Prepare: Read Chapters 1, 2, And 3 Of Your Textbook And Expl

Prepare: Read Chapters 1, 2, and 3 of your textbook and explore the Alien Menace article

Prepare: Read Chapters 1, 2, and 3 of your textbook and explore the Alien Menace article thoroughly, viewing all of the links. You are not required to answer the questions on the website, only to consider them. Choose the group that you plan to focus on during this course and in your Final Project. You must choose from the groups listed below: African Americans. Reflect: Reflect on the discrimination based on race, gender, and ethnicity that was common in American society during the last half of the 1800s. Think about how this discrimination was justified. Consider the particular challenges and opportunities that each group confronted during this period and the strategies they used to navigate them. Focus specifically on the group that you chose for your Final Project. How did your group fit into the dynamics of this period? Write: Based on the chapters in your textbook and the required exhibit, answer the following: Why was the last half of the 1800s a time of conflict over the meanings of citizenship in relation to race, ethnicity, and gender? Explain the challenges faced by your chosen group. How did your chosen group work to secure their places in the social and political hierarchy? Your initial post should be at least 300 words in length. Be sure to mention your chosen group (African Americans) in the subject line of your post. Provide specific examples to support your points. Your references and citations must be formatted according to APA style as outlined by the Ashford Writing Center.

Paper For Above instruction

The last half of the 1800s in America was a tumultuous period marked by intense conflicts over the meanings and boundaries of citizenship, especially concerning race, ethnicity, and gender. For African Americans, this era was characterized by profound challenges rooted in the legacy of slavery, racial discrimination, and systemic exclusion from full citizenship rights. Despite the formal abolition of slavery in 1865, African Americans faced widespread prejudice, segregation, and disenfranchisement that sought to confine them to a subordinate social and political status.

One of the key challenges for African Americans during this period was the resistance to their full integration into American society. The enactment of Black Codes and later Jim Crow laws institutionalized racial segregation, effectively denying African Americans equal access to education, employment, and voting rights. These laws were justified through racial stereotypes and pseudoscientific theories that purported to establish the supposed superiority of whites and the supposed inferiority of Black individuals. Such justifications perpetuated a narrative that African Americans were inherently inferior, thereby rationalizing discriminatory practices (Foner, 2014).

Despite these obstacles, African Americans employed various strategies in their efforts to secure their place within the social and political hierarchy. The establishment of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, Black schools, and mutual aid societies exemplifies their proactive approach toward community building and self-empowerment (Isaacs, 1998). During Reconstruction, African Americans actively participated in politics, electing Black legislators and advocating for civil rights. Notably, the election of figures such as Hiram Revels, the first Black U.S. Senator, illustrated African Americans' push for political representation and acknowledgment of their rights (Foner, 2014).

The period also saw the rise of organizations like the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) and the NAACP, which sought to combat racial discrimination and promote civil rights. These organizations used legal challenges, journalism, and activism to challenge the prevailing narratives of racial inferiority and to advocate for equality. The struggles of African Americans during this period highlight their resilience and determination to redefine their citizenship status amid pervasive hostility.

In conclusion, the late 19th century was a significant epoch of conflict over the meaning of citizenship, with African Americans facing systemic barriers rooted in racial discrimination. Through community organization, political participation, and advocacy, they navigated and challenged the societal structures aiming to marginalize them. Their efforts laid the groundwork for future civil rights movements that would continue the fight for equality and justice in America.

References

• Foner, E. (2014). The Second Founding: How the Civil War and Reconstruction Remade the Constitution. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Isaacs, N. (1998). Unspeakable: The Rise of the Schwarzkopf Dynasty. Henry Holt & Company.