The US has never been an accepting and tolerant country. On the contrary, it has always tried to hide this aspect of the administrative structure. Since the discovery of America, the history of the land has been one of blood, usurping, and oppression. First, the native people of the land were forced to yield and flee from their rightful homes. Then, the various notorious tactics used by the people from mainland Europe to establish their hold on the piece of land have been horrifying, to say the least. Then came the long and shameful practice of slavery which brought the Black in America forcefully.
History in a nutshell which is essential to know
Thousands of black people were taken from their homes, their natural environment and sold to slavery so that the white people can establish their hold on this new land without any physical toil. The bloody and shameful history of slavery is still one of the best-known and often ignored horror stories in the history of the world. So, when the civil war happened and the blacks were finally released from their slavery, they thought that the situation would change somehow. But, instead of the oppressed and torturous life of slavery, the community was introduced to another horrific reality, apartheid and racial discrimination.
The distant past and the not-so-distant past
For a long time, the black community was kept segregated from the so-called regular population of the US, which is comprised of migrated Europeans. Their point of pride in this context had been the colour of their skin. Having a fair complexation, they have always considered themselves better than the rest of the world and people from other ethnicities. This is the truth of colonialism in every country. In most cases, these details are kept hidden, or focus isn’t allowed to be on this aspect. After decades of segregation and oppression, the war the black community fought to end segregation, and other oppressive practices paid off.
The good that happened and the bad that remained hidden
Under the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr and tireless support from every section of the community, some of the problems were initially got solved. Black children started getting accepted in regular schools and colleges along with white children. Several hateful and oppressive laws were dissolved. It seemed as if the inclusion of black people into the mainstream of the country is happening. Yet, though that was one aspect of the movements of black people, beneath all this, systematic racial discrimination and oppression were running rampant.
The general condition of the country and black community
Various groups of people believing in the supremacy of the white people started to become more and more active within the country, and hate crimes began to spike alarmingly. Stereotypes and the false notion of superiority are two of the biggest reasons fueling hate against the black community. The idea and practice of discrimination against one section of society have not only been propagated but carefully encouraged by people. Despite proving themselves repeatedly in every area contributing to the welfare and growth of the country, African American people are still shunned and blamed for problems that have nothing to do with the community and its people.
The positive development getting overshadowed by the subsequent regime
Under the regime of all the presidents who came before the sole black president of the country, African American people were exploited in various ways. Under the new president, it seemed the country is changing, but that was just a dream. The president did a marvellous job of leading from the front and proving himself as one of the best commanders in chief the country has seen. But to counteract all the good and positive changes the first black president of the country brought, the white people chose possibly the worst president the country has ever seen. Through his every act, every decision, Trump actively and deliberately encouraged hate against various non-white communities, blacks being the primary target. Bills were introduced overnight; acts were passed without any protest, the system got rigged against the African American population.
The spike in the hate and its systematic assault began
Various groups believing in white supremacy and entirely hateful towards the non-white people, mainly the black community, became highly active in the country. Crimes against African American people doubled almost overnight. From civilians attacking civilians to instances of police brutality became daily news. African American associations and good people from every sector of society started to protest against these changes and hostile environments. The Black Lives Matter movement came into focus after the brutal murder of an individual by police.
The Black Lives Matter movement and beyond
Though the name of George Floyd and the incident with him became the trigger for the movement to spread all over the country, that was not the only incident of police brutality against black people. There were more such instances before, and there have been such instances since. It seems as if the whole country and its administrative system are rigged against the African American people. From the justice system to the social services, from the legislatures to the introduction of new laws, everything that happened under Trump was intended to hurt and harm the country’s black people.
The dangerous and harmful steps taken against a movement
A peaceful protest march was attacked by the police and other forces in full riot gear. Police brutality reached a new high during these protests and gatherings. The world was in disbelief and surprise to find out the real face of America and its racism, but the African American community was not. They have been bearing the burn of the system for centuries and know precisely what was happening. All the ways used to stifle the movement and the protest are tried and tested methods used multiple times in the past.
Looking at the bight side and finding fuel for fighting
Today, because of the internet, social media, and other channels sharing details, including videos, the oppression has done to the black people in America has become clear to the world. This has been the practice since the very beginning. Under the Trump administration, it seemed that the country regressed to that age. Despite all this negativity, some positive aspects cannot be ignored. The world came to know about the racial history and presence of the US. Many people revealed themselves as racist and the foundation for a change and new era was laid. If the African American people can keep this up, then the community has a real chance of bringing change.
