Life for black Americans in the early 1950s
In the early 1950s, the USA was a divided country. Black Americans faced racism in many aspects of their day-to-day lives. Their The people we descend from, usually more remote than a grandparent. had been enslaved from the 1600s onwards. Most enslaved people had been forced to work on the large An estate where crops like cotton, sugar, tobacco and coffee are grown. During the transatlantic slave trade, enslaved people were forced to work on plantations. of the southern states, which had laws to allow white slave owners to treat black people as their property.
The use of slaves in the South ultimately led to the American Civil War in the 1860s. The war began after northern states tried to limit the spread of slavery into the North. The southern slave-holding states were defeated by the northern states. After the abolition of slavery in 1865, slave owners were forced to free those who had been enslaved.
After the Civil War
Few white people in the South wanted to live equally with black people. During a period called A period after the American Civil War when the northern states aimed to change the political, social and economic systems of the southern states., states in the South were placed under military control by the The central government in the USA, including the president, Congress and the Supreme Court.. Reconstruction led to changes, including:
- the right to US citizenship for formerly enslaved black Americans
- voting rights for black Americans
- greater access to education and farmland as well as the freedom to establish black churches
However, when Reconstruction was over, state governments in the South took many of these new rights and freedoms away. They had the power to do this because the federal government controls the USA from Washington, but the state governments have a lot of power over what happens in their area, for example in education.
Segregation and discrimination
During Reconstruction, the US A set of laws by which a country is governed. was changed to say that black Americans should be treated equally. Despite this, southern states tried to keep white and black people separate. When their actions were challenged in the The ultimate court of appeal in the USA. It makes the final decision on whether a law is permitted by the US Constitution. in 1896, they were judged to be legal so long as the state provided âseparate-but-equalâ facilities.
The 1896 decision led to the âBlack Codesâ, also called The laws that introduced segregation in the US South (the laws that kept black people and white people apart).. These severely restricted the rights and freedoms of black Americans. This created a Laws separating black and white people in public places in society. system with:
- separate facilities, such as toilets and waiting rooms, for white and black people
- limits on where black people could rent or buy accommodation
- black students being prevented from attending schools for white students
- rules about where black people could sit on public transport
The southern states also tried to limit voting rights in the 1890s. Barriers were put in place to prevent black people from voting, gaining political representation and power. These barriers relied on the fact that black people were economically and socially disadvantaged. For example, in order to to vote a person had to pay a poll tax. As many African Americans received low incomes, they were often unable to pay the tax. Proof of the ability to read was also necessary, and reading the difficult extracts in the provided texts was difficult for those with low literacy levels.
World War Two and civil rights
The Double V campaign encouraged many black Americans to fight in World War Two. It was organised by an African American newspaper, which argued that black Americans should fight for victory abroad against Nazi Germany and at home against racism. Examples of black Americansâ contribution, along with those of other minority ethnic groups who hoped for change after the war, are shown below.
| Minority group | Example of role in World War Two | Reason for role |
| Black Americans | At first, they were limited to non-fighting roles. Later, some joined segregated combat units. | Campaigns by civil rights groups and newspapers encouraged black men to enlist in the armed forces. |
| Native Americans | Some worked as code talkers, sending and receiving messages on the battlefield. | The languages of Native Americans were difficult for enemy forces to decode, so they provided secure means of communication. |
| Hispanic Americans | Many filled empty jobs in US workplaces. | They were needed because other American workers left to fight in Europe . |
| Minority group | Black Americans |
|---|---|
| Example of role in World War Two | At first, they were limited to non-fighting roles. Later, some joined segregated combat units. |
| Reason for role | Campaigns by civil rights groups and newspapers encouraged black men to enlist in the armed forces. |
| Minority group | Native Americans |
|---|---|
| Example of role in World War Two | Some worked as code talkers, sending and receiving messages on the battlefield. |
| Reason for role | The languages of Native Americans were difficult for enemy forces to decode, so they provided secure means of communication. |
| Minority group | Hispanic Americans |
|---|---|
| Example of role in World War Two | Many filled empty jobs in US workplaces. |
| Reason for role | They were needed because other American workers left to fight in Europe . |
Even though minority ethnic groups were allowed certain roles within the armed forces during World War Two, they were still treated in a racist way. For example, most black Americans fought in segregated units with white officers. Additionally, some ethnic groups were mistreated. For example, many Japanese Americans were imprisoned in the USA because they were seen as potential traitors after the Japanese air force attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941.