American History 222 Mid Term Exam

Felicia McCaw
American History
Midterm Exam for History 222

#4 Discuss the lives of African Americans from 1877 through the 1920s. Make sure you address the black codes of the South, exclusion from industry, migration and the Harlem Renaissance. Also analyze African American influence in politics, religion and culture.

African Americans of the past and present. Have we evolved?

The lives of the African American during the times of the 1800s were a bittersweet lot oppressed and yet free, seen and not, heard and not, dehumanized, discriminated against to serve a purpose because of the differences of races. During the period from the 1877 forward the government retreated from the South and allowed the Southerners control of their states to govern and write laws to govern all within the states as they decided. Further, because the African Americans outnumbered the white race in the South steps were taken to regain control and many ruthless actions were done to repress and reduce a black man, black woman or black child back to their proper place as the white race decided. The Southerners took revenge against them because of the deprivation of their lifestyle they were used to and position as a political force in the overall picture of American politics. The African Americans became the whipping post due to the South losing its control over this race and ruthlessly set about taking control back to ease their fears of being retaliated against because of the treatment they had issued out to African Americans and the fear of being massacred was a reason they acted so.

During the 1880s according to the census data compiled African American men and females had diverse occupations but were still oppressed and lived in a depressed era . The majority of African American men were unskilled laborers or service workers and this was the only avenue for them to survive. Unfortunately, prejudice and racism was so ingrained that obstacles were placed in front of African American males and females to prevent them from achieving economic success.

Felicia McCaw
American History
Midterm Exam for History 222
Page 2

The Jim Crow Laws was put in motion which allowed the segregation of the people in many forms, e.g., living quarters, entertainment sections, transportation, educational rights and many others. The right to vote was made hard by being under attack physically, schooling of African American children was hampered due to lack of inadequate funding and appropriate learning material. In 1890 a law was passed requiring separate accommodations for colored (people of mixed ancestry – white and black), black and white passengers on railroads.

The Black Codes were passed throughout the United States to limit the basic human rights and civil liberties of African Americans to control the labor, movements and activities of newly freed slaves. Further, the codes caused the African American males and females to be regulated and placed in an inferior position and treated as if they would not work unless they were coerced. It also emphasized that any individual with 1/8 or more African blood as persons of color and was subjected to the special provisions of the law. Also, these codes were enacted to secure a steady supply of cheap labor which kept the African American males at a disadvantage and enforced the idea of their inferiority. Furthermore, these codes granted African American certain rights such as legalized marriage, ownership of property and limited access to courts and denied them the right to testify against whites, to serve on juries on in state militias or to vote. Also, the Black Codes required African Americans to sign yearly labor contracts and if they did not they could be arrested and hired out to white landowners.

Felicia McCaw
American History
Midterm Exam for History 222
Page 3

The Black Migration started due to the demand for industrial goods and the need for laborers to work. Many African Americans migrated from the South to acquire better paying jobs for himself as well as for his family. Racial prejudice was still prevalent in the North and the African (Black) American were viewed suspiciously as strike breakers and were attacked, killed and hung.

The Harlem Renaissance movement was the epitome of who African American is and reflects the culture and that is it is a reflection of the best facets of African Americans and that is it signifies an artist dreams relaying artistically of who and what they are. This period served as a turning point for African Americans because it allowed creativity to flow and allowed the mergence of other races to reach out and embrace art, jazz, poetry and transcend it to unknown levels of enjoyment. It is history and life magnified by the African American race and shared by many and enjoyed by a lot of musically inclined, artistic and other people.

African Americans have fought and died to participate in political rallies to try to be viewed as a person of equality with feelings, dignity, honor and pride. Further, African Americans have struggled and fought to pray and have church sessions without fear of reprisals. The African American race culture has diversified and evolved to something besides being a clone of other races.

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