Reflections on Unit Three

In this unit we learned about the later era of time with the African American community. As a whole it was based on their leaders and their place in the community. I learned about some of the greatest truths spoken by African American leaders and how their views shaped the future of our society. The teachings and the power behind these leaders was immense and without their perseverance, I don't believe their rights would have come until much later.
I believe the greatest influence came from W.E.B. Dubois and his writing on the Talented Tenth. He believed that one in every ten African Americans, there would be one leader to power through. He believed that his people could do great things and they deserved and education and a standing in our society and the future of our country. He was right. His views and his writing taught many people that they could do whatever they put their minds to. This led to sch
ools opening for African Americans as well as their position to be able to be a part of our political system. They still however faced discrimination. But they faced it head on and each African American at the time, knew what it took was to face it the way they did.

Another thing I found during this unit that seemed important to me was the great depression. During this time, President Roosevelt gained the support of the African Americans but prior to this time they voted predominately Republican. But even with their support, he didn't much help them, and to say the least that was pretty messed up. I don't understand how you can claim to support a group of people and then turn your back on them in fear of angering others. Whenever the Great Depression took on our nation President Roosevelt created the New Deal. This "New Deal" was supposed to help ALL Americans to get back on their feet and create something for themselves, but that was definitely not the case. His acts still were discriminatory. They kept African Americans out of homes in white neighborhoods, their camps were in bad condition, and they were kept from jobs. During this time even if they got a job it was because a white person didn't want it and they were paid much less than the white person would have been had they taken the position. Even the Social Security Administration discriminated by not allowing job areas that African Americans normally applied for. Even though President Roosevelt still didn't show his support for the community, his wife did and publicly supported the Civil Rights movement.


My view on this class during these last couple months is that it honestly has been the best American History class I could've taken. During elementary school, middle school, and high school whilst I learned the basics of African American history, it was always just that, basic. We learned slavery, discrimination, Jim Crow Laws, Great Depression. However in this class I was able to learn about what it took for African Americans to make it to the New World and the serious conditions they were in for a long time.