1619 Project and the Hypocrisy of America Essay

In August of 2019, the New York Times released a series of articles called The 1619 Project. These articles are about the rise of slavery and the time throughout its period.  It is also composed of how African society and culture influenced America.  The phrase 1619 project referred to when the first round of enslaved people came to the colony of Virginia. This project is key to American History because it describes African American History and culture.

After Christopher Columbus discovered “the new world,” many Europeans came to this land to either escape from conviction or to have a fresh start. The three major countries that settled there were France, Great Britain, and Spain. Along with these colonists, slaves were brought along from the western parts of Africa. Along with slavery, they also imported gold, ivory, and sugar cane.

African Americans were shamed throughout American history, even if they were part of the wars. For instance, African American men have fought for the American Revolution and their rights. These men battled, hoping to be treated as equals to their white counterparts, but they were not. However, in northern states, that was executed, and although freed slaves were not treated as well as they could, it was a positive step in the right direction.
The southern states were another story. Farmers, who were slave owners, thrived because of the free labor of slaves, therefore, greater profits. Therefore, ending slavery would have collapsed the productivity and damaged the economy. So they seceded from The Union and became ‘The Confederate States of America.’The chain of events eventually sparked the Civil War. Most freed and runaway slaves fought alongside the North, and the final result after 87 years - was the right to be free.   

Shortly after the Civil War, the former ‘Confederate States’ created loopholes to prevent African Americans from voting and being treated as equals. For Instance, Some states created black codes, which tried to humiliate enslaved people by requiring reading tests, and ironically, some enslaved people could read but kept it secret because they could have been lynched. This led to the creation of Jim Crow Laws, which made things “separate but equal” for the southern and western states. These laws created more bigoted perceptions. Therefore, the Green Book was created to find where it is safe for African Americans to eat, sleep and have recreational time. Unlike those affected by ‘Jim Crow’, today’s post-segregation generation has a freedom of choice.

Along with the innovation of that time, there have been complete negatives to these laws. African Americans were treated poorly. They were given poor service and low-quality items, and they had to be lucky to get excellent or high-quality products.

These laws lasted for 90 years until Civil Rights activists such as Martin Luther King fought to outlaw Jim Crow. It eventually did happen. It took years in the making, but if it were not for the people who have battled for these rights, African Americans would not progress to where they are today.

The post-segregation era was most productive for African Americans. It broke barriers in pop culture, sports, and even politics. For example, Oprah Winfrey was the first African American female to have her talk show and network. In sports, it is another story. Many African Americans who made a difference in sports were made during the segregation period, such as Jackie Robinson [MLB] and the. In politics, Shirley Chrisholm became the first African American woman senator. In the modern-day, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act studies discrimination and slavery of African Americans and the role of governments in slavery.

African American History is peachy but controversial. For Instance, the Declaration of Independence’s preamble includes all men being created equal. The most bothersome of U.S. history is that African Americans were perceived as ⅗ of a person. In other words, we are not equal. The excuse they used was that America needed slavery for the economy. Therefore, the U.S. Congress created the ⅗ compromise, which would keep slavery.  This is hypocritical because the preamble says that people are created equal. Another document that supports the claim of hypocrisy in America is the constitution. This specific document treated African Americans as subhuman, specifically, that African Americans are ⅗ of a person. It took 74 years to create an amendment to make all people equal, no matter their race.

Even after the post-segregation era, the hypocrisy continues. For instance, the justice system between whites and people of color is unbalanced. These systems claim they are fair to people, regardless of race, gender, or color. However, they are wrong because of wealth, privilege, and race.

Even though America has been unfair to African Americans, the 1619 Project is a crucial part of American history because it teaches diversity and perceptions through a different side of history. We hear about Women’s History and World History, but we do not hear a lot about African American History. This project elaborates on this, and the more diverse we are about different parts of U.S. History, the more we will not repeat the same mistakes that our ancestors created.