Over the course of America’s history, there have been many different eras of fights for rights. Unfortunately, one of the most repeating and persistent, even today, is fighting discrimination because of one’s race. This has been a problem specifically for Black Americans, but has also persisted for virtually anyone who is not white. 

In the past 100 years, the country has taken as many steps forward as backward. From laws and acts put into place, to people just gaining a conscience, the fight for Black rights has been both loud and nationwide, as well as silent and local. Here’s a look at some of the ways this fight has progressed or regressed:

• Only one% of people threaten to move away if a Black person moves onto their street, much less than it was during the 60’s

• In the 50’s, most of the homeless population was made up of black people; now the percentage is only 11%

• The USA has had a first Black president as well as its first Black vice president (who was also the first female vice president)Unfortunately, Black people are still not paid as much as white people in most industries

• 72% of Black households are run by unmarried women, which has risen 52% since the 50’s

• Female, Black Americans have become exponentially more reliant on federal aid, shelters, etc.

• 38% more Black Americans graduate from college than in the 1970s

• Black Americans can live anywhere they wish, unlike the “specialized neighborhoods” created for them in the 50s

Unfortunately, there hasn’t been as much progress as there could have been because the government has constantly turned their backs on Black Americans. However, we have many important figures who have helped the civil rights movement immensely. 

• W.E.B. Du Bois: a sociologist and activist who used data to solve social issues for the Black community, a practice which was considered very much ahead of its time.

• Mary White Ovington: a civil rights activist who helped with the founding of The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

• Thurgood Marshall: a lawyer and civil rights activist who successfully led the Brown v. Board of Education lawsuit. 

• Martin Luther King Jr.: perhaps one of the most famous civil rights activists, he’s famous for his “I have a dream” speech.

There are also some important acts/laws that have been put into place to help the progress of this movement.

• The 13th Amendment: goes hand in hand with the 14th and 15th amendments to abolish slavery and establish voting rights among Black Americans

• Civil Rights Act of 1964: a monumental act which abolished segregation in public places

• Voting Rights Act of 1965: a landmark legislation which ended racial discrimination in voting

While there is still a long way to go, the progress made is important. No matter how many steps back one takes after taking one step forward, they still took one step forward. The fight for Black rights is currently a constant fight, but with times changing and younger generations entering the world, new progress is just on the horizon.