History: Black People and Black Americans Slavery Essay

Submitted By NathanAllan45
Words: 1480
Pages: 6
Open Document
To what extent did the Emancipation Proclamation + 14th Amendment make Black Americans more free in the period 1863-1877? When determining to what extent black Americans became freer in the period of reconstruction, you must consider the political, social, legal and economic changes that took place as well there place in society before the acts were passed. Prior to the Emancipation proclamation “At least four thousand Negro’s owned slaves” and that “slavery was declining rapidly” in the “last forty years of existence” . This is evidence that slavery was declining prior to the changes that the Emancipation Proclamation and 14th Amendment caused. However although the emancipation proclamation and 14th amendment helped boost the progression of black freedom, in 1861 Lincoln publically announced that if he could “save the Union without feeing any slave” he would do it, counter-acting the slavery progression argument. This shows that slavery was declining however it was not out of choice, meaning that slavery turned to resentment and discrimination even before the acts were passed. Although the civil war broke out and the North-South divide was due to racial disagreements, however taking into account Lincoln’s speech was public and formal implies that it was not for the good of the black community. The Emancipation proclamation declared that all persons held as slaves within the rebellious states would henceforward be free. The morals for the change were not exactly race related, Lincoln found himself caught 3 years into a bloody civil war before this decision was made. Meaning that the logic behind his decision was to make sure that the North won, backed by the fact he has previously state that he had “no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere” with slavery. Both the Emancipation Proclamation and the 14th Amendments had their limitations. The Emancipation Proclamation “applied only to states that had seceded from the union” and most importantly freedom was “dependent upon Union military victory” . The fact the 14th amendment demanded that states have to abide by the laws that blacks were citizens, therefore they should be legally treat equally. However, although both acts helped abolish slavery, the lives of black American did not improve, in fact inequality broadened, both laws were dependant on effective leadership in a nation of national disagreement, therefore applying the laws were unsuccessful.
The acts did change the social position of the black community between 1863-1877. Between 1865 and 1870 “the black population of the South’s 10 largest cities doubled” . This shows black’s had a lot more freedom of movement due to the Emancipation Proclamation and 14th Amendment, however the statistics limit us on further information. There is no evidence to say how many of the black Americans were employed in the main cities and we are unaware of the poverty. Although throughout the period the black community did have acts passed such as the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments, Lincoln as well as future president Theodore Roosevelt did not support nor believe in black progression, Roosevelt publically announced “A perfectly stupid race can never rise to a very high place” .How could the black’s of America progress in gaining freedom if the leaders of there nation did not believe in the acts they were passing. Socially, black Americans were segregated in schools, southern states spent “10 times as much on white schools as on blacks” ,, slavery had been abolished but segregation had become more intense. By 1872 president Grant had ended ‘most’ of t violence against blacks, but white extremists such as the Ku Klux Klan, emerged and lynching’s were displayed in the newspaper above the phrase “the above represents the fate in store for those great pests of Southern society” . Slavery was abolished quickly after the success of the Union, creating a new problem; the black Americans did not know how to be free. Houston
Show More

Related Documents: History: Black People and Black Americans Slavery Essay

Stereotypes Paper

20256 February 24, 2015 Stereotypes Black People Can’t Swim Are black people really incapable of swimming? Swimming is a common American pastime that thousands of Americans have enjoyed for centuries, however, African-Americans have been known as a race that can’t swim. First, to understand the stereotype, swimming can be described as moving the body through water without drowning. Second, in the United States, African-Americans are commonly referred to as black people despite their color actually being…

Words 1168 - Pages 5

Essay on African Americans In History

African americans : past and present Submitted by: Sashia Easter Chapter outline The definition of Racial Groups Ancestry of African Americans Slavery Concerns: Political, Social, and Cultural Legislation in in African Americans History Conclusion/ Summary Key Terms Citations/ References/ Resources In this chapter you will Learn How to define Racial Groups Experiences of African Americans Througout History Political, Social, and Cultural Concerns Legislation in African American History Constraining…

Words 1173 - Pages 5

Foner Reading Response

freedom meant to the now freed slaves. During reconstruction, African Americans had a new sense of freedom that they were able to use to make changes in politics. The era of Reconstruction was “radical for its time” because it attempted to include ex-slaves as citizens in the United States’ society at the time. To the African Americans, their definition of what freedom meant was very clear. In order to be truly free, African Americans felt that economic independence, right to land, right to vote, and…

Words 626 - Pages 3

Comparing Homegoing And Black Is King

Beyoncé’s “Black Is King” films explore the interconnectedness between Africans on the continent and Black Americans. They illustrate their connected history, hardships, and aspirations while portraying a positive future of pan-Africanism and empowerment. In “Homegoing,” Gyasi follows the descendants of two half-sisters, Effia and Esi, across continents and generations. Gyasi’s personal stories highlight the long-term impact of the transatlantic slave trade on African and African American identities…

Words 1469 - Pages 6

African American Culture Research Paper

The History of African American Culture A people marginalized,brutalized, and stripped of natural origin By:Shyna Daniel Nearly since the arrival of the African people in colonial America, the African American people have been marginalized, brutalized, and had their culture stripped away from the in order to be forced into compliance. The tone of African American history and culture has evolved since the first arrival. The Evolution of The Black Culture and it’s people in America African-American…

Words 2591 - Pages 11

Symbolism Of Confederate And Slavery

The Symbolism of Confederacy and Slavery While many monuments from the Confederacy are being taken down from public areas across the U.S., white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and even the country’s president continue to argue on the attack on their status as American citizens and history. It is quite unfortunate that the emergence of white supremacy and neo-Nazis happened during the time when the country had its first African-American president. During the era of slavery, white men prevailed. The Southern…

Words 409 - Pages 2

African American History

African Americans have made many strides in their history in the United States. Over the past 150 years, African Americans have made great advancements as a people in the US. Current situations in the U.S. have accentuated the African American’s struggle for Civil Rights that they have fought for in the past 150 years. Many say that the African American in the United States have not progressed and is still fighting the same battle as they did 150 years ago. In this paper, I will show that some struggles…

Words 495 - Pages 2

Slavery In African American History

Slavery Did you know about 100,000,000 people were slaves and 9 or 11million people were taken out of Africa. The first slaves were brought to America in 1619.African American were treated with poorly expectations then American people back then, than now in the future.People bought, traded, bread,and evan broke their legs.African Americans were scared and the Americans didn’t care if they were scared or not. If I was back in time when slavery happened I would go to the president and ask him to…

Words 640 - Pages 3

The Black Republican Party

Black Republican In this essay I will discuss the history of the Republican Party and explore the reasons why African Americans should support the Republican Party. The Republican Party is a political party that supports and believes in a republican form of government. This means that a Republican supports issues that are in the best interest of the republic, as a whole. A republic is a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives…

Words 1132 - Pages 5

Summary Of The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery

Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism,” was that I knew that I was going to enjoy this book. Shown just from the title where Baptist clearly states how people continue to lie about slavery. This semester I’m also taking Black Literature and read first hand experiences from slaves recalling the horrors of slavery, from Harriet Jacobs's autobiography to Olaudah Equiano’s slave narrative, all show the depravity and the senseless violence that people can depict on one another…

Words 602 - Pages 3