The quest for freedom and full enjoyment of rights was not an easy task, with most black slaves facing harsh treatment and even death. The majority of them were deprived of personal liberty and the right to move from one geographical area to the other. There were also limits to making the most important choices in their lives as well. By being subjected to harsh treatments and others risks, slaves started the day-to-day resistance. They could break tools, commit acts of sabotage, and feign illnesses, and further, this escalated to violence. Despite a series of political tensions experienced following the American Civil War, it can be argued that social issues were the fundamental cause of these forms of violence.
Racial discrimination is one of the social issues that are evident in the United States of America. From the beginning of U.S. history, black people were highly discriminated against and often experienced some form of harsh treatment. From the Memphis violence to the killings in the Summer County, it is clear evidence that racialism is the social construct that fueled most of the acts of aggressive behavior towards the vast black population in the U.S.
In Maury County, racial discrimination was not that different from what has been reported in U.S. history. Looking at the historical alignment of the matter, after the slaves were freed, some became soldiers who could offer minor security services. However, this disturbed most of the white residents of Maury County, with others citing insecurity. They also accused black people of being violent, drunk, and immoral. Various blacks were lynched to death for allegedly raping a white woman, which marked the worst night of terror. A similar incidence was witnessed in Sumner County, where black people engaged in demonstrations following incidences of racial discrimination. For instance, black people were brutally murdered, and their cases were not followed. A good example is the brutal murder of the black American, Jim Warren.
The worst violent acts in U.S. history fueled by racial prejudice were witnessed in Memphis in 1866, where whites targeted the black population. In Memphis, Tennessee, the riot began after a white police officer attempted to arrest a black ex-soldier. To protect a person belonging to them, a group of blacks surrounded the scene, forcing the white soldier to start shooting at them, killing several blacks with numerous others wounded. The white soldiers are also believed to have raped five black women and burned schools and churches. In school settings, the shooting targeted only the blacks who worked as missionaries and teachers. It is believed that the violence was also a culmination of racial tensions that had grown since 1862, during the city’s federal occupation.
Even after the destruction and loss of human life the violence had caused, Memphis Mayor John Park was reluctant to address the situation by not requesting the state’s assistance. Throughout the 1870s, hundreds of blacks were massacred, and the violence was also directed to black government officials. This circumstance clearly indicates that the lives of the black population were endangered. The riots changed the national mood, as people believed that the tragedy would hand over the freedmen to their former masters. Few months after the riot was investigated, the inspection report was highly controlled by the white officials. The whites used the riots report to gain support for the reconstruction of policies. However, the report diverted the blame to Black-Irish competition for manual jobs. Yet, it ignored most non-Irish whites who participated in the riots and the responsibility given to black for patrolling the city for security purposes.
Social issues, specifically racial discrimination, are the key factors that championed the rise of violence, especially in Memphis. This ethnic prejudice is evident following the series of inhumane acts subjected to the blacks. For example, whites brutally killed many of them and destroyed their property. Despite whites being at the frontline in facilitating the killings, the report produced after the violence indicated that the Black-Irish were responsible for the massacre. This circumstance indicates that racism was an issue of concern regarding the Memphis riots.