Chatting about Freedom

  John Willis Menard and Joseph Hayne Rainey made significant strides in the history of African American political representation in the United States. They both confronted racial barriers and set precedents in Congress. Menard was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1868 by winning 64% of the vote but he was yet was ultimately denied his seat by the House Committee. That vote ended up being 130 to 57 against seating him.  This decision was heavily influenced by his race ( which was obvious but not publicly stated for other obvious reasons ) , this highlighted the deeply rooted discrimination African Americans faced even when they were legitimately elected to office. Even on some of the highest platforms, the professionalism of the black folk was still being questioned, which was extremely concerning during this time period. Menard’s case exposed the racial prejudices within the government and highlighted the challenges Black politicians would continue to face. Jos...

 The Stand in the Schoolhouse Door at Foster Auditorium, University of Alabama, happened on June 11, 1963. This event became a powerful symbol of massive resistance to racial integration in the South, that showed the intense opposition to desegregation efforts. Two Black students, Vivian Malone and James Hood, intended to enroll at the University of Alabama. Their presence represented a new era of equality, especially in the school system. Governor George Wallace stood in their path. He was a publicly known segregationist and self-proclaimed defender of "states' rights." Wallace had built his political career on promises to uphold segregation. He had been recognized for his infamous speech, "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever." On June 11th, he stood in the doorway of the auditorium, blocking Malone and Hood from entering, in an act of defense against desegregation orders. President JFK, who was committed to enforcing civil rights, issue...

 We did our third each one teach one activity. Out of the presentations, I learned a lot about different aspects of racial violence and resistance that has existed during our history as a country.  We learned pretty quick on the importance of what was called the Green Book. I was surprised that until that point in presentations, I had never known about what this was. The green book was a survival guide that Black travelers used during the Jim Crow era. We learned about how dangerous it was while traveling while Black was back then. Like at this time period traveling was literally life threatening. The Green Book wasn't just a travel guide it also served as basically a survival manual that helped Black families navigate a country that was actively trying to harm them. What hit me hardest was learning about how Black travelers had to plan every single detail of their trips. They couldn't just hop in a car and drive like white families could. I think this aspect hit me in a weird...

 So today we were given the opportunity to get some insight from the trial about the Bakke case, and all together both sides brought a good argument to their table and defended their ideals and reasonings behind them.  I've never really thought deeply about affirmative action before, but this mock trial totally changed my perspective. The case basically came down to this white guy ( Alan Bakke ) who was mad about the University of California Medical School reserving 16 spots out of 100 for minority students. He argued this was reverse discrimination.  His point seems to make sense but at the same time confuses me a little bit. Reserving spots for minority seems to be a great case for equality and really making sure that certain people of color or other races who might not have as much opportunity as the white folk, get included. But at the same time, reserving those 16 spots leaves only 84 open spots for white people to be able to be accepted. Better applicants might be l...

 "In the Heat of the Night" is one of the most intense films I've watched for school. Virgil Tibbs in this movie does a lot for the black community, because he completely shatters every single racist stereotype about Black intelligence. His smarts and his way about doing things feels in a revolutionary for its time period, because he does what the white folks can't do and is obviously needed by them.  The film drops you right into a tense part of Mississippi where racial tensions are thick. Tibbs gets pulled into a murder investigation that nobody expects him to solve.  But from the moment that we meet his character it's clear he's not just an average character. From the jump we see that he has a lot of intellectual brilliance that completely upends the racist expectations around him. What caught me by surprise the most is how Tibbs uses his intelligence as a form of resistance. It's not just about solving the murder. It's about proving that Black prof...

Your Honor… we are here today to address one of the greatest injustices that our nation is unfortunately faced with. That injustice is the segregation of our schools. It goes much deeper than just buildings and textbooks. It is all about the human spirit. It is also all about the right of every child to dream without limitations and without being scared. It is about being given the opportunity to have access to the tools that are needed to succeed. It is about every human being created in the image of God, with the idea that each of which was made with the same worth and boundless potential. This case that we are brought here to talk about today is about Linda Brown and children like her who simply because of the color of their skin, are being kept away from the very schools that could unlock their potential and help them towards a successful future. Placing children in separate schools based on race is dividing not only their education but also their hopes/aspirations, and also confid...