Ethnic_Groups_and_Discrimination

Ethnic Groups and Discrimination Culture Diversity June 20, 2010 I identify with the African American ethnic group and that is why I chose to this group. African Americans have faced many obstacles over the years such as, prejudice, segregation and racism. In this essay I will also tell how they immigrated to the United States. African Americans also referred to as Black Americans or Afro-Americans. Most African Americans are descendants of captive Africans who survived slavery. Immigration originated in Africa. Thousands of years ago Africans made their way to a place where no humans lived at that time, which is now Europe. Most African Americans was forced from their homes. Some were sold as prisoners of war or kidnapped by slave traders such as European or American. The first African slaves were brought to Jamestown, Virginia in 1619 and were treated as indentured servants, which is a worker, laborer or tradesman under contract to an employer for a fixed period of time in exchange for their necessities such as: food, clothing and transportation. 10 to 12 million Africans were transported to the western hemisphere. Some came from the West African coast and others from Madagascar and East Africa. Some Africans died off quickly due to diseases, lack of food and medical care. By 1700, there were 25,000 slaves in the American colonies. During the 18th century the slave trade took off across the Atlantic. The shipment of black African slaves became very harsh. During the migration, they were stacked on top of one another in ships while enduring prejudice and cruel treatment. Many got sick and died. Between the years of 1910 and 1920 African Americans migrated to Omaha. They made up 5 percent of the population. By 1920 the rates of blacks increased which became alarming to the white population which caused segregation. African Americans suffered tremendously when it came to segregation. According to the Merriam Webster, segregation is a separation or isolation of a race, class or ethnic group. African Americans were banned from restaurants, hotels, hospitals and they were not allowed to vote. If they wanted to vote they had to take and pass a literacy test to see if they could read and they also had to pay unlike the whites. This brings up Jim Crow which originated around 1830, when a white show performer colored his face with charcoal paste and danced and sang lyrics to the song “Jump Jim Crow”. He did this after he saw an elderly man singing and dancing. Jim Crow became a racial slur for blacks used by many whites. African Americans suffered brutal acts such as lynching, mob terror and riots. They even endured dismemberment, being dragged to death behind carts and they were also burned. They were also humiliated. The whites sold tickets so other whites could watch the lynchings. They even brought their children. They also took pictures with the burned bodies of African Americans and also used them as souvenirs. African Americans never got the same respect as the whites. Instead of being addressed as, “Mr.” or “Ms” they got degraded by the terms of “boy,” “girl,” “uncle,” “auntie,” and of the term “nigger”. African Americans also had to deal with affirmative action. Minorities and women remain economically disadvantaged: the black unemployment rate remains over twice the white unemployment rate; 97 percent of senior managers in Fortune 1000 corporations are white males; (28) in 1992, 33.3 percent of blacks and 29.3 percent of Hispanics lived in poverty, compared to 11.6 percent of whites. (29) In 1993, Hispanic men were half as likely as white men to be managers or professionals; (30) only 0.4 percent of senior management positions in Fortune 1000 industrial and Fortune 500 service industries are Hispanic. (31) http://clinton2.natra.gov/WH/EOP/html/aa/aa04.html We, as African Americans have been and are still going through a lot, rather if it’s racism or prejudice. I have experienced a little prejudice from a different race but I have also overcome that situation. I can honestly say I treat people like they should be treated and I expect the same. But I am so glad that we, as a society has overcome the negativity and can come together as one. I do identify with the African American culture more because that “culture” is who I am. References http://clinton2.nara.gov/WH/EOP/html/aa/aa04.html http://www.jimcrowhistory.org/history/surviving.htm http://www.meriam-webster.com/dictionary/segregation