1930s Racial Prejudice Essay

Racial Prejudice During the 1930s

What was racial prejudice like during the 1930s? People categorize African Americans by race, ethnicity, and immigration categories, which are treated as being mutually exclusive. “Riots, also called civil disturbances, occur when a group of people erupts in anger and takes to the streets.” “They usually begin as a response to one incident, but the anger expressed by rioters often has been brewing for decades.” When you discriminate against a person based on skin color you are racist. “Racism also includes believing one race is better than another.” “Direct racism can take the form of name-calling, withholding freedoms, degrading treatment, and physical assault.” (Buckley 11). Racial prejudice during the 1930s

was an important issue that has been continuing even in today’s time.
Racial inequity is when people treat others unequal because of their race.

“Blacks were required to use separate drinking fountains, bathrooms, schools, seating on public transportation, and movie theaters.” (Buckley 22). “Defense industry jobs were reserved for whites.” (Buckley 25). “African Americans could not testify in court on their own behalf. This often meant the police could harass or attack African Americans without resource.” (Buckley 11). “Jobs during the thirties also brought to light the persistence of inequality even in the government.” (“Issues of Race” 2). “African Americans were paid less on average than whites. They also would be refused WPA jobs which whites were eligible for.” (“Issues of Race” 3). Rioting is one response to the lack of justice and mistreatment that results from racism. “Racism can also be expressed in subtle ways through economics, politics, and the distribution of resources.” (Buckley 11). People discriminate by treating people unequally who are of a different race, color, and origin. Certain groups of people are mistreated because people see them as a target because they are different. Being prejudice is a negative attitude toward a person or group based on education of one’s

standards.
Race relations in the 1930s were characterized by conflict. “By 1932, approximately half of black Americans were out of work.” “Whites required blacks to be fired from any jobs as long there were whites out of work.” (“Race Relations” 1). “Racial violence became more common especially in the South.” (“Race Relations” 1). “When a company’s fortune declined, blacks were laid off first.” (“Racial Discrimination” 1). “African Americans received harsher punishments and were required to work more years to pay off their debts.” (Buckley 18). “African Americans endured forced capture, horrendous and often lethal travel conditions, hard labor, brutal treatment, and utter lack of freedom, including for their children.” (Buckley 20). People of a different culture are treated unequally because they have different values, beliefs, standards, thinking, behavior and communication.

Discrimination was common in the 1930s and is still common today.

Racial segregation denies blacks equal access to public facilities and ensures that blacks live apart from whites. “Whites said that African Americans are a disgrace” (Wood 52). They are bias against their race. The blacks have been mistreated unfairly because whites use them as a target to discriminate and criticize them. The mistreatment of blacks is a prolonged issue that is continuing still to this day. Racial segregation was a system derived from the efforts of white Americans. This effort was to deny equal access to public facilities and ensuring that blacks lived apart from whites. “African Americans suffered harsh treatment and lesser services than whites.” (Buckley 22). “Racism is one of the major causes of hate crimes, but other forms of discrimination also motivate hate crimes.” (Buckley 62). “Blacks were either excluded or forced to organize in separate

unions.”