Analysis of the American Racial Discrimination against Blacks in 21st century
intruder began their dirty and bloody human-trading business. Since the 17th century, the black were shipped to America and the number of the black was up to 400 thousand (Sowell 1993: 187). After that, the tragedies fell on the black people one after another. The social status of black people had been improved after the Civil War; however they still had to face unfair treatments from the whole society. Although the black got their freedom and became a part of the society to some extent, they felt that they were treated differently. How to solve the problem is to which nobody can find a prompt solution.
Ⅱ. The Forms and Reasons of Racial Discrimination against
Blacks
We can see that racial discrimination is not as strong as 50 years ago because many people fight against racial discrimination. Black people now take on some very respectful jobs, such as lawyers, TV program designers, and doctors, they get respect from others in some degree. But, if we see it much deeper, we will find that racial discrimination is still very common on contemporary society, only it takes subtle forms.
2.1 The Forms of Racial Discrimination against Blacks
Living in the 21st century, we can still feel the existence of racial discrimination. Racial discrimination against blacks mainly includes three parts. They are as follows.
2.1.1 The Field of Education
When talking about the cultural field, the aspect of education can not be neglected, especially for children of the black. In 1930, only 58.5% black people could enter schools, but in 1980s, the black children could have the same chance to enter schools (Gilbert and Karl 1992: 92). In 1965, the Middle School Education Act accelerated the step of eliminating the system of racial segregation. More and more black children could enter the same school as the white children (Franklin 1988: 567). Previous studies have suggested that in response to occupational and educational discrimination based on the race, many African American students have mentally
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Analysis of the American Racial Discrimination against Blacks in 21st century
withdrawn from the schooling process, as indicated by low levels of achievement and high levels of school dropout. Before 1954, the states in the South had legislation which indicated that the black children were forbidden to enter the school where the white children were educated. In 1960, there were 589 schools in New York, but only 95 schools where black children were permitted to receive their education. The black children grow up in the environment of being treated like another creature from another planet.
“In recent years there has been a resurgence of racial conflict at predominantly white institutions of higher education. Incidents of harassment and violence at the University of Michigan, the University of Massachusetts, and other campuses have highlighted the constituting racial divisions among majority and minority students. These incidents have emerged during a period when the society, in general, has expressed concern about the declining enrollment of racial minorities—particularly blacks in higher education.”(The Urban Review 1988: Vol. 20, No.3)
2.1.2 Labor Market
The high rate of unemployment of the black appeared after the Second World War. In 1946, the Job Management Community declared that there was no work for blacks. Then each factory cut down the number of black workers. Owing to the Second World War, the rate of unemployment of the black was twice of whites. From 1952 to 1954, the rate of unemployment of the blacks increased from 5.4% to 9.9 % (Herbert 1965: 367). Equality in employment and salary did not exist. In 1954, the average income of the blacks per hour was lower 1.90 dollar than the whites? (Raphael 1993: 532). “Black men?s average wages in 1975 were $4.65, 78% of the white male wage.” (Reimers 1983: 570) Statistics provided by the United States Department of Labor suggest that by November 2004, the unemployment rate for black and white people is 10.8 percent and 4.7 percent respectively. According to some statistics, black people?s income is just 1/3 of the white people?s even if they are doing the same job. That?s of course due to the discrimination in the labor market. On the whole, the colored people are generally poor, with living bad condition. Statistics show that the
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Analysis of the American Racial Discrimination against Blacks in 21st century
number of black people living in poverty is three times that of the white.
2.1.3 Criminal Justice System
The most common scene that appears in our head when talking about the racial discrimination is that many black people are jammed in a cell. Here is some official report: By the end of 2003, out of 1.4 million prisoners who are serving jail terms above one year at the federal or state prisons, 44 percent were blacks. Blacks who are arrested are 3 times more likely to be imprisoned than whites who are arrested. The blacks are easily arrested, besides that, their sentences are also more severely than the whites. They are easily to be sentenced to death.
“Reevaluation of published research on racial bias in criminal sentencing and of the data on execution rates by race from 1930 to 1967 and on the death—sentencing rates from 1967 to 1978 indicates that, except in the South, black homicide offenders have been less likely than whites to receive a death sentence or be executed.” (American Sociological Review 1981: Vol. 46)
2.2 The Reasons of Racial Discrimination against Blacks
What cause the situation? Why racial discrimination does still exists today? Here are some brief analysis from the angles of culture, politics, economy and black people themselves.
2.2.1 Political Reason
The first factor is politics. The low social status decides that there is no real fair law for black people. Black people and white people were forbidden to sit in the same area on the bus, to go to the same school, to go to the same post office, or to go to the same church, etc. It seemed that every place where white people appeared was a forbidden-place for the black. The right-owners wanted to make black people disappear from the world for good, but it was impossible. Every race has its reason to exist in the future if they existed before, and to have the free air to live is their irrevocable right. The world belongs to everyone, and the air one pulls out of his lungs may be inhaled by others, so we can not exist without others.
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Analysis of the American Racial Discrimination against Blacks in 21st century
2.2.2 Cultural Reason
The second factor we are talked about is culture. It?s well known that the black were brought to America in the 18th century as slaves, and their posterity kept on working on plant farms until the Civil War was ended. So, at the very beginning, their social status was very low, white people and some who have social status treated them very bad as horses and cattle. At that time, it was unlikely for black people to develop and spread their culture. It seemed that they didn?t have themselves culture at all. Very few black people were educated, if there was any, it must be that some very open-minded slave-owners taught his favorite salves common knowledge, which could only be used in the daily life. It was undoubted for Philosophy, mathematics and physics to be taught to the blacks. Until today, the education level of black people is much lower than others. Culture is the bridge to bringing two races together, but there is a big gap between black people?s culture and white people?s. So, the tremendous gap between black people and white people comes naturally.
2.2.3 Economical Reason
The third important factor is economy. Everybody has the notion that economy is the foundation of politics and culture.
Why black people are looked down upon in the United States? If we track the problem down, we will find that the factor of economy lies at the bottom; if we compare all the factors to a pyramid. For example, a white man who owned a car might feel very proud when he droved his car passing a black man who had to wait for bus in the rain. A white lady wearing one dear dress might look at a black woman in the low price dress cheaply. The white family might live happier than the black one because they had many opportunities to appreciate their life. That was the difference!
2.2.4 Reasons on Black People Themselves
Except for these reasons we talked about above, there is still a blank that we haven?t fill in --- black people themselves.
If we walk around America, we will find that the black people do not follow the society?s steps. They have their own living place take the place of living together with
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Analysis of the American Racial Discrimination against Blacks in 21st century
others. In their community, they also have schools. But the teachers are not eligible. So the black children fall behind at the very beginning, compared with the white children. On top of that, they have much homework. So maybe there is less time for them to think about more important questions---what they live for and how to get a happier life. All we see in the ghetto is that a black young man gets a car and beautiful house by robbing others, or a boy and a girl have a baby when they themselves are still children, etc. What will they do if they grow up under such circumstances? The answer is obvious---to follow them. So, they get poorer and poorer, and they stand on the edge of the society at last.
Ⅲ. The Way of Blacks and Government’s Fight against Racial
Discrimination
3.1 Famous Black Leaders against Racial Discrimination
Many people devoted themselves to this honorable career, and some of them even died for it. Among them, these important persons should be mentioned.
As a prominent leader of civil rights, Martin Luther King led 250 thousand people to fight for black people?s freedom, equality, and employment. As the work of I Have a Dream, Martin Luther King won the Nobel Peace Price in 1964. Unluckily, two years later, he was murdered; he devoted his precious life to the liberation of black people. His I Have a Dream is the declaration of the blacks telling the world that their race exists independently as other races. This article incorporates the ideologies, symbolism, and strategies employed by Martin Luther King Jr. to radically transform public opinion regarding the rights of blacks to become integral participants in the “American Dream”—a dream that would allow them the same rights according to those in mainstream society.
Without Martin Luther King, Americans might take different buses, eat in different restaurants, go for walks in different parks, and shop in different stores because of the different colors and shin.
Another is Rosa Parks. “Rose Parks exemplifies the very best of America: a compelling commitment to justice for all persons, in spite of race, class, career,
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