Racial Discrimination Racial discrimination has been a major topic of discussion for ages. We study it in history, government, and even in everyday life. We may not be aware of the discrimination around us, but if we stop and pay attention we would be able to recognize it.
The story began before we were even born. At the time plantation owners felt it was profitable to have slave labor. Although it was morally wrong, money drives people to do things that aren't right. The Supreme Court, a symbol of justice and equality, even condoned this horrific practice with its decision in the Dred Scott Case. African Americans were always seen as the inferior race. Since they were the inferior race it was okay to own them.
The Civil War may have abolished slavery, but African Americans were still perceived as less important than those born of European blood. Whites were given the privilege to better schools and public facilities.
President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the 1964 Civil R...
Civil Rights Act of 1964
English: President Lyndon B. Johnson at the signin...Everywhere people went there were signs for the Whites and then another for Colored. The Colored side was always far more demeaning.
The Civil Rights Act of 1957 and 1960 during the Eisenhower Administration didn't do much to change that because Eisenhower didn't care much for the Civil Rights Movement. He felt that it was not the federal government's job to solve the problem. The problem was local communities responsibility.
In 1960, Kennedy stole the election when he was able to win the Negro vote in the large Northern states. He did this by helping Dr. King get out of jail after being arrested for a sit-in an Atlanta department store. After he was elected, he began his attack on racial discrimination. Although he didn't need the Southern vote to win the election, he needed it to pass a bill through...