP organization, in 1912, was challenged by the NAWSA’s president, Willian Bois, for discriminating against black women leadership. However, after the challenge, NAWSA appointed some women leaders.

The Consequences of Black Movements’ Success and Failure

            The black social movements’ success in reducing gender and racial imbalance enhanced the inclusivity of the blacks and women in society. For instance, the NAWSA organizations enhanced the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States that enabled women to engage in federal and local politics by giving them voting powers. The black movements, such as NAACP and NACW, fought with the federal government with the attempt to eradicate the use of lynching to convict blacks in the United States. The movements convinced Dyer, Republican from ST. Louis, Missouri introduced the Anti-Lynching Bill in 1918, which was passed and lynching was considered a federal crime. The passing of the bill was a great achievement for the blacks, who now had a chance to prove their innocence in legal systems, rather than being executed without a fair trial. The movements’ urge to increase the blacks’ access to better-paying jobs soon resulted in the abolishment of the slave trade. Also, NAACP managed to convince NAWSA to acknowledge women leadership, thus reducing racial segregation, although not completely, in the organization.

            The black movement's success in reducing civil rights violation reduced the level of crime rate and wrongful conviction of the African Americans. For instance, the Knight of Labor’s actions to ensure equal pay for the same work reduced the level of workers’ strikes, since the labor union resolved most of their challenges. Also, the movements helped the protection of children by enhancing the reduction of child labor, as well as forced labor (John, Lecture). The movements also enabled black children to access high quality education and attain high paying jobs, rather than being forced to provide free labor. The black movements, such as NAACP and NACW with the attempt to enhance black access to education, played a significant role during the 1950s and 1960s civil right movement, that influenced the Supreme Court to Outlaw segregation in the public schools (Wilmington). Following the ruling, the blacks could access education, and acquire high paying jobs, rather than the manual jobs that were often associated with the black community in the United States.

            The Negro community segregation is the severe adverse impact of Black movements in the United States. Critics of the Black Power movement contend that while the movements advocated for equality and justice for the Black people, it also segregated them from the greater American community. Most organizations became isolated through divisive slogans and strategies. Racial segregation emerged as a consequence of policies and agendas that seek to create a boundary between racial groups rather than bringing the differences together. Despite the tremendous efforts to dismantle the prolonged racial segregation in the United States, segregation of the Negro community is still present today. Segregation takes various forms ranging from housing to schools.

How Gender and Class Influenced Black Movements

            Black American social movements are renowned for their impact on the social groups in the United States and other parts of the world. Organizations such as NAACP, NAWSA, and Knight of Labor emerged to claim advocacy to various agendas typical of the Black American social movements, and their impacts stretch to the restructuring the American society. Gender, race and social class structures are crucially intertwined to form a system and any external forces affecting it may have an explicit impact throughout its constituents (John, Lecture). Thus, the consequences of the Black social movements cut across men, women, and the working class in the United States.

            While that may be the case in most individuals from the Black community in the United States, black women are the core of oppression and thus benefited considerably more than other victims. Black women not only face oppression as Black people in a society with a more significant majority of people being white but also oppression from men in a society considered to be significantly male-dominated (NAACP n.p.). Social movements have contributed significantly to the uplifting of women in social status. The NAACP, for instance, has fought for the equality of all persons by addressing issues which cut across socioeconomic and political aspects to educational equality. Further, the NAWSA has made tremendous achievements in pushing for the amendments and introduction of laws that support equality to women. One of the critical advocacies of NAWSA is the political engagement of women, which has seen many African American women participate in politics. Social movements have improved both activist and observer political participation in a far-reaching concept, whereby women have acquired empowerment through individual psychology.

            Working class-related issues propagated by Black social movements arose with the commencement of civil rights advocacy in the early 1940s. In effect, Black movements formed before the civil rights protests reassessed their agenda and channeled their objectives towards the achievement of equality of employment opportunities. For instance, the Knight of Labor – a movement established to address challenges facing laborers at the workplace – has portrayed exemplary aspects as an organization that advocates for the equality of all worker. Workers in marginalized communities such as the Black amassed many benefits from the movement. NAWSA has always accommodated African American Women in their leadership and membership by offering them chances in local and state organizations.

Conclusion

            The Black social movements contributed significantly to the liberation of the black community in the United States from its early age in 1900s to today. The movements reduced the level of racial discrimination in the country by promoting the voice of women and blacks’ access to social services, help fight for civil rights of the black community and enabled the creation of a conducive working environment for women and black workers. However, the organizations caused segregation of the Nigro community. Despite their initiatives to fight gender and racial discrimination, the members of these movements, in some instances, were racists and gender biased. More often, the organizations segregated black members from essential matters, while others failed to embrace women leadership. Such segregation and disunity within the movements caused some to split, like NAWSA, while others failed to accomplish their objectives.

Works Cited

Bay, Mia. To tell the truth freely: The life of Ida B. Wells. Macmillan, 2009.

NAACP. "NAACP | Nation's Premier Civil Rights Organization." NAACP. N. p., n.d.             https://www.naacp.org/nations-premier-civil-rights-organization/ [Accessed 29 Apr.     2019].

Wilmington. Wilmington On Fire: White Supremacy and the Democratic Party’s Dark Past,    2015. Film by Christopher Everett.