RENAISSANCE AND WAR

Black talent in the arts and music flowered during the 1920s, '30s and '40s. This artistic awakening began in Harlem, a mostly black section of New York City, and was known as ‘the Harlem Renaissance.’ It echoed with the music of Duke Ellington (1899-1974), Louis Armstrong (1900-1971), and the glorious voice of Paul Robeson (1896-1976).

However, neither the glory of the Harlem Renaissance nor the achievements of individual artists did much to improve the daily lives of most blacks.

It was only after WW II thatthe struggle of all blacks for full equality put an end to segregation in the armed forces.

Another crack in the wall of segregation was the Supreme Court’s decision in 1954 banning segregation of the races in public schools.

CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

At the same time, black leaders felt that the people themselves would have to take action to end discrimination and denial of civil rights. One opportunity for action was presented by the arrest of a woman named Rosa Parks in Montgomery, Alabama, on December 1, I955, for refusing to give up her seat to a white person on a city bus.

The blacks decided to boycott the city's buses. Martin Luther King Jr. was asked to take charge of the boycott.

The boycott lasted over a year and cost the city more and more money each day. Finally, on November 13, 1956, the Supreme Court decided that segregation on buses was unconstitutional. The Montgomery bus boycott showed that nonviolent direct action could produce results. It brought blacks from all walks of life together in an almost religious fellowship. And it produced a black leader - Martin Luther King, Jr - who could move millions to action and touch the conscience of the nation.

King organized local blacks to march quietly and nonviolently through downtown areas of Birmingham. The police attacked the demonstrators with clubs, dogs and firehoses. Through it all, the demonstrators remained nonviolent. And the whole nation watched by means of television. This caused such a public outcry against the white authorities of Birmingham that they had to back down and desegregate their public facilities.

The focus of civil rights activity then shifted to Washington where, after lengthy debate, the Congress passed laws prohibiting discrimination in voting, education, employment, housing and public accommodations.

The Civil Rights Acts of 1964, 1965 and 1968 were landmarks in dismantling the legal basis for discrimination.

TODAY

Martin Luther King continued to conduct civil rights campaigns throughout the country, and in 1964 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his decade of leadership in nonviolent protest against discrimination. Tragically, he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968.

How much of Dr. King's dream has come true? And what problems remain to be solved?

There are still poor, all-black areas in American cities. The average income of blacks is lower than that of whites. Unemployment of blacks - particularly of young men - is higher than that of whites.

On the other hand, the black middle class continues to grow. In 1989, 44 percent of employed blacks held ‘white color’ jobs - managerial, professional and administrative positions rather than service jobs or jobs requiring physical labor. And this trend is expected to continue, partly because more blacks are getting a university education.

Perhaps the greatest change in the past few decades has been in the attitudes of America's white community. A generation has come of age since Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech. Characteristic of this new generation is a new tolerance between blacks and whites and an increasing acceptance by whites of blacks in all spheres. The biggest achievement of the blacks in fighting for their rights is the election of Barack Abama president of the USA – the first black president in the history of this country.

Date: 2015-01-02; view: 896