EOTO Reflection

                               EOTO Reflection on Reactionary Era

In class, we were able to attend and participate in a mock trial. However to really understand the time period and to ensure the accuracy of the trial it is important to engage in an EOTO. An EOTO is a presentation of positive and negative events that were occurring during the time period of the trial. It helps the class examine what life was like for the people during this era. 

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-milestones

During the negative events of the reactionary era, I was able to learn more about segregated country clubs, and the national golf club. I found it extremely sad that racism and prejudice existed when trying to get into country clubs and golf tournaments. I knew there was a high level of elitism at country clubs, however, I did not know they were invite-only during this time. Since they were invited only and white people were members they only invited the same skin color as them, giving in to the racism. I was also shocked to find out women were only allowed in golf tournaments in 2012.  

    Picture from Segerated Country Club EOTO presentation:

https://www.nps.gov/gis/storymaps/cascade/v1/index.html?appid=a2e315494beb47d4bbbad369ae8e7ff3

However, there were a lot of positive events during the time period too. I learned that a lot of Television shows like, All in the family, started to air.  This was groundbreaking for the time period because it talked about the serious issue of racism and showed the world in a funny way the issues going on in the world and why change needed to occur. Another positive was that universities started accepting more people of color into school. This provided people of color the chance to be educated and break out of the trends of poverty. This change also allowed for schools to have more diversity and bring different cultures and mindsets into the education system.

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2021/03/how-all-family-changed-american-tv-forever/618353/

I learned an abundant amount of information from this EOTO and found myself leaving the EOTO with a lot of useful information surrounding the era. I also really enjoyed learning from the point of view of topics my peers picked, and what they wanted to learn more about. The reactionary era was a time of change in the right direction to end racism, however, the fight is not over and there were still a lot of devastating events that occurred in this time period.

                                                 Picture from EOTO:

https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/civil-rights-act/segregation-era.html

FINAL POST

                                          Final Key Blog Post

Blogging is a phenomenal way for citizens to utilize their first amendment right of freedom of speech. It provides a unique environment for people to share a plethora of ideas, thoughts, and beliefs on any topic. Blogging can be done in a casual sense, regarding daily life issues, or to advocate for certain goals or beliefs. Recently, I have been pondering how Martin Luther King would utilize this modern platform and how he would spread his beliefs through the internet. 

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1964/king/biographical/

I believe that Martin Luther King would use his blog to educate others and spread awareness regarding racism in the United States. He would have the ability to advocate for the injustices faced by people of color, along with his goal to eliminate discrimination. I believe a crucial aspect of his blogs would involve sharing real stories, events, and his raw vulnerability to make a change in the world. 

https://fivechannels.com/blogging-awareness-campaigns-increase-offer/

 

I blog in class mostly about mock trials and ongoing issues; however, I am aware that my target audience is my professor and peers. With the following Martin Luther King has, his ideas would be rapidly spread throughout the United States and have the ability to truly influence the way many people think about segregation and racism. One way could be through spreading the dates of non-violent protests along with write-ups of his speeches so that more people can become aware and involved in these pivotal events.

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/understand-martin-luther-king-jr-don-t-rely-highlights-reel-n1118821

I find it quite unsettling that despite the number of protests and actions taken to eliminate segregation, many people were not in favor of ending it. If people who disagreed with King’s mission saw his blog posts regarding protest dates, more violence may break out. I believe the protest at the capital was a similar situation and it goes to show that not everyone will support the same mission which will certainly create animosity. 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0957417419307043

 

Martin Luther King has left a dramatic impact on the modern world and I believe if he had the power to share his ideas on a global scale, change would have occurred sooner. In today’s society, many people have the phrase, “black lives matter”, in their profiles. Although a simple phrase, it has sparked a substantial uproar of people supporting the black lives matter movement. If King had the ability to start an internet revolution and get other influential voices to support his mission, I believe change would have occurred more dramatically and rapidly. 

https://vanderbilthustler.com/32553/featured/a-breakdown-of-the-anti-racism-instagram-stories-on-your-feed/

I found the most difficult aspect of blogging to be learning how to use the software. I had never created a blog before and was unsure of how to even create a page. I now believe creating a blog is a crucial skill to learn; especially because I am undecided on my major, I think it is a great skill to learn. As the semester comes to a close, I can confidently say that I have enjoyed creating blog posts and have acquired an abonnement amount of skills that can be used to create another blog in future classes or in the workforce. I am beyond grateful to have had this experience to express and share my ideas in a blog environment and look forward to continuing it in the future. 

https://exploristic.com/start-blog-guide-blogging-beginners

 

To all future students, I would highly recommend keeping a calendar of due dates in order to stay on task and manage all of the blog posts. Since they are assigned a week in advance, it is crucial to stay on top of your workload to avoid becoming overwhelmed. I have found it beneficial to keep a sticky note on my computer with important due dates and carry around an agenda with the same information. I would also recommend asking questions in order to truly grasp the concept of blogging and learn all of the skills necessary. 

https://hollydfritz.wordpress.com/2012/10/16/5-ps-of-time-management/

I prefer submitting my work on blogger rather than blackboard because I think it is a creative and inspiring way to view all of my hard work in one spot. Through submitting my work on blogger, I am also gaining more experience with the software and thus growing my blogging skills. I will truly miss this class and the intellectual conversations we have on such crucial ongoing topics. Thank you all for a great semester!

https://giannacioci.blogspot.com/

Mock Trial- Key Post

                                  Mock Trial: Board of Regents vs Bakke

In class, we were able to accurately participate in a mock trial. The trial was on the 1978 case of the Board of Regents vs Bakke. Bakke was a white student who was suing the school because of their use of racial quotas in the admission process. He believes he was more qualified than other students and that under the 14th amendment, racial quotas are unjust and that he should have been admitted. 

https://www.oyez.org/cases/1979/76-811

I was a lawyer on the side of the university arguing the fact that racial quotas in the admission process are extremely conditional and benefit the school and society as a whole. I argued the case from the angle of ethics and morals.

https://slideplayer.com/slide/3839251/

Then I argued that morals can be defined as principles of what is right and wrong and the goodness of human behaviors in society. Morally the university believes it should not end its affirmative action process by admitting students that will support the culture of the university. 

https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/affirmative_action

The court could hear that I explained to the courtroom that morally everyone should be granted a fair fight in the education system. It is also vital t to the university to have a diverse classroom to bring all cultures, ideas, and beliefs into the education system. 

http://civilrightsmovement.blogs.wm.edu/category/regents-of-the-university-of-california-v-bakke-1978/

I made an exceedingly important point that African Americans have had their fair share of hardships in society through the trauma they and their families have endured through slavery.  They have gone countless years without education or the opportunity to go attend college. I explained to the court that we are all born God's children and having affirmative action in the college process ensures that all races have a fair chance in the education system.

https://sites.psu.edu/calliefreenock/2016/02/10/regents-of-the-university-of-california-v-bakke/

I used a quote from Proverbs16:16 that states that having wisdom and understanding is better than having silver or gold; in order to have a source for the courtroom to hear and relate to. 

https://dailyverses.net/proverbs/16/16/kjv

In conclusion, I wrapped up the case with a summary of all the main takeaway points as followed. We are all born god’s children and should all have the same opportunity in society to succeed in life through going to college. Slavery put a pause on African American citizens’ rights to attend college. Affirmative action is now in place to make sure that everyone has the same right to success. Ethically it would be unjust to not grant education to all and to not help those who have not received education in the past, get a stellar education. It is morally unjust to judge someone on the color of their skin rather than their qualifications. Everyone enrolled in this school has the willpower and opportunity to grow and learn in their academic classes no matter their race. 

https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/438/265

I really loved having the opportunity to be on a case that intrigued me to put forward the best legal argument possible. Mock trials are an amazing way to learn new information about a time period in a creative way. I am really going to miss attending, and participating in these trials in this class. 

White Like Me Reflection

                                            Movie Reflection, "White Like Me"

"White Like Me", produced by Scott Morris, is a powerful and engaging movie that tackles Racism. Racism is an ongoing problem, still seen in modern-day America. The movie is based on the work of the accomplished author, speaker, and activist Tim Wise. 

Link to Watch Movie: 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3125676/

The movie starts off with the hook of Wise's personal story of white privilege and racism in the United States. He explains that white privilege is having a huge leg up in life because of one's skin color. This can look like better job opportunities, growing up in a higher social class, and being able to live life without as much fear as people of color. 

                                             Tim Wise Lecturing about Racism:

Link to see Lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmTHY_QnEdk 

"White like Me" also takes on some key issues and asks the viewer some important questions. One of the questions that really stood out to me was the question of privilege. The movie made me think does one's skin color affects one's education, opportunities in life, and the overall happiness of life. It is sad to admit but in this day and age, it does. This makes me question a lot about life. It is extremely devastating to me that white privilege still exists to this day and that many people of color have to deal with not having the same level of opportunities.  

https://www.womansday.com/life/a32758153/what-is-white-privilege/

It makes me think how I am not scared to call the cops if I am in danger, but people of color might be, because of cruel events that have happened to them throughout history. This movie made me think of my senior capstone project on wrongfully convicted crimes based on racial injustice. Through my research on this topic last year I learned that more than half of people that were wrongfully convicted were people of color,  who did not have the money to afford a good lawyer to defend them. 

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9781137408433_3

It is time for true change in America, and for colorblindness to end. No one should fear life simply on the color of their skin. The color of skin never limits or defines a person. This movie was powerful and carried a strong message from beginning to end. Everyone should see this movie once in their life to become more educated, to hear the real vulnerable interviews, and to see that even though slavery has ended in America and there are more laws racism is still prominent in the United States needing change to occur. 

https://www.ucf.edu/news/waking-up-to-whiteness-and-white-privilege/

The Three Civil Rights Workers- EOTO Post

EOTO Reflection Post:

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/case-files-on-1964-civil-rights-worker-killings-made-public/2542137/

For this EOTO presentation I was able to work in a group where we were able to share events that were occurring during the time period of the Brown versus Board of Education Case. Some of the events my classmates presented were : The Murder of Emmett Till, Bloody Sunday, and the  Little Rock Nine Crisis. This was an important assignment which helped my classmates and me better understand the time period of the case, and the social issues facing our country.

https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/chaney-goodman-schwerner-murdered/

After careful research of different events during this time period,  and discussing them with my professor, I chose to learn more about The Three Civil Rights Workers. This was an extremely sad event where three men were viciously murdered fighting for equality and liberty within the United States. I was unaware about this case before my research, and it was important to me to learn more about, and better understand, the time period and the social and political events of the era.

https://mscivilrightsproject.org/neshoba/event-neshoba/the-murder-of-chaney-goodman-and-schwerner/

The event happened when Micheal Schwerner (24 years old), James Chancy (21 years old), and Andrew Goodman (20 years old) traveled to Neshoba County Mississippi. They went there to investigate, advocate, and learn more about the burning of  Mt. Zion Methodist Church. The church served as a” freedom school” which was a free school for African Americans, because they were not given public education in Mississippi at the time. This was an important job for these civil rights workers and all they wanted to do was help solve the problem at hand. 

https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/mississippi-burning

The three civil rights workers were kidnapped by the Ku Klux Klan in Mississippi.They “vanished” and were “assumed missing.”They were tortured, and murdered for their work. The KKK were helped by the local sheriff, underscoring the extreme amount of racism in the area during the time period. 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mississippi-burning-murders-case-files-public-james-chaney-andrew-goodman-michael-schwerner/v

Devastatingly, their bodies were later found in a ditch several months after, in August 1964. Their case got a lot of attention, and there were many protests on their behalf which helped to spark a national change to occur. In 1980, for example,  Ronald Reagan, began his Presidential election run by giving a speech about state rights while walking a distance from the dam where their bodies were found.

https://calendar.eji.org/racial-injustice/aug/04

Below is the slide I presented virtually to the class. I was able to make a powerpoint that summed up all of the information talked about in this blog post and presented pictures for the class to see.  Below is also the link to see and learn about some of the other events discussed in the project. 

Link for presentation: 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VCxhkyYmvCDmna8ZfZf0sl_24q

_OnfC7lu8NeRRy820/edit#slide=id.gcb82ca253f_0_0

Brown vs Board of Education Case Reflection

In class this week we were able to watch our classmates take on the case of Brown vs the Board of Education. This was a Consolidation case of equal rights. This case fought against segregation in the school system on the basis of skin color. During this time, schools were divided between white children and children of color.

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/brown-v-board-of-education-of-topeka

Brown was fighting the board of education to have classroom segregation end. He wanted everyone to receive equal education together no matter the color of their skin.. The lawyers for Brown agreed that it was unconstitutional for discriminatory to occur in schools. They said that the Constitution was “color blind.” They related this case to another famous case, Plessy vs. Ferguson . They compared the cases in order to make the point that racial discrimination in schools is immoral, and unethical just as it is on trains. They explained that morally one cannot single out a group of people.

The lawyers also argued that school segregation was harming African American children because in the future they will think they cannot live up to their potentials. Lastly, they said one cannot pick their race; it is an immutable trait, something they are born with and should not be harmed because of it. 

https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2004/spring/brown-v-board-1.html#:~:text=On%20May%2017%2C%201954%2C%20the,schools%20in%20twenty%2Done%20states.

The lawyers on the side of the board of education argued that it was not a financially stable idea to end segregation in school. Tax payers would need to pay for more desks, teachers, and supplies which were not needed.

They said that there was a different level of intelligence between races and that the African American children would struggle in classes with white children. They put forth the idea that African Americans have a harder time learning because their families do not have the skills to teach them.

The lawyers explained that both races, although segregated, were receiving outstanding educations that they were guaranteed, and if they were to put them in the same class African American students would be hindered due to the pace of the  school. Their final point was that in all Black classrooms teachers could teach the children at a slower pace in order to help them comprehend the content.  In their opinions, school segregation was the absolute best idea.  

https://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1955/347us483

The court sided with Brown and agreed that school segregation  was discriminatory and wrong. This decision ended segregation in the classroom. It overrode the “separate but equal” clause from Plessy vs Ferguson; and was a huge step in our history as it pertained to education and civil rights in general.

https://dredf.org/2018/05/17/on-the-64th-anniversary-of-brown-v-board-of-education-of-topeka/

#10 Part 2 Extra Credit Post on EOTO

                                                             

                                                        EOTO Reflection 

Picture from EOTO in Class 

The topic of EOTO was positive and negative events and actions during the reconstruction era. The class was divided into groups again where one group researched the positive events, while the other showed the negative events that happened. It helped the class as a whole, and especially myself, in better understanding what occurred during this era. 

​​

https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/reconstruction

One of the biggest positives of the reconstruction era was the passing of the 13th amendment. This amendment freed 100,000 enslaved people in the US from Kentucky to Delaware. The 14th amendment was also passed giving equal protection, due process, and fair privileges or immunities. During this time, the government forced the removal and re-election of all confederate officials in the hope of ending discrimination and hate towards one race. The 15th amendment was passed shortly after that, which guaranteed African American men the right to vote and the ability to run for political office .

https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendment/amendment-xiii

Although such amazing innovations occurred in this era, there were also a lot of cons. The first one our group talked about was the Minstrel shows. During this time period, there would be racist shows for comedically entertainment. They would include characters such as Jim Crow, and Bruder Tambo. Performers would use black face as a way to demean African Americans. Lynching also sadly occurred, where white people would kill African Americans through mob action without legal approval. As one can see, there was a lot of discrimination towards people of color. One way this was really seen was through black codes. These were codes made to have control over the freed slaves. This was also the era where the KKK was formed. This was a hate group towards many races, religions, and political groups. They carried out hate crimes, and protested for what they believed in. 

https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/reconstruction

All in all, there was a lot of positive changes during these time periods; however, there were many issues that needed to be resolved before America would be a discrimination free nation. 

https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/reconstruction

#9 Mock Trial Key Post

 

                                   My Role in the Plessy VS Ferguson Mock Trial 

During class we examined the Plessy vs Ferguson case through a mock trial; my team was fighting on the side of Plessy. The case is about a mixed raced man named Plessy who bought a train ticket and encountered resistance while on-board. He meant no harm when he sat in the first class section, and was asked to move seats by the conductor of the train. Plessy refused to move seats because he had purchased a ticket and was not fully African American; he knew he had a right to that seat. Plessy was removed by the conductor with physical violence and put into jail. The case was brought to court under the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment. 

https://apprend.io/apush/period-6/plessy-v-ferguson/

For this case, my teammates and I were divided into different roles; some were fighting the case on the legal side, while I was assigned the job of making a powerpoint on the preceding time period. Although I found a plethora of crucial information on the time period, I could not include everything. The three topics I chose for future research were religion, the women's suffrage movement, and the great pain of 1896.

I first examined how 1896 was called the Reconstruction Era; it was the time period following the civil war and centered around how America was rebranding itself. 

http://noirehistoir.com/blog/reconstruction-era/

I then began to take a deep dive into religion during 1896, specifically, which religions were the most prominent. During this period there were three main religions I studied. The first one being Protestant, which over half the population identified as. They were known as charitable and extremely religious, and mostly composed of the upper and middle class. The other religion present during this time was Catholicism. People supporting this faith group were mostly immigrants, therefore, this religion was more popular in the United States; it slowly became even more popular in the North. The last religion was Reformed Judaism. This religion was very scattered across the United States, as immigrants settled in different places. America was divided with people practicing different religions in various regions. 

http://encyclopediaofalabama.org/Article/m-6630

During 1896, another prominent issue was discrimination towards the female gender. Social reform around women's rights was actively occurring. By 1896, women had fought for the right to vote in four states (Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, and Utah). However, they will still fight for the right to vote in all states. They were also protesting and advocating for fair paying jobs, political power, and to end the idea that women should stay home and take care of their families. 

https://ghwcc.org/2020/02/womens-suffrage-timeline/

Something else that occurred during these times was The Pain of 1896. This was a huge financial crisis and economic depression. It was caused because of a decrease in gold and agriculture in the United States. There was unemployment especially among industrial workers and a lot of hunger, pain and anger during these times. 

https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/panic-of-1896/

My partner Skylar and I were able to present the information to the class after the trial occurred, so the class could really understand the case and make a fair ruling. It was an amazing experience to learn about this hallmark case in such an engaging way. It was also really cool to have the job of teaching the class about the world outside of the case as a whole. 

Link to powerpoint: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1OKQiT2EmxrcrNp0IWHl9OyeyAcTtIx3f3E8pU29T6o0/edit#slide=id.g35f391192_00