Introduction
The history of American slavery is full of ambiguities, which manifested themselves in various social issues and, in particular, affected the civil rights of the African American population. The Civil War was a turning point in the struggle for equality and allowed starting the process of revising the values of human life and freedom. For more than a century and a half, African Americans have managed to assert their rights and gain equal opportunities with the white population, but at the initial stage, significant challenges and contradictions arose.
Post-War Period: A Step to Freedom
After the end of the Civil War, African Americans in the United States experienced the first changes in their social status. De Leon (2017) mentions the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments, which provided for the abolition of slavery and the provision of full citizenship to the black population, respectively. However, the issues of labor opportunities remained since many authoritative representatives of society were not ready to refuse free slave work. As a result, despite their official free status, African Americans did not have equal opportunities in obtaining jobs, which led to the struggle for the freedom of employment.
Recent History: The Abolition of Segregation and Equality
The struggle for equal rights and the activities of individual public figures, among whom Martin Luther King stood out, allowed African Americans to achieve equal rights. As Acharya et al. (2016) argue, the abolition of racial segregation become one of the most significant decisions taken by the government. As a result, the black population of the United States received equal opportunities in education, medicine, and other social spheres. Today, African Americans have the status of full-fledged citizens largely due to the activists of the past eras, who gave their lives for the freedom of descendants.
Conclusion
The long period of obtaining the status of free people by African Americans was accompanied by difficulties and ambiguities, despite the official abolition of slavery in the country. Labor issues, inequality in education, and other aspects separated the black population from the white one. Nevertheless, due to the efforts of many activists, African Americans gained the status of free citizens and equal rights in the second half of the 20th century, which continues to this day.
References
Acharya, A., Blackwell, M., & Sen, M. (2016). The political legacy of American slavery. The Journal of Politics, 78(3), 621-641.
de Leon, C. (2017). Black from white: How the rights of white and black workers became “labor” and “civil” rights after the US civil war. Labor Studies Journal, 42(1), 10-26.