Diversity and Race



Diversity and Race - Blog Entry

Introduction

Race has been socially significant though biologically unimportant in the Unites States of America. A Racial Group is a group of individuals who have apparent and perceived distinctive physical as well as biological characteristics. Race over centuries has been assumed to be biologically based and distinguishable amongst various racial groups such as Whites, African Americans, Native Americans, and Asians. The presence of African Americans, also identified as Blacks, has been dated back until the 1400's yet, until today they are discriminated against in the American society (Feagin, 2000).

Experiences of African American throughout U.S. History

In the year 1492 an African American navigator, known as Pedro Alonso along with Christopher Columbus travelled through the new world. It was in the year 1600 that ships had begun to arrive with dark skinned slaves that were discriminated against and compared to the white skinned colony of Jamestown, VA who had rights and had control over them from the beginning. These dark skinned slaves were African Americans who were at a huge disadvantage from the beginning as they were a minority group brought into the U.S by force. For the next 200 years, this minority group endured more pain and suffering that anyone could imagine.

They had no rights until the late 1800's when the slaves were freed of the confederacy by President Lincoln by passing an emancipation public statement. However even after this some African American's were still enslaved and those who had been freed had little or no opportunities and rights. They struggled until the following century as this minority group finally received the right to vote with the authorization in the 15th amendment. 20th century had changes for this minority group but none were positive as by then there was segregation between Whites and Blacks at almost everything, Jim Crow laws even preventing Blacks to interact with Whites. With a history this discriminatory, there is no surprise that African Americans are still at a disadvantage to this day. Over the last century, this minority has made quite a progress on several fronts. Life expectancy, income and employment, education and most importantly political representation as the President of United States, Barack Obama is an African American (Davis, 2001).

The emergent multicultural movement has alarmed a zeitgeist concerning racial and ethnic relations. For the first time in the U.S. history there is a common acknowledgment that from the many racial and ethnic groups present and settled in this nation, nobody is culturally or otherwise superior to the other. Also in addition to this, a multicultural movement has integrated into the mainstream, suggesting the fundamental notion that cultural and racial diversity should not just be tolerated but it is a factor that should be celebrated as well as encouraged.

Political, Social and Cultural Issues throughout American History

The minority of African Americans had to tolerate a lot to survive slavery, violence against them, discrimination, having no rights, not being able to own property and not being considered citizens ...