The American Civil Rights Era - 1149 Words

The American Civil Rights Era of the late 1950s through the early 1970s brought social change on a scale not experienced in the country since the Civil War. The previously iron pillars of racial segregation, overt patriarchy, and rejection of alternative forms of sexual expression had been withered away by court rulings, academia, the mass media, and societal unrest. For the groups that had experienced open and accepted oppression under these previously unchallenged norms, this was no doubt a cause for celebration. Even so, for many people in America this liberalization was accompanied by a sense of fear. With a new paradigm created, one’s place and role in society became uncertain. Even among groups with newly found freedoms, this uncertainty can be palpable. If one accepts the belief that our â€Å"aggressive fears† are closely linked to our history and practices of colonialism (Glover 42) then the literary and film vampires of the 1970s should provide excellent insig ht into the anxieties of the American citizen at that time. This paper will examine two such vampires of that decade: Louis, the protagonist of Anne Rice’s â€Å"Interview with the Vampire†, and â€Å"Blacula†, the titular character and focus of William Crain’s blaxploitation film. Both provide tremendous examples of the zeitgeist and unrest of that time period. 1976’s Interview with the Vampire opens with Louis, a 200-year old vampire telling his life story to an unnamed reporter. Louis, prior to becoming a vampire, was aShow MoreRelatedAfrican Americans And The Civil Rights Era Essay2227 Words   |  9 Pagesof their skin color. Throughout the Civil Rights Era, African Americans made the greatest sacrifice, protestors risked their lives trying to achieve equal rights. There are many incidences when white protestors are targeted by hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan. President Lyndon B. Johnson seemed to only use police brutality when it came to silencing the protestors and King during their movement to end oppression towards African Americans and to gain equal rights. Students are only taught so much aboutRead MoreAfrican Americans From The Civil Rights Era Essay1699 Words   |  7 Pages1020.51 2 October 2015 African Americans 1968-Present Introduction We re not Americans, we re Africans who happen to be in America. We were kidnapped and brought here against our will from Africa. We didn t land on Plymouth Rock - that rock landed on us (Malcolm X). This quotation symbolizes the sentiments of many African Americans past and present who were involuntarily brought to the shores of the United States of America. Since arriving here, African Americans have been mistreated, misinformedRead MoreAfrican American Women During The Civil Rights Era942 Words   |  4 PagesThe Civil Rights Era, which took place during the years of 1955 till 1968, was indeed the movement that gave African Americans the push to achieve their first major accomplishments of the decade. The Civil Rights Movements goals were to break down the walls of legal segregation in public places, achieve equality and justice for African Americans, and to help make African Americans become more self-conscious when standing for all their interest. This movement not only benef ited men, but it also benefitedRead MoreThe Legacy Of The American Civil Rights During The Jeffersonian Era992 Words   |  4 PagesJeffersonian Era, there was a dramatic role switch between Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson and President Thomas Jefferson. Some historians argue that Jefferson was hypocritical in his administration, while others argue that he was simply being practical and pragmatic. During his tenure as Secretary of State, Jefferson heavily opposed Alexander Hamilton’s fiscal policy, mainly the funding on war debts. An avid participant of the Democratic-Republican party, Jefferson favored states’ rights and localRead MorePersonal Experience with The African American Civil Rights Era1546 Words   |  6 PagesEmancipation Proclamation, African Americans in the south were still faced with innumerable injustices, including disenfranchisement, segregation, and violence. Jim Crow laws infringed on African Americans’ fundamental rights to a basic e ducation, to suffrage, to serve on a jury, to enter certain shops, and even to use a public restroom. Throughout this time period, activists, African American and white alike, rallied for change using all methods possible: nonviolent protest, civil disobedience, and even violenceRead MoreCivil Right Act : An Era Of Tremendous Struggle For African American All Around America Essay1065 Words   |  5 PagesUnited States was an era of tremendous struggle for African-American all around America, but especially for those who lived in the south. Laws such as the Jim Crow act, voter suppression, intimidation, oppression, and the fight for equality, all were issues that African-Americans had to deal with in the 1960’s. The 1964 civil right act was a major executive action taken by then president Kennedy do to protests that had gone on for years in southern states by African-Americans, and Caucasians whoRead MoreThe American Civil War1418 Words   |  6 PagesGuns fired, smoke ling ering in the air, people dying. The American Civil War had a huge impact on the United States. Two compromises took place before the start of the Civil War. These compromises include the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850. The Missouri Compromise dealt with the crisis in 1819 over Missouri entering the Union as a slave state. The compromise was â€Å"the first major crisis over slavery, and it shattered a tacit agreement between the two regions that had been in placeRead MoreThe End Of The Reconstruction1318 Words   |  6 PagesIn the 1860’s there was an Era that started called the reconstruction. The main purpose for the reconstruction was to give African-American people full political and civil equality. However, it was very tough to do this, especially since most white in the south didn’t want the African-Americans to have the same rights as themselves. During this Era there were multiple good things that happened, yet, there were also many bad things that happened. For instance, during the reconstruction the 14th amendmentRead MoreEssay about The Reconstruction Era: The Planted Seeds1231 Words   |  5 PagesThe first roar of the Civil War ended with a last gasp for air. Where in such a war more than six hundred twenty thousand men sacrificed their lives for their own belief in the abolishment of slavery (â€Å"Civil War Facts†). â€Å"We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain. That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom† (Baslor). These wise words of Abraham Lincoln cleared the way of a desolate trail of violence and pain, yet he was determined to accomplish his plansRead MoreRacial Stereotype in the Movie The Green Mile1279 Words   |  6 Pagesfrom the earliest silent film, to the most modern film production. Stereotypes in early America had significant influence over how other viewed African Americans, Latinos, Asians etc. The most stereotyped race in history is th e black male. In most early films, they were portrayed as simple minded and careless individuals, but when African Americans started to stand up for themselves films portrayed them as more savage and bloodthirsty. In the 1999 film The Green Mile directed by Frank Darabont,