Ethnic Communities Within The United States

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charset=utf-8"> Introduction:in the United States sometimes considered
There are many ethnic communities within the Unitedinter-marriages to African Americans a crime and
States. Most of these ethnic communities havesometimes they would even kill their kinsmen if they
migrated into the United States over the years. Manywere found out to be involved with African Americans.
indigenous ethnic groups or Native Americans like theBesides this African Americans have faced vigilante
red Indians have been marginalized extensivelyviolence especially in the form of lynching during the
especially due to foreign occupation of the land overJim Crow era. The Jim Crow era is a period of time
the last two decades. On this essay I will analyze awhen the Jim Crow laws were in existence.
migrant ethnic group whose migration into the UnitedThese laws constitutionally allowed for racial
States is profoundly different from all thesegregation against blacks. They were in existence
others.African Americansuntil 1964 when they were abolished, after the passing
African Americans are an ethnic group in the Unitedof the civil rights act of 1964, especially due to black
States whose ancestral homes are mainly inmovements mainly led by martin Luther
sub-Saharan Africa. African Americans just like manyking.Explanation
other ethnic groups in the United States migrated intoThere are many reasons why African Americans
the United States for over the last decade. Unlikehave been discriminated against, but the main reason
other immigrants African Americans in the Unitedwhy they have been discriminated against is due to
States did not migrate into the United States out ofthe color of their skin. The black skin of African
their own volition.Americans is considered by many to be inferior to
The earliest African American immigrants in the Unitedother skin colors and thus they do not see the reason
States were actually slaves who were shipped intowhy a black person should be more prosperous than
the United States in order for them to work in whitethey. Apart from this there are other people who hold
plantation farms. Most of these were usually capturedthe cognitive prejudice that Africans and in extension
forcefully and then sold to slave merchants along theAfrican Americans were not created but actually
east African and west African coast and then tradedevolved. This belief makes them view African
to slave ships and brought across the Atlantic ocean inAmericans as resembling apes and thus they belief
what was famously referred to as the trans-Atlanticthese people should be living in zoos.
slave trade. Although a majority of African AmericansOn the issue of institutional discrimination:
have an African ancestry there are around 17% ofInstitutional racism or discrimination is not foreign to
African Americans who have a European ancestryAmerican culture. African Americans have been on
and there is still a significant group that have an Indianthe receiving end and they have been highly affected
or Native American ancestry.by it. On this perspective many African Americans
On matters of prejudice, segregation, and racism:have faced many occupational and educational
African Americans have faced many ills during theirdisadvantages due to ingrained stereotypical views
long stay in the United States. African Americans havethat are still deeply rooted in the American society like
faced hostility from other ethnic groups ever since theblacks are inherently criminals. This has denied many
days of slavery up to date. Although in recent daysAfrican Americans many privileges enjoyed by other
the hostility is not widely spread it is still evident andraces like a good education, the best occupations as
ripe deep inside the American society. Due to thiswell as a just legal structure.
prejudice African Americans were denied their liberty,Cultural identity
the chance to pursue their own happiness and evenEveryone has a right to belong to a certain culture.
denied life in the following ways. Firstly African slavesAlthough I would like to associate more with the
were not recognized as humans but as property ofAfrican American culture, I will have to recognize the
the slave owners.fact that the American society is multiracial and thus I
In addition slaves were denied the right of freedom ofhave to equally relate not only to the African American
worship and association. African slaves once shippedculture but I also have to identify with the general
into the United States, they were separated from theirAmerican culture.Conclusion
wife’s and children. Furthermore, slaves whoActs of racism, discrimination, and segregation are not
were extremely emaciated on arrival in the ‘land ofunique to the American culture. The system of
opportunities’, were usually left to die due to theapartheid or racial segregation was legally in existence
fact that they had no economic value to the slavein South Africa until 1994. In many other countries
lords. In this respect African Americans have faced allpeople of other nationalities or ethnic backgrounds are
kinds of prejudice which are cognitive prejudice, coalways discriminated against.
native prejudice and affective prejudice. In this respectAll what needs to be done is for people all over the
African Americans have been discriminated against inworld to be made to understand that whether a
the electoral process, educational sector, publicperson is a red Indian, a black American, a Punjabi or
transportation, legal system as well as many otherwhatever, people need to realize that a beneath the
fields.skin we all have the same color of blood, the same
African Americans have found themselvesbody organs and that above all we all have one heart,
segregated against when it comes to the family unitone soul and one chance to live in this lifetime.