by Abe Sullivan

Created on: October 14, 2009

African Americans comprise approximately 12 percent of the American's 2007 population of 298 million. To make a general declaration on such a number of people of varying religions, cultures, social economic status, intellects, and ethnicities is an impossible task. Therefore it is necessary that we establish definitions and analyze the question in a social historical context.

I will use the term African American to describe a person, irregardless of race or religion,

that is a product of the African Diaspora. Traditionally this refers to those transported to the Americas from the African continent during the transatlantic slave trade, but is not limited to such.

The majority of Africans were brought to the Americas by these means. From the 1640 to the end of the civil war

The emancipation proclamation was the theoretical document which finally led to the thirteenth amendment abolishing slavery. The text reads. Neither Slavery nor involuntary servitude exists except as punishment for a crime.

Chattel Slavery was thus replaced with Penal Slavery. African Americans then had to suffer Black Codes. Black codes forbid African Americans the right to marry, own personal property and even read (Columbia, 2009). In addition to this stipulation any African American not 'caught working' was considered vagrant and thus arrested. The constitutionally acceptable punishment for these criminals was enslavement.

Although de jure slavery was abolished, de facto it was never abolished.

World War II saw heavy Russian casualties which have decimated the male population. Although this war occurred over 65 years ago in 2005 Russia still suffers from a demographic imbalance of 875 males per 1000 females. This has had a direct negative effect on prostitution in Russia and other forms of female exploitation.

China has also suffered the effects of the one child policy implemented very recently in our own generation. Germany still pays reparations to Israel for the Holocaust and the Federal government subsidizes reservation life of Native Americans.

Oppression is worldwide and if oppression is committed against a people today they will suffer the after effects tomorrow. African Americans have suffered 300 years of slavery followed by 100 year of Black Codes and Jim Crow Laws. No one group is completely free. Poverty, and oppression are on going and it affects not just African Americans but women, and other minorities including poor whites. African Americans should not forget it any more than Jews should forget the Holocaust. Some African Americans blame the oppression perpetrated upon them by an unjust system. The complaint is valid and by no means imaginary However most African Americans recognize the injustice and use it to strengthen their own resolve, this is why African Americans have not only the fastest growing middle class but have held and are still holding many position of power regardless of the odds being stacked against them. Among these positions are Four Star General, Secretary of State, Congressmen and women, Senators, Supreme Court Justice and Commander in Chief.

As I mentioned in the beginning it is ridiculous to speak on behalf of nearly 37 million people and make a blanket declaration of who is free and who isn't. However it must be said that no other racial or ethnic group in America has shown more progress in the face of a continuing history of oppression and injustice.

(2009). Black codes. Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, 1. http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.usf.edu

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