African Americans Civil Rights Evolution
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African Americans' Civil Rights Evolution
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African Americans' Civil Rights Evolution
Black civil rights history makes an integral part of researchers' narrative when exploring
America's caste system. It is an important topic about how African Americans experienced
increased enslavement at the hands of white people, mainly the upper class. Several aspects
facilitated slavery, including violent systems, religion, and, in some cases, law. However, the
American Civil War changed the country's trajectory, particularly in the South, where slavery
was a core economic driver. The North's victory saw an absolute condemnation and prohibition
of slavery, ushering in Reconstruction. Extensive struggle from blacks after slavery abolition
helped them develop a path to freedom and attainment of much-needed civil rights in America.
In this sense, this paper term paper presents an in-depth analysis of civil rights' evolution from
1875-1878, its origins, the fourteenth amendment, and its significance today.
African Americans' Civil Rights
Post-Civil War Evolution (1861-1870)
The American Civil War is primarily credited with the significant transformation of
blacks' lives in US society. Specifically, the conflict between the North and the South led to a
Union victory, triggering slavery abolition and the start of a new era for blacks in American
society. As an illustration, Reconstruction provided a platform for African Americans to fight for
their rights and demand recognition by the US government. Graff (2016) explains that African
Americans made substantial strides during Reconstruction, including achieving voting rights
(men) in Mississippi and South Carolina by 1868. Furthermore, by 1870 85% of black jurors
serving for the Mississippi criminal justice system could write and read. Nonetheless, the
struggle for civil rights took a major setback from the early 1870s, with many blacks
experiencing high racism and alienation levels in the North and the South.
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1875-1878 Civil Rights Struggle and Origins
While Reconstruction provided African Americans with a progressive civil rights
platform, they experienced significant challenges in their struggle, mainly during the early
1870s. After Reconstruction, blacks' progress, including securing voting rights in certain states,
was set back by a continuous period of discrimination and racism for over a hundred years.
Grafff (2016) explains that the origin of the civil rights struggle in 1875 was attributed to
increased terrorism directed towards blacks, unequal resources, lynching, and
disenfranchisement. Increased racial separation and limitation of African Americans created a
desire to fight for their rights.
Notably, the economic depression of 1875 elevated the Democratic Party to power after
many years, leading to a campaign of violence against African Americans, mainly in the
Southern States. Ulysses Grant turned down a proposal to send federal troops to safeguard
blacks, marking the end of Reconstruction. The 1876 Compromise characterized
Reconstruction's official end, even though the struggle for African American civil rights never
stopped. Moreover, the US Supreme Court's failure to eliminate discriminatory traditions,
practices, and laws undermined the 1875 Civil Rights Act that supported equality. By 1878 the
civil rights journey faced numerous challenges that curtailed their demands, including the
erosion of federal support for African American civil rights.
The Fourth Amendment
The American government introduced significant changes to the US Constitution, leading
to the Fourth Amendment's development. It made an essential part of the nation's Bill of Rights
and was created to protect citizens. Specifically, the founding fathers established the amendment
to safeguard people by prohibiting unwarranted searches and seizures of property and individuals
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(Tokson, 2020). Many researchers have explored the Fourth Amendment, particularly its use and
misuse. For instance, many white law enforcement officers went against the amendment by
searching African Americans and seizing their property, citing criminal activity. Despite the
amendment's requirements, many police officers violate the fourth amendment like they did
during the struggle for civil rights among African Americans.
The Amendment's Significance Today
Today, many people may question why Americans need the fourth amendment due to a
lack of understanding of what it does. Academics and scholars associate the amendment with
numerous advantages that focus on people's protection. First, the fourth amendment plays a
critical role in protecting American citizens' interests. According to the Legal Information
Institute (n.d.), it secures people from unnecessary seizures and searches from law enforcement
officers. Secondly, the amendment is relevant today because it defines a search and seizure
process. Understanding these definitions assists Americans with the knowledge that safeguards
them against harassment and searches. Additionally, the fourth amendment presents the specifics
about warrant requirements. Therefore, the Constitutional amendment is a crucial part of the Bill
of Rights in contemporary American society.
In conclusion, assessing the evolution of African Americans' rights between 1875 and
1878 provides a substantial comprehension of what transpired and what caused the struggle.
Even though Reconstruction marked a progressive stretch for blacks post-Civil War America,
they experienced increased opposition from whites, exposing them to segregation, racism,
minimal government support, and an absence of civil rights. Furthermore, the Democratic Party's
ascension to the presidency caused high violence levels in the South, creating another need for
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blacks to fight for their civil rights. The fourth amendment is an essential Constitutional aspect
that protects Americans from unnecessary seizures or searches from law enforcement.
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References
Graff, G. (2016). Post Civil War African American History: Brief Periods of Triumph, and Then
Despair.
Journal of Psychohistory
,
43
(4).
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27108470/
Legal Information Institute. (n.d.). The Fourth Amendment. Cornell Law School.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/fourth_amendment
Tokson, M. (2020). The emerging principles of fourth amendment privacy.
Geo. Wash. L. Rev.
,
88
, 1.
https://www.gwlr.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/88-Geo.-Wash.-L.-Rev.-1.pdf
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