铜仁学院
本科生毕业论文
题 目 Analysis of the American Racial 分析二十一世纪美国对黑人的种族歧视
系 别 外 国 语 言 文 学 系
专 业 英 语
姓 名
指导教师
截稿日期 2012 年 5 月
Contents
Acknowledgements ………………………………………………………………….. ⅰ Abstract …………….………………………………………....................................... ⅱ I. Introduction …... ……………………………………………………………. ………………1 II. The Forms and Reasons of Racial Discrimination against Black People……………2
2.1 The Forms of Racial Discrimination against Black People …………………. …2
2.1.1 The Field of Education………………………………………………. ……………2
2.1.2 Labor Market……………………………………………………………. …………3
2.1.3 Criminal Justice System………………………………………………………… 4
2.2 The Reasons of Racial Discrimination against Black People.....………………….4
2.2.1 Political Reason ……………………………………………………………. ………4
2.2.2 Cultural Reason ……………………………………………………………. ………5
2.2.3 Economical Reason …………………………………………………………………5
2.2.4 Reasons on Black People Themselves …………………………………………6 III . The Way of Blacks and Government‟s Fight against Racial Discrimination……. …6 3.1 Famous Black Leaders against Racial Discrimination ………………………… 6 3.2 The Way of Blacks and Government‟s Fight against Racial Discrimination…7 3.3 International Organizations Fight against Racial Discrimination………………9 IV . Conclusion ……………………………………………………………... ………………… 10 References …………………………………………………………. …………. …………… 11
Acknowledgements
I must show my sincere thanks to those who offered me a large number of help during the course of my research.
First, I must show my thanks to my supervisor Mr. Tang whose encouragement, enthusiastic instruction, valuable advice have a huge influence on my research, which have greatly contributed to the completion of my thesis.
Second, I am also grateful to those Chinese and foreign translators. With the help of them, I got plenty of abundant and useful referential materials, without them I couldn‟t complete my research smoothly.
Finally, I also give my thanks to my dear teachers and classmates whose encouragements greatly support me lead to success. Thanks a lot again.
Analysis of the American Racial Discrimination
against Blacks on Contemporary
Abstract: Racial discrimination in America can date back to European slave trade period. It is a deep social problem in the United States because blacks and other minor ethnic groups are living in the bottom of the American society.
Racial discrimination is a very serious social problem in American and still exists nowadays. There are many reasons cause human historical racial discrimination. Cultural 、historical and political factors are the sources of American black racial discrimination. However, blacks to have the rights with whites there are many people in America always are busy with fighting against racial discrimination.
Key words: American racial discrimination against
摘要: 美国种族歧视可以追溯到欧洲奴隶贸易时期。种族歧视是一个深深植根于美国的社会弊病，因为在美国，黑人和其他少数民族处于美国社会的最底层。 种族歧视是美国国内的一个尖锐的一直存在的社会问题。文化，历史以及政治等都是种族歧视产生的原因。但是，黑人为了获得同白人一样的权利，很多的人一直在反抗种族歧视。结果在一定程度上获得了同白人一样的权利, 但是是一个艰难的过程。
关键词: 美国种族歧视 反抗
Ⅰ. Introduction
Nowadays, we can still feel the existence of racial discrimination. As we all know, Michael Jackson might be the world‟s most famous singer who was born in an African-American family with inborn skin black. Nobody knows why he changed his skin color from black to white.
Racial discrimination always troubled the United States since America was built, African-American, Latinos, Asian-American and other minority groups have been discriminated in many fields. Racial discrimination is a common topic and after Martin Luther King‟s famous speech---I have a dream which was heard by throughout the world, the anti-discrimination campaign is not only the business of black people in America, but becomes the all world‟s sounds of heart. But it„s not enough. If we take a further step and look at it deeper, we will find that we in the position where many problems are waiting and the world is far from being the idealistic world we are what we want.
The black exist as a minor race, but their contribution to America‟s development can not be ignored. They are minor race; however their population counts for 12.2% of the whole population of America (Robey 1987.1.31). From the angle of population, we can know that the black have done many jobs in the American labor market. Besides, they play a very significant role in the development of the American economy and in the urbanization. Because the Civil War many of the black immigrated to the cities in the North and the West of America. In 1960, Washington was the only city in which the blacks‟ population took up half of the whole population. But in 1980, the number of this kind of city had increased to 9. The social phenomenon was called as “Black Urbanization ”. It accelerated the process of the melting of the black and the white.
For the racial discrimination is the business of all over the world, it is necessary to study the origin of the racial discrimination. As a nation of immigrant, the United States has a population which consists of many different racial and ethic groups. One of these ethics is the black. The black lived a peaceful and happy life till the first
intruder began their dirty and bloody human-trading business. Since the 17th century, the black were shipped to America and the number of the black was up to 400 thousand (Sowell 1993: 187). After that, the tragedies fell on the black people one after another. The social status of black people had been improved after the Civil War; however they still had to face unfair treatments from the whole society. Although the black got their freedom and became a part of the society to some extent, they felt that they were treated differently. How to solve the problem is to which nobody can find a prompt solution.
Ⅱ. The Forms and Reasons of Racial Discrimination against
Blacks
We can see that racial discrimination is not as strong as 50 years ago because many people fight against racial discrimination. Black people now take on some very respectful jobs, such as lawyers, TV program designers, and doctors, they get respect from others in some degree. But, if we see it much deeper, we will find that racial discrimination is still very common on contemporary society, only it takes subtle forms.
2.1 The Forms of Racial Discrimination against Blacks
Living in the 21st century, we can still feel the existence of racial discrimination. Racial discrimination against blacks mainly includes three parts. They are as follows.
2.1.1 The Field of Education
When talking about the cultural field, the aspect of education can not be neglected, especially for children of the black. In 1930, only 58.5% black people could enter schools, but in 1980s, the black children could have the same chance to enter schools (Gilbert and Karl 1992: 92). In 1965, the Middle School Education Act accelerated the step of eliminating the system of racial segregation. More and more black children could enter the same school as the white children (Franklin 1988: 567). Previous studies have suggested that in response to occupational and educational discrimination based on the race, many African American students have mentally
withdrawn from the schooling process, as indicated by low levels of achievement and high levels of school dropout. Before 1954, the states in the South had legislation which indicated that the black children were forbidden to enter the school where the white children were educated. In 1960, there were 589 schools in New York, but only 95 schools where black children were permitted to receive their education. The black children grow up in the environment of being treated like another creature from another planet.
“In recent years there has been a resurgence of racial conflict at predominantly white institutions of higher education. Incidents of harassment and violence at the University of Michigan, the University of Massachusetts, and other campuses have highlighted the constituting racial divisions among majority and minority students. These incidents have emerged during a period when the society, in general, has expressed concern about the declining enrollment of racial minorities —particularly blacks in higher education.”(The Urban Review 1988: Vol. 20, No.3)
2.1.2 Labor Market
The high rate of unemployment of the black appeared after the Second World War. In 1946, the Job Management Community declared that there was no work for blacks. Then each factory cut down the number of black workers. Owing to the Second World War, the rate of unemployment of the black was twice of whites. From 1952 to 1954, the rate of unemployment of the blacks increased from 5.4% to 9.9 % (Herbert 1965: 367). Equality in employment and salary did not exist. In 1954, the average income of the blacks per hour was lower 1.90 dollar than the whites‟ (Raphael 1993: 532). “Black men‟s average wages in 1975 were $4.65, 78% of the white male wage. ” (Reimers 1983: 570) Statistics provided by the United States Department of Labor suggest that by November 2004, the unemployment rate for black and white people is 10.8 percent and 4.7 percent respectively. According to some statistics, black people‟s income is just 1/3 of the white people‟s even if they are doing the same job. That ‟s of course due to the discrimination in the labor market. On the whole, the colored people are generally poor, with living bad condition. Statistics show that the
number of black people living in poverty is three times that of the white.
2.1.3 Criminal Justice System
The most common scene that appears in our head when talking about the racial discrimination is that many black people are jammed in a cell. Here is some official report: By the end of 2003, out of 1.4 million prisoners who are serving jail terms above one year at the federal or state prisons, 44 percent were blacks. Blacks who are arrested are 3 times more likely to be imprisoned than whites who are arrested. The blacks are easily arrested, besides that, their sentences are also more severely than the whites. They are easily to be sentenced to death.
“Reevaluation of published research on racial bias in criminal sentencing and of the data on execution rates by race from 1930 to 1967 and on the death—sentencing rates from 1967 to 1978 indicates that, except in the South, black homicide offenders have been less likely than whites to receive a death sentence or be executed.” (American Sociological Review 1981: Vol. 46)
2.2 The Reasons of Racial Discrimination against Blacks
What cause the situation? Why racial discrimination does still exists today? Here are some brief analysis from the angles of culture, politics, economy and black people themselves.
2.2.1 Political Reason
The first factor is politics. The low social status decides that there is no real fair law for black people. Black people and white people were forbidden to sit in the same area on the bus, to go to the same school, to go to the same post office, or to go to the same church, etc. It seemed that every place where white people appeared was a forbidden-place for the black. The right-owners wanted to make black people disappear from the world for good, but it was impossible. Every race has its reason to exist in the future if they existed before, and to have the free air to live is their irrevocable right. The world belongs to everyone, and the air one pulls out of his lungs may be inhaled by others, so we can not exist without others.
2.2.2 Cultural Reason
The second factor we are talked about is culture. It‟s well known that the black were brought to America in the 18th century as slaves, and their posterity kept on working on plant farms until the Civil War was ended. So, at the very beginning, their social status was very low, white people and some who have social status treated them very bad as horses and cattle. At that time, it was unlikely for black people to develop and spread their culture. It seemed that they didn‟t have themselves culture at all. Very few black people were educated, if there was any, it must be that some very open-minded slave-owners taught his favorite salves common knowledge, which could only be used in the daily life. It was undoubted for Philosophy, mathematics and physics to be taught to the blacks. Until today, the education level of black people is much lower than others. Culture is the bridge to bringing two races together, but there is a big gap between black people‟s culture and white people‟s. So, the tremendous gap between black people and white people comes naturally.
2.2.3 Economical Reason
The third important factor is economy. Everybody has the notion that economy is the foundation of politics and culture.
Why black people are looked down upon in the United States? If we track the problem down, we will find that the factor of economy lies at the bottom; if we compare all the factors to a pyramid. For example, a white man who owned a car might feel very proud when he droved his car passing a black man who had to wait for bus in the rain. A white lady wearing one dear dress might look at a black woman in the low price dress cheaply. The white family might live happier than the black one because they had many opportunities to appreciate their life. That was the difference!
2.2.4 Reasons on Black People Themselves
Except for these reasons we talked about above, there is still a blank that we haven‟t fill in --- black people themselves.
If we walk around America, we will find that the black people do not follow the society‟s steps. They have their own living place take the place of living together with
others. In their community, they also have schools. But the teachers are not eligible. So the black children fall behind at the very beginning, compared with the white children. On top of that, they have much homework. So maybe there is less time for them to think about more important questions---what they live for and how to get a happier life. All we see in the ghetto is that a black young man gets a car and beautiful house by robbing others, or a boy and a girl have a baby when they themselves are still children, etc. What will they do if they grow up under such circumstances? The answer is obvious---to follow them. So, they get poorer and poorer, and they stand on the edge of the society at last.
Ⅲ. The Way of Blacks and Government’s Fight against Racial
Discrimination
3.1 Famous Black Leaders against Racial Discrimination
Many people devoted themselves to this honorable career, and some of them even died for it. Among them, these important persons should be mentioned.
As a prominent leader of civil rights, Martin Luther King led 250 thousand people to fight for black people‟s freedom, equality, and employment. As the work of I Have a Dream, Martin Luther King won the Nobel Peace Price in 1964. Unluckily, two years later, he was murdered; he devoted his precious life to the liberation of black people. His I Have a Dream is the declaration of the blacks telling the world that their race exists independently as other races. This article incorporates the ideologies, symbolism, and strategies employed by Martin Luther King Jr. to radically transform public opinion regarding the rights of blacks to become integral participants in the “American Dream”—a dream that would allow them the same rights according to those in mainstream society.
Without Martin Luther King, Americans might take different buses, eat in different restaurants, go for walks in different parks, and shop in different stores because of the different colors and shin.
Another is Rosa Parks. “Rose Parks exemplifies the very best of America: a compelling commitment to justice for all persons, in spite of race, class, career,
national origin or religion. ” (Higginbotham 1995:899) It happened on a bus: Rosa Parks refused to obey the inhuman rule that the blacks and the whites were forbidden to sit in the same area on a bus. But the heroine challenged it for the first time. The voice was not loud, but it was loud enough to be heard by the whole world, and it was strong enough to cause a panic in the old society. The voice broke the icy world all of a sudden, and it didn‟t give people any opportunity to make preparations for it.
The campaign started by the black people aiming at clearing unfair treatments spread so fast that it was like a river running ahead with torrents crashing the banks fiercely and nothing could b lock it. The whites looked at the black people‟s self —saving action, and some of them accepted, but there were still many others who thought that the black people were doing nothing but destroying the peaceful world. But the blacks never stopped their steps. Among them, many outstanding leaders walked in the front of the troop, waving their flag, and woke up more and more people to join them.
If we regard Rosa Parks as the pioneer of the campaign, then Martin Luther King must be the great guide. In some degree, he is the monument in the whole “liberation” history.
3.2 The Way of Blacks and G overnment’s Fight against Racial
Discrimination
On one hand from the economic and cultural background of the black Americans and on the other hand from the racial prejudice of American whites. Therefore its solution depended upon change in both sides. The black Americans should endeavor to improve their own economic conditions and strengthen their economic power to have resources on which to fall back during the prolonged struggle. Although they are blacks, they make great contributions to America. All in all, we should respect and help them to live in harmony. Only in this way, the blacks can have the same rights as the whites. That is to say they have the same rights to vote, to go to famous college, to sit in the same area as the whites.
The former Secretary of the United States, Condoleezza Rice, is the first black
female in such high place and she made great contribution to American society and black people.
The 44th president of the United States, Barrack Hussein Obama, is the first black president in America. After he won the election, he said: “This is your victory, change has come to America”. I must confess, his winning itself is a change.
Many people in America always are busy with fighting against racial discrimination. Even if Obama got a breakthrough and promised that he could take changes to America, I hope his change would begin with the attitude against racial discrimination. No matter what kind of people live in America, they all make important contributions, including the blacks. So American government even all over the world people should care about the black in all aspects, education, health care, and employment included and so on.
The blacks stand up and keep their faith in mind, stepping steadily to the Congress, to the whole society to ask the “check” back. The “check” that The Declaration of Independence has promised to cash—everyone is born equal and they have the rights to vote, to get freedom and to pursuit happiness. Black people have been looking for their own homeland for many years, and this time they will not give up.
The efforts are not in vain. The black got practical interest. The social status of the blacks has been improved in a degree. The word “Negro” can not be seen in the news nowadays. They are called “African American”. It took the government‟s large amount money to help improve the blacks‟ living and transportation conditions. The black and the white children are educated in different schools has become history. Now the government puts plenty of money into driving the black children to the schools which are in the area of the whites. The rate for the black children to enter schools is lower than the whites‟. Besides, the government offers many jobs chance to the black. If you look around Washington, it is easy to find that the guard people in the museums around the White House are the black.
3.3 International Organizations Fight against Racial Discrimination
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is one of the International organizations fight against racial discrimination. UNESCO contributes to fight against racism and discrimination through research, normative instruments and operational programs and projects. New forms of discrimination have arisen, in association with certain scientific development and the process of globalization. As a result, these new threats and the outbreak of violent inter-ethnic conflicts in many parts of the world in recently, the international community decided to convene in 2001 in Durban, South Africa, the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. In close collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), UNESCO participated actively in the Durban Conference, which was undoubtedly the high point of the Third United Nations Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, which ended in 2003.
Ⅳ. Conclusion
The black appear as an independent race at the very beginning, and it will still be an independent race in future. The blacks‟ calling is waking up people attention; people shouldn‟t stand in the way and prevent black people from being stronger and stronger. The Declaration of Independence said all men are created equal, so the gap between black and white people is simply an insult to the founding essence of the United States. If the blacks are not treated equally, the Congress owes them a check, the check has been recalled to cash now, and if it needs a long time, it will remain being called. At the same time, American government should take action to develop blacks ‟ economy, education, culture, politics to make sure the blacks have the right same with the whites.
In a word, due to America blacks have been discriminated and abused long time in United States. Thus arousing people pay more attention to the blacks‟ and fairly treated them to let the blacks and whites have equal rights, but the black fighting racial discrimination for freedom and equality has a long history in the future.
References
1. American Sociological Review [Z]. New York: Somerset, 1981.
2. Arrow, J. Kenneth. What has Economics to say about Racial Discrimination?
[Z] , 1998
3. Herbert Hill. Racial Inequality in Employment: The Patterns of Discrimination [J], Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social
Science 1965 (30)
4. Higginbotham A. Leon. Rosa Parks: Foremother & Heroine Teaching Civility & Offer a Vision for a Better Tomorrow [Z], 1995.
5. King Martin Luther. I have a dream [Z], August 28, 1963.
6. Marilyn Kern-Foxworth. Martin Luther King Jr.: Minister, Civil Rights Activist, and Public Opinion Leader [Z], 1992.
7. Raphael J.Soneshein. Politics in Black and White: Race and Power in Los Angles [M], Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1993.
8. Reimers, Cordelia W. Labor Market Discrimination against Hispanic and Black Men [J], Review of Economics and Statistics. 1983
9. Herbert Hill. Racial Inequality in Employment: The Patterns of Discrimination [J], Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social
Science 1965 (30)
10. Franklin, J. 美国黑人史 [M]. 北京：商务印书馆，1988
11. Gillbert, D. and Karl, J. 美国阶级结构 [M]. 北京：中国社会科学出版
社，1992
12. Sowell, T. 美国种族简史 [M]. 南京：南京大学出版社， 1993
铜仁学院
本科生毕业论文
题 目 Analysis of the American Racial 分析二十一世纪美国对黑人的种族歧视
系 别 外 国 语 言 文 学 系
专 业 英 语
姓 名
指导教师
截稿日期 2012 年 5 月
Contents
Acknowledgements ………………………………………………………………….. ⅰ Abstract …………….………………………………………....................................... ⅱ I. Introduction …... ……………………………………………………………. ………………1 II. The Forms and Reasons of Racial Discrimination against Black People……………2
2.1 The Forms of Racial Discrimination against Black People …………………. …2
2.1.1 The Field of Education………………………………………………. ……………2
2.1.2 Labor Market……………………………………………………………. …………3
2.1.3 Criminal Justice System………………………………………………………… 4
2.2 The Reasons of Racial Discrimination against Black People.....………………….4
2.2.1 Political Reason ……………………………………………………………. ………4
2.2.2 Cultural Reason ……………………………………………………………. ………5
2.2.3 Economical Reason …………………………………………………………………5
2.2.4 Reasons on Black People Themselves …………………………………………6 III . The Way of Blacks and Government‟s Fight against Racial Discrimination……. …6 3.1 Famous Black Leaders against Racial Discrimination ………………………… 6 3.2 The Way of Blacks and Government‟s Fight against Racial Discrimination…7 3.3 International Organizations Fight against Racial Discrimination………………9 IV . Conclusion ……………………………………………………………... ………………… 10 References …………………………………………………………. …………. …………… 11
Acknowledgements
I must show my sincere thanks to those who offered me a large number of help during the course of my research.
First, I must show my thanks to my supervisor Mr. Tang whose encouragement, enthusiastic instruction, valuable advice have a huge influence on my research, which have greatly contributed to the completion of my thesis.
Second, I am also grateful to those Chinese and foreign translators. With the help of them, I got plenty of abundant and useful referential materials, without them I couldn‟t complete my research smoothly.
Finally, I also give my thanks to my dear teachers and classmates whose encouragements greatly support me lead to success. Thanks a lot again.
Analysis of the American Racial Discrimination
against Blacks on Contemporary
Abstract: Racial discrimination in America can date back to European slave trade period. It is a deep social problem in the United States because blacks and other minor ethnic groups are living in the bottom of the American society.
Racial discrimination is a very serious social problem in American and still exists nowadays. There are many reasons cause human historical racial discrimination. Cultural 、historical and political factors are the sources of American black racial discrimination. However, blacks to have the rights with whites there are many people in America always are busy with fighting against racial discrimination.
Key words: American racial discrimination against
摘要: 美国种族歧视可以追溯到欧洲奴隶贸易时期。种族歧视是一个深深植根于美国的社会弊病，因为在美国，黑人和其他少数民族处于美国社会的最底层。 种族歧视是美国国内的一个尖锐的一直存在的社会问题。文化，历史以及政治等都是种族歧视产生的原因。但是，黑人为了获得同白人一样的权利，很多的人一直在反抗种族歧视。结果在一定程度上获得了同白人一样的权利, 但是是一个艰难的过程。
关键词: 美国种族歧视 反抗
Ⅰ. Introduction
Nowadays, we can still feel the existence of racial discrimination. As we all know, Michael Jackson might be the world‟s most famous singer who was born in an African-American family with inborn skin black. Nobody knows why he changed his skin color from black to white.
Racial discrimination always troubled the United States since America was built, African-American, Latinos, Asian-American and other minority groups have been discriminated in many fields. Racial discrimination is a common topic and after Martin Luther King‟s famous speech---I have a dream which was heard by throughout the world, the anti-discrimination campaign is not only the business of black people in America, but becomes the all world‟s sounds of heart. But it„s not enough. If we take a further step and look at it deeper, we will find that we in the position where many problems are waiting and the world is far from being the idealistic world we are what we want.
The black exist as a minor race, but their contribution to America‟s development can not be ignored. They are minor race; however their population counts for 12.2% of the whole population of America (Robey 1987.1.31). From the angle of population, we can know that the black have done many jobs in the American labor market. Besides, they play a very significant role in the development of the American economy and in the urbanization. Because the Civil War many of the black immigrated to the cities in the North and the West of America. In 1960, Washington was the only city in which the blacks‟ population took up half of the whole population. But in 1980, the number of this kind of city had increased to 9. The social phenomenon was called as “Black Urbanization ”. It accelerated the process of the melting of the black and the white.
For the racial discrimination is the business of all over the world, it is necessary to study the origin of the racial discrimination. As a nation of immigrant, the United States has a population which consists of many different racial and ethic groups. One of these ethics is the black. The black lived a peaceful and happy life till the first
intruder began their dirty and bloody human-trading business. Since the 17th century, the black were shipped to America and the number of the black was up to 400 thousand (Sowell 1993: 187). After that, the tragedies fell on the black people one after another. The social status of black people had been improved after the Civil War; however they still had to face unfair treatments from the whole society. Although the black got their freedom and became a part of the society to some extent, they felt that they were treated differently. How to solve the problem is to which nobody can find a prompt solution.
Ⅱ. The Forms and Reasons of Racial Discrimination against
Blacks
We can see that racial discrimination is not as strong as 50 years ago because many people fight against racial discrimination. Black people now take on some very respectful jobs, such as lawyers, TV program designers, and doctors, they get respect from others in some degree. But, if we see it much deeper, we will find that racial discrimination is still very common on contemporary society, only it takes subtle forms.
2.1 The Forms of Racial Discrimination against Blacks
Living in the 21st century, we can still feel the existence of racial discrimination. Racial discrimination against blacks mainly includes three parts. They are as follows.
2.1.1 The Field of Education
When talking about the cultural field, the aspect of education can not be neglected, especially for children of the black. In 1930, only 58.5% black people could enter schools, but in 1980s, the black children could have the same chance to enter schools (Gilbert and Karl 1992: 92). In 1965, the Middle School Education Act accelerated the step of eliminating the system of racial segregation. More and more black children could enter the same school as the white children (Franklin 1988: 567). Previous studies have suggested that in response to occupational and educational discrimination based on the race, many African American students have mentally
withdrawn from the schooling process, as indicated by low levels of achievement and high levels of school dropout. Before 1954, the states in the South had legislation which indicated that the black children were forbidden to enter the school where the white children were educated. In 1960, there were 589 schools in New York, but only 95 schools where black children were permitted to receive their education. The black children grow up in the environment of being treated like another creature from another planet.
“In recent years there has been a resurgence of racial conflict at predominantly white institutions of higher education. Incidents of harassment and violence at the University of Michigan, the University of Massachusetts, and other campuses have highlighted the constituting racial divisions among majority and minority students. These incidents have emerged during a period when the society, in general, has expressed concern about the declining enrollment of racial minorities —particularly blacks in higher education.”(The Urban Review 1988: Vol. 20, No.3)
2.1.2 Labor Market
The high rate of unemployment of the black appeared after the Second World War. In 1946, the Job Management Community declared that there was no work for blacks. Then each factory cut down the number of black workers. Owing to the Second World War, the rate of unemployment of the black was twice of whites. From 1952 to 1954, the rate of unemployment of the blacks increased from 5.4% to 9.9 % (Herbert 1965: 367). Equality in employment and salary did not exist. In 1954, the average income of the blacks per hour was lower 1.90 dollar than the whites‟ (Raphael 1993: 532). “Black men‟s average wages in 1975 were $4.65, 78% of the white male wage. ” (Reimers 1983: 570) Statistics provided by the United States Department of Labor suggest that by November 2004, the unemployment rate for black and white people is 10.8 percent and 4.7 percent respectively. According to some statistics, black people‟s income is just 1/3 of the white people‟s even if they are doing the same job. That ‟s of course due to the discrimination in the labor market. On the whole, the colored people are generally poor, with living bad condition. Statistics show that the
number of black people living in poverty is three times that of the white.
2.1.3 Criminal Justice System
The most common scene that appears in our head when talking about the racial discrimination is that many black people are jammed in a cell. Here is some official report: By the end of 2003, out of 1.4 million prisoners who are serving jail terms above one year at the federal or state prisons, 44 percent were blacks. Blacks who are arrested are 3 times more likely to be imprisoned than whites who are arrested. The blacks are easily arrested, besides that, their sentences are also more severely than the whites. They are easily to be sentenced to death.
“Reevaluation of published research on racial bias in criminal sentencing and of the data on execution rates by race from 1930 to 1967 and on the death—sentencing rates from 1967 to 1978 indicates that, except in the South, black homicide offenders have been less likely than whites to receive a death sentence or be executed.” (American Sociological Review 1981: Vol. 46)
2.2 The Reasons of Racial Discrimination against Blacks
What cause the situation? Why racial discrimination does still exists today? Here are some brief analysis from the angles of culture, politics, economy and black people themselves.
2.2.1 Political Reason
The first factor is politics. The low social status decides that there is no real fair law for black people. Black people and white people were forbidden to sit in the same area on the bus, to go to the same school, to go to the same post office, or to go to the same church, etc. It seemed that every place where white people appeared was a forbidden-place for the black. The right-owners wanted to make black people disappear from the world for good, but it was impossible. Every race has its reason to exist in the future if they existed before, and to have the free air to live is their irrevocable right. The world belongs to everyone, and the air one pulls out of his lungs may be inhaled by others, so we can not exist without others.
2.2.2 Cultural Reason
The second factor we are talked about is culture. It‟s well known that the black were brought to America in the 18th century as slaves, and their posterity kept on working on plant farms until the Civil War was ended. So, at the very beginning, their social status was very low, white people and some who have social status treated them very bad as horses and cattle. At that time, it was unlikely for black people to develop and spread their culture. It seemed that they didn‟t have themselves culture at all. Very few black people were educated, if there was any, it must be that some very open-minded slave-owners taught his favorite salves common knowledge, which could only be used in the daily life. It was undoubted for Philosophy, mathematics and physics to be taught to the blacks. Until today, the education level of black people is much lower than others. Culture is the bridge to bringing two races together, but there is a big gap between black people‟s culture and white people‟s. So, the tremendous gap between black people and white people comes naturally.
2.2.3 Economical Reason
The third important factor is economy. Everybody has the notion that economy is the foundation of politics and culture.
Why black people are looked down upon in the United States? If we track the problem down, we will find that the factor of economy lies at the bottom; if we compare all the factors to a pyramid. For example, a white man who owned a car might feel very proud when he droved his car passing a black man who had to wait for bus in the rain. A white lady wearing one dear dress might look at a black woman in the low price dress cheaply. The white family might live happier than the black one because they had many opportunities to appreciate their life. That was the difference!
2.2.4 Reasons on Black People Themselves
Except for these reasons we talked about above, there is still a blank that we haven‟t fill in --- black people themselves.
If we walk around America, we will find that the black people do not follow the society‟s steps. They have their own living place take the place of living together with
others. In their community, they also have schools. But the teachers are not eligible. So the black children fall behind at the very beginning, compared with the white children. On top of that, they have much homework. So maybe there is less time for them to think about more important questions---what they live for and how to get a happier life. All we see in the ghetto is that a black young man gets a car and beautiful house by robbing others, or a boy and a girl have a baby when they themselves are still children, etc. What will they do if they grow up under such circumstances? The answer is obvious---to follow them. So, they get poorer and poorer, and they stand on the edge of the society at last.
Ⅲ. The Way of Blacks and Government’s Fight against Racial
Discrimination
3.1 Famous Black Leaders against Racial Discrimination
Many people devoted themselves to this honorable career, and some of them even died for it. Among them, these important persons should be mentioned.
As a prominent leader of civil rights, Martin Luther King led 250 thousand people to fight for black people‟s freedom, equality, and employment. As the work of I Have a Dream, Martin Luther King won the Nobel Peace Price in 1964. Unluckily, two years later, he was murdered; he devoted his precious life to the liberation of black people. His I Have a Dream is the declaration of the blacks telling the world that their race exists independently as other races. This article incorporates the ideologies, symbolism, and strategies employed by Martin Luther King Jr. to radically transform public opinion regarding the rights of blacks to become integral participants in the “American Dream”—a dream that would allow them the same rights according to those in mainstream society.
Without Martin Luther King, Americans might take different buses, eat in different restaurants, go for walks in different parks, and shop in different stores because of the different colors and shin.
Another is Rosa Parks. “Rose Parks exemplifies the very best of America: a compelling commitment to justice for all persons, in spite of race, class, career,
national origin or religion. ” (Higginbotham 1995:899) It happened on a bus: Rosa Parks refused to obey the inhuman rule that the blacks and the whites were forbidden to sit in the same area on a bus. But the heroine challenged it for the first time. The voice was not loud, but it was loud enough to be heard by the whole world, and it was strong enough to cause a panic in the old society. The voice broke the icy world all of a sudden, and it didn‟t give people any opportunity to make preparations for it.
The campaign started by the black people aiming at clearing unfair treatments spread so fast that it was like a river running ahead with torrents crashing the banks fiercely and nothing could b lock it. The whites looked at the black people‟s self —saving action, and some of them accepted, but there were still many others who thought that the black people were doing nothing but destroying the peaceful world. But the blacks never stopped their steps. Among them, many outstanding leaders walked in the front of the troop, waving their flag, and woke up more and more people to join them.
If we regard Rosa Parks as the pioneer of the campaign, then Martin Luther King must be the great guide. In some degree, he is the monument in the whole “liberation” history.
3.2 The Way of Blacks and G overnment’s Fight against Racial
Discrimination
On one hand from the economic and cultural background of the black Americans and on the other hand from the racial prejudice of American whites. Therefore its solution depended upon change in both sides. The black Americans should endeavor to improve their own economic conditions and strengthen their economic power to have resources on which to fall back during the prolonged struggle. Although they are blacks, they make great contributions to America. All in all, we should respect and help them to live in harmony. Only in this way, the blacks can have the same rights as the whites. That is to say they have the same rights to vote, to go to famous college, to sit in the same area as the whites.
The former Secretary of the United States, Condoleezza Rice, is the first black
female in such high place and she made great contribution to American society and black people.
The 44th president of the United States, Barrack Hussein Obama, is the first black president in America. After he won the election, he said: “This is your victory, change has come to America”. I must confess, his winning itself is a change.
Many people in America always are busy with fighting against racial discrimination. Even if Obama got a breakthrough and promised that he could take changes to America, I hope his change would begin with the attitude against racial discrimination. No matter what kind of people live in America, they all make important contributions, including the blacks. So American government even all over the world people should care about the black in all aspects, education, health care, and employment included and so on.
The blacks stand up and keep their faith in mind, stepping steadily to the Congress, to the whole society to ask the “check” back. The “check” that The Declaration of Independence has promised to cash—everyone is born equal and they have the rights to vote, to get freedom and to pursuit happiness. Black people have been looking for their own homeland for many years, and this time they will not give up.
The efforts are not in vain. The black got practical interest. The social status of the blacks has been improved in a degree. The word “Negro” can not be seen in the news nowadays. They are called “African American”. It took the government‟s large amount money to help improve the blacks‟ living and transportation conditions. The black and the white children are educated in different schools has become history. Now the government puts plenty of money into driving the black children to the schools which are in the area of the whites. The rate for the black children to enter schools is lower than the whites‟. Besides, the government offers many jobs chance to the black. If you look around Washington, it is easy to find that the guard people in the museums around the White House are the black.
3.3 International Organizations Fight against Racial Discrimination
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is one of the International organizations fight against racial discrimination. UNESCO contributes to fight against racism and discrimination through research, normative instruments and operational programs and projects. New forms of discrimination have arisen, in association with certain scientific development and the process of globalization. As a result, these new threats and the outbreak of violent inter-ethnic conflicts in many parts of the world in recently, the international community decided to convene in 2001 in Durban, South Africa, the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. In close collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), UNESCO participated actively in the Durban Conference, which was undoubtedly the high point of the Third United Nations Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, which ended in 2003.
Ⅳ. Conclusion
The black appear as an independent race at the very beginning, and it will still be an independent race in future. The blacks‟ calling is waking up people attention; people shouldn‟t stand in the way and prevent black people from being stronger and stronger. The Declaration of Independence said all men are created equal, so the gap between black and white people is simply an insult to the founding essence of the United States. If the blacks are not treated equally, the Congress owes them a check, the check has been recalled to cash now, and if it needs a long time, it will remain being called. At the same time, American government should take action to develop blacks ‟ economy, education, culture, politics to make sure the blacks have the right same with the whites.
In a word, due to America blacks have been discriminated and abused long time in United States. Thus arousing people pay more attention to the blacks‟ and fairly treated them to let the blacks and whites have equal rights, but the black fighting racial discrimination for freedom and equality has a long history in the future.
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