The 13th , 14th, and 15th amendment arguably secured legal freedoms for black people in the United States. These decisions played a crucial role in the formation of the current interpretation of freedom and civil rights in this country. Defining and acting in ways that promote freedom in the black community has been an ongoing debate and nuance in the experience of black people nationwide. Things to think about: What does it mean to be free? How did the legalized oppression and consistent denial of humanity impact people during that time (black people and others)? How has this level of oppression in private and public spaces impact all people's sense of self and political agency? Instructions For this weeks blog I want you to watch both videos below. Develop a 150 word original post by Friday and respond to another student by Sunday of each week. Your original post should include a brief overview of what you read, an analysis of the two major themes from each reading that directly address the questions above and a conclusion that asks critical thinking questions (open ended questions about the subject matter). These questions will be the prompt to other students to respond to you. In your original post include two quotes from the Black Liberation & Socialism text in an effort to connect the material.
19 Comments
Andre Mouton
1/23/2015 05:06:25 am
What it means to be free during reconstruction was an oxymoron but for the most part was enlightening and something that America had to adjust and come to the realization that Blacks would be free by law. Blacks were exited and started taking advantage of laws and spaces that was not available to them before. This ideal of freedom was all but accepted in the Southern States mostly because the Union had to come to the south and free slaves by enforcing the law through military means. One problem with reconstruction in the south was the land once taken was given back to the former slave owners and share cropping was again a tool in which blacks were used as cheap laborers. Northern whites did not complete reconstruction in the south and southern democrats regained power and created laws designed to keep blacks from voting even though blacks were given the right to vote loopholes and threatening tactics where used to keep them from voting at the voting polls. The KKK reemerges and terrorized blacks their rights to vote and whites who supported it.
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Jessica Jaime
1/28/2015 09:53:05 am
I agree with what your saying about how can African American people be "free" when laws are being places against them and share cropping was another way slave owners kept them and used them for cheap labor. I feel that only the truth and the opportunity to learn the truth will help us learn and change the devious cycle.
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marie brown
1/23/2015 08:00:03 am
The Battles of Reconstruction and the definition of freedom
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amal pujol
1/25/2015 02:24:30 pm
Hi Marie,
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Gabriela Hernandez
1/23/2015 01:12:56 pm
The Battles of Reconstruction and the Definition of Freedom
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Makamae (Davina) Heinz
1/25/2015 03:51:33 pm
I also like your definition of free. I feel it is where we are free to do whatever we want to do. I also was in shock to know how people were being beat so that they are afraid to vote. I think a lot of people do not know how lucky we are today. I know there is still a lot of things that need to be changed but I could not imagine being alive around the time when people could not vote that were of color or being a women also.The second reconstruction video was really deep how it ended. I can not believe there were post cards for people to send. I am still in shock and it is hard to not get angry after the end of that video. I can not get how anyone can hang people like that and be normal like it is nothing sitting or standing next to the body. It is really evil and sick. I am so disturbed.
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Marcos Guzman
1/23/2015 01:38:17 pm
Reconstruction Crash Course:
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marcos guzman
1/23/2015 01:40:06 pm
Questions:
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marie
1/24/2015 11:05:57 am
We live in a society that no matter how poor a white person is, “he is still white”. How dare someone like Barack Obama became President. The equalization has always been there; but the thought of society losing control, threaten their sense of security. And when African American stop looking back, and know they are not controlled by their past.
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Andre Mouton
1/25/2015 12:23:48 pm
Freeing the slaves was about equality but more so a political move made by the Republican Party. It seems that the African American civil rights movement has been taking a step backwards legally and socially. Although some African Americans have made great progress they are exceptions and the masses still have been targeted to be suppressed and disadvantaged. African Americans need a new leader that will win the trust and attention of people all colors who want to make equality and transparency a reality for all people especially minorities.
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Andre Mouton
1/25/2015 02:58:23 pm
CORRECTION: Freeing the slaves was NOT about equality.
Marcos Guzman
3/24/2015 06:27:05 am
The African American communities still face discrimination when it comes to voting. In the past pre voting tax fees had to be paid, one must own land or meet certain criteria. Though it is illegal to do any of this and prevent them from voting. Intimidation is still very present at voting booths. This prevents minorities from voting due to a fear of arrest or possibly even deportation.
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Jordan Leopold
1/23/2015 03:27:06 pm
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Makamae D.R Heinz
1/23/2015 03:55:45 pm
What does it mean to be free? I believe being free is being able to make decisions without no one deciding for you. It means free to do what you want to do. It means being able to go where you want also and be free and not have to go in only certain areas where you can go based on your color. In the videos we watched it was really interesting what the professor was saying about how they harassed black people when they were trying to vote. The way they were there waiting with a whip to try to scare them so that they can reclaim what they felt was theirs. They also would destroy homes, and barns to try to scare people off. In the reading of the first chapter in Black Liberation And Socialism one of the quotes that really stood out to me was in the introduction when they talked about Katrina and how this one lady held up a sign that said "No Iraqis left me on a roof to die." That was so true and sad and it all goes back to how black people got treated back in the day. It shows how it is still a struggle and how racism will always be out here. I do believe a lot has changed but it still is a lot that still needs to happen.
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Gabriela Hernandez
1/25/2015 04:32:43 am
Makamae,
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Melissa Strah
1/23/2015 04:54:15 pm
By, 1876 the nation was prepared to abandon its commitment to equality for all citizens regardless of race. Was that really followed through? Were the Black people going to have the ability to vote? Reconstruction was taking place to benefit the Southern whites. If a African American want to vote they were given restrictions such as your grandfather needed to be a registered voter, you needed to be literate in reading and they had to be able to pay taxes and so on. Threat of violence would wipe out the Black vote. The white supremacy groups would make sure that the Blacks would not cross the line to make it to the ballot box. The Democrats established dominance through violence, intimidation, and discrimination forcing the Blacks not to have any freedom and more or less excluding them from any political rights. Instead of the Blacks having any freedom to vote it seemed that it would turn into chaos. Forces by the Ku Klux Klan would reverse anything to and defeat the Blacks so that they would not have the ability to vote. Lynching would take place by the Ku Klux Klan giving no freedom at all to the Black people, instead it seem that things became worse.
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amal pujol
1/24/2015 04:38:46 am
To be free in my opinion means that you are able to live in a society where you can exercise all rights and are entitled to have opinions on pressing issues that affect your life. It means that you have the right to choose when and how to earn a living, to receive fair wages for the work that you do, to have a say in the educational system that your children participate in, to have access to health care and to have the right and access to officials into power that will represent and advocate for the needs of your community. The legalized oppression and consistent denial of humanity had several negative impacts on the people during that time. It stripped them of a voice in society as a whole. It was not for the work that blacks did during slavery then America would not have been a successful nation. It was the cotton industry that allowed North America to be such an impactful player in during the industrial ages. The nations wealth was literally built on the backs of black Americans and to deny them basic human rights at the same time as granting white Americans freedom, the right to vote. Even when Black people where given the right to vote, they had so many obstacles that where put in their way that prevented them from doing so. They had to take literacy test, they were threatened with violence, and they had to have proof of property taxes and many other hurdles that were designed to prevent them from exercising their rights. These methods intimidated many Blacks from voting and instilled a substantial amount of fear in their minds. This level of oppression may have caused some to lose their sense of self and feel like a lesser citizen than white Americans. It also may have caused some white Americans to have an inflated sense of entitlement. It also caused a deep divide in the nation that can still be felt today. How have those obstacles affected the voter turnout in African American communities in the present time? What are some ways we can reverse these negative effects?
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Jordan Leopold
1/25/2015 06:17:53 am
Amal, your analysis of the reconstruction/redemption era is accurate. Freedom for Blacks was nonexistent as slaves. Once slavery was abolished, freedom wasn't immediately felt. As time progressed and Blacks were able to experience the little "freedom" that was -- voting, holding office, schooling -- it was soon restricted to lesser states. Blacks were able to vote, but that "right" regressed as voting intimidation practices and other Jim Crow laws politically oppressed the Black/African American attitude and culture. Having to face this sad truth for a great period of time, I feel this deeply affected the Black attitude towards voting to this day. I feel many lack faith in our government and feel that we as a people are not full represented or acknowledged. I think the way to resolve this attitude is by strengthening our teachings of US government and the importance of voting within our school systems and provide insight into the matter. The partnership between movie theaters and the creators of the movie "Selma" is a great example, allowing free showings to 7th-9th graders. Also, engaging with Black communities and assist their understanding of the importance of city, state, and federal politics, all to encourage and support more Black political figures to run for office to bring out the Black vote. Look at the voting turn out for Obama's elections.
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Jessica Jaime
1/28/2015 09:47:33 am
The Battles of Reconstruction and the definition of freedom have not changed and the failure of the reconstruction is still a huge issue. How can you change anything if you keep appointing the same people in power and not honoring African American equality or moral values but change things to benefit your personal goals? Andrew Johnson believe that blacks never have a right to succeed and how would African Americans be free if they are still being beat, killed, kidnapped and limit them with Jim crow laws to prevent any type of advancement of becoming economically independent. Freedom was never given and share cropping was just another way for legalized work to keep the African Americans oppressed within these Southern states.
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