Black Lives Matter Movement

America today seems like a whole new nation from the time of slavery and Jim Crow Laws. This is a generation of Black liberation and empowerment. It is now considered the social norm to go to an integrated school, the direct result of the victorious decision of Brown v. Board of Education. The Brown v. Board of Education case is considered one of the most important Supreme Court Cases regarding the advancement of civil rights, and is now studied in schools throughout the nation. Nowadays, policies such as Affirmative Action prevent discrimination in academia and pave the way for accessible post-secondary education for African Americans. Intellectual black figures such as Niel Degrasse Tyson, a widely known astrophysicist and author, prove the significance of black betterment in education in the coming of age (Profile, Neil deGrasse Tyson).

Still though, America has yet to overcome social barriers that encompass the mindset of segregation today. In the twenty-first century, African Americans are still faced with imposed inferiority, taking the form of police brutality. The Black Lives Matter Movement serves to ensure that African Americans remain free from the “systematic dehumanization” they withstand in the legal system (Roberts, Leon).

Nevertheless, it is now common to see African Americans hold successful political leadership positions in government, especially in the Cabinet of various Presidents, United States House of Representatives, and the Supreme Court. Perhaps most significantly, the 2008 election served as tremendous breakthrough in America when Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States (Brown & Atske 2016). This success spurred significant growth of black representation in government and provided a huge triumph for the African American community.

Son, American society has changed dramatically since the time of your Great-Grandfather. He lived through an era that represented the most shameful time of policy, legislation, and “status-quo” in the United States. I hope change does not stop here. Today, you are given civil rights; use them. Vote. It is your civic duty, and the only way to guarantee a bright future for generations to come. Mankind will continue the cycle of trial and error. But it is up to us as individuals of the United States of America to assure that the power falls in the hands of the people. Do this, and you will fulfill your part as a citizen of the United States.

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