yr13_ia_2007_ray_b

=B. Summary of Evidence=

During the 1950s in America, racism was a significant problem which led to many advances throughout the decade. As a result of the American Civil War in 1861-1865 an anti-African American legislation was introduced to many Southern states. These were later referred to as Jim Crow laws and meant discrimination against African Americans was widespread. The laws made segregation extremely common such that black people had to sit in separate areas of buses and trains. To contribute to this, marriage between African Americans and whites was forbidden and black people were not allowed to attend certain public schools, use facilities including cinemas, hotels, restaurants and theatres. “Black people were forced to pay their fares at the front, then get off the bus and walk around to the side door to get to the backseats. Sometimes, before these paid passengers reached the other door, the bus drivers would drive off." [1] Lynching by groups such as the Ku Klux Klan was still used as a method of violence upon black people.

Racism can be dated back to the colonial settlers in America who did not distinguish which work was to be done by each race. This later changed when a high number of African Americans arrived in America causing it to be assumed by the slave owners that any slave work should only be done by black slaves. This then characterised the nature of slavery and racism was established. The Marxist writer CLR James believes that “the conception of dividing people by race begins with the slave trade”.[2] The connotation of a slave was that they were an object to be merely bought and sold. The impact of such thoughts were that all black people were of a lower class and unworthy of attention. This view continued whilst the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade was prominent and for decades to follow.

In the early 1950s organisations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) attempted to bring an end to segregation on transport. They initially failed to do so but it brought to light the discontent felt by many African Americans. Others actively portrayed their discontent with the discrimination by protesting. Many of these proved unsuccessful until December 1st 1955 when Rosa Parks "refused to move when she was asked to get up and and move back by the bus operator." [3] Rosa Parks felt “tired of being pushed around” [4] and decided to remain in her seat when asked to move.

Rosa Parks was born on February 4th, 1913, [5] into a religious family in Alabama. Here she grew up and attended school until she was forced to drop out due to the poor health of her mother and grandmother who both required her assistance. Later she married Raymond Parks; a member of the NAACP. Rosa was determined to be equal to whites and on her third attempt managed to register to vote. In 1943 Rosa Parks joined the Montgomery sector of the NAACP and soon became its secretary.[6] “Rosa Parks was one of the first women in Montgomery” [7] to join this association. On the day of December 1st 1955 Rosa paid for her ticket and sat in the black section of a bus. This bus soon became full and she was asked by the bus driver, James Blake, to give up her seat for a white man who was standing. By refusing to do so, Rosa was consequently arrested. Her action encouraged members of the black community to fight against racism, resulting in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, causing the 1956 the Supreme Court ruling that segregation on transport was unconstitutional.

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[1] Quiet Strength, Rosa Parks with Gregory J. Reed, p 30 [2] [|www.garstangfairtrade.org.uk/racism] [3] The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr, Martin Luther King, edited by Clayborne Carson, p 50 [4] Quiet Strength, Rosa Parks with Gregory J. Reed, p 17 [5] If A Bus Could Talk, Faith Ringgold [6] [|www.grandtimes.com/rosa] [7] She Would Not be Moved, Herbert Kohl, p 13