INEQUALITY
white primaries, poll tax + literacy tests + Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)White primaries were concerned with making it more difficult for any non-white person to vote. The primaries were concentrated in the southern states and made it so that any person not of the white race couldn't vote. Poll taxes and literacy tests go right along with that because they were also put in place to make it difficult for people of color to vote, specifically the Blacks. The poll tax was a flat fee required before voting; it was often as high as $200 per person. This obviously makes it a challenge to vote, even for poor white people. Plessy v. Ferguson basically reinforced segregation by stating that the rights of minorities were "separate but equal" which at the time was labeled as "progress" however it is very apparent now that it was a step in the wrong direction.
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Brown v. Topeka Board of EducationThis case was monumental to the education system in America. By eliminating segregation in schools, it completely changes the environment of these institutions because now blacks do not have to feel inferior based on the fact that they aren't good enough to attend school with white people. This case helped make large progress with discrimination because seeing colored people attaining just as much success as the white people in the classrooms with them was a testimony for them as a race. Segregation in schools was declared unconstitutional by the 14th amendment, claiming that it infringes upon "equal protection of the laws"
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my opinion...
Racism and discrimination is touchy. Obviously we should strive for the equal rights of all people, regardless of their skin color. However, people will always discriminate and it is difficult for the government to determine what is appropriate for them to regulate or not; such as affirmative action. Affirmative action was put into place in attempt to level the playing field-which it has not- so that brings to light a government attempt to solve a problem and then doing to opposite. Personally, as long as all races are treated equally in the court systems and are all defined as the same in laws, that's about as much as the government can really do. Otherwise it's hurting someone else....just treat everyone equally and maybe the rest of America will eventually catch on.