Brutal killings, rapes and other forms of violence were evident in plantations in Mississippi. The blacks and especially female were subjected to harsh living conditions, and justice was lacking in these states. The rich white farmers subjected their plantation workers to great sufferings. Hard labor and poverty were the main characteristics evident in the plantations. Increased injustices and inequalities among the blacks increased sufferings where suicides and divorce became the order of the day thus subjecting the young generation to more adversaries. Anne describes how the rich farmers would brutally kill and rape young girls and walk scot free. The father of the young girls had already become alcoholic and after sustained troubles, he opted to divorce their families[1]. This was the beginning of hardship moments for the family where the mother had the full responsibility of taking care of the family.  Social inequality and more so racial discrimination is a common occurrence to the people of United States. It was normal for the white people to discriminate the blacks and abuse their rights at will. However, the increased humiliations and sufferings by the black people lead to the initiation of a rights movement to safeguard their interests and ensure that the blacks will not be killed and raped haphazardly.

The United States have experienced different inequalities that have thrived as a result of racial inequalities. Racial discrimination has furthered the occurrence of more inequalities such as gender disparities and different social status. It is evident noting that the rate of discrimination has been a notch higher where even the black people with light skins despise fellow blacks with dark skins[2]. In the 1940s, there were great racial distinctions where many white people argued that the blacks were genetically inferior as compared to their white counterparts. The racial distinction has been evident and real to all Americans.

The most worrying part of the inequalities is the eminent disunity among the blacks to fight the oppression from their white employers. This disunity contributed substantially to persistent abuse and oppressions of the blacks by the whites. It has been a difficult mission to improve the situation as the blacks are disintegrated amongst themselves. As outlined by the book ‘’Coming of Age’’, Anne is always frustrated by the fact that the blacks are willing to take these injustices hands down[3]. There exists different social class among the dark skinned blacks and fellow blacks with light skins. Despite being subjected to the same sufferings from the whites, the light skinned blacks feel that they are superior thus making it difficult to change the situation. In essence, most of the black people felt and agreed to be inferior as compared to the whites thus they have gladly accepted the mistreatment from the whites[4].

The ever increasing cases of injustice and mistreatment of the blacks in the United States has been accelerated by the destructive power of prejudice. As aforementioned, there is prejudice of whites against blacks and felt that they are superior to the black people. Light skinned blacks also prejudiced the dark skinned blacks thus making the effects of prejudice accelerate the rate of injustice among the blacks. The poverty nature of the minors (blacks) makes them subject of slavery to the well-moneyed whites who subject them to slavery in their plantations. The poor state of the blacks make is difficult for them to seek justice as they fear to lose a source of livelihood. It is evident that most of the workers in these plantations lived a hand-to-mouth existence where even getting food on the table was a major challenge[5]. The whites took advantage of the poor state to advance their inhuman traits to the blacks. The blacks were in lower social class as compared to the whites resulting from the low earnings that accelerated the rate of inequalities. The dangers of prejudice were eminent when Anne apparently refused to join the Tougaloo College that would be the genesis of the civil rights movements. She initially refused to join this college because she felt that it had so many light skinned black students[6]. Anne believed that all the light skinned blacks conspired with the whites to increase tribulations of the blacks through merciless killings and raping of young girls.

The persistent poverty among the black Americans has also made a significant contribution to the racial disparities experienced in the United States. Working on the plantations, the black families’ earnings are lower as opposed to their white counterparts.  As a result, high poverty rates are eminent among the blacks, and this trend has been on the increase since the early 1940s[7].  There has also been notable inequality of asset holdings across the racial divisions in the United States. The average earnings of the blacks and the level of home ownership among the black Americans have been on the decline over the years that have also made an immense contribution to the accelerated racial segregation. Constant and persistent poverty index among the blacks has consistently hampered the efforts of the blacks to get out of the menace of racial discrimination.

Gender disparities also had a significant impact on the racial segregation witnessed in America in the 1940s. It is evident that most women suffered from brutal killings, rape and other actions of violence that characterized lives in the plantations. From novel ‘’Coming of Age in Mississippi,’’ it is evident that women are prone to great suffering resulting from the racial discrimination practices by the whites on the blacks. It is imperative noting that sexual abuse such as rape is rampant among the young black Americans. Additionally, the acts of violence and murder cases leave most of the women as widows and have the burden to upkeep their families in hardship environment[8]. There are also increased cases of divorce as black men end up in alcoholism and other anti-social behaviors that deprive them of their family duties.  It is also worth understanding that there is a social norm that place women at the receiving end as far as the issues of segregation and racial discrimination is concerned. In essence, racial discrimination in the United States has taken a different angle and taken the form of gender discrimination.

Additionally, the justice and other legal departments in the United States have also been instrumental to the increased cases of racism in the United States. It has been noted that the country has promulgated increase in racial segregation through the application of selective justice even in states where racial differences are starkest[9]. For several years, criminal punishment in the United States is continuously becoming punitive. Despite the huge number of inmates held in the American prisons, it has been noted that racial inequality at the prison service is at the highest point. This is a worrying trend having considered that one percent of American adults are in prison with a substantial number of them serving lifetime jail terms. However, the sand point top note is that most of the American prisoners are minorities mainly of African origin. Most of these prisoners are from the disadvantaged part of the society, especially from the white man’s plantations. As of 2008, one out of nine black people between the ages of 20 and 34 were serving lifetime jail terms[10]. The role of race in the whole issue of the justice system is subtle and important. It is prudent understanding that this breakdown is not incidental, but it is a true reflection of existing racial and class inequalities in the justice system. This gives an explanation as to why white offenders are likely to escape their wrongdoings while the blacks continue to suffer in the hands of the whites.

The effects of racial discrimination are adverse and real among the Americans. As evidenced in the Hollywood movies, there are scenes of white people in the fight with the blacks which is a continuation of the racial discrimination practice. This articulates that racial discrimination is dangerous to social and world peace[11]. The acts of racial discrimination bring about exclusion and subordination consequently bringing about differences and inferiority of the victims. There are different reactions from different victims of social inequalities depending on the level of humiliation and persistence of the victims. Racial discrimination in the United States has had different psychological effects on the victims and may end up in depression and anxiety that is not good for the well-being of the people.

As aforementioned, victims of racial discrimination have different approaches to responds to their social segregation[12]. Response to the racial discrimination can either be consciously or unconsciously developed as victims try to design their ways of survival in such humiliating circumstances. For instance, some might live in denial of discrimination as was the case with the light skinned blacks in the book ‘’Coming of Age in Mississippi’’. Despite being subject to slavery and misuse by the whites, they felt they belonged to an upper social class as compared to fellow blacks with dark skins. Others opt just to accept this discrimination as legitimate and blaming themselves for the misfortunes befalling them. This is what most victims of racial discrimination in the United States especially in the 1940s believed in and continued suffering in the hands of the whites[13]. On this note, there is also a group of victims who opt to take avoidance as the only way of survival. However, there is a group of victims who decides to fight for their rights and ensure that their rights are protected and never again will be victims of discrimination.

The right civic movement is one of the greatest historic events in the history of Americans in the 20th century. After the black Americans had realized that the whites were oppressing them, they decided to start a movement that would ensure that they reclaim their rights in their land[14]. This was after understanding that the concept of racism was deep rooted in America and the time was ripe to initiate the necessary change. Civic right movement era had various activities ranging from court battles, direct action protests, and boycotts all in the name of reclaiming freedom and doing away with the uncontrolled authority of the white[15]. By this time, blacks, especially African Americans were already fed up with the physical and social landscape of white supremacy and all sorts of racial discrimination and violence. They had unanimously agreed that time was over and had the duty to fight for their freedom. It had already dawned on them that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness were fundamental rights that every person ought to enjoy.

From the book ‘’Coming of Age in Mississippi’’, it is clear that the understanding of the humiliation of the blacks by the white took some time. The author of the book takes us on a journey of redemption where the main character grows with the civil rights movements[16]. The civil rights movements begin in the 1950s and are also at this age that Anne is actively involved in the activism of delivering her people from the slavery of the whites. Throughout her development, the young girl has realized that there is no point of treating the superior to the blacks that are also the connotation of the earliest civil rights thinkers[17].  The right civic movements could not understand why some Americans could benefit just from the color of their skin while others are being persecuted and suffering for the same reasons. The civic rights activists had earlier in the 20th century tried in vain to unionize black workers. In Mississippi, the fight to redemption kicked off when the NAACP launches the defense of Emmett Till, who was murdered for supposedly whistling at a white woman[18]. It is no wonder that the prosecution coincides with a time when Anne is already exasperated by the racial discrimination and the ridiculous prejudices of the whites to the blacks.

Just as Anne was leading the civil right movements in her college, black Americans in other parts of America were also actively involved in the fight for equal rights and elimination of racial segregation.  Black Americans fought for equal job opportunities, voting rights and access to education among other essential rights. It is argued that the origin of civil rights movement was introduced by Rosa Parks. It is also worth unprecedented efforts of Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka who have a great mark in the history of Americans[19]. There were continuous efforts to ensure that both the white and black Americans had equal opportunities to employment, health, work and education among others[20]. After the Rosa Park refused to give up his seat and lead the Montgomery Bus Boycott, other Americans such as Martin Luther King also contributed to the realization of the civil right movements. After 1955, black American could acknowledge that the country had achieved milestones in coping with escalating problem of social inequality and more specific as far as skin color was concerned.

The realization of the fully integrated country for Americans was a grueling task. It was a difficult exercise to separate the past and the future that the Americans wanted since most Americans found it difficult in letting the past go. It had become normal for the whites to oppress the blacks and also some blacks viewed the oppression as a legitimate exercise thus finding it difficult abandoning beliefs they held since birth. There were distinct laws such as Jim Crow Laws that made it difficult for the African Americans to be equal[21]. These laws had distinct provisions that hindered free integration between the blacks and the whites. However, the civic rights movements had a difficult role in abandoning the laws that made people from one race to feel inferior to another race. Civic right movements aim was to promote unity among all the Americans and ensure peaceful coexistence of all the Americans[22].  The civic rights movements realized the legislation of laws that meant to end discrimination against the black Americans.

Just as the other Americans realized the objectives of the civil right movements through legislation of anti-racial laws, Anne was also celebrating some achievements derived from the efforts of the anti-racist campaign. As she is graduating from college in the 1950s, the Anne-led movement had already gotten assurances from the government that it would build better schools for the blacks[23]. As she gets out of school, the country has realized much resulting from the civil right movement. The author of this book ensures that he symbolically represents the realization of the movements’ objectives with the elderly status of Anne. The book depicts a mature and free from poverty Anne, which is a clear indication of the developments realized by the civic movements.

Just like Anne led the integration campaign, the role of women in the civil right movements was immense. Most women acted as leaders of local civil rights organizations where others served as lawyers on school segregation cases in courts[24].  It is, however, imperative noting that the role of women was overshadowed by the male counterparts which is also a continuation of a gender discrimination.  Increased gender discrimination and sexual harassment led to the formation of the feminist movements that was initiated in the 1970s[25]. The racial discrimination brought about another compelling issue of social inequality that concerns gender disparity.

Racial discrimination in America is real and runs against the most fundamental values of the modern society. It is against the social order, and we should spare no efforts in dealing with this menace and ensure equality among all the citizens. Racial discrimination that leads to violation of basic human rights such as one’s experience in the Coming of Age in Mississippi should be discouraged using the strongest terms possible[26]. The consequences of racial discrimination are adverse to the society and victims at large, and it is imperative to put measures that will prevent immeasurable damage. Although civic rights movements have made significant progress towards the realization of equitable America, the cases of racism are still real[27]. However, there is a positive influence of the historic event as it led to the election of President Barak Obama being the first black American president. We hope this trend will continue until the objective of the movement of having equality among Americans is realized.

Bibliography

Chan, Wing Yi, and Robert D. Latzman. 2015. ‘Racial Discrimination, Multiple Group Identities, And Civic Beliefs Among Immigrant Adolescents.’. Cultural Diversity And Ethnic Minority Psychology 21 (4): 527-532. doi:10.1037/cdp0000021.

Himes, Chester B. 1986. If He Hollers Let Him Go. New York: Thunder’s Mouth Press.

Houck, Davis W, and David E Dixon. 2009. Women And The Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1965. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.

Martin, Joann. 1999. ‘Women And Social Movements In Latin America: Power From Below’. American Ethnologist 26 (2): 482-483. doi:10.1525/ae.1999.26.2.482.

Mathewson, Kent. 1968. ‘A Growing Movement’. National Civic Review 57 (6): 298-306. doi:10.1002/ncr.4100570605.

Moody, Anne. 1968. Coming Of Age In Mississippi. New York: Dial Press.

Myntti, Kristian. 2001. ‘The Right To Reparation Of Victims Of Racial Discrimination In Human Rights Law’. Human Rights In Development Online 7 (1): 309-338. doi:10.1163/221160801×00135.

Vernet, J.-P. 2005. ‘Women, Women’s Rights And Feminist Movements’. Social Science Information 44 (1): 175-188. doi:10.1177/0539018405050465.

Williams, Johnny E. 2003. African American Religion And The Civil Rights Movement In Arkansas. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.

[1] Moody, Anne. 1968. Coming Of Age In Mississippi. New York: Dial Press

[2] Myntti, Kristian. 2001. ‘The Right To Reparation Of Victims Of Racial Discrimination In Human Rights Law’. Human Rights In Development Online 7 (1): 309-338. doi:10.1163/221160801×00135.

[3] Moody, Anne. 1968. Coming Of Age In Mississippi. New York: Dial Press.

[4] Chan, Wing Yi, and Robert D. Latzman. 2015. ‘Racial Discrimination, Multiple Group Identities, And Civic Beliefs Among Immigrant Adolescents.’. Cultural Diversity And Ethnic Minority Psychology 21 (4): 527-532. doi:10.1037/cdp0000021.

[5] Mathewson, Kent. 1968. ‘A Growing Movement’. National Civic Review 57 (6): 298-306. doi:10.1002/ncr.4100570605.

[6] Moody, Anne. 1968. Coming Of Age In Mississippi. New York: Dial Press.

[7] Himes, Chester B. 1986. If He Hollers Let Him Go. New York: Thunder’s Mouth Press.

[8] Houck, Davis W, and David E Dixon. 2009. Women And The Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1965. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi

[9] Myntti, Kristian. 2001. ‘The Right To Reparation Of Victims Of Racial Discrimination In Human Rights Law’. Human Rights In Development Online 7 (1): 309-338. doi:10.1163/221160801×00135.

[10] Mathewson, Kent. 1968. ‘A Growing Movement’. National Civic Review 57 (6): 298-306. doi:10.1002/ncr.4100570605.

[11] Houck, Davis W, and David E Dixon. 2009. Women And The Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1965. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi

[12] Myntti, Kristian. 2001. ‘The Right To Reparation Of Victims Of Racial Discrimination In Human Rights Law’. Human Rights In Development Online 7 (1): 309-338. doi:10.1163/221160801×00135.

[13] Vernet, J.-P. 2005. ‘Women, Women’s Rights And Feminist Movements’. Social Science Information 44 (1): 175-188. doi:10.1177/0539018405050465.

[14] Martin, Joann. 1999. ‘Women And Social Movements In Latin America: Power From Below’. American Ethnologist 26 (2): 482-483. doi:10.1525/ae.1999.26.2.482.

[15] Mathewson, Kent. 1968. ‘A Growing Movement’. National Civic Review 57 (6): 298-306. doi:10.1002/ncr.4100570605.

[16] Williams, Johnny E. 2003. African American Religion And The Civil Rights Movement In Arkansas. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.

[17] Moody, Anne. 1968. Coming Of Age In Mississippi. New York: Dial Press.

[18] Moody, Anne. 1968. Coming Of Age In Mississippi. New York: Dial Press.

[19] Myntti, Kristian. 2001. ‘The Right To Reparation Of Victims Of Racial Discrimination In Human Rights Law’. Human Rights In Development Online 7 (1): 309-338. doi:10.1163/221160801×00135.

[20] Martin, Joann. 1999. ‘Women And Social Movements In Latin America: Power From Below’. American Ethnologist 26 (2): 482-483. doi:10.1525/ae.1999.26.2.482.

[21] Himes, Chester B. 1986. If He Hollers Let Him Go. New York: Thunder’s Mouth Press.

[22] Mathewson, Kent. 1968. ‘A Growing Movement’. National Civic Review 57 (6): 298-306. doi:10.1002/ncr.4100570605.

[23] Moody, Anne. 1968. Coming Of Age In Mississippi. New York: Dial Press.

[24] Williams, Johnny E. 2003. African American Religion And The Civil Rights Movement In Arkansas. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.

[25] Houck, Davis W, and David E Dixon. 2009. Women And The Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1965. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi

[26] Mathewson, Kent. 1968. ‘A Growing Movement’. National Civic Review 57 (6): 298-306. doi:10.1002/ncr.4100570605.

[27] Chan, Wing Yi, and Robert D. Latzman. 2015. ‘Racial Discrimination, Multiple Group Identities, And Civic Beliefs Among Immigrant Adolescents.’. Cultural Diversity And Ethnic Minority Psychology 21 (4): 527-532. doi:10.1037/cdp0000021.

 
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