It seems that when slavery was discarded, the blacks were still treated unfairly. They had to use separate bathrooms from the white, attend different school from the whites, and were even considered the very bottom of a racial hierarchy. This is confusing to me because the time the Declaration of Independence was around so it made me think is this Constitutional? It states in the Deceleration of Independence “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
created equal,”. Did this not apply to the colored Americans?(Colored Only Hotel)--->
Even when the blacks fought for the US they were still treated unfairly. AN excerpt from a letter from James Henry Gooding, a black soldier, to president Lincoln stated, “On the 6th of the last month, the paymaster of the department informed us that if we would decide to receive the sum of $10 per month, he would come and pay us that sum, but that, on the sitting of Congress, the regiment would, in his opinion, be allowed the other $3” He goes on to talk about how white soldiers were paid $10 plus $3.50 for clothing expenses. A question that pops into my head as well as in James’s letter is, were they soldiers or were they laborers?
In 1964 the 24th amendment abolished the poll tax which was instituted to make it harder for poor coloreds to vote. This was good progress for blacks trying to achieve equality.
The day all discrimination was legally prohibited was July 2, 1964 when the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, outlawing segregation in schools, public places, and employment.
(The Civil Rights Act of 1964 below)
A part in the Civil Rights Act that I find especially important was an excerpt that talks about how blacks are entitled to the same education as the whites "SEC. 402. The Commissioner shall conduct a survey and make a report to the President and the Congress, within two years of the enactment of this title, concerning the lack of availability of equal educational opportunities for individuals by reason of race, color, religion, or national origin in public educational institutions at all levels in the United States, its territories and possessions, and the District of Columbia."Before the Civil Rights Act, coloreds went to school separate from whites, which meant a poorer education for the coloreds, which was bad because education was and still is extremely powerful. If you wish to read more about school segregation you should read Jasmine Bell’s blog.
I think that a good education was and still is the most important thing in someone's life especially in today's society. Without an education you would not be able to survive, you would not be able to get a job which means no money which means no materials to assist you in living.
The Civil Rights did not just change life for blacks it helped mold how all society is today.
"Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964."
"The Declaration of Independence : full text."
"Letter to Pres. Lincoln from James Henry Gooding."
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