The 1950’s -1960’s was a tough time for African Americans. Struggling for freedom since the 19th

Though the conclusion of the American Civil War in 1965 marked the end of slavery in the United States, African-Americans would not see anything resembling true freedom from the segregation and isolation imposed by slavery until very recently, and only after decades of difficult struggle. Some of the most important achievements occurred during the 1960s, when a generation of African-American leaders and activists, including Martin Luther King Jr., Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, and the Freedom Riders, fought against some of the last vestiges of explicit, institutionalized segregation, discrimination, and isolation in order to attain equality and civil rights. Only by examining the treatment of African-Americans throughout America's history can one begin to understand how the the ending of slavery, the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, and the contemporary issues facing the African-American community are inextricably linked. In turn this allows one to see how rather than existing as a single, identifiable turning point in the history of civil rights, African American's struggle for equality and an end to isolation must be considered as an ongoing project.

Although always positive in tone, it deals with the realities of a campaign that is now viewed as pivotal to the success of the American Civil Rights Movement but that was anything but assured in its own time. That King acknowledges this reality while placing it in a constructive context all the while advancing his positive, forward-looking message is a testament to his vision and incredibly forgiving perseverance. It's these gritty yet honestly conveyed insights - in addition to the outstanding Letter from Birmingham Jail that is the heart and soul of the book - that make this such a worthwhile and satisfying read. It's hard to read about the discrimination and racism, but the story of the eventual triumph ultimately overshadows this, with the result that the overall story is an uplifting and inspiring one. One sees here in all of his moral and pragmatic glory a leader who is committed to effecting positive change and yet honest enough to share his own challenges and

Slavery was abolished after the Civil War, but the Negro race still was not accepted as equals into American society. To attain a better understanding of the events and struggles faced during this period, one must take a look at its' literature. James Weldon Johnson does an excellent job of vividly depicting an accurate portrait of the adversities faced before the Civil Rights Movement by the black community in his novel “The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.” One does not only read this book, but instead one takes a journey alongside a burdened mulatto man as he struggles to claim one race as his own.

Life in the south for African Americans was nothing but a new form of slavery. Most African American’s were sharecroppers making little to no money to live while being oppressed by white southerners. Daily life in the south for African American’s was full of insults, rude looks, persecution and discrimination as well as the constant risk of being killed. African American’s in the south hated living there but, felt as if they had no other choice at the time it was the first and only available option for southern slaves after the civil war. African American’s wanted a better life and to be treated as they were told

The short story “Everyday Use,” by Alice Walker, contains multiple different literary elements. History and heritage play a key role in the development and conclusion of this rather intriguing story. Although history and heritage are important, the driving factors of this story are the literary elements. In particular the elements of symbols, characterization, and point of view in this story are significant.

Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” is a short story about a mother and two very different daughters set in rural Georgia during the late 1960’s. The plot is centered around on the two daughters, Dee and Maggie, and focusing on the differences between the two and who will gain possession of two hand-made quilts that are seen as a coveted trophy by Dee and are viewed as everyday items Maggie. The final decision of which daughter ultimately receives the quilts will be made by Momma Johnson. Momma, who is never given a first name in the story, is a strong black woman with many man-like qualities. “In real life I am a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands. In the winter I wear flannel nightgowns to bed and overalls during the

Despite the racial struggles in this period education remained a critical center point for civil rights upheaval during the 1950’s and through the following decade. Godfrey made a great impact at Penn State. Her former advisee and student Brenda Binns, describes her as magician, a people person and skillfully attune to the practice she taught. Binns said “I never thought of her as I have a black lady as an advisor, it was never part of it. She was a wonderful person who, at least, I didn’t sense any color bias at all” (B. Binns, personal communication, April 7, 2016.

Just beyond the grand columns of the Lincoln memorial, thousands of oppressed people stood, huddled and hopeful, as Martin Luther King Jr. gave his ground breaking speech, I Have a Dream. Contractually, years earlier, in the dusty and cramped space of a small apartment, Lorraine Hansberry sat and wrote one of the most influential plays of her time period, “A Raisin in the Sun”. Both events were monumental moments in the american civil rights movement. Lorraine Hansberry was an African-American playwright, but none of her other works had the same vital effect as, “A Raisin in the Sun”, a story that follows a poor African-American family in 1959 Chicago and the insurance check that saves them from destitution and renews their hope in their once deferred dreams. Years later, Martin Luther King Jr. stood in front of thousands of people and gave one of the most poignant and powerful speeches on hope, dreams, and equality in America. King’s speech, I Have a Dream, still holds immense weight to this very day and chronicles the story of the american civil rights movement. While the experiences of African-American people still echo in our society today, it is unanimously agreed that the civil rights movement was a massive turning point; both for America’s ideals and the treatment of African-Americans. King and Hansberry both utilize dreams and honor throughout their works, I Have a Dream and “A Raisin in the Sun”, to show the dignity and hope of the African-American people.

African Americans in America in history have gone through many hard times trying to just progress out of slavery and obtain freedom and have equal rights. In this paper I will attempt to explain what some of the important events of the time revealed about the role of African Americans in broader American society in, respectively, the 1920s and the late 1960s. I will explain how and why the roles of African Americans in the 1920s differed from their roles in the late 1960s, and explain how events in the 1920s may have contributed to

In the short story narrative “Everyday use”, Alice Walker uses verisimilitude to bring to life four characters, Mrs. Johnson, Dee, Maggie, and Asalamalakim. Mrs. Johnson is the Protagonist as well as the dynamic character because she is not only the “first actor” but also the character that undergoes the change. Supporting: Mrs. Johnson narrates Dee is used to always getting her way, but by the denouement and resolution of this short narrative Mrs. Johnson realizes a new strength within herself and she finally sticks up for Maggie and their

Through contrasting the family members and views in “Everyday Use”, Alice Walker illustrates the importance of understanding African American traditions of their own culture. Using careful descriptions and attitudes, Walker demonstrates which factors contribute to the values of one’s heritage and culture; she illustrates that these are represented not by the possession of objects, but by one’s lifestyle and attitude. In this paper I will explain the theme of the story “Everyday Use

Inequality in America can be expressed in many ways, for example through literature and media. Today I’d like to focus on the American Literature of African American inequalities through Narrative Identity. Narrative can be expressed as “a basic human strategy for coming to terms with fundamental elements of our experience, such as time, process, and change.” While Narrative Identity is identified as is the study of “the distinctive nature of narrative and its various structures, elements, uses, and effects.” (Course Notes). I have chosen three authors who expressed their views on racial inequality through poems and short stories. Frederick Douglas, Zora Neale Hurston, and Langston Hughes are all African American descendants who have personal experiences of inhumane treatments in America. Each

Inequality in America is expressed in many ways, for example literature and media. Today, I’d like to focus on American Literature of African American inequality through Narrative Identity. Narrative can be expressed as “a basic human strategy for coming to terms with fundamental elements of our experience, such as time, process, and change.” While Narrative Identity is identified as is the study of “the distinctive nature of narrative and its various structures, elements, uses, and effects.” (Course Notes). I have chosen three authors who expressed their views of racial inequality through poems and short stories. Frederick Douglas, Zora Neale Hurston, and Langston Hughes are all African American descendants who have personally experienced inequality in American and has chosen to express their experiences in American Literature. Even though these authors have shared experiencing inequality, they are all different because of the time in which their experienced occurred.

The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and ‘60s was a pivotal time period for the development of the United States as a country and for all of its citizens. This time period was filled with civil injustices, racial inequality, and an overall unfair system of governance and morality. The purpose of this research paper will be to highlight exactly the cruelty of the nation and the unfortunate discrimination that African Americans had to face during the 1950s and ‘60s. Furthermore, this research will discuss the history, impact, and legacy of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and ‘60s.

America has come a long way from the time of slavery, after the Civil War, when slavery was abolished, the southern Negro was having difficulty fitting in the normal “white” lifestyle. Passionate, expectant, and placid author Samuel J. Barrows approaches the southern Negroes lifestyle to expand on the differences between their quality of life before the Civil war and after during June of 1891. Barrows is striving to educate and expand on the difficulties that the Negroes are working through in order to make their lifestyle equal to the other American citizens. Dedicated and confident Barrows is educating the American citizens, both Negroes and whites, but utilizing motivational imagery to give them a sense of hope, many different forms of repetition, an appeal to religion as a way to show their lifestyle, an emphasis on rhetorical questions, and anecdotes of the Southern Negroes that Barrows had visited. Barrows ultimately wanted to speak out about the challenges that the southern Negroes are going through and leave them with hope for an enhanced future.