Racism and Resistance: Black History of America - Civil Rights

This essay delves into the complexities of racism and resistance within the context of Black American history, focusing on the Civil Rights Movement and the subsequent Black Power Movement. It analyzes the systemic nature of racism, highlighting how it manifests both overtly and covertly, and discusses the subtle forms of discrimination that persist within societal structures. The essay references key figures like Malcolm X and explores the challenges faced by the Black community, emphasizing the importance of understanding the historical context of oppression and the various strategies employed to combat it. The essay also examines how the denial of racism further complicates the struggle for equality. References are provided to support the arguments presented, which include the works of Bell (2014) and McFarlin (2015).

Running head: RACISM AND RESISTANCE: BLACK HISTORY OF AMERICA
RACISM AND RESISTANCE: BLACK HISTORY OF AMERICA
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1RACISM AND RESISTANCE: BLACK HISTORY OF AMERICA
The African-American Civil Rights Movement witnessed a series of powerful and
peaceful protests--demonstrating against rampant, legalized discrimination of citizens, based
on their skin color. Exploitation and oppression had shattered the black communities under
white feet, where more than four million blacks were held captives for slavery. The united
resistance might have succeeded in criminalizing certain discrimination practices, but the
structural issues of overt racism remained amongst the normative structure, leading to the
breakout of the Black Power Movement—patronizing a much more radical stand by rejecting
all pacifying and compromising elements of the movement (Bell, 2014).
As rightly pointed out by Malcolm X, racism is not just an institutional phenomenon;
it is internalized into the existing system, providing space for unintentional or subtle racial
discriminations, disguised behind progressive attitudes. The radical stance supported by
Malcolm X, rightly encouraged the absolute rejection of such covert discriminatory practices,
which not only preach but also justify the passive-aggression towards blacks with the help of
their rationalized explanation (McFarlin, 2015). Since the racial-aggression is hidden behind
normative dialogues, it is much more difficult to identify the violence passively inflicted
upon the minority communities.
Finally, practicing covert racism usually comes with the privilege of denial, unlike
overt or obvious racism. Overtly discriminatory practices are visible to the common eye and
can be challenged, as opposed to covert discriminatory practices, which empower the
oppressors.

2RACISM AND RESISTANCE: BLACK HISTORY OF AMERICA
References
Bell, J. M. (2014). The Black Power movement and American social work. Columbia
University Press.
McFarlin, J. K. (2015). The Hypocrisy of Equal but Separate in the Courtroom: A Lens for
the Civil Rights Era. J. Juris, 26, 231.