Here we will look briefly into the timeline of Black history in the USA. We will discuss different issues faced by African Americans since they landed in America from Africa. Before the American Revolution, 20 slaves were brought from Africa to the British colony against their will.
1619
During 1619 majority of the USA country population were whites. They were helped by native Americans and other European servants. The slave trade made a major impact in the USA after the 17th century. Before the Mayflower ship landed USA some twenty Africans were bought to the American land as slaves.
1661
The Maryland imposed a law stating that interracial marriages were not allowed in the region in 1661. After that incident, several other states imposed laws stating that interracial marriages are prohibited. Alabama was the last state that took down the law prohibiting interracial marriages in the year 2000. It took such a long time to abolish the law.
1776
Even the America got independence and the Declaration of Rights stated that all men were equal, slaves were denied such rights. Slaves were seen in the tobacco-producing regions and rice plantations. In the farming areas, the majority of the people were slaves who were denied their birthrights.
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1865
There was a fight for the protection of slaves during the Civil Wars in America though it was initially fought to maintain America as a whole. The war started in 1861 and lasted for four years when eleven southern states wanted to form the Confederate States of America.
1868
After the Civil War African American men got their right to vote through constitutional amendment. The descendants of the freed African black slaves and immigrants got extended citizenship in the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment. The first presidential election after the American Civil War took place in 1868 and freed slaves could vote.
1898
Wilmington massacre took place in 1898 when black families were affected in the Wilmington area. It shows how white supremacy affected the african americans. African Americans were displaced from their homes in the land they had citizenship.
1926
During Jim Crow time African Americans were thrown out of their jobs and many families had to migrate to the North and mid-west after the First World War. In the North African Americans could not go out after the sunset in rural areas and they could live in the city only under some restrictions.
1954
In 1954, the Supreme Court allowed the integration of African Americans into the schools. The Supreme Court stated that the segregation of African Americans was unconstitutional. In 1960, anti-segregation marches were seen across the country. President Lyndon Johnson signed a civil rights law in 1964.
1965
The Voting Rights Act came into force in 1965 to abolish racial discrimination in voting and restrictions were imposed on southern states to protect voting rights.
Now
A recent study shows that the wealth of an average white is 10 times more than an average African American. Suppression of voters is also another issue faced by African Americans. There were attempts to reduce votes for poor communities by ex-confederate states. They got voters right in 2013 by the Supreme Court ruling.
