Sohila Elattar - Week 11 - Power and Oppression
Power has always been a defining feature when it comes to shaping history, and in American history, power was put into the hands of white men who wished to keep their definition of order, that being white men at the tip of racial and social hierarchy with the most power. They were able to keep their power by putting down other’s power and confining them in a system that did not favor them.
If we go back to the days when the United States of America was first independent and free, we will see that the customs of freedom, liberty, and justice for all were not given to all people but rather to a certain demographic.
The United States declared independence on July 4th, 1776; they declared independence from Britain after years of mistreatment. However, it was quite hypocritical of them to declare independence after a couple of years of mistreatment only to continue to mistreat enslaved people. I mean it took a little under a hundred years, more specifically 87 years, before Abraham Lincoln declared the Emancipation Proclamation and even then not all enslaved people were freed. It was only freedom to the slates from the states that decided to secede from the United States. All slaves were finally freed two years later in 1865, and at that point, around 40,000 Black soldiers had died, meaning they fought for a country that did not fight for them and died without receiving the same levels of freedom.
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| Jim Crow Must Go In Brooklyn a photo taken in the summer of 1963 in July |
Unfortunately, Black Americans, along with other people of color, would not be able to receive the same levels of freedom.
Even when Black Americans were given their “freedom,” the government, which consisted of white men, did everything in its power, which was technically everything, to keep nonwhites in check.
They implemented Jim Crow laws and gave white people better options. Nonwhites were “separate but equal,” which could not be further from the truth because they did receive equal treatment, and many Black people could not vote for years.
Even after all these years, the power implemented by white men has not disappeared and it will continue to haunt American history.
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Hey Sohila! I liked how you explained the history of systemic racism in the United States so succinctly! Your explanation that broke down how the past events are still relevant to society today perfectly complimented your historical account of oppression in the United States.
ReplyDeleteThe topic of Jim Crow laws and segregation are remembered by many people, but, in my opinion, the majority of the population still fails to see the long term effects that “haunt American history,” like you explained. The fact is that, because of long standing prejudice, many people of color are still in the bottom income brackets in the United States. I am glad we are heading in the right direction; unfortunately, however, we still have a long way to go when it comes to fully facing the facts of the United States history and racism that continues today throughout our branches of government.
Because the relevance of this topic is often overlooked, I enjoyed reading your blog! Your inclusion of facts with your own writing style really pulled everything together! Thank you for sharing, Sohila!
Sohila, your post presents a powerful and necessary critique of how power has historically been concentrated in the hands of a select group while systematically oppressing others. Your discussion of American independence as a hypocritical moment, where freedom was demanded from Britain while simultaneously denied to enslaved people, was particularly impactful. It highlights the contradictions that have shaped American history and continue to influence society today.
ReplyDeleteI also appreciated how you detailed the lasting effects of systemic oppression, from slavery to Jim Crow laws and beyond. Your statement about Black soldiers fighting for a country that did not fight for them was especially striking. It serves as a reminder that power structures are not just about laws but also about who gets to define justice and freedom.
One way to further strengthen your argument could be by exploring how these historical power structures still manifest today. For example, you could discuss how voter suppression, economic disparities, or mass incarceration continue the legacy of the systems you describe. Expanding on modern implications would connect past injustices to present struggles, reinforcing your argument that these power dynamics haven’t disappeared. Your passion for the topic shines through, and your analysis made me think more critically about how history continues to shape the present!