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African American Rights

THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESSION OF BLACK HISTORY


Why is African American History
Important?

 It is a important part of North American history as descendants of African


make up a significant percentage of the population.
 As Canada is a multicultural land, it is important to learn the values and
history of those peoples that have immigrated or were forcibly deported to
our land.
 African American rights are a set of human rights that has been continually
developed in the same time period as women’s rights (In the last 80 years
or so)
 The legacy of African American rights falls in parallel with that of
Quebecois rights and First Nation rights.
 African American lifestyle is engraved into our popular culture today.
In The Beginning: 1500’s to 1800’s

 During the colonial expansion of empires into North America or “The New
World”, the same expansion occurred in the African continent.
 As North America began to be seen as a strong resource of raw materials
and goods, manpower was needed in order to gather and build these
products in order to reap benefits to the mother nation.
 First Nations people were the first of a major demographic people to be
used as slaves in order to satisfy demand of resources.
 However, as the future began to unfold; the First Nations population
began to decline rapidly due to wars with the Europeans and diseases
that the indigenous people were very susceptible to.
Why Africans?

 Before colonialism in Africa began, Europeans had already been


purchasing African slaves in Europe and the East from slave owners.
 As imperial powers began to expand into Africa, the African population
continued to stay consistent unlike the First Nation’s population.
 African people were seen as very strong and able to possess good skills in
order to do manual labor jobs due to their lifestyle.
 Instead of paying dollar amounts to a slave owner, European powers
began to cut out the middleman and enslave Africans themselves.
Slavery Beginning

 During the 16th century, Africans began to be deported from their native
land to North America in order to satisfy manpower demands of European
powers.
 They were sold for very cheap prices to landowners in modern day United
States.
 African slaves would be forced to do labor jobs around the land such as
picking cotton, sugar industry and overall day to day operations of the
land.
 Over time, Africans could work over years without wages to eventually
earn their freedom.
Treatment of African Slaves

 During the slavery era, the quality of life for


slaves was rock bottom.
 Slaves were given miniscule spaces to sleep
and live, they were taught to always see
themselves as inferior to the white man and
deprived of education and health.
 Disobedience of slaves whether it would be
a slave standing up for themselves or
mistakes made while working resulted in
harsh and cruel punishment.
 Examples of punishment would be
whipping, branding, imprisonment, beating
and mutilation is some cases.
End of Slavery: Mid 1800’s

 By 1860, there were approx. 4 million slaves living in the United States due
to the transatlantic slave trade.
 Not only did slaves maintain a good portion of the population but also
were seen as valuable due to their work in the cotton industry that helped
the American economy.
 During the American civil war in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed
the Emancipation Proclamation that effectively ended slavery in the
United States.
 However, the brutal mistreatment of the African American people still
continued…
Segregation: Late 1890’s

 After being declared free by President Lincoln,


African Americans began to set up their own
congregations (school, church, neighborhoods)
 This was a time of progression for African
American people but many Americans were
still bitter of the fact their former slaves were
given freedom.
 By the late 1890’s, segregation laws were set up
led Jim Crow in order to eliminate any racial
tension but it also led to an superiority
mindframe to be maintained by the majority
population of the United States.
The Great Migration: 1910 to 1970

 As freedom even with elements of


segregation began to grow,
migration of African Americans
followed.
 During a 70 year span, southern
settled African Americans began to
migrate all over the United States.
 A demand for jobs and movement
to areas where African American
outlook was kinder than the
southern regions of the United
States was the primary motive for
this migration
 The Great migration is one of the
biggest internal movements in
history.
Civil Rights Movement: 1954 to 1968

 After decades of segregation, the need for basic human rights in America
was a major goal of the African American people.
 Being disenfranchised (the taking away of voting rights) as well as
discrimination due to segregation still gave African Americans a rough
quality of life.
 After the World Wars, where African Americans fought as apart of the
United States army, activist ideas were being made by veterans in order to
guarantee rights for the entire African American population.
 During the 1950’s to late 1960’s many protests, civil disobedience cases
and resistance to segregation began that eventually led to progression of
African American rights that we still see today.
Key Events of The Civil Rights
Movement

1. Rosa Parks: Refuses to give up her seat on a bus, is arrested and receives
national attention. Her case leads to desegregation on public transit systems.
2. Little Rock High School: First American high school that is desegregated and
nine black students are allowed to attend classes.
3. Black Panther Party: Revolutionary party created for the progression of African
American rights.
4. Tommie Smith and John Carlos: During a medal presentation at the 1968
Olympics in Mexico City, two African American athletes raise their black
gloved hand during the American national anthem to salute the human rights
movement.
5. March on Washington in 1963: A major protest in order to eliminate racial
discrimination in employment, housing and education.
Martin Luther King

 Leader of the Civil Rights Movement


 Believed in acquiring human rights for African Americans through non-
violent measures.
 Led the March on Washington in 1963 as well as numerous sit in’s. His most
famous sit in was in Birmingham, Alabama.
 Most known for this iconic speech: I Have A Dream!
 Martin Luther King is assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee in 1968 leading to
riots in many U.S. cities.
 Still honored today in the U.S. with Martin Luther King Day on Jan. 15.
Malcolm X

 Another leader of the African American Civil Rights movement


 Different from Martin Luther King as Malcolm X wanted African
Americans to revolt against their white counterparts.
 Promoted revolution and to gain rights by “any means
necessary”
 Intelligent, outspoken and is the man that is credited with giving
African Americans their self-esteem back after years of being
“inferior”
 Best known speech: Plymouth Rock
 After years of disputes with the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X is
assassinated during a speech in 1965.
Aftermath of Civil Rights Movement

 In 1968, the movement is officially


ended with the signing of the Civil
Rights Act of 1968 that prohibited the
discrimination of people in housing as
well as making it a federal crime to
forcibly or threaten with force harm to
a person due to race.
 Considerable advancement followed
in all aspects of life regarding African
American rights and involvement.
Impact Today

Because of the Civil Rights Movement, many advancements have been


made in black rights today. Some examples are:
1. Right to Vote
2. Affirmative Action (equal pay and opportunity for gender and races of
different kinds)
3. Housing developments
4. Police brutality cases
5. Politics
6. Introduction of values and beliefs to popular culture
Impact Today

 Nelson Mandela is elected as President of South Africa in the 1990’s. He


eliminates apartheid and segregation in order to create equality between
races. Wins Nobel Peace Prize and changes the lives of South Africans
forever.

 Barack Obama becomes the first African American President in United


States history. Leads the United States out of rock bottom to somewhat
thriving once again. Opens the door for racial and gender minorities to
gain opportunities.
Popular Culture

 Advancement in African American Rights


has led to monumental changes in popular
culture.
 Music: Rap, R & B and etc. introduced
 Dancing: Breakdancing and hip hop
 Film: Various films and talented actors
 Literature: Booker T. Washington and his
works
 Language: Slang like “the bomb” or “holla”
 Fashion and Appearance: Sean John, afro,
deadlocks
 Sports: dominate athletes like Michael Jordan
Connection to Canada: Africville

 Similar to the United States, Canada was also known for taking in African
slaves during the early colonial period.
 Although there are differences due to our multicultural nature in Canada
to that of the United States, we have done our own injustice to African
settlers.
 An example of this is Africville.
What is Africville

 “Africville was an African-Canadian village located just north of Halifax


and founded in the mid-18th century. The City of Halifax demolished the
once-prosperous seaside community in the 1960s in what many said was
an act of racism. The mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality
apologized for the action in 2010. For many people, Africville represents
the oppression faced by Black Canadians, and the efforts to right historic
wrongs. “

 - Canadian Encyclopedia
What Happened and Why?

 Africville was established as a settlement near Halifax for African Canadians


that had gained freedom from slavery as well as Black Loyalists from the
United States during the American Revolution and the War of 1812.
 During the 1940’s and 1950’s, urban renewal was a priority for the Canadian
government in order to redevelop areas for economic profit.
 Concluding a vote that was passed to relocate Africville residents and
redevelop the land, many people were evicted and given homes in
relocated areas.
 This provided many problems for Africville residents:
1. Unemployment and financial instability due to being moved to more
expensive neighbourhoods. Leading to more public assistance needed.
2. The renewed feeling of being treated unequally as Africville residents
had little political power and could not fight back with legal representation.
Aftermath

 Former Africville residents began to protest the redevelopment of the land


in the future decades.
 A formal apology was made in 2010 by the Nova Scotia government and
reparations are being made to help preserve Africville and compensate
for hardships and emotional attachment.
Video

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5IDXVyhu0g (4:00 min)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVg028l2F-4 (4:30 min)

 http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/africville/ (35:00 min)

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