PROTEST AGAINST SOCIAL INJUSTICE IN THE SOUTH: from 1954 to 1965

PROTEST AGAINST SOCIAL INJUSTICE IN
THE SOUTH: from 1954 to 1965

THE CAUSES OF PROTEST 

 For many years, black people kept on suffering social injustice in the South. Of course, they lived where they were viewed as inhuman creatures. Since white people represented the majority, they used all their power to weaken minorities, moroever, they estabished illegal or unlawful systems in order to deprive blacks from their natural rights. It must be noticed that those attitudes of white racists toward blacks gave birth to the widespread segregation as well as discrimination based on race all over the South. In fact, the problem of race became a paramount factor in determining an individual life. Obviously, blacks were victims of it for many years. In fact, the South was viewed as a wellknown place of racial tentions grew more and more. That phenomenon did encourage both segregation and discrimination. Those factors had built a wall between blacks and their rights. However, the need for freedom and racial equality has first motivated black folks to protest, as they were fed up with their hard living conditions. Indeed, the need freedom and racial equality has urged the community of black people to find a way to erradicate social injustice, they did show their will for self-liberation for years ago before the end of slavery. They wanted to liberate themselves from social evils. In addition, they were not given a chance to do what they wanted, everything was dictated to them, in other words, they were locked in a place of total despair. Another important reason of protests was the arrest of Rosa Parks in Montgomery, Alabama. A black woman was arrested because she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on the bus.Truly, all human beings were born equal with the same natural rights, but this principle was far from being the truth in the South of America since white racists still believed that black people were born inferior. For that reason, they curtailed their fundamental rights and imposed their power on them. Besides, racists set up unjust systems that would not only handicap black people but also that would seperate them from whites. In fact, blacks were defenceless, as they could not find laws aiming at equality in the South nourished by white injustice. Moreover, the lack of injustice was another fact of protests, as color walls in South were completely opposed to the promises of the land itself, blacks continued to suffer as if they were not given rights after slavery. Freedom was rather a myth than a reality for them. Moreover, white racist laws have kept them far from the American dream. Blacks hard social living conditions were related to the interest of white people, they have set up institutions aiming at maintaining blacks in their place. 9 For a long time, black people could not live at ease since they were deprived of evrything; they were completely blind due to illegal laws. Obviously, they were put in a hole of total despair by their white neighbors, and life was like a hell for them in the South. Surely, their will was far from what they were forced to accept. It must be well said that their daily life was always caracterised by threats and sometimes resuled in violence. The supremacists to keep blacks in a helpless position were using all unjust means. In addition, they continually did all their best to favor racist institutions to restore white supremacy in all facets of life. Indeed, those series of injustices were among the main causes of protest against social injustice in the South. 

 The Need for Freedom and Racial Equality

For many years, freedom and racial equality were a big concern of black people in the South of the United States; however, they did make efforts in order to find a solution for their problem. In other words, they wanted to obtain their liberty and put an end to to social injustices. In fact, they were concious of their hard living conditions, sot hey saw in protest a great weapon to challenge injustices that kept them far from opportunities, liberty, and a peaceful life. They did not feel at ease as they lived where everything was based on race, for that they decided to struggle so that they could live peacefully. The quest for liberty and equality was not something new for black folks, it started during slavery time. For several years, they did all they could to escape injustices inflicted upon them, for that a great number of them moved from one place to another in order to seek freedom and improve their living conditions. In fact, they dedicated their whole life to protest against rejection and marginalization, indeed, the search for freedom and equality of all races did motivate them to fight since they were aware of their hard living conditions due to the denial of their rights. For a long time, they they demonstrated their desire to liberate themselves from social injustices, as they lived in a system, in which they were not viewed as human beings or citizens, so, they did manage to change their social conditions by organizing protest campaigns all over the South. They would later risk their lives for freedom. Indeed, they were aware of their unfavorable living conditions, for that they have shown their angriness by protesting against all sorts of injustices. 10 As Donald Grant puts it: ‘‘blacks grew angry at white defiance of the law of the land. The anger led to bravery, and something resembling a revolution erupted-not out of hopelessness but in expectation of a better future.’’7 Obviously, black folks devotion for freedom and racial equality was older than the period during which protests have began in Montgomery, Alabama when an old black woman on the name of Rosa Parks was illegally jailed for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger. Indeed, the need for freedom and racial equality was among the main objectives of protests against social injustice in the South. In fact, black folks were locked in a social system where white only had rights to do whatever they wanted, it did not mind colored people, and its main objectives were to keep whites under unfavorable conditions. Indeed, there were no rights black people owned, they were rejected from time to time without a word to say, however, they have found in protests a way of self-liberation and racial justice. Undoubtedly, they lived in pitiful conditions, as life in the South was like a hell, what’s more, there was no single day a black felt at ease. In fact, their social living conditions were very bad compared to those of white people, in other words, they had not had the same opportunities and privileges as whites ; the only thing reserved for them was subjugation. As they were deeply aware of their pitiful and hard social conditions, they have decided to claim freedom and racial equality. Indeed, the way they were treated was far from principles of racial equality: As it is said: ‘‘Racial equality occurs when people of all races are equal. In other words by ignoring their physical characteristics or color, and giving everyone legally, morally, and politically equal opportunity.’’8 In fact, there is no denying truth that the need for freedom and racial equality was a thing to be achieved seeing hard social living conditions of blacks, and the way they were treated. The lack of those rights was among factors that urged them to protest. Indeed, they were excluded or forgotten, in other words, doors of opportunities and those of citizenship rights were all forbidden to them. Furthermore, black race was viewed as a curse, in other words, racists did not consider it as a human race. Indeed, there were no good things reserved for them, what’s more, they were treated as playing things. Indeed, black folks did not protest for any reason, they did it because they needed to be free, and be treated equally as well, so their struggle was a meaningful one for them to overcome social injustice all around the South. 7 Grant, Donald, The Way It Was in the South: The Black Experience in Georgia, The University of North Carolina, Chape Hill, 1961, p. 388. 8 https://www.org/Racial_equality, consulted on Thursday, December 7, 2017 at 8 am. 11 It would be too difficult to say that protests only objectives were the need for freedom and racial equality, but one must take into account that it was among the main causes or reasons of protests against social injustice. In other words, it has motivated colored people to stand for their destiny. In fact, it woud be meaningless if protests occured without any reason. Indeed, pitiful conditions o blacks had precipitated their will for freedom and racial equality; they would never ask for anything if they lived peacefully. Therefore, they have decided to organize protests in the South where they were dehumanized, for that they were strongly and massively involved in protests. 

 The Arrest of Rosa Parks in Montgomery 

Undoubtedly, the Emancipation Proclamation, issued by the United States’ president, Abraham Lincoln on January 1st, 1963 has declared the freedom of black folks. However, they were far from being closed to principles of that emancipation since white racists have adopted racist laws in order to keep them far from their constitutional rights. Ideed, those laws were called, the Jim Crow Laws. In fact, they were established to build a color wall between blacks and whites. As it is stated: ‘‘Jim Crow regulations aimed at keeping whites from having contact with blacks.’’9 In the South, blacks and whites lived in different sectors and sometimes used different things. The Jim Crow Laws were too difficult to challenge since they were laws using every illegal means necessary to maitain white power, in other words they were laws against black folks. In fact, blacks did not dare to betray those laws as they were powerless, in addition, they would be severely punished by desobeying them. Let us take the example of an old woman called Rosa parks. She was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama in December 1, 1955 when she violated the Jim Crow rules by refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger in the bus. As it is put: On Thursday, December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was boarded a city bus and sat with three other blacks in the fifth row, the first row tha blacks could occupy. A few stops later, the front four rows were filled with whites, and one white man was left standing. According to law, blacks and whites could not occupy the same row, so the bus driver asked all four of the blacks 9 The Way It Was in the South: The Black Experience in Georgia, op. cit, p. 213. 12 seated in the fifth row to move. Three complied, but Parks refused. She was arrested.10 In fact, black people were obliged to remain voiceless even if they knew that they suffered from injustices. Indeed, seperation between blacks and whites was seen in all public facilities. For example, they used separate buses and trains; separarate water fountains; eat in separate hotels and restaurants, etc.Those illegal practices were widespread all over the South. The Jim Crow Laws strongly favoured segregation in all spheres of life. In fact, segregation can be defined as the seperation of people on race, religion, ethnic group, sex, or social class. Black people could not do whatever they wanted as their daily life was determined by white supremacists. Indeed, southern racists used illegal means to fight against interaction between blacks and whites. Moreover, these two races were not supposed to interact. Indeed, whites believed that the white skin was created to rule, and the black one was created to obey. As it might be known, the southern states’ dedication to white supremacy was not sufficiently erased by the end of the Civil War (1861-1865). Despite efforts made by the federal Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts of 1867, and the Fourteenth Amendment to eradicate injustices, white racists have continued to mistreat black folks. They have only set up unjust laws aiming at weakening a black race. Obviously, those laws were segregation laws or laws against colored people. Furthermore, there is no denying truth that those laws aimed at suppressing black folks’ freedom and restoring racial inequality practices. In fact, they are good ground to say that white racists were in contradiction with the promises of the United State’s Constitution. In fact, southern whites were well prepared with all means necessary to impose their power. In fact, the Jim Crow regulations have completely built a wall between a white and a black race. In fact, white racists worked day by day to restore the Jim Crow rules in all southern sectors in order to control colored people. During the Jim Crow eara race has become a great barrier to social justice as well as racial harmony. Moreover, those unjust laws mainly dedicated themselves to the separation of races in all sectors of life. Obviously, they were viewed as antiblack laws. Indeed, Jim Crow governed all facets of life in every corner of southern states. In fact, black people have had no chance to interact with whites according to the rules of the laws. We must bear in mind that blacks had no rights to go in places where whites are; if they did so, they could be arrested, in other, they would be accused of desobeying the law. 10 www.Watson.org/ lisa/blackhistory/civil rights_55_65/montbus.html, consulted on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 at 10 am. 13 Furthermore, whites usually behaved foolishly towards the black community, they did not want to be aasociated with blacks. In other words, they rejected blacks as if being black is a synonymous of rejection or punishment. Obviously, colored people in the South had suffered a lot from Jim Crow restrictions. In addition, white supremacists have never felt at ease. Indeed, whites never thought of living together with blacks in the same areas. In addition, they were denied their civil rights for many years after the Civil War. The use of segregation laws placed many obstacles in the daily life of black people. In the South, every law against blacks and whites association was seen as the best one for racists. Indeed, the Jim Crow set boundaries between blacks and whites. Segregation laws had nothing to do with equality of races; they always fought for the separation of blacks and whites in public and private facilities. What’s more, another paramount and illegal law aiming at maintening the Jim Crow alive was Plessy V. Ferguson case in1896. Indeed, Southern Supreme Court favoured this racial seperation law which helped to establish the doctrine of ‘‘separate but equal’’. This doctrine aimed at reinforcing racial separation in all facets of life. In fact, the implementation of that ruling persistently pushed blacks and whites to go to separate schools. In addition, it has made troubles in a black man daily life. In fact, slavery ended, but id did not completely mean freedom for blacks, in other words, it did not erase injustices against blacks. Even though, on paper some amendments to the United States’ Constitution gave blacks equal protections under the law and full citizenship regardless of race, sex, religion, or social class, unfortunately, they still lived in darkness. White racists were completely fed up with those amendments; they continued to set barriers to racial integrity. In addition, they have adopted racial separation laws aiming at separating the two races in all respective places. Moreover, that unfavorable social condition of colored clearly showed that promises of the United Nation’s Constitution were violated in southern states. Throughout the South, there were no attempts of whites to establish a system of racial integration. It was unthinkable to see the two different races working side by side. Obviously, blacks were always rejected by their white brothers. The Montgomery white racists aimed at fighting to keep blacks in unfavorable conditions, therefore, they have used illegal means to reach their objectives. In fact, the arrest of Rosa parks was one consequence of the Jim Crow customs. 14 The cohabitation between blacks and whites had always been an difficult issue all over southern states. In fact, white racists exclusively set up laws prohibiting the mixture of the two races. What’s more, segregationists’ principles grew more and more with the same goal of banning racial harmony. That practice can be seen as a system against racial integration. In addition, all southern local institutions legally adopted racist laws and practices. Southern blacks lived in a system in which they could not go where they pleased; they only stayed in colored people area. It means that they were caught up in racist systems that separated them from whites. Although, they lived in the same State, they were not able to share with one another. Furthermore, they could not have the opportunity to go in all white sectors. There is no denying truth that inhuman established laws of white racists have separated the South into two sections: one for blacks and another for whites. Indeed, the South was far from being considered as a color-blind area. Blacks and whites were separated in all levels of life. This lack of connection completely showed the lack of harmony between those two races. Absolutely, whites were far from accomplishing the guiding principles under which the nation was built. Indeed, those principles have become a myth since whites have built racial walls that separated both blacks and whites in all spheres of life. In fact, there was no doubt to consider the South as a site of social injustice. For many years, the objectives of Reconstruction era were to build the United States of color blindness after the Civil War. In other words, its goal was to forge the nation where all human beings would live as blood brothers. Unfortunately, it was weakened by southern racists’ principles of social injustice. For example, no colored students entered white students schools because of racist systems.The following statement helps to examine injustices in a school system: ‘‘If all black students in a district attend exclusively black schools and all white students attend exclusively white schools, this index takes on its maximun value of 100, indicating the complete segregation of the two races in that school system.’’ 11 Indeed, the more injustices existed, the more colored people sufferd exist, segregation will. In fact, that principle is contrary to the functioning of the American democracy. Democracy for which the American nation is known for all over the world. Obviously, union for which the fathers of the nation had fought for decades to restore was not respected. Undoubtedly, injustices persisted in the South as a law of the land.