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People tend to focus on government discrimination such as segregated schools but it was private discrimination in both the North and South that help black folks back as second class citizens. Equal rights would have had to have included the right to use public accommodations (restaurants, restrooms, transportation) and to live anywhere they could afford (no restrictive covenants) as were contained in the 1960s civil rights and fair housing laws.
The only way black could have real rights was through a revolution, just like the French Revolution..But even if that was the case, after certain time the end result would have been the same.
People tend to focus on government discrimination such as segregated schools but it was private discrimination in both the North and South that help black folks back as second class citizens. Equal rights would have had to have included the right to use public accommodations (restaurants, restrooms, transportation) and to live anywhere they could afford (no restrictive covenants) as were contained in the 1960s civil rights and fair housing laws.
I think that you missed the point of the thread or at the very least the historic period that it refers to. During the Johnson and Grant administration civil rights laws were enacted, specifically in 1866 and 1875 that put into civil rights legislation that were just as advanced and sweeping as the Civil Rights Act of 1964. So the question remains, what would have the country looked like absent 100 years of de jure discrimination.
Civil Rights Act of 1866
All persons within the jurisdiction of the United States shall have the same right in every state and territory to make and enforce contracts, to sue, be parties, give evidence, and to the full and equal benefit of all laws and proceedings for the security of persons and property as is enjoyed by white citizens, and shall be subject to like punishment, pains, penalties, taxes, licenses, and exactions of every kind, and none other, any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom to the contrary notwithstanding.
Any person who, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, shall subject, or cause to be subjected, any inhabitant of any state or territory to the deprivation of any rights secured or protected by the preceding section, or to different punishment, pains, or penalties, on account of such person being an alien, or by reason of his color or race, than is prescribed for the punishment of citizens, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor [and subject to fine and imprisonment as specified in the act].
Civil Rights Act of 1875, Section 1
All persons within the jurisdiction of the United States shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges of inns, public conveyances on land or water, theaters, and other places of public amusement; subject only to the conditions and limitations established by law, and applicable alike to citizens of every race and color, regardless of any previous condition of servitude.
I suspect African Americans would still be largely republican and not suffer most of the social ills they do today, they'd basically be 100 years ahead of where they are today. Racial animosity between blacks and white would largely be non-existent as there'd be enough rich blacks that race would not really be much of a barrier. Had the radical republicans had their way and lincoln not be replaced by andrew jackson who basically hated blacks, then the south would largely be run by blacks and have mostly black congressmen and senators like it did round reconstruction.
I've watched alot of documentaries and studied alot of books on reconstruction around slavery. And it seemed like then andrew jackson went out of his way with alot of southern whites to make blacks lives a living hell. They also went around killing off any black person who tried to do anything good and tell the blacks to not depend on government. See Martin Luther King, went out and did things, said he was a leader of the blacks, did not ask for government money and he got killed. But all those lazy black people who sell drugs or take welfare, no one is shoot them? So you cannot blame black people entirely for their state. Any time one of them tries to stand up they get shot or killed, kind of like how alex jones purposely sabotagues himself and refuses to run for office or declare himself a leader because he has a fear of being killed. So in many ways white americans have no one to blame but their racist ancestors for the bad behaviour of blacks.
It makes me wonder if "black identity” is a byproduct of segregation, discrimination and social oppression. Perhaps there would have been no Harlem Renaissance as we know it today.
I suspect African Americans would still be largely republican and not suffer most of the social ills they do today, they'd basically be 100 years ahead of where they are today. Racial animosity between blacks and white would largely be non-existent as there'd be enough rich blacks that race would not really be much of a barrier. Had the radical republicans had their way and lincoln not be replaced by andrew jackson who basically hated blacks, then the south would largely be run by blacks and have mostly black congressmen and senators like it did round reconstruction.
I've watched alot of documentaries and studied alot of books on reconstruction around slavery. And it seemed like then andrew jackson went out of his way with alot of southern whites to make blacks lives a living hell. They also went around killing off any black person who tried to do anything good and tell the blacks to not depend on government. See Martin Luther King, went out and did things, said he was a leader of the blacks, did not ask for government money and he got killed. But all those lazy black people who sell drugs or take welfare, no one is shoot them? So you cannot blame black people entirely for their state. Any time one of them tries to stand up they get shot or killed, kind of like how alex jones purposely sabotagues himself and refuses to run for office or declare himself a leader because he has a fear of being killed. So in many ways white americans have no one to blame but their racist ancestors for the bad behaviour of blacks.
You hit the nail on the head! As a black woman, I can I tell you that most of us (those that actually have a legal occupation) are probably considered "Progressive Republicans". Black voters are split between those who are religious (usually Baptists) and those who aren't.
The church-going blacks are STRONGLY against same-sex marriage and they also don't support abortions. Those who don't attend church on a regular basis believe that gay couples should have similar rights to married couples, but many rather call it a "civil union" because we believe that there should be a difference between a heterosexual and a homosexual marriage. We think abortions should be legalized (1st trimester).
The parts where all blacks tend to agree:
-Government assistance programs should be regulated (i.e. drug testing, limits on how long, etc.)
-Keep Affirmative Action
-Higher taxes for the wealthy
-18+ for guns with a background check, as well as mental health checks every 5 years or so...
-Basically life before Reagan (a man we REALLY don't like)
Of course there are people who have exceptions, but I strongly believe that the republican party can gain the black vote if they make some changes. If you read some black forums, you can find that many of us don't like President Obama. The older people felt to vote for him because they were taught to "always support your people". Whereas the middle-aged and younger people voted for him because they actually believe that the he could get the U.S. into a much better shape (myself included).
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What if Black Americans retained equal rights from 1865?
