Wednesday, February 13, 2008

 

Homework, due February 19

On Sunday, Feb. 17, 12 noon to 2 p.m. watch "Eyes on the Prize." This episode includes information about Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner's murder. Respond to this program taking into consideration what you know about the 3 Civil Rights workers and the period examined. Visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eyesontheprize/ to see additional materials on the 14 hour series. The series circulates in most library systems. Laney College owns it too. You can watch it on campus. It is also available at video rental stores like Block Busters.

The two segments you will see on Sunday are: "Mississippi America" and "Bridge to Freedom." As you reflect on that era, consider what social justice issues and policies have changed and what remains the same.

Again, respond to another student's essay response by Wednesday, February 20.

Comments:
Chad Doyle
2-19-08

In the early 1960's, Mississippi was known as a close society. During this time, some people said that Mississippi was the most segregated and violent states.
In 1963, people started joining the civil rights movement due to the severity of violence. This eventually started a "Freedom Summer" headed by Bob Moses, a legendary civil rights leader. This gave way to a huge volunteer project to improve black rights and oppurtunities. This project included teachers, ministers and students. Volunteers were warned of violence and possible death before crossing Mississippi lines. During the summer, 80 civil rights workers were beaten and 1000 were reported arrested.
In June 1964, president Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil RIghts Act of 1964. The new law increased the federal governments power to ban discrimination in publice places but did little to help give southern blacks the vote.
During the Freedom Summer, 41 freedom schools were opened across the state. The were used to teach as well as host meetings for the Freedom Democratic Party. Many white people came to Mississippi to help break racist customs and help reform the state. To most Mississippians, these people were resented.
Although segregation is not as severe in Mississippi today, there is still a lot of prejudice towards blacks. The civil rights movements helped improve conditions for black citizens of Mississippi but there is still a lot of room for more improvement.
 
Theresa Smith
February 22, 2008

Eyes on the Prize
Although our lives as black men and women were segregated in the 1950’s and 1960’s we still needed to move forward if we wanted to win the fight for freedom which meant our eyes were on the prize. The prize was for black people to be treated equal. Give black people the opportunity to vote. Also allow them to stand alone with independence and be able to go where ever they chose without brutalities and hatred to follow.
Black people lived in poor houses, they attended poor black schools. Mothers and fathers were servant; farmers and slaves. The black people could not drink from the same water fountains as the white people. Black people could not ride in the front of the bus which was public transportation. Black people picked cotton and they wore raggedy clothes. They had little food which left them hungry many times; black people could not shop where white people brought their clothes. When a black person would see a white person walking toward them they had to move out the way so they could pass.
Martin Luther King was an advocate for black people. He felt if they marched it would show white people that they were serious and wanted the laws to change so they would have equal rights for black people. With Martin Luther King’s power, he was able to stop segregation in the south which allowed black people the right too sit anywhere on the bus. When the Civil Right Movement ended segregation in 1956, it allowed Richmond Virginia; Little Rock Arkansas; Dallas Texas, and the city of Montgomery to let any black person who chose to ride the bus sit where they wanted to sit. At that time the blacks was so fed up with the brutal behavior and unwanted attention they decided not to ride the bus at all.
Black people felt white people were superior to black because they were not allowed to vote. Black people were treated so different they did not have options, like the white people had. White people had the option to clean their homes their self or have a servant who was black to clean their house for them. They also had the option to have their servant do their children hair. Black people wanted to vote for their children to attend schools with the white kids, vote for black people to eat where the white people ate, drink from the same water fountain even if they were not thirsty. James Eastland felt segregation was a way to separate whites from black people. The white man had so much power when they felt like attacking they would. Curtis Jones told us a story about his friend who wanted to say hi to a white girl who worked at a store with her mother. As Curtis and a sixty year old man played checkers they watched as the black boy taunted the little girl. The sixty year old man finally told him you better get away from the store before that woman come out and blow your head off. That is the type of treatment they were used to; black people could not speak to any one if they were not black, which was hard for a little child to understand.
Emit Till was a fourteen year old young man who was naive and knew nothing about segregation he visited the south for a day or so before he was taken from Moses Wright home. In 1955, Moses Wright found the young man buried deep in the swamp; Prior to his visit, before he was kidnapped and brutally beaten; two white men came to Moses’ home to ask for the young black boy who was making trouble for himself, if he was around. The White men took him out of Moses’ home and beat him to death. They were tried but all the pain and suffering would not bring Emit back. Ms Till decided to have an open casket so the black people would see what they had done to her son.
In Conclusion what I witnessed on television was horrible but I am very happy I had the opportunity to view my history background and what they went through to free us of freedom. Our black people fought for our rights to be able to walk down the street. Black people can come and go as they please, go out and find work to support their family; black people are able to attend any college they chose to further their education. We have been giving the opportunity to become our best at what we can’t be even if time gets hard keep moving forward to keep your eyes on the prize.
 
English 201, 10-12

In Mississippi, there was the civil right movement called “Freedom Summer”, but many locals call an “Invasion.” Since the white dominant society had been preventing blacks from registering to vote, civil right activist opened the office in the state and the program brought many volunteers from all around the country to join to help voters for registration and education.

On June 11th, 1963, Meadger Evers who had organized a boycott of downtown stores that discriminated blacks in Jackson gunned down, and his death made silent people in South to decide to speak out. On June 21st, 1964, when three organizers of Freedom Summer, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner murdered, more volunteers came to Selma to join their work. One demonstrator, Jimmie Lee Jackson’s death ignited to plan a march from Selma to Montgomery for Sunday, March 7, 1965. To protest his death, the unfair state law, and local violence to prevent blacks vote, about 525 people participated. The peaceful marchers violently assaulted by state police near the bridge outside Selma, and the march ended in tragedy, then television networks broadcasted it “Bloody Sunday.” As a result, 2000 people from variety class participate on second march on March 9.

On June 1963, while civil right activists were suffering and murdered, John F. Kennedy asked Americans to support his civil rights bill. After the “Bloody Sunday”, U.S. congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965, forcing states to end discriminatory voting practices. On March 25, 2500 marchers finished the march to Montgomery.

“Eyes on the Prize” guide me to understand the period and the power of nonviolent movements. From their stories, I realized freedom was established on top of the blood of many people who struggled for human right. They paid cost with their life and I am living on world they shaped with their struggles, acts, and death. Since I consider the worth of their life which is sacrificed for freedom, I think it should be practiced carefully. Their nonviolent movements taught me that they didn’t consider themselves yet to have taken hold of it, but fought for next generation, keep eyes on the prize on heaven.
 
Sophia Andrews
Ms. Sabir



Eyes on the prize: The prize of freedom, respect, equality, and empowerment was something that although us black people didn’t have, it wasn’t going to be something that we gave up on receiving. Blacks wanted to be able to drink from the same fountain as whited, we wanted to be able to receive the justice, and peace of going somewhere and not having to worry about hatred, or discrimination coming along with them.

During this time Mississippi was known to be one of the most segregated countires. There was so much that blacks could not do, that whites could do. There were so may manners that blacks had to obtain by when crossing, standing, or speaking to a whites person. The level of education was literally rich vs. poor with blacks left with no choice but to settle for the poor side. This was something that Martin Luther King Jr. fought for and left behind his people to do the same and not give up until they got there prize.

Although blacks had there mind set on wining a prize of freedom it was not easy at all. With them being so used to discrimination and brutality from whites, they began to believe what they were told and got from whites. This only made it harder for them to accomplish there prize. Along with the white man realizing what the “negroes” where trying to do. They only made it even more challenging for them to accomplish this.

Seeing eyes on the prize left me in aww, and belief that African American lives are lives that were seriously fought for. It helped me to grow an even much stronger appreciation for my life, and the life of my ancestors, which are the reason for my life today. It wasn’t acting that was going on during this time. This was real. Real beatings, real people!
 
201a 1-3
When I watched these two videos ‘Freedom Summer’ and ‘March from Selma to Montgomery’, I had an opportunity to learn black’s history to gain human right nonresistance and nonviolence. Blacks had been denied access to the vote in 1960’s. The state had passed new voting laws to make registration even harder. Whites could register but rejected blacks. Freedom Summer recruits train in Oxford, Ohio, and leave for Mississippi on June 20th, 1964. On 21st, three organizers disappeared.[James Chaney, Andrew Goodmen, and Michael Schwerner] After that incident, many white students from the North to join at Mississippi. Especially this movement was so impressed to me. Because these students were still young but they learned whites and blacks were equal human being and believed that needed to be corrected. So they were not afraid of putting their lives into dangerous situation.

Another history I really shocked by “Bloody Sunday”. During that day many blacks were attacked by white polices however any blacks didn’t fight back. Many blacks were killed that day. After this sad incident they tried two more times to march from Selma to Montgomery led by Martin Luther King, Jr. still nonviolence. I still remember after marched Martin Luther King, Jr. looked so tired.

I have learned some facts how the freedom got settled in this country through these two videos. Also I give high respect for those who died in dark society which it should never happen in our human life.
 
Carmen Truong
Sabir 10-12
English 201

“Eyes on the Prize”

In today society, people may not show racism toward each other but the possibility of discrimination maybe still in our heads. Of course we all want equal rights and respect despite the color of your skin or religion. In the mid 1900, we know Mississippi and much of the south was like, a war zone. Racism and segregation was apart of everyday life for many. Imagine living in a fear everyday because the color of your skin. Whites and blacks could not go to the same restaurant, attend the same schools, ride on the same bus, vote in the same election, or participate equally in society and even drink from separate water fountains.
The infamous trio that was brutally murder in Mississippi for fighting for civil rights was , Andrew Goodman, James Earl Chaney, and Michael Henry Schwerner. Their bodies found buried after 44 days. The long time suspected killer, Killen was finally convicted for the 1964 murder. Killen shows no emotions in court after 41 years after the murder. Although people just want to live in a peaceful world, but not tend to happen because there is still discrimination in the society, unfortunately. Thus, there will always someone out there who can prove us the loyalty to sacrifice the disgrace that’s happening. Our hero Martin Luther King the famous leader who help end the discrimination between the blacks and whites. The 43 year old Rosa Parks who wont gave up her seat and was sent to jail, and has inspires many people with 40,000 people boycott. Finally the supreme court law passes the law that blacks can sit anywhere they please in the bus.
People fights to end the discrimination, segregation, and human rights which allow us to name it Eyes on the Prize. We the people should thank the helpful people who let us the way out of the crazy zone which can not be happening in this society anymore.
 
Dylan

In The Eyes on the Prize, the prize was for black people to be treated equal. Give black people the opportunity to vote. Black people lived in poor houses, they attended poor black schools. Mothers and fathers were servant; farmers and slaves. The black people could not drink from the same water fountains as the white people. Black people could not ride in the front of the bus which was public transportation. Black people picked cotton and they wore raggedy clothes. They had little food which left them hungry many times; black people could not shop where white people brought their clothes.
Martin Luther King was an advocate for black people. He felt if they marched it would show white people that they were serious and wanted the laws to change so they would have equal rights for black people. With Martin Luther King’s power, he was able to stop segregation in the south which allowed black people the right too sit anywhere on the bus. When the Civil Right Movement ended segregation in 1956, it allowed Richmond Virginia; Little Rock Arkansas; Dallas Texas, and the city of Montgomery to let any black person who chose to ride the bus sit where they wanted to sit. At that time the blacks was so fed up with the brutal behavior and unwanted attention they decided not to ride the bus at all.
Black people felt white people were superior to black because they were not allowed to vote. Black people were treated so different they did not have options, like the white people had. White people had the option to clean their homes their self or have a servant who was black to clean their house for them. They also had the option to have their servant do their children hair. Black people wanted to vote for their children to attend schools with the white kids, vote for black people to eat where the white people ate, drink from the same water fountain even if they were not thirsty. James Eastland felt segregation was a way to separate whites from black people. The white man had so much power when they felt like attacking they would. Curtis Jones told us a story about his friend who wanted to say hi to a white girl who worked at a store with her mother. As Curtis and a sixty year old man played checkers they watched as the black boy taunted the little girl. The sixty year old man finally told him you better get away from the store before that woman come out and blow your head off. That is the type of treatment they were used to; black people could not speak to any one if they were not black, which was hard for a little child to understand.
Emit Till was a fourteen year old young man who was naive and knew nothing about segregation he visited the south for a day or so before he was taken from Moses Wright home. In 1955, Moses Wright found the young man buried deep in the swamp; Prior to his visit, before he was kidnapped and brutally beaten; two white men came to Moses’ home to ask for the young black boy who was making trouble for himself, if he was around. The White men took him out of Moses’ home and beat him to death. They were tried but all the pain and suffering would not bring Emit back. Ms Till decided to have an open casket so the black people would see what they had done to her son.
Basically what I witnessed on television was all bad but I am happy I had the opportunity to view my history background and what they went through to free us of freedom. Our black people fought for our rights to be able to walk down the street. Black people can come and go as they please, go out and find work to support their family; black people are able to attend any college they chose to further their education. We have to realize that there is hope even when we think there is none to obtain that prize that everyone keeps talking about.
 
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