Racism Then and Now

Racism is something that has, just like the rest of the world, evolved. Long ago, black people were beaten, mistreated, overworked, and discriminated against because of their color. Later on, with the abolition of slavery, the issue improved, but whites still thought they should go to different schools, live in separate neighborhoods and not be allowed to vote. During the Great Depression (1930’s), African Americans were hit particularly hard by racism: their jobs were often taken away first and given to their white counterparts. An example of the severity of the racism they experienced would be the Montgomery bus boycott, which was initiated by the arrest of Rosa Parks in 1955. It lasted 13 months and was ended with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public buses would be unconstitutional (against the law).

Nowadays, African Americans don’t have to live in fear or worry about being separated from or treated differently by whites because everyone has the same rights and obligations. However, in recent years, racism has taken a more stereotypical form. For example, young black people are often thought to be “violent” and “threatening”, and black women are stereotyped as angry, independent, and materialistic. Although this form of racism is not necessarily “life-threatening” and considering the fact that many African Americans are not bothered by racism, it’s still a problem for a large majority.

Unfortunately, racism will probably never be extinct because it’s human nature to make conclusions about other people. We will always judge others before we know them, taking account only what lays in front of our eyes.  This is why it’s important to be aware of the things we say and overcome this by making an effort to respect everyone.

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