Throughout history blacks have faced hardships that have defined their characters and drove them to stand up in the face of inequality. In the book Why We Cannot Wait, by Martin Luther King Jr. voices the events of tragedy, segregation and oppression the blacks of Birmingham faced, and how their political leaders were dead set on keeping the Jim Crow lifestyle in their town and segregation in their schools. Dr. Martin Luther king Jr along with members of the N.A.A.C.P and other pro black right activist groups made it their duty to help the black civilians of Birmingham by non violent protest, which opened the eyes of the American people by witnessing the horrible consequences the activist faced when standing up for their right to be treated
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King 's perspective of the promise and the waiting and lastly where we are today as a nation in terms of race relations. The town of Birmingham was one which was lead by a very discriminatory political leader, named Eugene “Bull” Connor, “who prided himself on knowing how to handle a Negro and keep him in his ‘place’” (47). The black citizens of Birmingham found themselves in “ a general Atmosphere of violence and brutality...Local racist have intimidated, mobbed, and even killed Negroes with impunity.” When living in a town where the Political leaders make it their job to demoralized you in any way they can it can really take a mental toll on if you will ever make a difference in what you are fighting for. The fact that the people of Birmingham called on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ss a symbol of last resort. These blacks faced such horrible day to day treatment they were fearful of never being able to simply go about a normal day to day routine. When it came to even purchasing simple items of …show more content…
In today 's society we face “color blind” racism.After reading the Strange Enigma of Race in Contemporary America” by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva it explained how in today 's society we still are guilty of black oppression, discrimination and hidden forms of segregation. Also it discussed the many forms and branching of the matter in new categorical types of injustice to the black civilians in America face. Some examples are Symbolic racism:”whites oppose affirmative action”, Since of group: “blames blacks themselves for their poorer relative economic standing, seeing it as the function of perceived cultural inferiority.” This larger scope brought to my attention that certain people of society may not consider themselves racist but would fall into many of these categories Eduardo discussed in his book. The fact that there are people who control housing and do not show “colored ; meaning black or any person of color “latino” etc.” Houses in predominately white areas or raising the price to discourage these individuals from living in those areas are very disheartening. Also when it comes to “affirmative action”, this is not in place to hold down any race, it is put into broadening the scope of education and leave room for a more diverse outlook,by opening opportunities for a larger span of different individuals. Beyond these examples we are still in a time
King 's perspective of the promise and the waiting and lastly where we are today as a nation in terms of race relations. The town of Birmingham was one which was lead by a very discriminatory political leader, named Eugene “Bull” Connor, “who prided himself on knowing how to handle a Negro and keep him in his ‘place’” (47). The black citizens of Birmingham found themselves in “ a general Atmosphere of violence and brutality...Local racist have intimidated, mobbed, and even killed Negroes with impunity.” When living in a town where the Political leaders make it their job to demoralized you in any way they can it can really take a mental toll on if you will ever make a difference in what you are fighting for. The fact that the people of Birmingham called on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ss a symbol of last resort. These blacks faced such horrible day to day treatment they were fearful of never being able to simply go about a normal day to day routine. When it came to even purchasing simple items of …show more content…
In today 's society we face “color blind” racism.After reading the Strange Enigma of Race in Contemporary America” by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva it explained how in today 's society we still are guilty of black oppression, discrimination and hidden forms of segregation. Also it discussed the many forms and branching of the matter in new categorical types of injustice to the black civilians in America face. Some examples are Symbolic racism:”whites oppose affirmative action”, Since of group: “blames blacks themselves for their poorer relative economic standing, seeing it as the function of perceived cultural inferiority.” This larger scope brought to my attention that certain people of society may not consider themselves racist but would fall into many of these categories Eduardo discussed in his book. The fact that there are people who control housing and do not show “colored ; meaning black or any person of color “latino” etc.” Houses in predominately white areas or raising the price to discourage these individuals from living in those areas are very disheartening. Also when it comes to “affirmative action”, this is not in place to hold down any race, it is put into broadening the scope of education and leave room for a more diverse outlook,by opening opportunities for a larger span of different individuals. Beyond these examples we are still in a time