Essay on Equality and Civil Rights - 1486 Words

Democracy stresses the equality of all individuals and insists that all men are created equal. Democracy does not persist on an equality of condition for all people or argue that all persons have a right to an equal share of worldly goods. Rather, its concept of equality insists that all are entitled to equality of opportunity and equality before the law. The democratic concept of equality holds that no person should be held back for any such arbitrary reasons as those based on race, color, religion, or gender. This concept of equality holds that each person must be free to develop himself or herself as fully as he or she can or cares to and that each person should be treated as the equal of all other persons by the law. We have come†¦show more content†¦Equality and Civil Rights is complex in nature that the 14th Amendment (Equal Protection Clause) is the closest approach to a literal statement of equality, it declares: â€Å"No State shall deny to any person within its ju risdiction the equal protection of the laws.† The clause was originally intended to benefit newly freed slaves. Over time, it has acquired a broader meaning. Today, it forbids states and their local governments to draw unreasonable distinctions between classes of persons. The equal rights amendment (ERA) was introduced in 1923. Their policy was for protection of women and based largely on sexual stereotypes, which has been woven into the legal fabric of American life. This protectionism has limited the freedom of women to compete with men socially and economically on an equal footing. The movement to provide equal rights to women advanced a step with the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963. That act required equal pay for men and women doing similar work. On the other hand, to remove the restrictions of protectionism, women needed equal opportunity for employment. They got it in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and later the legislation. The commitment that led to affirmative act ion programs expanded opportunities for women, minorities, and those who are disabled. The (Equal OpportunityShow MoreRelatedThe Fight For Civil Rights And Equality1339 Words   |  6 PagesAmerica has come a long way in the fight for civil rights and equality. It has been a rocky road for people of all different races, especially for those of African American decent. It is hard to think about how over 100 years ago, African Americans had to live as slaves and had to put up with abuse, confinement, and had little to no freedom. They also faced an immense amount of discrimination, dating from the days of slavery to the mid 1900’s. It was an unfortunate situation that separated racesRead MoreCivil Rights: Endeavor for Equality538 Words   |  2 Pageswere solidified through Jim Crow laws and segregation, yet through blood and toil equal rights were won for all races and ethnicities. The first 200 years of America’s history were molded through slavery, but conditions hardly improved for blacks once they were declared free. Mainly throughout the southern states racism ruled supreme. The Civil Rights movement first was electrified in 1954 when the famous civil case, Brown vs. Board of Education unanimously agreed that segregation in public schoolsRead MoreRacial Equality During The Civil Rights Movement1054 Words   |  5 Pages The civil rights movement was time when racial equality was prominent in America. In this essay it will address the ways in which people challenged the ways of life to one day achieve racial equality. 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They could not buy the necessary things to enjoy their freedom, whichRead MoreThe History of African-Americans to Attain Equality and Civil Rights2623 Words   |  11 PagesHistory of African-Americans to Attain Equality and Civil Rights Introduction The history of the struggle for the advancement and progression of African Americans is a larger-than-life story. It reveals their endeavors for the initiation of change in political, financial, educational, and societal conditions. They did everything to shape their future and that of their country i.e. the United States of America. This struggle for the attainment of equal rights has helped them to determine the pathRead MoreGay And Lesbian Women : The Civil Rights And Equality Movement2024 Words   |  9 PagesIn the United States the issue of civil liberties, or a lack thereof for certain minorities has been prevalent since the 1800’s. The historically renowned Stonewall Incident marked the beginning of the civil rights and equality movement, for the gay and lesbian demographic in America. â€Å"On June 27th, 1969, patrons of the Stonewall Inn, a New York City bar popular with gays and lesbians responded to a police raid by throwing beer cans and bottles because they were angry at what they felt was unjustifiedRead MoreEssay on Civil Rights, Equality and the Music of Nina Simone2399 Words   |  10 Pages Nina Simone used music to challenge, provoke, incite, and inform the masses during the period that we know as the Civil Rights Era. In the songs† Four Women†, â€Å"Young Gifted and Black†, and Mississippi God Damn†, Nina Simone musically maps a personal intersectionality as it relates to being a black American female artist. Kimberly Crenshaw defines intersectionality as an inability for black women to separate race, class and gender. Nina Simone’s music directly addresses this paradigm. Read MoreThe Civil Rights Movement And Our Nation s Continued Progress Towards Racial Equality1477 Words   |  6 PagesIn March the United States celebrates the Selma-to-Montgomery march of 1965 to honor the civil rights movement and our nation’s continued progress towards racial equality. Yet almost five decade s later a broken criminal-justice system has proven that we still have a long way to go in achieving racial equality. Today people of color continue to be excessively incarcerated, policed, and sentenced to death at significantly higher rates than whites. Further, racial differences in the criminal-justiceRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement : Coretta Scott Kings Work Ethic And A Passion For Racial Equality2424 Words   |  10 Pageswas born in one of the most pivotal times in our nations history. Growing up in the rural, segregated state of Alabama in the middle of the Great Depression ensured in Scott a deep work ethic and a passion for racial equality. Going through college during the heart of the Civil Rights Movement allowed Coretta to find her place not only in activism, but the stance she took as a feminist married to a Baptist Pastor. Loretta forged the way for many women of color to seek an education, stand up for theirRead MorePublic Opinion on Gender Issues: Human Rights, American Civil Rights, and Feminist Movements1328 Words   |  5 PagesGender Issues: Human Rights, American Civil Rights, and Feminist Movements The development of social movements in the course of human history has led to unprecedented changes that challenged the not only the status quo, but most importantly, the worldviews of societies as well. Social movements have sprung to create a new world order that defined human societies as they exist today. It is not surprising, then, that social movements like the Human Rights, American Civil Rights, and Feminist movements