Though Blacks in America now have equal rights and freedoms as their White counterparts, they still suffer racial prejudices and many systemic challenges
The unprecedented development shown by the US in all spheres over the last couple of centuries has failed to cover up for the evident divide in its society between the Black and non-Black community. As the nation moves forward, donning the hat of the world leader, it must also pay attention to the racial disparity on its home turf.
Celebrated predominantly in the US, Canada and the UK, the African American History Month is an annual month-long period in February that spreads across a number of events, with each one celebrating the rich heritage of blacks. African slaves were brought to North America for the first time in the beginning of the 17th century by English colonists. The past four centuries have witnessed a number of hard fought battles between Blacks and non-Blacks which also saw the emergence of some of the greatest American leaders of all times, including Abraham lincoln and Martin luther King Jr. The year 1863 saw the first major step towards abolition of slavery when Abraham lincoln, the then US President, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Passed in the form of a presidential order, the Proclamation declared that all the slaves belonging to the 10 States, which had seceded from the Union and were a part of the rebellion, were free with immediate effect. Although it was aimed at abolishing slavery, it fell short of granting basic rights such as citizenship to the freed slaves.
Soon after the Proclamation, the reconstruction era followed. With the economy and social life of the Southern States entirely ruined after the Civil War, lincoln was presented with an enormous task of getting the Southern United States back to its feet. After the Civil War, the next decade brought a number of positive changes to the life of African Americans as a part of the reconstruction phase. Among the most significant contributions of the reconstruction era was the right to vote, given to Black males for the first time. It also recognised them as equals under the Constitution. Just when things started to go upside, a number of racial discriminatory laws started to spur out in the US in the 1890s.
Amidst growing discontent, the US Supreme Court, in 1896, came up with a verdict that changed the course of history forever. The apex court gave a ‘separate but equal' doctrine which paved way for racial segregation at public places and facilities across the country. This decision of the Supreme Court gave propulsion to a number of segregated laws for Blacks and Whites along with the establishment of separate public infrastructure for Blacks, including schools.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 came as a breather for the Black population in the US. It prohibited discrimination in employment, public accommodations and labour unions. With the Civil Rights movement officially coming to an end in 1968, the Blacks found themselves in a much better state as compared to the Whites, socially and economically.
Although a lot has changed since then, the US still has a long way to go, if it aims to bring the Blacks to an equal footing. African American communities in the US continue to face unique challenges: lower levels of educational attainment, higher rates of unemployment, violence and high levels of incarcerations, drug abuse and broken families. Consequently, social and health indices for the Blacks are also poor (for example, higher number of cases of obesity, diabetes and hypertension). Prejudice and bias against Blacks is prevalent. It is common to see Blacks living in segregated residential areas. On the outside, US has turned the page on its history of racial discrimination. But the ground reality is far from rosy.