EOTO #3 Reaction Post

This afternoon I came into class to learn about the White History and Positives of the Reconstruction Era. It was quite informative to be able to sit in a learn about some major historic events and particular law that was embodied during Reconstruction, both negatively and positively. 

To start, some of the negative things about Reconstruction or for say, White History that I learned began with the Negro Motorist Green Book was established in 1936 by Victor Hugo Green. The book provided safe travel options for African Americans during segregation. It showed the resilience of Black travelers, creating a community in the face of discrimination. 

The Wilmington Massacre of 1898 marked the only known violent overthrowing of the legally elected government in the entire history of the United States. The Massacre resulted in the deaths of 60-300 black citizens and forced a wide spread displacement of African Americans from the city. 

Another big thing mentioned was Sundown Towns. These were towns that excluded African Americans from remaining in the town following sunset. In accordance to this, some towns would even sound sirens at night. Edmond was a major town in which boasted about its all white supremacy. For example, on their postcards, they wrote "6,000 live citizens, with no negroes."

Lynchings were another big part of the white race in the south. These were acts of public killings of people who had not received any due process; they were used by whites to control and terrorize the black people during the 19th and 20th centuries. 

On the other hand, there were several positives to come from Reconstruction, and that started with Executive Order 9981. Signed by President Truman, the Committee of Equality and Treatment of Armed Services investigated the racial practices that had been used in war overseas, and this was able to advocate for desegregation among all workplaces. 

To go along with that was the importance of African Americans in World War II. Over a million African Americans served in the military, breaking significant racial barriers. While many had been forced into jobs like truck drivers and cooks, they were able to prove their talents by campaigning with leadership and skill in battle. 

Thurgood Marshall was the first African American Supreme Court Justice. He was rejected from the University of Maryland Law school because of his race, but went on to still graduate and become a lawyer out of Howard University. Marshall joined the NAACP as a staff lawyer before being declared chief in 1940. 

The last thing I will mention about what I learned was Porgy and Bess. Considered the first great American opera, this opened up the world of opera to becoming desegregated. Having an all African American cast, Porgy and Bess set a groundbreaking precedent for future performances and formed people to accept that segregation was beginning to deteriorate. 

While I thought I had known a decent amount about the Reconstruction Era, during this EOTO, I was able to learn all these things which I know can be important in future history classes. I enjoy being able to hear my classmates discuss and teach about a specific topic that they focused on heavily for the past week or so. I think this is a great way to continue learning new things and being able to interact with people in the class. 

Brown v. Board of Education Mock Trial

Good afternoon everyone, your honor. 

Today I come to share a few words about the law in the years leading up to the substantial court case, Brown vs. the Board of Education. 

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was the first federal law in the United States to define citizenship and protect the civil rights of all citizens equally. In the midst of the Civil War, this act aimed to protect the rights of African Americans during a time where they had been brutalized and treated as none other than property. 

This Act served as a model for the 14th amendment. An amendment that overruled the Dred Scott v. Sanford decision. It stated that no state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States and that no state shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of the law, nor deny any person equal protection under the law. 

But where does the law fall under the case of Brown vs. The Board of Education?

Today we argue that racial segregation in public schools, specifically regarding the "separate but equal" doctrine, violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, meaning that separate schools for Black and white students are inherently unequal and therefore unconstitutional. 

In 1896, the famous case, Plessy vs. Ferguson upheld the idea of "separate but equal," which encouraged and allowed racial segregation in all public facilities as long as the facilities were "equal." 

Under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, the facilities for black students are not equal, invalidating the doctrine established by Plessy v. Ferguson. 

Legally, this case is very significant to the idea of a constantly changing Constitution. It is crucial that a document created at the birth of America has the ability to adapt and change to the societal norms and customs of the time, to be able to change when it sees fit. This is a landmark case that must change the Constitution. African Americans should not receive any less of an education because of the facilities they are forced to be in, even when some, if not all, are more than enough qualified and deserve to be in the room with a white student. 

If we take a look into history, there were several cases in which set a clear path for the overturning of Plessy vs. Ferguson, and for you to make a decision in which desegregates all public schools.  

In 1938, the State of Missouri ex. rel. Gaines vs. Canada held that denying African Americans admission to a state law school while providing no equal alternative for them was a violation of the 14th Amendment and meant that public education in general must offer equal opportunities to its students whether they are white or black. 

Similar to the 1938 case was Sweatt vs. Painter (1950). This case yet again challenged the "separate but equal" doctrine. It declared that the segregated law school set up for African Americans in Texas was inferior to the University of Texas Law School, thus again violating the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. 

There are various other cases prior to 1954 that argued for similar if not the exact same thing as the two mentioned above. What's important about this, is that the Brown case is not some random decision you will be deciding today. The argument for equal opportunities for Blacks goes back years prior to this day. While this is not the first case to make the argument against the "separate but equal" doctrine, it will pave a way for future Civil Rights Movements and bring about a greater awareness to the racial inequalities that all African Americans face, and in particular, the ones they face in education.

So, because of this, I urge you to side with Brown. Know that this isn't the first time an argument like this has come to light. It is a continuing problem among the education of all African Americans, and we should no longer have to fight each state and each specific school for the equality and education that is deserved. 

Thank you. 

In the Heat of the Night

"In the Heat of the Night" is a 1967 American mystery drama directed by Norman Jewison. Set in the south, which was very racially separated at the time, the movie follows an African American detective while he investigates a murder in a small Mississippi town. 

The movie powerfully demonstrates the harsh realities of the "separate but equal" doctrine held up in the Supreme Court's decision in Plessy vs. Ferguson. Depicting a racially divided society in Sparta, Mississippi, the movie exemplifies the meaning behind "separate but equal," which is an unequal and unjust world. The system ends up placing African Americans into a life of violence. Through the racial tensions and treatment of Det. Tibbs, the film debunks the idea that separate facilities can never ever be equal in their quality. 

One of the most vivid indicators of inequality in the Sparta area is the community's treatment of Detective Tibbs. Even though he is an experienced detective, the white residents of the town view him with spitefulness. When he first arrived in town, he is falsely accused of murder simply because of the color of his skin. Right from the bat we are introduced to the failure of the "separate but equal" doctrine because it shows that being African American in a town like Sparta means that you can be presumed guilty regardless of your character. 

There are a great amount of disparities between the communities of African Americans and Whites in Sparta. African Americans are denied equal opportunities as the whites, and are living under a constant threat of violence. Far from a utopia, the doctrine has pushed Black citizens to a lower social and economic status, yet again allowing the white population to have superiority and greater control over what they would call "minorities."

The towns police department is led by Chief Gillespie. Initially, the relationship between Det. Tibbs and Chief Gillespie has a lot of mistrust and suspicion. Gillespie, a white chief of police embodies many of the biases and racist attitudes of a typical small white town. When the two have to come together to work with one another on a murder case, their relationship gradually shifts from resentment to mutual respect.  This comes to recognize the promise of the "separate but equal" doctrine where people finally begin to recognize the humanity of the other race, yet the system of segregation doesn't allow for the same relationships. More so, this relationship symbolizes the potential for understanding change in an ever so stuck up American southern society. 

For the people of Sparta, the term, "separate but equal" means more than segregation, it means a way of life to them; it is the way in which they view African Americans, people of inferiority, people whose lives and rights are at a constant risk of being violated. 

I think looking back on how I viewed this movie, I finally left the room with a positive feeling. While it delved into the painful and uncomfortable truths about racism towards African Americans in the south, there were many points of hope, resilience, and change. One of the most notable things as I mentioned before was the relationship between Gillespie and Tibbs. While they may not have become the best of friends, the progress they make is quite meaningful, and it symbolizes that even a small step is a step forward. So while there are dark points, I left with a bit of optimism, showing how people can grow towards optimism even if it takes a lot of time and is a very small improvement.