16. Define the term lynched. What are some discriminations that African American faced? Read Lesson 5 and Topic 11.5: Progress and setbacks for social justice in American History textbook. Read African Americans face discrimination.
The term "lynched" refers to the act of killing someone, typically by hanging, usually carried out by a mob without legal authority. Lynching often targeted African Americans during periods of racial tension and injustice.
African Americans have faced various forms of discrimination throughout history, including:
1. Slavery: African Americans were forcibly enslaved and treated as property for centuries, enduring extreme physical and psychological abuses.
2. Jim Crow Laws: After the abolition of slavery, laws known as Jim Crow laws were implemented to enforce racial segregation and restrict the rights of African Americans. These laws perpetuated inequality and discrimination.
3. Segregation: African Americans were subjected to segregated facilities and public spaces, including schools, transportation, housing, and even water fountains, which promoted a system of separate and unequal treatment.
4. Voting Restrictions: African Americans faced multiple barriers to exercise their right to vote, such as literacy tests, poll taxes, and intimidation tactics such as the Ku Klux Klan, which sought to suppress their political power.
5. Employment Discrimination: African Americans were often denied job opportunities, faced wage disparities, and were subjected to workplace discrimination and harassment.
6. Racial Violence: African Americans were targeted by hate crimes and acts of violence, including lynching, as a means to intimidate, control, and oppress the community.
7. Criminal Justice System: African Americans have faced biases and inequalities within the criminal justice system, including racial profiling, harsher sentencing, and wrongful convictions.
These are just a few examples of the discrimination faced by African Americans throughout history. The fight for social justice and equality continues to this day.