African American Quest For Universal Freedom, By Hanes Walton Jr. And Robert C. Smith

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What is freedom? Is it the right to vote, the right to express your own opinions, the right to live your live as you please? In American Politics and the African American Quest for Universal Freedom written by Hanes Walton Jr., and Robert C. Smith, they answer and discuss these questions as they pertain to African Americans today. They explain how challenging the journey of freedom was and still is, “given their status first as slaves and then as an oppressed racial minority,” (Walton, 92). The book not only highlights African Americans usage of coalitions, interest groups and the media throughout the centuries to support their natural right of freedom, sometimes without prevail.
The African American struggle began just as our country was being formed. Being brought here against their wills on boats from their homelands by white men, in order to be their slaves. By being forced to do atrocious and appalling acts while being treated inhumanely for almost two hundred and fifty years. They are still subjected to awful treatment today. Racism and discrimination still runs rapid in a country that has been through so much and has fought so hard to move on from the dreadful past, or at least some communities have.
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Their community has “200 weekly newspapers, approximately 450 black-oriented radio stations, several national circulation news and special interest magazines, and BET and TVINE, the cable entertainment and information networks,” (Walton, 81). They have used the media to talk and discuss their own opinions and ideals. They are able to examine the situations that they encounter today such as profiling and police brutality. The media has not only helped African Americans and their cause, but has also harmed their

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