African Americans have been treated roughly throughout the years. African Americans were treated both equally and differently during the reconstruction and the Civil Right Movement. During the Reconstruction, African Americans were now declared "free" under the 13th amendment. Although this became a law, alot of whites still practiced slavery. African Americans were also given the chance to live on a piece of their 'master's' plantation, but they would have to work on it, and grow crops, and then pay the owners, their own share which was usually half of the total original crop. This meant that if they planted two thousand crops of corn or cotton, and they lost one thousand of the crops due to bad soil or weather, than the African American, would have to pay the owner the one thousand left over, and he would be stuck with no crops at the end of it. Under the 15th amendment, men gained voting rights. Yes this did include black males, but however, the southern states found a way to get around it. The amendment states, "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." The south got around the amendment by adding literacy test, or tests of many sorts. These test were inserted because the white knew that they would not be able to pass the test, as they were illiterate. During the Reconstruction, the African Americans were still treated the same. They were viewed as unequal, inferior, and less potent than white Americans. They were technically 'denied' the right to vote, they were unable to attend school with white people, and they were LOWLY paid.
In the Civil Rights movements in 1950's and 1960's changed the United State's history as we know it. African Americans were still mistreated by this time. Although, they could attend the same schools as American children, they had to use everything separately. African Americans had water fountains labeled "Blacks", they had bathrooms that were "Blacks" only. They were not offered the same education as American children. African Americans got the old ripped and torn books, the books that were barely usable. The only thing they had in common was the clothes they wore everyday. They all had to wear the same uniform. This made every single one appear as equal and not inferior or superior because of the way one dressed. In the 1950's and 1960's many African Americans changed everything for every African American to come after them. For example, Martin Luther King Jr, he was a pacifist who would publicly speak to change Americas view on African Americans, he spoke to gain the rights they deserved. How did he die? He was murdered. Murdered while he was walking out of where he had given a speech. Another example, Malcom X, a Civil Rights Leader, who was not a Pacifist. He was murdered aswell, but by men of his own group because Malcom changed his viewpoints. Rosa Parks is also a perfect example. She was thrown in jail numerous times for simply being black and sitting in front of the bus. Blacks were discriminated against, and had to sit in the back of the bus, if they did not obey, they ended up like Rosa Parks, in jail. Both men and women alike, were lynched, not only hung, but tortured. They were blasted with fire hoses with several thousands PPI (Pounds of Pressure per Inch.) Skin would literally be torn and ripped off because of such high pressure from the water.
