Racism and violence in the US between 54-65

• • Reconstruction Era (1865-1877): Post the Civil War, this era aimed to rebuild the Southern states and reintegrate them into the Union. Initially, this period saw African Americans gain political rights and representation. However, with the end of military occupation, these advancements were rapidly reversed, leading to the rise of white supremacist groups and sentiments.
• • Jim Crow Laws (late 19th century to mid-20th century): Named after a derogatory term for African Americans, these laws enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States. Encompassing everything from separate schooling to segregated public facilities, they institutionalised the notion of African Americans as inferior.
• Lynchings: Extrajudicial killings carried out by mobs, these acts were particularly prevalent from the 1880s to 1960s. They were a brutal means of enforcing racial hierarchy.
• • Emmett Till (1955): A 14-year-old African American boy who was brutally murdered in Mississippi for allegedly whistling at a white woman. His death and the subsequent acquittal of his murderers galvanised the Civil Rights Movement.
• Activities by the Ku Klux Klan:

  • Formation and First Wave (1865-1870s): Originating as a social club in Tennessee, the Klan quickly evolved into a paramilitary group opposing the reconstruction era reforms. Their tactics included intimidation, violence, and even murder to suppress black political power.
• Activities by the Ku Klux Klan:

  • Second Wave (1910s-1940s): Capitalising on the release of the film "The Birth of a Nation" in 1915, which portrayed the Klan as heroic, the organisation expanded its base and membership. Targeting not just African Americans, but also Jews, Catholics, and immigrants, it championed "100% Americanism" and infiltrated mainstream politics.
• Activities by the Ku Klux Klan:

  • Third Wave (1960s-Present): Opposing the gains of the Civil Rights Movement, the Klan reverted to more overt acts of violence. Churches serving African American communities were bombed, activists were murdered, and intimidation was widespread.
• • Internalised Racism: Years of exposure to demeaning stereotypes, coupled with systematic discrimination, led to internalised racism. This phenomenon saw individuals believing, either consciously or subconsciously, in the negative tropes associated with their own racial or ethnic group, leading to feelings of self-worthlessness and despair.