Even though slavery was abolished once the civil war, black Americans still were being discriminated against. The Civil Rights Act, beyond any doubt, became a vital step in the moral direction for America. However, the movement didn’t prevent racism fully. Some people think the movement is irrelevant and just a part of history. Vulnerable minorities in America and around the world today are still battling for essential civil and human rights. American novelist and activist James Baldwin in the past said, “There are days, and this is one of them, when you wonder: what your role is in this country and what your future is in it” (James Baldwin: the price of the ticket). The historic Civil Rights movement was instantly a significant stepping stone for America.
The social movement undoubtedly encouraged change and progress, and its impact still affects everyone today. However, vulnerable minorities are still constantly fighting around the world today for fundamental human rights.
The Civil Rights movement in America was accompanied by mass protests caused by racial segregation and active discrimination in the country. The historical movement inevitably emerged in the ’50s and seemingly finished with the civil rights act in 1968. But while it graciously assisted with many American problems with race, it did not help every issue citizens of colour encounter every day. Vulnerable people of colour and other minorities are still being discriminated against, criminalized, and killed for purely existing.
An example includes statistics from mappingpoliceviolence.org, which declares that the people who are killed the most in America are black, and most of those killed were unarmed; the police are rarely charged for their crimes (“Mapping Police Violence”). And while workplace discrimination is supposed to be illegal, minorities face discrimination on the workplace every day. For this reason, minorities tend to hide their race as much as possible when applying for a job. Some may alter their name or take away anything that will “give away” their race. They’re forced to fit into a costume that is much preferred by their employer, even those who claim to be diverse companies. Other forms of workplace discrimination tend to include banning natural hairstyles, not being allowed to speak a certain way, banning garments that have a cultural or religious significance, and not allowing employees to take off for certain religious practices.
The struggle black Americans are typically having for fundamental inherent dignity and respect mirrors other movements where people of colour are fighting courageously against the imperialistic Western world. (Rollins 1986). “Imperialism refers to the political dominion of one power over other nations or tribes by extensive use of violent conquest, political compulsion, economic fixation, or a combination of the three.” (“obo” 2019). Imperialistic ideals from colonists stems from capitalism and the need to conquer new land to acquire more wealth for the country in power. Imperialism and colonialism, when a powerful political entity takes full control and advantage over another entity, lead to the enslavement and torture of natives who lived on the occupied lands. Resources like spices and oil were stolen and fought over; the land and people were being exploited. Many were forced to convert to Christianity, or other religion practiced by the dominate power, and learn the language of their colonizers. Colonialism has left lasting impacts from cultures becoming extinct, economic struggles, loss of resources, the shifting of borders, to wars happening today.