Kate R. Quinco B.A.

Political Science III American Government & Politics March 6, 2017

SELMA

Racial discrimination was historically a major concern not only in the United States of
America but also in other parts of the world particularly in European, Asian, African, and
Australian continents. For instance, the Rohingyas in Myanmar were quarantined in an isolated
town with barely food and clean water just because they were born as Rohingyas, in WWII
German dictator committed genocide against the Jews, and even in the Philippines where
Spanish colonizers treated non-Spanish blood as malicious and barbaric.

In the United States, racial discrimination in the late 1800s included de jure and de facto
racial segregation. Meaning, both in the law and in public policy, the inferior race is at
disadvantage and maltreatment. A de jure racial segregation was practiced in the southern United
States through the Jim Crow laws that enforce separate but equal laws for the African-
American people. Meanwhile in the northern parts, a de facto segregation existed through
separate housings, restaurants, job discrimination and labor practices. These practices continued
until 1963, when Martin Luther King, and supporters called for equality.

The call for civil rights equality was primarily initiated in Selma, Alabama. Selma had a
segregationist mayor, and even though more than half of its 300, 000 population were African-
Americans, only 350 of them were registered voters. Moreover its odd court hours, slow service,
and excessively difficult literacy tests, and threats of violence deflected any actions of those
African-Americans who tried to register. King and supporters held a small protest in Selma but
failed and were jailed for a couple of days. Another civil rights call also emerged as that of
Malcolm X, but unlike Kings, they were rather militant and hostile calls. King was inspired by
the non-violent protest of Mahatma Gandhi of India that time and wanted to achieve what they
wanted in the same way.

Eventually, the call for civil rights equality was joined by both races. The countless non-
violent protests against racial discrimination, the Montgomery bus boycotting, murders and
assassinations of several notable black figures including whites who sided with the civil rights
call, finally led to the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Since then, racial discrimination and segregation was considered illegal in the United States.