EOTO reax

 During these eoto presentations, we were learning about events that either helped progress or slow/ get rid of segregation during that time. Each side gave us a good outlook on what was happening then, and some shared exciting stories. 

For the side telling us how segregation was still advancing, one story stood out to me more than others. That was the story of Emmett Till. I feel like this story was the one that stood out most to me because the things that they did to that boy were almost inhuman. I also think that it was awful that you couldn't even recognize him at his funeral. The worst part is he was also innocent, and the woman who accused him of the crimes was lying and just let all the awful things happen to the boy. 

The other group showed how African Americans were combating divorce and trying to make their lives better. One way they did this was the great migration; this was when all the African Americans in the South were sick and tired of the Jim Crow laws of the South, and they packed up to go north to find a better life for themselves. This may sound like not that big of a deal, but you have to realize that many of these people are poor, and technology is not as strong as it is now. That means that many who moved away may never be able to see their loved ones again and have to leave them behind for the rest of their life. 

With all being said, the groups did a great job showing us the advancements and deconstruction of segregation at this time. We have learned that segregation was getting better in the United States, but there was still a lot of hate and hate crimes going on in the United States.

driving miss daisey

 In class, we watched a movie named Driving Miss Daisy, a great story that follows a driver named Hoke, a businessman hired to drive his mother around town. This occurred during the civil rights movement when many African Americans were still oppressed and fighting for their rights. The man who hired Hoke to drive, his mother, is suffering from early symptoms of dementia, which is one of the reasons for her needing a driver. Miss Daisy is hesitant about Hoke moving her for multiple reasons. The first one is that she does not want to admit that she is getting old and cannot transport herself. The other reason is you start to learn that she is also racist towards black individuals around her. 

However, after spending a lot of time driving together, Miss Daisy slowly starts warming up to Hoke, and they soon have to go on a long trip together. After starting the long trip, you can start seeing them talk back and forth and laugh and then pull over to the side of the road to speak and eat. They are starting to get close and bond at this time, but two cops soon pull over next to them and start asking him if he's allowed to drive and questioning him as well as being very racist towards him. Miss Daisy sees this, and they finally understand how tough of a life it is for an African American in America at this period. 

At the movie's end, Miss Daisy is now ancient and in a nursing home. Her dementia has gotten very, very bad, but she still remembers Hoke and even prefers to talk to him over her son at any point. She is now towards the end of her life but still looks forward to seeing Hoke every time. 

trail 2 react

 This week, I saw the mock trial of Plessy v Ferguson and saw both teams bring up great points on each side of the case. As a quick recap, Plessy was a man who was ⅛ black and wanted to test the laws in the United States by buying a train ticket for the white train car, not the colored train car. He was soon arrested for this action and appealed the case. Which eventually made it up to the Supreme Court. 

Each side brought up excellent points and reasons for why they were right. To start, we will look at the side supporting plessy. One significant point they brought up is that segregating the train cars is financially destructive for the business. It costs more to operate extra train cars so blacks and whites wouldn't have to sit together, and the company doesn't get a lot of money back for this. It would be better financially for the company to have everyone sit together to make a better profit. Another reason they made is that the train company does not care if he's in the white car, but they overlook that other people tend to think that he's in the white car. His sitting here does not make the train operate differently than before, but other passengers don't want him there.

On the side of the anti-Plessy, the other team also brought up excellent points on why they thought they were right. They argued, saying more specifically what the 14th amendment said and how it gave African Americans political rights but not social rights; therefore, not allowing Plessy to be in the white-only car was perfectly acceptable.

In conclusion, both teams argued why their team was right and the other wasn't. At the end of this trial, the pro-Plessy side was more important and brought up better points than the anti-Plessy side.

EOTO 2

 During the Reconstruction era, there were many advancements for the African Americans living in the u.s at the time. One of the significant things that was a considerable advance in the time for African Americans was the 13th Amendment. The 13th Amendment is what unlimitedly outlawed slavery in the United States. 

The Amendment was passed on January 31st, 1865, but was not ratified until December 6th, 1865. Lincoln and many other leaders at the time concluded that the only way of getting rid of slavery was to amend the Constitution. It provided that slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist within the United States. This Amendment was necessary at the time because of the Emancipation Proclamation since it did not end slavery everywhere, and there were still many enslaved people in the United States working and not accessible. However, slavery was still allowed as criminal punishment after this Amendment was passed. 

However, getting this Amendment passed was not as easy as the republican party was hoping for. In April of 1864, the Senate proposed an amendment banning slavery, but they needed a 2 ⁄ 3 vote, which was difficult as more and more democrats were refusing to side with it. But soon after Lincoln's election, the republican party put this at the top of their list. So soon after, when all met again in December, and it was getting passed around the house, they finally got the 2 ⁄ 3 vote that they needed, and the Amendment was soon on its way to being finalized and was later that year. 

Though this was all great for the African-American population, there was still a lot of hate going on, and the discrimination in the United States was still extreme. African Americans were now free, but they still had to deal with the black codes, Jim Crow laws, and more discrimination similar to this. And since the 13th Amendment still allowed slavery for criminal punishment, there was still a way to keep it going. Many African Americans would be arrested during this time for false convictions or protesting. Soon after that, they would be charged and sent to do unpaid labor, which is the same thing as slavery. So even though it was outlawed, many were still finishing loopholes to keep discrimination in America going and keep African Americans oppressed as they have always been in America up to this time. 

In conclusion, the 13th Amendment was a huge change that ultimately helped the lives of African Americans at the time in the United States and was a leading contributor to where we are today. Without the passing of this Amendment, there is no telling how long it would've been until slaves were free in the United States and what would've happened to our future. However, there was still tension across the South about slavery and many other states as well. The continuation of discrimination was still strong, and there were many problems to fix in the United States.

Trail #3

 In the case of Brown v Board, it is a clear answer to why we should start integrating nonsegregated schools. One of the apparent reasons why we should stop segregation in schools is the religious aspect. Yes, our very own religion, if you look back at the bible, is evident on why we should no longer do this awful act that we have been doing for so long. 

Proverbs 14:31 states, "The one who oppresses the poor insults their maker." With that being said, not treating equality or insult or discriminating against people that god himself has created is not allowed. In that specific passage, they were talking about people with low incomes, not race, yes, but the same still applies to race. God made everyone, the men from Europe, Asia, and Africa. It does matter. God made them all, and to look at them less like the way we have been doing is the same as saying hey God, you have made a mistake, and I'm going to fix that by just putting all blacks in a place separate from us so we won't ever have to see your mistake. Do you honestly believe that God has made a mistake? Do you have the right to fix it if he did? If so, why do you? Are you a higher power than God? If you answer yes to all these questions, then sure, go ahead and continue what you are doing, but if you feel that you are an honest Christian and know that God does not make mistakes and you are not more powerful and knowing than he is. You should stop and change your actions immediately because you are insulting him. 

It is also said in Christianity that unity is a spiritual relationship. With that being said, blacks and whites both believe in Christianity. This forms a union bigger than what someone's race is. It's bigger than all of us. Yet many of you still try to justify your actions, which are selfish and only thinking about your benefit and trying to perceive the bible as what fits you best. Christianity was not meant to divide people but was meant to bring us all together as one, and segregation in schools is just one way we are constantly going against that. Do you honestly believe we should only be grouped as stronger people based on our appearance? Is that what happens in our religion? We group based on our looks and pretend as if everyone else just isn't there. 

In conclusion, the continuation of our segregated schools and much more is an insult to the religion we like to value so much. We want to hold our religion to such a high standard and love to force it onto many others, but how are you going to have others believe indeed and join in our religion after telling them, "Hey, if you look like this, we can't treat you the same?". The answer is you can't, and you won't. However, it is not too late to change. We can stop this unnecessary hatred and start by unifying our schools together. 

Reconstuction video

 In class, we watched the recognition video, which did a great job extensively showing the times during the reconstruction period and the many hate crimes against the black community. After the Civil War, many thought it would be changed for the black community, and they would now be treated as equals. Unfortunately, this was just not true. There were efforts made. For example, Lincoln was still pushing forward for more rights for African Americans, but then he was assassinated. After this, President Johnson came into office, but it was hard to see his views on everything because he was from the South but hated the plantation owners. So many people on both sides did not enjoy him, and he did not help make anything better in this country. 

Johnson created the Freedmen's Bureau, which got 850,000 acres of land for free men. For the southern plantation owners who wanted a pardon, they would have to contact him and beg for their land back personally. This caused outrage, and many southern landowners were furious. Soon, they returned the land to the Confederates and contracted back with the white landowners. 

After this, many white Southerners were still outraged and moved away from where they once were. So, they went into larger cities where many African Americans lived. This caused very high racial tension, and it started to spark riots and shootings across multiple cities. The most famous city this happened in was Memphis, which eventually led to the death of 48 blacks and the destruction of black churches and schools. Hate crimes like this were constantly happening around the country and caused many more deaths.

Overall, this movie demonstrated extensively how the black population in America was treated at this time and how the Civil War was not the end of equality but was just the beginning.