The Role of Black Women in America

  The United States was intended to be the newly founded land with the foundation of individual rights and humane rights. The country’s very own leaders were hypocritical when setting a double standard for European descendants and African descendants. African Americans were fighting for the equal rights of those of European descent. Black women struggles and efforts to become literate was a strong focus in the reading, Going Against the Grain. “Each movement towards literacy was signal that these women were going very much against the grain of prevailing cultural beliefs, practices, and expectations.” Slaveholders were aware that if slaves became literate they would gain power. Laws were made to prevent African Americans from gaining an education, so they fought for their rights to obtain one. “African Americans understood the implications of literacy and learning in political, economic, and social progress.” They were aware of the rights that they deserved and fought to be literate. Education can make a difference not only to the individual, but the whole community. The North and South was became divided due to the different views on the rights of Negroes.  While the North was majority against slavery, the South was for it. Even in the present it is evident that many southerners are stuck in the ways of their ancestors. Although late, there has been major progress in the educational system. When African Americans began to receive an education, it was biased. The teachings were different from a white student. The lessons were made for specific trades the whites wanted African Americans.  Currently the history of Africans and African Americans could broaden more and in society the position could be higher. This article opens a persons mind to see how society is constructed today. With more efforts of the population, it is time to suppress oppression.