The 20th century saw many historical events take place. One the most significant events in the American society the fight for civil rights also referred to as the civil rights movement. The fight for civil rights in America had its roots in the 13th Amendment of the constitution which freed all the African American slaves and made slavery illegal. Subsequent amendments protected freed slaves and gave black men the right to vote. The civil rights act of 1895 then gave black men equal access to public amenities and forbade job discrimination (Finlayson 11).
On the ground however this was not the case, as the African Americans were segregated , marginalized, maltreated, subjected to poor working conditions , lacked opportunities and access to public amenities (Levy 7-10).This saw the blacks come together in churches, through song, literature, their businesses, homes and families, poems, books all with the goal to fight against discrimination by the whites. Among these were Richard Wright and Gwendolyn Brooks who used literary works to voice out their displeasure on the discrimination against blacks as well as portray a humanitarian point of view on the plight of the African Americans in the 20th century (Marshall Cavendish Corporation 4).
[...] She is then exposed to the realities of marriage and love in the Anniad and finally chooses her identity in the womanhood. The poem strives to bring out the theme of equality and the demolishing of all forms of racial discrimination. She uses stylistic devices such as contrast milk- glass, fruit -bowl, jelly- jar, old peach cans to show different worlds, the juxtaposition between dreams and reality, rhyming couplets, similes such as like a candle, set against the weeds of disappointment among others (Saber 36). [...]
[...] Their blunt depiction of the lives of the African Americans in the 20th century forced the white people to view their actions as they were. This awakened them from their ignorance and showed the world as a whole the plight of the African Americans. Works Cited: Finlayson, Reggie. shall overcome: The history of the American civil rights movement.” Twentieth century Books Print. Fraile, Ana. “Richard wrights Native son.” Rodopi International Print. Levy, Peter. civil rights movement.” Green wood publishing Print. Marshall Cavendish Corporation. “America in the 20th century.” Marshall Cavendish Print. [...]
[...] Nelson, Emmanuel. “African American Dramatists.” ABC-CLIO Print. Rowley, Hazel. “Richard Wright: The life and times.” University of Chicago Press Print. Saber, Yomna. “Brave to be involved: shifting positions in the poetry of Gwendolyn Books.” Peter Lang Journal Print. Williams, Horace and Ben, Beard. “This Day In civil rights history.” Newsouth Books Print. Wright, Stephen. Gwendolyn Brooks: Reliant contemplation.” University of Michigan Press Print. [...]
[...] Among these were Richard Wright and Gwendolyn Brooks who used literary works to voice out their displeasure on the discrimination against blacks as well as portray a humanitarian point of view on the plight of the African Americans in the 20th century (Marshall Cavendish Corporation 4). Richard Wright was among the young Americans born in the period where were segregation and discrimination was at its peak. A period in which, blacks were not supposed to contradict a white person but take in the segregation happily, cheerful and humbly (Rowley 5). Wright's father abandoned their family when he was young .He then went to a segregated high school and was deeply hurt by the poor conditions that African Americans were living in. [...]
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