Desegregating the Nation: Coerced or Willing?

Throughout America’s history, the United States has been segregated whether de facto or de jure. The Portuguese brought the first Africans to America in the 1440’s. Although the American colonists originally employed the Africans as indentured servants racism already existed and the Africans were quickly enslaved to maintain their subordination. Even America’s fore fathers believed that their black slaves were inferior creatures. So why did a society grounded in its historical values decide to desegregate the nation?

Segregation was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court during the Brown vs Board of Education of Topeka (1954). During the case it was argued that segregated school systems were unconstitutional because it is impossible to be separate and equal. It was also argued that segregated schools made African American children feel inferior. Segregation is the product of a racist society; therefore, separation implies that African Americans are inferior. Why did the Supreme Court suddenly decide that segregation was unconstitutional? Did white society suddenly feel as though African Americans were equal?

No. It took decades for all of the school systems to become integrated. Ten years after the Brown decision, only 1.2% of African American students in the South attend integrated schools. The Civil Rights Act passed in 1964 criminalized discrimination and segregation. By 1968, 32% of African American students were attending integrated schools in the south. Opposition to integration demonstrates that all Americans did not agree with the Supreme Court’s decision to give African Americans equal opportunities as equal citizens.

Before the Civil Rights Act was enacted, Malcolm X gave his famous speech “The Ballot or the Bullet.” In his speech he gives reasons as to why white society would begin to give African Americans equal treatment. Malcolm X says, “The white politicians will be [in] the Negro community jiving for some votes… with their false promises.” He recognized that the black community were being manipulated and abused by politicians for their vote. The white politicians did not care about improving the living conditions of black citizens; they wanted to secure their victory in the election. To do this they had to ensure that African Americans had the right to vote. He argued that securing the black vote in their favor was the primary reason that white politicians supported African Americans’ voting rights.

Malcolm X also argued that the civil rights of African Americans were also human rights. He wanted to “take the case of the black man in this country before the nations in the [United Nation].” Nations all across the globe were taking their issues before the UN; Malcom X wanted the discrimination forced upon the blacks in America to go before the UN too. The United States would not want this kind of negative publicity. The U.S. is an international superpower that portrays itself as a proponent of democracy. If the true, oppressive nature of the nation was exposed to the other countries, the United States would lose its credibility. Within a year after Malcolm X’s speech, the Civil Rights Act was passed and Malcolm X was assassinated.

What are your thoughts on the matter? Do you believe that the nation was gradually adapting to the Brown vs Board ruling? Or do you believe that Malcolm X’s threat to go before the U.N. encouraged the U.S. to fully accept integration?