The history of African Americans has been shaped by various conditions and events, including the abolition of slavery, the Civil War, and the Civil Rights Movement. I consider the 1831 Abolitionism, the Underground Railroad, and the 1950s Migration the most important phenomena that resulted in crucial achievements in civil rights for African Americans. The Abolitionism and the Underground Railroad were initiated by slaves that strived to liberate themselves and a group of white citizens who opposed slavery on the moral and religious ground. Also, the mutual goal was to obtain the instantaneous liberation of all slaves and putting an end to any segregation and racial discrimination. In turn, the Migration of the 1950s was significant because this event increased the Black potential for engaging in the community organization and promoted racial equality in the American society in general https://essays-panda.com/do-my-excel-exercises-for-me

Condescending standards of the revolutionary period in the US invigorated the Civil Rights Movement; also, before the southern cotton industry began its rapid development, demand for slaves had been in decline. The ideas of abolitionism became increasingly outstanding in the society, especially in the northern politics and churches, which contributed to the regional animosity. Ultimately, it led to the outbreak of the Civil War. Between the 1830s and 1870s, the movement strived to free all slaves and put an end to the discrimination and racial segregation. However, even though abolitionist attitudes were strong in the 1820s in the Upper South and during the American Revolution, the movement had grown into a militant crusade by the 1830s. The preachers led massive religious revivals; this Second Great Awakening gave a foremost thrust to the later abolitionism development and to other reforming movements, including pacifism, feminism, and tolerance. Hence, by the early 1830s, several spiritually nourished individuals had headed the immediate emancipation, which was largely supported by African Americans. It strived to eradicate slavery.

The event is also very important since it has led to the foundation of the American Anti-Slavery Society by delegates of all races and genders, which considered slavery a sin that was to be immediately abolished. It also condemned racial prejudice and endorsed nonviolence. It was growing at a remarkable speed; in about two years, it received substantial financial and moral support from the Northern African American communities. In addition, it managed to establish several other branches all over the free states. Numerous antislavery agents and literature, as well as petitions, made the end of slavery the reality. Nevertheless, one of the most unforgettable figures of the time was William Lloyd Garrison, who founded ‘The Liberator,’ an abolitionist newspaper that propagated the tightening of the slave codes in various southern states. The antislavery northerners, who were mostly free blacks, begun transport fugitive slaves that worked in the cotton industry from southern plantations to safe territories by the Underground Railroad. The escape route headed to the north through a set of connections of safe houses. The system became important in the 1830s; in due course, it saved thousands of slaves from slavery. The Underground Railroad organization was a complete success that spread the idea of abolitionism in the north and explained its determination to defeat the pro-slavery southerners.

Moreover, although slavery was finally discontinued after the Civil War, the harsh system of white supremacy still existed. In such a manner, African Americans were banned from associating with the whites in several public accommodations and institutions, including hospitals, schools, restrooms, and hotels, for example. According to “The Making of African Americans in a White Society”, racial segregation denied the blacks of proper education, decent jobs, and even the basic citizenship rights such as voting. Violence and white intimidation lingered as an ever-present threat with blacks having legal rights but still suffering from the widespread discrimination, including residential and school segregation.

The most important civil rights achievement in the period between the 1900s and 1971 was made in the 1950s and 1960s. A massive movement of African Americans from the rural South to take the defense-related jobs in the Western and Northern cities occurred at the time. This migration was significant to the African American history since it deeply increased the black potential for community organization and the black voting strength. Black soldiers, who served in the World War II, observed a world of race relations that was less oppressive one that they had ever known in the South. Thus, they were determined to fight racism once they returned home. Activists also pressed for the end of school segregation with bold protestors risking their lives in the struggle for equality between white and black schools. Their intention was not racial integration but racial equality. Their hard work led to the landmark ruling in 1954 that marked the most important achievement in the civil rights for the Black Americans in the period between the 1900s and 1971; finally, the school segregation became beyond the law. Therefore, the massive movement was indeed a significant event for the African Americans due to its potential to foster empowerment.

The U.S. culture has experienced significant changes made by the black American community since 1972. In the past, most of the employed black women used to work as domestic service servants due to gender and race discrimination. Nowadays, more than half of the women hold white-collar jobs and only a small percentage still work as domestic servants. When the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964, only a few whites had a black friend. However, today, there are many strong friendships between the whites and blacks. The changes in the U.S. culture that have been introduced by the African American community are the issue of races and their relations. It has progressed significantly in the last 45 years and the attitude towards the development has changed, as well.

Racial issues and their relations have significantly changed the U.S. culture. Today, the White Americans live the same lives with the African Americans. Only a few African Americans consider themselves middle-class representatives, while others own their homes. In the recent past, most blacks were also trapped in poverty since the majority of them lived in the South and worked as sharecroppers and laborers. Most African Americans had ill-paid and insecure manual jobs. Since they were driven by economic desperation, they would work for 12 hours a day for significantly low wages. However, later, the blacks began working at the skilled manual jobs; consequently, the black life expectancy rose. These trends have continued to develop at a leisurely pace until today when over 60 percent of the blacks hold white collar jobs.

There have also been some effects on the entertainment industry, the economy, language, politics, and education due to the changes in the U. S. culture brought about by the African American community. The U. S. entertainment industry has grown to incorporate the production and distribution of motion pictures, TV commercials and programs, video games, book publishing, and audio and music recordings. The electronic media, which include the television, radio, video games, movies, and the Internet, have transformed almost every aspect of people’s lives. The ascendency of the television age was the most significant influence of the African American culture. It has undeniably significantly influenced the modern society since it has enabled instantaneous communication almost anywhere worldwide.

The economy was also impacted so that millions of people have moved to urban areas and made the urbanization rate even higher. Moreover, after the Cold War, the Americans bought consumer goods to raise their economy, which in turn made the country the most dominant economic power in the world. According to the “Africans Americans Today”, there has been a gradual improvement for the economics of the country with increased rates of employment, education, and income. An increase in graduation rates of the minority signifies improved academics, thus, the better economy.

The United States has also been a nation with diverse languages. In the earlier years, the non-English European immigrants constituted only a quarter of the U.S. population. More than a third of all Americans were presumed to speak a different from the English language since most of the new inhabitants spoke some African or American Indian languages. According to Rumbaut and Massey, the language diversity became evident in the country with Spanish dominating the non-English languages followed by Chinese. As for politics, after WWII, America sought to influence new governments in the country. However, with the collapse of the cultural majority due to the predominantly black neighborhoods becoming half Hispanic and the white rural communities dramatically immigrating from Latin and Asian America, the American politics has also experienced some changes. The education was affected, as well, since there was no racial and gender segregation anymore and all people were allowed to study wherever they liked. Nowadays, the majority of the population of African Americans completes secondary education, while some young adults have attained a tertiary degree. This fact shows that there has been a significant growth in the educational attainment level in the past 45 years.

Therefore, African Americans have come a long way and formed a significant part of the American culture. From the introduction of slavery to the confrontation under the Civil Rights Movements, until the end of the racial segregation and discrimination, the blacks have managed to become seen in the same perspective with the white Americans. Nowadays, they belong to the same social class, attend the same schools, and get tertiary degrees. Consequently, well-paid jobs and other life opportunities are available to them. The African American history has largely contributed and significantly shaped the modern culture of the United States.