Racial Inequality in the USA

The United States of America is a country that grew in violence. In 1619 the first slave trade ship arrived on the American continent (in the State of Virginia). The slaves the ship brought were black people coming from Africa and of whom all right were stripped away from to the extent where they were considered as properties and not human beings. The idea of freedom arose when King George II needed support against the American settlers. Ever since, insurrections, activism and rebellion cropped up and escalated during the Manifest Destiny (1845 first coined) mission.

How did the non Caucasian ethnicities survive in the USA? Do they live in freedom?

What is White Supremacy?

White Supremacy is the belief that the white race is superior to other races and is legitimate to rule. Because of this "legitimacy", economic and political system are tailored in the liking of white supremacists while putting an emphasis on the exclusion of others that do not meet the criteria of the white race.

Who was affected by White Supremacy?

Native American people

Even if Thanksgiving is a vivid memory in the American story, what it actually conceals is a long series of wars between native Americans and settlers between 1809 an 1924. As a matter of fact many mesures were taken by settlers to push away and even exterminate Native Americans.

The Trail of Tears is a traumatic period for the Native Americans. The Native American people were lured into believing that through assimilation of a European lifestyle they could finally find peace on the land that was initially theirs and be considered equals. Unfortunately, in the 1820s president Andrew Jackson ordered militia to push Native Americans to the South-Eastern part of the USA. Many people had to live their homelands, and many perished.

In 1924 the Native Americans finally got the right to citizenship and and the right to vote as well!

The Afro-Amercan people

The efforts done before and after the Civil War resulted in the Reconstruction Amendments. Nonetheless the political and social system wasn't in favour of any minority and very fast the Crow v Ferguson Act in 1896 stated that there had to be separation and equality in between white and black people. In other words, segregation. The devisiveness of this act only grew in the relations between black and white people. Unjustified violence such as lynching were a part of an everyday life for the Black community.

Asian-American people

Meanwhile another community was facing hardships. A massive immigration movement for work purposes was incoming from China. What was shortly perceived as help became a threat to white people who feared to lose their jobs. The Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882 prohibited the Chinese people from going to the USA and asking for an American naturalisation. Not only the Chinese community was penalised but other Asian people where discriminated and associated to Chinese origins.

In the 60s, though, a great movement of fresh air and liberation called the Civil Rights Movement fought more or less pacifically against the two-faced social and political system.

Theoretically, all people are then equal in the Constitution. Assimilation wasn't an easy task as minorities lacked economical and social opportunities for more inclusion and participation in the democratic process. Moreover, the government hasn't also shown itself clement. Discrimination toward the Black, Hispanic and Asian community is still present to this day. Activism oscillates between pacific mesures like constitutional changes, creation of political parties in favour of minorities or the legitimacy of defence and violence. Does that ring a Bell? ;)

All the exertion put into closing the gap between races, and even genders has brought hope to the USA as celebrities and political figures like Oprah or Obama, set boundaries and set an example to future generations. However they still remain a minority in their domains and have made many sacrifices to get where they are. Will the USA ever see a second black president at its head? Maybe a woman this time?

See you soon! Take care of yourselves, stay tuned!!