LET’S TALK: “Civil Rights and Social Justice Engagement”
Engaging in a conversation with a 28-year-old millennial about African American history can be a sobering experience. While history books focus on civil rights and social justice, they rarely delve deeply into the significant actions and impact African Americans contributed to shaping and defending democracy in the United States. African Americans have long been at the forefront of the fight for civil rights and social justice, dating back to January 1, 1863, when the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
They quickly learned a piece of paper does not change anything by itself there is another element needed, people. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was not the only one who fought for democracy and civil rights. Hundreds of men and women protested and fought for enforcement of not only the Emancipation Proclamation but also the beliefs held to be true in the Declaration of Independence. They organized marches and organizations like NAACP, formed CoOps and financial institutions, built schools and communities. Other noted civil rights activists are Coretta Scott King, James Baldwin, Malcolm X, Thurgood Marshall, Ella Baker,
Julian Bond, Fannie Lou Hamer, Stokely Carmichael, Septima Poinsette Clark, Claudette Colvin, Medgar Evers, Freedom Riders, Ruby Bridges, James Lawson, Marcus Garvey, Angela Davis, Harry Belafonte, and many more.
The civil rights movement should have ended during the reconstruction era because the African American was on an upward move. With the birth of the Reconstruction era, 1868 called the Glory Year, was a coming together of an extraordinary assemblage of African Americans, native whites, and northern newcomers. They were empowered because the south new constitution laws protected their civil rights. During this period, the African American could vote, hold office, and serve on juries. Hiram Revels was the first African American elected in 1870 to the Senate and served in congress. The future looked bright only to be short lived. Enter the Jim Crow era to deter and stop the growth, development, and productivity of the African American. The Jim Crow law era began in 1865 right after the ratification of the 13th amendment, the abolishment of slavery, and did not end until the passing of the Voting Rights Act in 1965.
The war on civil rights and social justice lasted one hundred years from 1865 to 1965. The African American fought for civil rights and social justice and followers of Jim Crow law fought for segregation. During those years, the Klu Klux Klan was formed and the African American endured harassment, beatings, death threats, death by hanging, voter suppression, burning of towns and churches, and bombings of towns, homes, and churches. Their actions only made the African American fight harder.
History will repeat itself. It is up to every American to preserve and teach the history of their culture. The young must learn freedom does not come without a price and it is a battle that must be fought with every generation. The African American continues to this day, to fight for social justice and equality.
“Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country. This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass it on.” Thurgood Marshall.
