Question

Compare and contrast the conditions facing African Americans before and after the end of slavery.

Answer 1

African Americans were always put in a difficult position in history; whether it was slavery, racism, segregation, or lack of human rights, there's no question about whether or not they were prejudiced against. However, things were different before and after slavery.

Before African Americans were brought into slavery, they mostly populated Africa. Their colonies weren't very far along, and the colonies in Europe, North America, and South America were much farther along in technology.  African Americans are descended from various ethnic groups, mostly from western and central Africa, including the Sahel. A smaller number came from eastern and southeastern Africa. The major ethnic groups that the enslaved Africans belonged to included the Hausa, Bakongo, Igbo, Mandé, Wolof, Akan, Fon, Yoruba, and Makua, among many others.

After the long fight against slavery, African Americans still had a long way to go for equal rights. In 1865, slavery was officially ended in the United States, now known as the Emancipation Proclamation. Although slavery was outlawed, that never stopped white citizens from showing a painfully obvious distaste for colored citizens. Transportation, education, restaurants, and public restrooms were all separated by color of the skin, leading to years of underlying racism. Currently, African Americans have equal human rights, but no one can deny that we as a nation still have a long way to go for equality.