October 4

Life of Black People in the US 1950: Brooklyn

 

Life of Black People in the US 1950: Brooklyn

In the US, in the 1950’s, post WWII, their was a large amount of discrimination and segregation against the blacks. A large group, was beginning to grow in the US, African-Americans, and even though they were fighting for equality for centuries, at this point, racism and segregation against black people has become a mainstream in the American life. Black people were put as a completely different class to the “powerful whites”. They were forced to always give their seats on the bus, which lead to the large protests, led by Rosa Parks, as well as, going to different schools, as all the white families, have pulled their children out of public schools in which black families had their children in and placed them in all white schools.

In addition, a large majority, were unable to get jobs in this time, and many of the blacks were servants to the whites. Almost 60% of African-American women, were servants for the whites. As you would expect this created protest, non-violent. However they worked, and in the next years, there were many rulings by the Supreme Court that favoured, blacks bringing equality back to them. In 1951, the Supreme Court ruled, unconstitutional to segregation against blacks in restaurants, the same for schooling in 1954, and transportation in 1956. This all finally led to the equality for blacks in the US. Furthermore, in this time, there were many immigrates migrating into the US, and there was indeed discrimination against them as well, not to the extent that the blacks faced but it was still a struggle. Many books were written to emphasise the struggle and explain to people how people had trouble in the US, due to race or nationality. One being “Brooklyn” written by Colm Tóibín.

Tóibín narrates the experience of an immigrant from Ireland coming into Brooklyn trying to settle in, in her “new home”. She is faced with many struggles , however she has already received the opportunity of a job and of a home, through Father Flood. This was an extremely privileged opportunity for her, especially in this time as there is a lot of racism going on in the US against immigrants.  Since, Ellis is white, during the 1950’s in the US it was easier for her to settle in, get a job and a place to stay. Blacks at this time, as mentioned before were discriminated against, which made it extremely hard for them unlike Ellis to settle in and sustain a stable and standard living.

 

 

 

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October 4

Everyday Life for African Americans – 1950s

In the 1950’s, the United States of America was regarded as the greatest military power in the world, with a booming economy and luxurious lifestyle for its people. However, the 50’s also brought on an era of great conflict, particularly movements for civil rights and divisions in American society. An exponentially rising group in society speaking out for civil rights were African Americans, who had been fighting racism for centuries. The 1950’s were a time in which dealing with racial discrimination and segregation became everyday life for these people.

Though the times of slave markets were long over, African Americans still endured much prejudice until the 1950’s, when for the first time they fought side by side with white Americans as single units. Until change was demanded, African Americans were considered far more inferior by the whites, suffering physical and verbal abuse on a daily basis. The civil rights movements gained them equal opportunity in employment, housing, education, the right to vote and equal access to public facilities. Until the movement, African Americans had to endure a lack of all of these things due to racial discrimination. Things began to change for the better when African Americans were poised to make far-reaching demands to end racism. The campaign for their rights went forward in the late 1940’s – 50’s, when the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) attacked and resolved issues regarding restrictive housing covenants, segregation in public transportation and the use of recreational facilities. Due to the sheer number of members of the movement, the U.S Supreme Court was forced to take actions.

In 1950, the Supreme Court struck down segregation of all Americans in graduate and law schools. The case was first fought for by Thurgood Marshall, who used this as a building block to fight further doctrines separating African Americans as a class. In 1951, the case of Linda Brown was heard by the Supreme Court, sparking the ideas of abolishment of segregation in elementary schools. A major victory was that of the case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, arguing that “separate but equal” schools were inherently unequal. One of the Court’s most significant rulings was taken into place, that decided on legally prohibiting school segregation, declaring it unconstitutional.

In Brooklyn, Colm Toibin is narrating the experience of an Irish immigrant. However, Eilis is treated far differently than other immigrants in Brooklyn. The Irish seem to be on much better terms with the Americans than the Italians, or even coloured races – perhaps even considered superior. This could well be because the Irish are particularly quiet in Brooklyn: they do not cause ruckus, and silently contribute to the society. Their culture could even be admired more than that of any other. For this reason, Eilis is offered far more opportunity for office work (even though she works in the store for the time being in the story) and an education, as she is offered a course in bookkeeping which is financed for her. Since the Irish have occupied Brooklyn for a long time, she is almost treated as one of their own by the Americans, given opportunities that other races may not be.

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October 4

What life was like for black people in 1950s America

 

Today black people consider as equal person as white people so they have human rights, rights of consume and so on as white people do but in the 1950s black people life were so harsh. At the stores or other places which job that needs to face the customers most of people were the white people so black people didn’t have much job places to work in daily. There were many difficulties that black people faced in the past such as they couldn’t stay in the same living areas with white people, in the cinema they totally separated from the white people; the white people seats were in the first floor and the black people seats were in the second floor. There were only black people seats on the bus and train. These kind of racism discrimination continued after the death. The law banned to bury black people and white people same cemetery. In the 1950s Birmingham, they had new law that Birmingham Segregation Law so they banned to play sports such as baseball, football, basketball and so on with the white people.

Describe the prejudice they endured. How were things changing in a positive way?

Black people had to endured about white people’s prejudice such as the white people being mean to them at the store they had to be polite to the white people even they didn’t do anything wrong. People were staring at them with very strange and weird perspectives. They couldn’t resist it because in the 1950s the white people ruled the America and black people had no power to against the racism discrimination. They felt victimized and injustice everyday.  Today these things changed in a positive way, every person can have a proper human rights so we can respect each other and live well in each country. BUT  still there is a racism discrimination around the world.

What were some major victories in the Supreme Court during this time?

The major victories in the Supreme Court during this time:

In the 1950s Sweatt v. Painter and McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regentsrulings
In the 1954s Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, ruling
In the 1955s Montgomery bus boycott

Martin Luther King Jr. was a preacher who gained prominence by leading Montgomery bus boycott in 1955; founded SCLC in 1957 to rally southern churches behind civil rights movement

Toibin is narrating the experience of an Irish immigrant, how might Eilis be treated differently than other immigrants in Brooklyn? What opportunities is she afforded that others might not be?

Eilis treated Toibin’s the experience of an Irish immigrant in a positive way so she can adapt the new environment around her and live well with the others in America. After hearing his experience Eilis got comfortable than before and had confident at herself. She afforded night classes in bookkeeping and accounting at Brooklyn college that others might not be because she was smart and interested at the bookkeeping and accounting. She had a passion of her work that’s why she got a offer of taking night classes in bookkeeping and accounting at Brooklyn college.

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October 4

Racism in Brooklyn (historical context)

Describe the prejudice colored people endured. How were things changing in a positive way?

 

In America in the 1950s, racism was common and even encouraged. Blacks and whites were not allowed to go to the same schools, sit next to each other in a bus, work in the same places or even use the same drinking fountains. In the late 50s-60s, there were the beginnings of the civil rights movements. Protests and marches started happening and the segregation began to diminish. Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr were the most famous civil rights icons, both of whom emerged during this time. In this way, life was getting better for black people- but they still faced heavy prejudice and discrimination by white people.

 

What were some victories in the supreme court at this time?

1954, Brown v Board of Education: ended segregation in public schools. This was a huge win for the civil rights movements and is viewed today as one of the most important cases, and as the spark for the civil rights movement to really take off.

1962, Baily v Patterson: ended racial segregation of transport facilities (gas stations, rest stops, etc)

How is Eilis’ tale as an Irish immigrant different to other immigrants?

Eilis is an Irish immigrant, and every immigrant has to go through various trials and hardships during their journey to a new land. However, Eilis’ journey is much different than other immigrants, especially from those of colored skin. Eilis is white, so she doesn’t get the type of immediate prejudice that blacks receive. Although some may be biased against Irish peop
le, they won’t really know that she’s Irish until after talking to her, whereas with black people they are judged as soon as they are seen. For instance, when a colored woman comes into Bartoccis, there is “a stillness… a fierce tension in the store, which lay heaviest around her counter.” Additionally, Eilis has the benefit of a priest who sponsors her- finds her a job, a place to live, and pays for her night classes. Other immigrants from other countries will not likely have that, and they don’t have those opportunities given to them.

 

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October 4

Colored people in the 50s

In the 50’s a mass migration happened in the US, mostly whites from all over the world, but also some colored people and with that came Martin Luther king Jr’s movement to allow for equal rights between whites and the colored. His movement aided all blacks in the country and the world to live in a free world free of judgment due to their racial origin and color. While he was unable to succeed completely, he was able to make a difference, and has helped to create the society that we lie in today, where everyone is treated mostly equally, at least in the federal court. before this, they were critiqued and harassed nonstop for their racial origin.

In the novel Brooklyn, we meet Eilis, an Irish immigrant who manages to settle herself somewhat comfortably in Brooklyn, but sadly that wasn’t the case with many colored immigrants. Due to Eilis racial origin, she was given many more opportunities than those that a colored person would be aver to get. An example would be her Housing, while Mrs Kehoe does not directly speak out against the blacks, she does show signs of racism against Italians and Jews, so why would it be any different for the blacks? She would probably not allow for anyone of colored origin to live with her even if she had nothing against them except for their color. Also, Eilis’s workspace is only made of white people, not a single colored person is allowed to work there. So overall whites had a much better chance of settling down in the busy city of Brooklyn if they immigrated looking for a better future.

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October 4

Annabel Lee Adaptation

A Song for Annabel Lee

I chose this adaptation of Annabel Lee by Edgar Allen Poe because not only is the song very beautiful but so is the video they made to play along with the song. The song is very soft and pretty just like how Poe wrote. He wrote it with the facade of a beautiful love story and the soft melody of this adaptation plays along with this style. The poem and the song were made with the intent to fool you into thinking “what a lovely love song/poem.” But once you listen carefully to the words you understand that maybe the story it portrays isn’t the story you think it is. Also, it leaves the story to the listener’s imagination, just like the poem does. It leaves it to an open interpretation and doesn’t tell you what to think what story is saying. You can decide, as its debatable because each person interprets it differently. It, in my opinion, stays true to the versatility of the poem which, I think, is the most important thing adaptations should follow.

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