African Americans

For past information. See Slavery.

Dictionary.com defines "African American" as "A Black American of African ancestry. "

After the Civil War, many African Americans had to find work.

Although slavery was gone, there was a lot of disrespect towards African Americans.

Many states believed in segregation.

Dictionary.com defines "segregation" as "The policy or practice of separating people of different races, classes, or ethnic groups, as in schools, housing, and public or commercial facilities, especially as a form of discrimination."

The Supreme Court said that segregation was separate but equal. Many people agreed on this.

In the case of Brown v. Board of Educationof Topeka, Kansas, involved Linda Brown who was a seven year old girl. She had to attend a "black school" farther away while a "white school" was near. The Supreme Court eventually ruled that separate was not equal.

The story of the Little Rock Nine is a great one. Nine black students were to go into an all white school in Little Rock, Arkansas. They were all nine outstanding students. Many people expected integration (both blacks and whites in school) to go smoothly. It did not. Many people protested and taunted the nine. Ernest Green became the first African American student to graduate from Central High School in Little Rock.

Martin Luther King Jr. protested against this racism. He used the power of boycotts and other methods. He gave his famous "I Have a Dream Speech" in Washington, D.C. He was assasinated.

Racism to African Americans is not as high as it was in the past. People have learned to get together with different races. There is still some racism. There is also still activity of the KKK.