To Sir With Love

     To Sir With Love is film made in 1967 that reflects racial tensions as well as social issues within a school in the slums of London.  African American engineer, Mark Thackery, starts a job at a high school in London. This job turns out to be way more than he expected. The students were rude and had very little manners. After attempting many teaching styles, Thackery decides he must teach the students how to be proper adults and in turn, gains their respect. 

    The film begins by addressing the social status of the children by showing them dancing in a very vulgar manner. They had no respect for any of their teachers. The girls were very provocatively dressed for the time period and the boys did not treat them with respect. After Thackery began teaching them how to be well mannered adults, the students began to dress better and use appropriate language. 

    Another issue that was addressed in the film, was racism. After one of the students lost their mom, none of the kids wanted to drop off flowers because they were worried about what people would think if they had gone to a colored person's home. After seeing and hearing about the racial issues with Thackery, they see that their actions were wrong and offensive. They all ended up attending the funeral. 

      

Trial Reax

Civil rights act : prohibited discrimination based on race, gender, or nationality. These rights were not fully enforced after the civil war. The I have a Dream speech had a major turn around for the civil rights movement. It inspired many to peacefully protest and fight for their civil rights.

Voting Act: Prohibited voting discrimination caused by poll taxes and literacy tests. 

Fair Housing Act: Ensured equal housing opportunities for all Americans. It was set in pace not long after the Martin Luther King Assassination. People were denied their right to buy houses based on the color of their skin. Red lining made it hard for African Americans to receive housing loans to pay for down payments. This act allowed people of all colors to have fair and equal access to housing.

Thurgood Marshall- First African American to serve on the supreme court. He participated in many civil rights cases. He spoke in the debate of Brown v. The Board of Education on behalf of African American citizens. 

Affirmative Action: A policy aimed at increasing workplace and educational opportunities for people who are underrepresented in various areas of society.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission- Prevented workplace discrimination. It covered workplace unions as well as gender and racial discrimination. The EEOC investigates allegations of discrimination in the workplace or among employers. 

Trials:

Board of Regents:

Ariel:  Historical overview of case 

Negative twist to it

EEOC

Discussed school segregation

Different African American advancements and disadvantages

Lynx

Went over constitutional right

Does not guarantee we will always live fair life

Wealthy white parents

White students more likely to be successful

Kasen:

Should have diverse campus

Mixed group allows for interaction

Wide range of different people

No groups are underrepresented 

Counteracts discrimination 

Lindsay 

Vital to social justice 

Helps Equal opportunity

  Equal access to quality education

Break cycle of poverty

Greater business opportunities for African Americans

Abby

Equal protection clause

Separate but equal clause has people not taking 14th amendment seriously

Strict representation of equal protection is necessary

Bakke:

Hudson

Historical overview

Positive turn

Discussed African American Advancements

Discussed MLK Assassination

Talk about systemic racism and racial injustice African Americans experience

Julia

Affirmative actions had good intentions 

Became racist 

Preferential treatment based on race

College and employment based solely on race 

Chosen to fill racial quotas 

Content of character not color of skin

Sam

Affirmative actions had good intentions but negatively impact African Americans

Should fix education in unprivileged societies rather than having racial quotas 

This would promote better education by providing African Americans with equal opportunities

Black colleges provide opportunities 

Clara

Affirmative action causes significant problems 

 Different form of bias

Reverse discrimination 

Stereotype threat

Harms workplace performance 

Hinders success 

Tokenism 

EOTO

One of the most devastating events that negatively impacted African Americans in the late 60s was the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. He was a reverend and one of the most prominent leaders of the civil rights movement. He provided a powerful voice of reason that inspired so many people, of all colors, to join in on the fight for equality. He is commonly compared to Gandi because he was not only a voice of reason, but a voice of peace. He gave many well known speeches and always encouraged his supporters to take the high road and protest peacefully. He was adored by so many and made a huge impact on the civil rights movement, and on the lives of African Americans. 

On Thursday, April 4, 1968 at 6:05 P.M. he was shot dead at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. He was standing on the balcony outside his room when James Earl Ray, an escaped fugitive, shot him in cold blood. News of his death resulted in several outbreaks of racially motivated acts of violence. These malicious acts resulted in over 40 deaths. After the manhunt led FBI investigators right to his doorstep, Ray confessed to his crime and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. The death penalty was taken off the table due to Ray’s plea. He later recanted after receiving the 99 year sentence stating that he was framed by a gun smuggler. His attorney fought to reopen the case and King's family was in support of these attempts. Ray's attorney hosted a televised mock trial in which Ray was found not guilty by the jury. This was to try to influence and change the minds of those who found him guilty. The case was never reopened and Ray died in prison. 

King's death devastated millions of people all over the country. He was a true advocate for equal rights not only for African Americans, but for people from all walks of life. He is still remembered and heavily talked about today. The United States honors him every 16th of January on the national holiday, Martin Luther King Day. King touched so many lives, even those of people who had never met him. On the day of his assassination, millions of strangers sobbed for the man who evoked so much change. He will always be known as the face of the civil rights movement.

Driving Miss Daisy

 Driving Miss Daisy is a film from the 1989s starring Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman, and Dan Aykroyd. It takes place during the civil rights movement in the 1960s. This film is about a woman who suffers from early stage dementia and forgets how to operate a vehicle. The opening scene shows her crashing the car because she forgot what gear to put it in. Her son then decides to hire a man, named Hoke, to drive her around. Hoke is an African American man and therefore Miss Daisy is a bit hesitant, not only because of his race but because she does not want to admit that she can no longer transport herself anywhere. 

This film not only shows prejudice against African Americans, but against the jewish community. Both Miss Daisy and her son are Jewish. There is a significant scene in the movie where Hoke is driving Miss Daisy across state lines. They get pulled over by two police men asking Hoke where he got the car and if he was allowed to drive. They then saw Miss Daisy's last name on the registration and asked her what kind of name it was. She told them it was German. The officers' prejudice shows after Hoke and Miss Daisy drive away when they call the both of them slurs. 

At the end of the movie Miss Daisy and Hoke become very good friends and confide in each other. Miss Daisy teaches Hoke how to read and Hoke helps Miss Daisy all around her house and garden. They bond over their love for Martin Luther King Jr. and Miss Daisy goes to hear him speak. In the end, they both realize they have more in common than they had realized and form a lovely friendship. 

Trial/EOTO Reaction

 The trial of Brown v. the Board of Education was a major turning point during the civil rights movement that greatly benefitted African American citizens. It ended the separate but equal policy, that resulted from Plessy v. Ferguson, within school districts. Up until this trial, African American children were forced to attend a separate segregated school. These schools claimed to be the equivalent to those in which white students were attending; however, they did not even meet the quality of the white schools. After this trial occurred, schools were then integrated. 

The first EOTO presentation group that presented was those explaining the events that hindered African American citizens. These included discussions of the KKK and how lynching and violence was a very serious concern. African Americans could be physically harmed by this violence at any moment and any time. Another topic that was discussed was the film, The Birth of a Nation. This film tells the story of the KKK as the protagonist. This filmed had a very negative portrayal of African Americans and was extremely racist as well as offensive. Violence like this led to acts like the Mississippi burning. African Americans were at risk of losing their lives for so much as riding a bus. 

The second group to present was those explaining the events that benefitted African American citizens during this time. Some examples of these are the Great Migration. This was when African Americans would pack up and leave their homes in the Jim Crow south to seek refuge in the North. During this time, it was a big deal to move away because there was a good chance that they would never see their loved ones again. They were forced out of their childhood hometowns. Communication technology was not as advanced as it is today. It was much harder for people to remain in touch. 

Trial Post- Economic Argument

    Good afternoon. I come before you today to discuss our economy and how the separate but equal effect that resulted from Plessy v. Ferguson negatively affects the United States economy. 

    Think about how much it costs to create water fountains, schools, train cars, etc.; now take that price, and double it. This actively demonstrates the expense of having to uphold these absurd separate but “equal” policies. Think about all the money that our tax paying citizens contribute for the purpose of providing a superb education for their children. Now take this tax money and divide it half. Only half of the tax money is going to your child's schooling, transportation, water fountains, and restrooms. This does not provide our children with a superb lifestyle, it provides them with a substandard one.

     I am going to lay it out for you plain and simple. Upholding the Jim Crow, segregation, separate but equal, guidelines costs an arm and a leg from the federal government. Think about how much better your childrens’ education would be if you did not have to pay for double the amount of schools, staff, and books. Think about how the quality and quantity of public transportation such as buses, trains, ferries, and airplanes would all be greatly improved if we did not have to pay times two for everything. If we were to integrate all schools, public transports, and public accommodations, for the purpose of saving money, there would be more tax money available for military funding and spending. 

    To sum up everything that has been stated so far, segregation doubles federal spending on schools, restrooms, water fountains, public transports and faculty and staff to work them. It would be more beneficial to be integrated for the purpose of saving money and benefitting our nation's economic standing. The most important thing to focus our attention on is the education of our children. Do not provide your children with a substandard education because of this division and unnecessary separation. Do not deprive African American children of their right to have a lawful and aboveboard education and future. Afterall, these children are our legacy. They are the potential leaders, commanders, officers, and managers. They are the future of the United States of America and each and every one of them deserves a blue-ribbon education. 

EOTO/Trial Reaction

During the reconstruction era, African Americans were free from slavery, and granted citizenship. However, this was not the end of racism and segregation.The Jim Crow era began and African Americans were treated terribly. They would be beaten up and sent to prison for so much as using the same public accommodations.

The Case of Plessy V Ferguson:  Homer Plessy is an octoroon, which means he could often pass as a white man. In the state of Louisiana there are railroad segregation laws and Plessy bought a first class ticket on  the white cart. He was beaten up and arrested. This case made segregation legal under the separate but equal doctrine. 

While this did hinder the African American population during the Reconstruction Era, there were some things that came to their benefit. One of these is the 14th Amendment. This Amendment to the Constitution granted citizenship and equal rights to all persons born in the United States of America. This provided African Americans with legal protection against being enslaved, or being dehumanized. It forbade states from depriving them of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.