African American People Who Led To Freedom Dbq Essay

Throughout history, minorities have always been oppressed by the Caucasian people. Many were killed, raped, had their land and traditions stolen from them. They were whitewashed, losing their culture. Unfortunately, many of them were kidnapped from their homes to work as slaves. Treated as animals, many of those slaves dreamed of one day being free in a country where had sparked based on the idea of freedom. After the Civil War in the United States (U.S.), many African Americans (A. Americans) gained freedom when President Abraham Lincoln passed the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments which abolished slavery granted equal protection and prohibited the denial of the right to vote based on race and color. After gaining their freedom, African-Americans

still were struggling in the U.S.. Many of them struggled with learning, and getting jobs and feared the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), an all-white terrorist whose goal was to terrorize African-American citizens. The A. Americans established their own schools where they educated each other and preached the Lord. During the rise of the A. Americans, there were many significant leaders such as Booker T. Washington, and W.E.B. DuBois, who both had different views of an African American’s role in society. There also was A. Philip Randolph, a civil rights activist who started the first African American labor union, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP). Even though A. Americans fought in the American Revolution, World War I, World War II, and contributed to the U.S. economy, they were still shunned by their unexplainably angry white friends who would make up the unfair Jim Crow Laws, and lynch them. The white people were getting more and more aggressive towards A. Americans, and their disgusting actions towards them was simply ignored. Unjustly, a young A. American boy named Emmett Till was brutally murdered beyond recognition by two childish older white males who simply were allowed to be free citizens after confessing the murder of a child. If an A. American would accidentally bump into a white person, they would get publicly hung in front of their family and friends. Once A. Americans got fed up with the hypocrisy of the white people, they started to stand up, or if you were Rosa Parks who sat down and refused to give up her seat. During the Civil Rights Movement, the two more prominent leaders were Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (King Jr.) who led their A. American sisters and brother into an equal world. Both men had the same goal of gaining more rights, but they both had different ideas on how to achieve those goals. During the 1960’s in America, King Jr.’s philosophy made the most sense because it promoted equality amongst both race, peace, and love, with a non-violent agenda.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal” only if you are a rich, white man if not, you are less equal. One reason why the Civil Rights Movement took place, because of the hypocrisy of the U.S.m claiming that it a free country were everyone is equal, when there are laws preventing people who are not white to pursue their happiness and reach their full potential. In his speech that he gave during the March on Washington, “I Have a Dream”, King Jr. stated “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed.” which basically is him questioning the principles of the U.S.(Doc. B). It is no secret that the U.S. was founded on the idea of freedom and equality, but it is unjust that not everybody is allowed that simple right. In the final paragraph, King Jr. repeats the word “together” and he illustrates whites and A. Americans doing simple tasks together to show unity. That is one of the main goals that King Jr. has, for the citizens of the U.S. to be together. This idea of peaceful harmony is what King Jr. was most famous for, but not everybody had the idea of A. Americans and whites living together hand in hand. In his autobiography, “Autobiography of Malcolm X”, Malcolm X claims, “Work in conjunction with us- each of us working among our own kind.” which means that A. Americans should work together, yet separate (Doc C.). By itself, that would seem like a good idea, if both races worked with their own races, but would further separate both groups of Americans, which makes King Jr,’s idea seem much more better. If both races learn to live with harmony together, everyone will be truly free, and the U.S. would live up to its reputation of being free, and its name on being united.
King Jr. was an effective leader during the Civil Rights Movement because of his idea of love and peace. As a child, King Jr. was taught to love others, even one’s enemies, and with that idea of love and peace, King Jr. tried to promote that ideal. In the article, “Nonviolence: The Only Road to Freedom”, King Jr. talks about how peace will be much more effective when it comes to getting work done (Doc. F). King Jr. is would constantly promote peace and love, in hopes that love can overpower anything. In his book, “Stride Toward Freedom”, King Jr. claims, “...we still love you.” meaning that A. American community will still love the white Americans even after being terrorized by them. By promoting love against people who have oppressed them, the A. Americans make the white people look bad since the white Americans are being brutal to the loving A.Americans for no reason.
One of the things that King Jr.

is most remembered for was his peaceful way of achieving goals and being nonviolent towards the aggressors. King Jr. always had the idea of being peaceful, and nonviolent when it came to his marches and boycotts. In his speech in 1996, King Jr. states that violence will lead to hate, and that will not solve any problems (Doc. J). Which is true because if the A. American community would have started to get violent, the government would have hesitated in helping them, and the white community will be more aggressive towards them. Not, everybody had this nonviolent idea when it came to getting work done, in an interview with The Young Socialist, in 1966, Malcolm X stated that he was not for violence, but he was not against it either (Doc. K). Malcolm X thought that if violence was necessary when it came to protecting oneself, then it was just, but other than that, there should be violent. He also claims that it is unfair that the A. American community was forced to be peaceful, while the white community was allowed to do as they pleased. Which is a true statement that showed how divided and unjust the U.S. was, but if the A. American community started acting violent, the white community would have been even more brutal against them, and the Civil Rights Movement could have lasted longer. During this time it was better to fight hate with love and be nonviolent towards a group of violent

beings.
In conclusion, Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy was much more effective than Malcolm X’s because of his idea of harmony between both race, the idea of peace, and nonviolent ways. By talking about doing things together, King Jr. promotes the idea of unity and equality which was the U.S.’s principles. With peace and love, it made the white community look even more barbaric since they were treating the A. Americans like trash. By having nonviolent ways, King Jr. and the thousands of protesters were able to get their message through without starting even more negative drama between them and the white people, and that pushed the government to finally give them the rights they fully deserve. But the battle for equality still has yet to end since the A. American community is still being targeted against unfortunately by police officers who are unjustly killing innocent African Americans. This is the reason why the Black Lives Matter has risen because of the inequality between white and blacks that still exists because of different cases when a black man and a white man would commit the same exact crime, only the black man would get punished harshly. What adds salt to the wound is the unequal treatment that African Americans receive, in just one year 222 African Americans were murdered by police officers, and many of those African Americans were clearly innocent. The works of Malcolm X and Dr, Martin Luther King Jr. made a huge impact in society, especially the African

American community, showing them that if they rise up together, they will be heard. It may take a while, but one day, everybody will be truly equal and united in a UnUnited States of America, but for now, minorities will not stop protesting, they will not stop speaking up for themselves until they see true justice.