Aftermaths of Emancipation Proclamation and the Civil Rights Act of 1875

Reconstruction and rights enjoyed by Black Americans

The Africans Americans have led an unending revolution for equal rights and status in the society. Against proclaims of equality by their white counterparts, the Blacks are still not free of racism and discrimination. They gained momentary freedom from slavery in in 1863, which came with several problems. This essay will look at the aftermaths of Emancipation Proclamation, which include the Reconstruction and the Civil Rights Act of 1875. Moreover, the essay will study the challenges faced by Black Americans despite these laws, which has been collectively called the “Negro Problem”.

After the Civil War, the Blacks enjoyed certain rights due to the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 and the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendmentthe Constitution. The process, which came to be known as Reconstruction, offered security and liberty to the Black Americans. They enjoyed rights like right to vote, right to own land, equality before law, freedom to seek employment, liberty to participate in politics, and use public services. However, some of these rights were only enjoyed by the men, but it still created a sense of safety and freedom for the Blacks. The legal backup to form families and creation of an independent churches for the Blacks strengthened their autonomy.

Following the years of the war, there was resistance by the Whites to give equal rights to the Blacks. In many states, the Black Code Laws were passed. These laws sustained the African Americans’ right to education, ownership of land, and their freedom of movement. Moreover, South retaliated thorough violence, discrimination, domination, hegemonizing their freedom and citizenship, and prohibiting them from political involvement. Apart from that, they had to face problems such as poverty, poor living conditions, oppressing working demands, crime, and many other inconveniences. Not to mention the high death rate of the Blacks, who died while running from or standing against their masters. The Black Laws left the Black Americans in a condition that had been worse than slavery. Their condition can be surmised in Du Bois’ statement in 1935, “The slave went free; stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery”. (Du Bois, 1935)

As a reaction to the rampant discrimination, the Civil Rights Act of 1875 was passed. It banished all the public discrimination faced by the Blacks in accommodations and transportation. As a reaction, the Jim Crow Laws were passed by several states.  The Jim Crow laws, which began in 1877 also reinforced the oppression of the Blacks. The states started misusing the concept “separate but equal” and started asking for separate but equal accommodation and transportation. These places usually were inferior to the facilities provided to the Whites. However, the Blacks had autonomy and a sense of belonging in these places, but it also created a divide between the Blacks and the Whites and manifested more discrimination for the Blacks.

Resistance to equal rights by Whites

The existence and identity of every Black American had been reduced to a collection of essays, the Negro Problem (1903). The essays explore the Black man’s place in the American society in relation with the legal system, education, and political involvement. During this time, many activists and reformers came forward to take a stand against the discrimination and segregation in the society and demand for equal rights for the Blacks. The Blacks formed their own society and published newspapers and periodicals. One key figure in the fight for equality is Frederic Douglas. In his famous speech at the Annual Meeting of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society in Boston in 1965, he asked for justice and equality. Apart from equality, he also demanded equal representation to women, both in politics and I social scenario. There have been many renowned Black reformers who contributed to the movement. These include Anna Cooper, Ida B. Wells, who set the foundation for Black Feminism and other leaders like W. E. B. Du Bois, Isaac Myers, and Booker T. Washington.

The laws and statements could not change the social standing of the Blacks for a long period of time. New laws and bills were still passed to keep them under domination. Despite the social struggle by the Black leader, Blacks still face racism till day.

There was rampant discrimination and inequality in the government, which led to the Progressive Era. This essay will follow the progressive era and main leaders and individual who took an important part in this movement. Moreover, the progressive era also brought changes to the marginalised community, especially women, African Americans, immigrants, Native Americans, and disabled.

Progressive Era which lasted from late 1890s till 1920s sought to and improve the living conditions of the people. It led to widespread social activism and political reforms across United States. The Progressive Era include reformation of the government, modernisation because of industrialisation, equality for woman, and focus on family and education. The movement also saw some modern changes such as invention of cars, formation of cities, and mass immigration because of work opportunities in the cities.

Progressives joined hands to reform the local government of corruption through muckraking, which is a type of journalism that uncovers the problems of the people, such as poor working and living conditions, corrupt business running, and environmental issues. Upton Sinclair through his novels reflected the true condition of the American citizens. With a mechanical scenery, Sinclair brought forward the poor living and working conditions. Note-worth reformers include Eugene Debs, Florence Kelley, and John Lewis who worked to reform the lives of the people. Eugene Right fought tooth and nail for the workers and their justice and peace. While Florence Kelley advocated for minimum wage, eight-hour workday, and children’s rights, John Lewis helped establish better working conditions for miners along with establishing medical facilities and pension.

Civil Rights Act of 1875 and the Jim Crow Laws

The Women Suffrage started as a response of demands of equal rights by the woman. Seneca Falls Convention was the first woman rights convention in 1848 which demanded for Woman’s equal rights known as Declaration of Sentiments, which is followed by an exhausting journey for gender equality. Not only did they demand for equal voting rights for woman, they also asked for educational and working rights for woman. Major organisations for Woman Suffrage include National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) and American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA), who later joined hands to form National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). In the 1920s, it was also common to see woman rallying in large number to gain attention of the officials. Leaders and reformers for Woman Suffrage Movement include woman like Jane Addams, Margaret Sanger, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman.

Jane Addams was a founder of an organization advocating for women’s suffrage, and supported children and the elderly by taking their care in Hull House, set in Chicago’s immigrant slums. Margaret Sanger propagated information about women’s health and distributed information about birth control for which she even risked punishment. Charlotte Perkins Gilman shaped the movement and encouraged woman to work outside of their home. She also advocated for gender neutral clothes and androgynous practices in households to foster gender equality. The efforts of the woman since the nineteenth century manifested themselves in 1944 when women were allowed to vote, giving them more freedom and equality.

Progressive Era also saw reforms meant for marginalised. The struggle for equality by the African American was an on-going struggle which manifested itself as second Reconstruction Era. Leaders like W. E. B. Du Bois are the famous activists who fought for the Blacks and their fight for equality. However, it is noted that the progressive era mostly saw participation to the Whites, educated middle class, and protestants. Racism also affected the movements. It was felt that the uneducated and ignorant Black voters did not need equal rights to vote, and thus, the woman suffrage and Civil Rights did not influence each other. The progressive era saw its end with the start of World War I and the subsequent global changes.

Thus, it seen that progressive era motivated people to speak up and reform their living and working conditions, apart from demanding equal rights, saving the country from corruption, and an overall conservation of the society. The reforms brought changes to the environment of people in all dimensions of their life. The woman strengthened their position with these movements and showed their potential in the World War when they represented the majority of workforce. However, there was little representation for the marginalised. Nevertheless, the Progressive Era marks an important period in the American history.

References

Douglas, F. (1841, August). What the Black Man Wants. Uncle Tom’s Cabin and American Culture. http://utc.iath.virginia.edu/africam/afspfdat.html.

Du Bois, W. E. B. (1935). Black Reconstruction of America, Transaction Publishers.

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