African American History
By Joy J. Fine
Tracing African American history through the nearly four hundred years it exists must begin with the story of slavery. The first black Americans were brought to the United States by force to be put to work as slaves whose very existence was controversial. The slave trade began in 1619 and did not end until 1865. African American is a term coined by the American government to describe anyone who is a descendent of former slaves or comes by choice to live as a citizen in the United States from any African, Caribbean or South American country. But, when they first arrived in America it was not by choice.
It started when Europeans bought captured prisoners from African states that were at war. But this did into give them the numbers they desired and so they would steal people, kidnap them without thought to their lives and drag them off to the ships heading for the new world. Though these people were from many different tribes they were banded together by the knowledge that they would never return to their homes and families. In the beginning they were treated as indentured servants, those with a contract who were committed to work a certain number of years to pay for their transportation, room and board. This lasted an average of seven years. The problem was that once these people were freed from their obligation they had to be replaced and this became too much trouble. In 1641 the first of the colonies passed a law stating that slavery was legal. These laws were passed by other states, making them slaves for their entire lives and included a clause that made their descendants slaves as well.
African American history is marked with the enactment of many laws that were designed to keep them from finding freedom. In 1787 Congress was instructed, using the Constitution that they were not allowed to ban slaves before 1808. But in 1793 the invention of the cotton gin swelled the need for more labor and so more slaves. That same year a law was enacted that demanded that slaves who escaped, even if they crossed into another state, must be returned to their owners.
Two events happened in the early 1800s that caused the deaths of many slaves. One occurred in 1800 when a blacksmith slave lead a protest that was supposed to end with a march on Virginia. When the plan was discovered he and several of his coconspirators were hanged to set an example. Laws surrounding slaves were tightened at that time. Surprisingly in 1808 Congress followed through and banned bringing slaves form Africa. In 1820 slavery was banned north of Missouri’s most southern border. Then in 1834 a man who was a former slave, having bought his own freedom, was set to lead a protest when he too was discovered and hung along with over thirty of his co-conspirators.
Harriet Tubman is a famous former slave, having escaped the confines of slavery to help her people. She was one of the leaders of the Underground Railway. The Underground Railway was a system set up by slaves who were free and sympathizers who believed that slavery was wrong. Its purpose was to help slaves escape into Canada or to colonies that did not allow slavery.
Thing were getting worse and so it was no surprise when in 1857 Congress based a law that proclaimed that slaves were not American citizens. In 1861 the American Civil War begins; a war fought primarily over the right to own slaves. The South demanded this right while the North deplored slavery. In 1863 then President Lincoln declared that all slaves living in the confederate states were to be freed. 1n 1865 the war ended, Lincoln was assassinated and the Ku Klux Klan, known as the KKK, came into being with the goal to violently discriminate against those people of color. This same year new laws were enacted to limit the lives and rights of people of color.
Over the next hundred years several universities were built that made higher education available to black men and women. In 1914 Marcus Garvey set up the Universal Negro Improvement Association to try to bring black Americans together to instill pride in them, to give them a sense of belonging. In 1947 the first African American baseball player moved to the Major leagues. Slowly black Americans were being recognized as Americans. In 1948 the armed forces were finally integrated.
During the 1960s many changes were made. The sixties were a time of social change and social activism. Martin Luther King Jr. promoted change with peaceful demonstrations and the uniting of African Americans to seek equal rights. Malcolm X promoted equality through violence and by keeping the races apart instead of integrating them. 1963 was the year of King’s most famous speech, the “I have a Dream” speech in which he spoke of equality for all despite the color of their skins or their religious beliefs. It was also the year that President Kennedy began to integrate schools, working hard to protect those students who were the first to take this step.
Sadly so many people who worked for equality and peace among the American people were killed for their efforts. African American history is full of their stories. Laws have changed; no longer is it illegal for a mixed race couple to be seen together, to have relations or to marry. No longer are there restaurants and bathrooms that can be used only by whites or blacks. No longer can restaurants refuse to serve someone because of their race. Let us hope that one day people will no longer suffer because of the actions of others based solely on skin color.
