The Civil Rights Movement and African Americans

Time Line

• 1900 - Du Bois

                         -B. T. Washington

                 

                   - Ida B. Wells

• 1940’s -World War II

                      -Black soldiers

                      -Mexican American soldiers

• 1950’s

  ·  Rosa Parks

  ·  Emmett Till

  ·  M. L. K./ Malcolm X

The Civil Rights started as an outcome to the lack of equality among Mexican Americans, Black Americans gay Americans and women.

During these times there was a lot of violence, this week I would like to focus on, what I think is, the most prominent and moving of all.

African Americans and Discrimination

Racial Segregation was seen across the nation at movie theaters, water fountains, dinners and more.

There were many lynching groups among white people and across the nation; some legal like the Texas Rangers- to enforce “the law.”

This page Without Sanctuary has an outstanding recollection of every cataloged lynch during the 1920. Emphasis on cataloged only during the 1920’s, this was something that had been going on for far longer before and after.

The video of the week is a documentary of Emmett Till.

The Untold Story of Emmet Louis Till.

His story is one that moved the nation, one of many that got recorded and helped in the cause of the Civil Rights movement.

This documentary is very emotional and moving, and contains graphic material; I couldn’t stand it and had to close my eyes in some parts. It was so brave of an action from his mother and now it seems incredible that such a small action by Emmett caused him so much, but that’s how it was back then.

The Atomic Bomb

The end of World War II came to be when the United States dropped two atomic bombs in Japan. One was in Hiroshima and the other in Nagasaki. The armed forces of Japan surrendered in the threat of a third bomb.

German and American scientists helped created the atomic bomb.

These video, The Atomic Bomb Cafe, has actual footage of the drop of the bombs.

First it shows the test in the New Mexico dessert, then footage of the preparation and bombing of the city of Hiroshima and Nagasaki plus some commentaries from the soldiers who were in the plane. This footage was not released by the government until the 1970s.

Then it shows the aftermath of the explosion. Caution this part shows bodies; check minute 8:47- it shows a soldier standing where a person was standing the moment the bomb blasted and left a sort of impression on the floor.

At the time radiation wasn’t known that’s why you have all those soldiers walking around, recording and recollecting information of the aftermath at the place and of the people.

It is quite interesting how they mention that they are testing, not to say that everything was an “experiment” It seems almost not human to say that everything was an experiment- feelings detached.

After that, the US made another “experiment” this time in Bikini Island, It’s a little island between Hawaii and Japan.

It this section of the video you see the American soldiers telling about how this experiment of  the atomic bomb would be for the better and stuff like that.

You might find interesting that some natives choose to stay instead of evacuating the island. The question is, did the Americans warned or explained them what was going to happen, what a nuclear bomb was?

Now, there were animals brought to the island in the experiment’s sake, they wanted to see what would happen to these animals so, were these people who chose to stay in the island were left as part of the experiment. It seems crewel to think that way but every era has a different mindset, you can see that in the video, justifying their makings as part of something greater or for the better of society.

Bikini Island is now half the size of what it was and most of it is under water.

During World War II the Soviet Union was part of the Allies but at the end of the war in 1945 many of the differences between America and the Soviet Union became prominent making the situation tenser. America was wary about Soviet communism and concerned about Russian leader Joseph Stalin.

So, the end of World War II only gave in to a new war- the Cold War.

A hostile atmosphere was created; there was an unprecedented arms buildup in the United States.

 The Cold War lasted from 1945 to 1991.
The Cold War has been represented  almost  everywhere.

World War II

Time Line

¯        1929- Great Depression                                               

¯        Hitler elected: Nazi beginning                                    

¯        1936- Hitler/ Europe War

¯        1941- U.S. enters the war – Pearl Harbor

¯        1943 we start to win the war.

¯        1945- World War II ends

The Axis: Germany, Japan, and Italy 

The Allies: the United States, Great Britain, France and the Soviet Union

The Start of the War

Germany invades Poland. The attack began on September 1, 1939, with heavy air strikes followed by a rapidly advancing ground invasion.

Britain and France Declare War.

The Allied Powers, just as they had been in World War I, declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939.

On June 10, 1940, Italy declared war on France and Britain, Germany and Italy were soon allied together as the Axis Powers.

On June 22, 1941 Germany begins invasion of Russia, but it was just too big and on February 2, 1943 German Sixth Army surrenders.

On December 7, 1941 Japanese bombed the American fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The next day

The Soviet Union joined the war in June 1941 after being attacked by Germany.

Sources: Spark Notes

The George Washington University

The best documentaries about World War II are those in color. These documentaries are full of information, feeling and real life action and fear.

When the U. S. joins the war many reporters went on to film the war, which seams kind of crazy, but we thank all of those who risk their lives for these amazing footage. World War 2/II in Colour / The Second World War in Colour [FULL FILM DOCUMENTARY]

Now, if you prefer some amazing action and drama, these are the best movies you can see about World War II:

The Pianist- great movie!

Schindler’s List- haven’t seen it, but is an Academy Award Best Picture

The Diary Of Anne Frank (2009)

Saving Private Ryan- love it!

Band of Brothers

 Inglourious Basterds- amazing!

 

Life in the Great Depression

The years after the Stock Market Crash of 1929 were full of poverty, bitterness and just harsh times. There were massive cut in wages and employment; the rich were poorer, the poorer were barely hanging, many have lost it all and the country was waiting for the government for solutions but none were permanent.

In contrast there was uplift in the arts.

•           The Works Progress Administration, where unemployed artist were hired to paint murals on federal buildings.
•           The Farm Security Administration, where unemployed photographers where hired to document the lives of homeless families, unemployed workers, and southern tenant farmers.
•           Some of these great camera artists were: Dorothea Lange, Walker Evans and Ansel Adams.

The arts revealed the human suffering in the clearest way calling for reform.

Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal were programs created in response to the Great Depression.

•    The "First New Deal" (1933–34) dealt with diverse groups, from banking and railroads to industry and farming, all of which demanded help for economic survival.
•     The "Second New Deal" in 1935–38 included the Wagner Act to promote labor unions, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) relief program (which made the federal government by far the largest single employer in the nation), the Social Security Act, and new programs to aid tenant farmers and migrant workers.

Wikipedia

For these week’s movies you surely know Annie, this one is the 1999 version.

There are as well documentaries of video and people's experiences about living during the 1930'3, reflecting different parts of what was going on during the time.

Rioting Across America - The Great Depression

Stories of the Great Depression: The Family Table

Raymond and Anna Marie McIntyre

For a complete video about the great depression and why it was caused I would suggest this video 1929: The Great Crash. It is the complete history of the two decades, 1920’s and 1930’s, filled with videos from the time and historians words; a really interesting and completely informative documentary.

The roaring 20’s: Flappers and Joe Louis

Time Line

¯        In 1920 women get the right to vote.

¯        From 1921 to 1929 was the Roaring 20’s.

¯        On October 29, 1929 the Stock Market Crash.

¯        The Great Depression was from the crash of ‘29 to mid-1943.

The 1920’s

o   The 1920’s was a good decade if you had the money. If not you could still buy stuff on credit in the stores.

o   Some of the bad things were that there was less taxes. That meant less money for schools and to hire police men and all those other services provided by government.

People’s unavailability to pay their debts contributed to the crash of ’29.

Flappers

Flappers were the modern women of the time. They were very controversial: they would cut their hair shorter, though not all of them; they would wear shorter dresses, which back then showing any skin was very scandalous due to the Victorian style of the past; they would hang out with the boys, smoked in public and drink too, though drinking was still illegal.

It was a very materialistic society, kind of like it is today. Though back then it led to the Stock Market Crash.

Check out these videos: It’s a bunch of films from the 20’s involving mostly the fabulous life of flappers and you might notice some similarities between then and today’s society.

·         Flappers - The Roaring Twenties – check out minute 4:22, does it seem familiar with teen's clothing problems and their parents.

·         To live in the 1920’s – check out minute 1:20 for the foldable car.

The other video that is as well very remarkable is Joe Louis - America's Hero Betrayed. It’s an inspiring documentary about an African American boxer at the time that held the World Heavyweight Champion from 1937 to 1949. He created an uproar of the African American community and the American society, despite the color of his skin.

Monument to Joe Louis at Detroit