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Austin Mineer
Professor Stephanie Maenhardt
English 1050
July 30, 2016
Racial and Ethnic Discrimination
Race and ethnicity have always been an underlying cause to discrimination throughout
history. Over time, we have learned the importance of diversity and are aiming towards equality
among all races and ethnicities. After studying many resources and participating in discourse
with classmates, Ive come to realize that we, as a society, have improved our views on race and
ethnicity drastically. Even though theres still lots of work to be done in order to obtain true
equality in modern society, I still think its amazing how far weve come along.
One of the earliest and most brutal forms of this discrimination was slavery in the early
years of America. People of darker colored skin and African American ethnicities were treated
terribly. They were owned by white people and treated as a form of property, with absolutely no
respect directed towards them. Their living conditions were horrific, and they had no future to
look forward to. They were abused and overworked. They never were given opportunities such
as gaining an education or traveling. Slavery is deeply embedded into American history, but
despite how prominent it was, we beat it. Frederick Douglass is one of the many heroes that
devoted their lives to the abolition of slavery. In 1852, he was asked to give a speech on the
Fourth of July, and is considered one of the most influential speeches ever. Towards the end of
the speech, he tells us how he is hopeful for the future of America and cessation of slavery. He
states, I do not despair of this country. There are forces in operation, which must inevitably

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work the downfall of slavery. The arm of the Lord is not shortened, and the doom of slavery is
certain. I, therefore, leave off with where I began, with hope, (Douglass 474). This is one of
the biggest turning points in the progression of racial/ethnic diversity of our history, because he
talked about slavery in a way such that he believes it will inevitably fall. And he was right. He
inspired so many people on this day in 1852, and ultimately contributed to the abolition of
slavery.
It took many years after the abolition of slavery for us to arrive at the next milestone in
progressing our racial/ethnic views. For a very long time, the daily lives of whites and blacks
were segregated, up until around the 1960s, when the Civil Rights Movement began. Robert F.
Kennedy is one of the heroes of this turning point. He continued Martin Luther King Jr.s legacy
after his assassination. Kennedy, in fact, was the one who delivered the news of Kings death in
an improvised speech. This speech was not only written with no editing or drafts, but was also
advised against because it compromised his safety greatly in the city of Indianapolis. After
talking about the anger and frustration that every person must be feeling, he states, What we
need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what
we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness, but is love and wisdom, and
compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our
country, whether they be white or whether they be black, (Kennedy). Desegregation is another
huge turning point in Americas progression towards viewing racial/ethnic diversity more
positively, and thanks to heroes like Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, it was able to
happen.
During this time of desegregation, we also began to realize the importance of diversity
and ethnic pride. The California Chicano Mural Movement is an example of this, and took place

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in the 1960s alongside the Civil Rights Movement. Eva Cockcroft and Holly Barnet-Sanchez
talk about this in their writings of Signs from the Heart: California Chicano Murals. They talk
about how the Mexican-Americans werent quite identified as an ethnicity. This was a result of
the melting pot theory, which is described as All the different immigrants, races and national
groups which composed the population of the United States could be assimilated into a single
homogeneous American, (Cockcroft, Barnet-Sanchez 306). This concept was being taught in
schools, and it caused conflict for the identity of the Mexican-Americans, such that the new term
Chicano was coined by the youth as a form of identity. To preserve this culture, Chicanos
started painting murals all over cities such as L.A. as a form of showing ethnic pride. They
served as an inspiration for struggle, a way of reclaiming a cultural heritage, or even as a means
of developing self-pride, (Cockcroft, Barnet-Sanchez 307).
Even after desegregation and realization of ethnic pride, we still arent where we need to
be in terms of having equality among all races and ethnicities. However, with each succeeding
generation, we become more open-minded and receptive to diversity. According to Pew
Research, millennials are more racially tolerant, more supportive of interracial dating, and more
receptive to immigrants than those of past generations (Pew Research 61). Ethnic/racial diversity
is becoming more encouraged and socially acceptable, and this acceptance is increasing as time
goes on with each successive generation. The future looks promising with these statistics
provided by Pew Research.
Although modern society has become generally welcoming to diversity among race and
ethnicity, there are still racial disparities that have formed over the years as a result of
inequalities passed down all the way from slavery. Barack Obama addresses this in his speech
known as A More Perfect Union. He lists many of the inequalities of modern day, one

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example being A lack of economic opportunity among black men, and the shame and frustration
that come from not being able to provide for ones family, contributed to the erosion of black
families- a problem that welfare policies for many years may have worsened. And the lack of
basic services in so many urban black neighborhoods helped create a cycle of violence, blight,
and neglect that continue to haunt us, (Obama 479). Towards the end of his speech, he switches
to a more positive dialogue, pointing out how far weve come and that weve proven we can
change, for the better. In reference to racial equality, Obama states, I would not be running for
president if I didnt believe with all my heart that this is what the vast majority of Americans
want for this country. This union may never be perfect, but generation after generation has
shown that it can always be perfected, (Obama 482). This powerful speech was given only
eight years ago, and it shows that we are still progressing towards equality among ethnicity.
So here we are in 2016, having come a long way from where we began, but also still
having issues with true racial/ethnic equality. One issue that is hotly debated today is
immigration. Xenophobia is being widespread, just as it was in the early 1900s at Ellis Island.
In Mary Gordons More Than Just a Shrine: Paying Homage to the Ghosts of Ellis Island, She
writes, The minute I set foot upon the island I could feel all that it stood for: insecurity,
obedience, anxiety, dehumanization, (Gordon 432). Many people today desire to implement
immigration policies that would cause history to repeat itself, in the sense that we would be
inducing the same negative feelings that the immigrants of the 1900s felt. I feel that this is a
step in the wrong direction, however. I feel like this encourages xenophobia, which discourages
ethnic diversity. Christopher Root in our Week 2 discussion writes, It is an interesting idea to
think that Americans are somehow different than all of humanity going back thousands upon
thousands of years. The amount of hubris required to assume we are different or somehow

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unique is mind shattering. At our best, it is wonderful that we have such idealism. At our worst,
this feeling translates into xenophobia and lack of acceptance for those we deem somehow
lesser, (Root).
After taking this course, Ive become more educated and gained insight on racial and
ethnic discrimination. Ive become more aware of the long journey that America has traveled to
get to where we are now, in terms of accepting diversity. However, theres still much work to be
done, and there are still issues pertaining to racial/ethnic equality today.

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Works Cited

Cockcroft, Eva, and Barnet-Sanchez, Holly. Signs from the Heart: California Chicano Murals.
Reading Culture. 303-308.
Douglass, Frederick. What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? Reading Culture. 460-475.
Gordon, Mary. More than just a Shrine: Paying Homage to the Ghosts of Ellis Island. Reading
Culture. 431-434.
Kennedy, Robert. Statement on Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Indianapolis, Indiana.
4 May, 1968. Keynote Address.
Pew Research. Millennials: Confident. Connected. Open to Change. Reading Culture. 55-67.

Obama, Barack. A More Perfect Union. Reading Culture. 476-483.