“The more things change, the more they remain the same.”
A lot has changed since the 1960s, but has it really? The 1960s was a time marked by riots, protests, segregation, and inequality. Who were the minorities? Negroes; descendants of slaves brought from Africa between the 17th and 19th centuries to be used as forced laborers (slaves) throughout the 13 colonies of the United States. Blacks were treated as property, and were treated like they were less than human, with no voting rights and no voice. Segregation was enforced through fear and intimidation. Lynchings (mob executions) were prevalent and were carried out by groups such as the Klu Klux Klan, White supremacists who hated Blacks. The Klu Klux Klan still exists as a group and is still active. Civil rights activists, like the late Martin Luther King Jr., were instrumental in shattering segregation in the 1960s by using nonviolent resistance. In the 1960s, the shift towards equal rights gained support in the upper levels of government, and in 1965, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act, which allowed Black Americans to vote.
In some ways, I think things are still the same, just packaged differently. I agree that a lot has changed for the better, but there still exists a sense of subtle segregation. I would not have been accepted to most colleges due to my educational background, hence segregation. Blacks almost always are not considered for top employment positions. The public school education system is another example of segregation. Students in the low socio-economical sections of society are more likely to be held back due to poverty and lack of social support within families. The fact that there is a Black president in the White House has done little to elevate the position of Blacks in our society. Slavery is very much alive, but in the form of prisons, where the majority of our Black men are still held in chains and shackles. Our minds are still being held captive, and not enough is being done to encourage minorities to enroll in colleges.
Watching a film on Medgar Evers, the American civil rights leader from Mississippi, was painful for me as well as most of my fellow classmates. The extent of the hatred towards Blacks was almost demonic; there is no other comparison. To do what he did, Byron De La Beckwith had to have been demonically possessed. God made man in his own image and likeness, and Beckwith failed to see that because he was blinded by an ignorance stronger than he was. He spewed pure evil. One cannot help but admire men like Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, and all the other civil rights activists who have so selflessly paid the ultimate sacrifice, their lives, so that Blacks could have a voice in this society. Individuals such as these have been endowed with some hidden force that compels them to feel empathy towards their fellow man and dare to be different and create change. As for me, I’m not at all certain that I could follow Medgar, or any other civil rights activists, for that matter, to fight for the cause against social injustice on any level. Nonviolent or otherwise, there still remains a risk of being endangered, and we all have different roles to play in life; some are changers, some are not. Yes, I will sign my name in support of a legal or injustice cause. My daughter’s school will be staging a protest to overturn the decision by the DOE to close the school. I have sent emails to the relevant governmental authorities, but I will not be attending the protest.
Having now being made aware of the struggles of Medgar Evers in the effort to get justice and equal rights for Black people, I’m really humbled, privileged, and have a sense of pride to be a part of this historical institution. I am determined to aim high, as he made the sacrifice for me, and his desire was for me to be treated with equality, to have a voice and to let it be heard without fear of being lynched. My desire is to be empowered so that I in turn can empower others.
Having the same characteristics that I now have, I assume that as a Caucasian in the 1960s, my perception of injustice and inequality would be replaced with one of empathy. I would probably sign relevant petitions, in addition to being supportive of the struggles faced by the Blacks then. It’s highly unlikely that I would become a member of the Klu Klux Klan; I would instead be a person that advocated for social justice for all, regardless of color or creed.
It’s a never-ending fight for Blacks to ensure that social justice and moral causes are constantly being upheld. The fight is ongoing, and we still are susceptible to the attacks of those who insist on labeling us as the minority. There is now a more pronounced integration when compared to the 1960s, but segregation is still plainly visible. It is now on us as leaders of our families to set the pattern for our children to emulate, and knowledge is power. We have to ensure that our children will not succumb to the idea of McDonalds or Starbucks as a career, which, yes, can be a stepping stone while pursuing a Bachelor's, Master's, or a PhD degree. We have to finish the race in order for them to realize that with determination, it is possible and necessary to obtain a college degree.
The fight for equality is an ongoing process; our ancestors fought and we are still fighting. The fight continues for better schools, better parks, and recreation centers, and an end to racial profiling against our Black youths and targeting of our Black men for minor offenses. The fight for Blacks to be able to access and finance private colleges still continues. The fight continues for our communities to be equally represented in the areas of employment opportunities for our young Black children and affordable and quality health care.
After viewing the film on Medgar Evers, I’m deeply saddened and hurt, and words fail me. However, I am also encouraged, because his cause was not in vain; Medgar Evers College is a living testimony of this fact. Medgar is a thriving college that believes in giving its students an equal opportunity to engage in and attain a higher level of education in order to secure and receive the recognition and respect that has long been overdue for us Blacks. This is the legacy that Medgar Evers and other civil rights activists gave their lives for.
