Tayah Simpson

Senior Project Research Paper

Spragens

7 November 2018

The Infamous Murder of Love and Futures

Over the recent years, African Americans have seen an increase in violent and malicious

attacks against them fueled by racism. This is due to America’s being mired in racism since its

founding by Europeans, but this way of thinking become more lethal with the advent of slavery.

Even though slavery was eventually abolished, racism survived in American society and

continued to hinder the lives of African Americans; an example of this is the judicial system.

This system works to benefit white people over blacks. The law enforcement, for example, tend

to investigate a lower percentage of crimes against Black people than it does with other

ethnicities. ​The results of persisting hate towards the black community in America

continues to affect African Americans by further embedding racism into the fabric of

American society.

Since the beginning of their time forced on American soil, African Americans have been

victims of racism and oppression in all aspects of life. Everyday life was difficult, painful, and

even dangerous, as America was, and continues to be, riddled with white supremacy and white

nationalism; threatening the lives of the no longer welcome race. Originating with the first Dutch

ship that brought 20 African captives to Jamestown, Virginia in 1619, slavery disgustingly

became a prominently supported business and way of life for the new Americans (“Slavery in

America”). The acceptance and promotion of this barbarous act of dehumanization was the

ultimate cause of the lasting racism that has been imbedded into American society from that day
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forth. About 10 to 15 million Africans were transported in part of the Transatlantic Slave Trade,

with 40 out of every 100 being transported to the New World pershing over the course of the

journey (Mintz). This terrible fate met by innocent Africans was just their first encounter with

death at the hands of American colonists. This initial building block of hate and oppression was

the foundation of the racism that would eventually lead to the way of life for the European

settlers.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, slavery became more widely used in the South,

whose economy ended up depending on the cheap, forced labor of Africans to grow cash crops

like cotton or tobacco (“Slavery in America”). During this exploitation, plantation owners even

went as far as to “season” the enslaved, which, “...for a period of two to three years, they were

trained to endure their work and conditions - obey or receive the lash” (“On the Plantations”). In

combination with 18 hour work days and poor living conditions, life expectancy of slaves on

plantations was only 7-9 years (“On the Plantations”). The standards in which the African race

was treated were based on the ​preposterous European, and eventually American, belief that

Africans were completely inferior and incompetent. This notion was solely based on the color of

their skin, leading to them to be treated worse than animals. The benefits received by the lazy

and capitalistic ​white settlers of North America​ ​were enough for people to disregard the immoral

side of the atrocity happening at hand, or even justify it on absurd claims. The disdain had for

slaves was advanced enough to the point of unmindful exploitation, and lead to an economy

based around it. It took nearly 250 torturous years of mistreating these human beings, tearing

apart their families, and living off their pain and suffering for the newly established government

of the United States to finally take action; abolishing slavery with the Thirteenth Amendment in

1865. The unnecessarily long amount of time taken to protect both slaves and free blacks shows
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the lack of concern had for the crimes happening against them, and inadvertently supporting the

crimes. In the years following, though no longer slaves, life was hardly easier for the new

residents of America.

The next realm of abuse to reign havoc upon the undeserving race was the terrorist group

the Klu Klux Klan (KKK), which was established in 1865 in Pulaski, Tennessee by former

Confederate soldiers (“Grant, Reconstion, KKK”). During this time and the decades following

suit are known for the heinous and brutal hate crimes against African Americans, horrifying their

community. One instance famous for its gruesomeness is the lynching of 49 year old James Byrd

Jr., who was killed by members of the KKK in Texas. On the morning of June 7, 1998, Byrd was

kidnapped by three white men and taken to a rural area where he was beaten, urinated on,

stripped naked, tied to the back of a pickup truck, and dragged until his body was dismembered

(Scott). The monstrosity of the crime was overwhelming for first responders, as pieces of his

body were found throughout a two mile span of road, and with ​Byrd’s torso being located

approximately one mile separate from his head ​(Scott)​. The lack of remorse shown by Byrd’s

murderers was a feeling shared by many, as even a juror in the case made a comment about its

lack of importance. This ideology most Americans held, that black people were inferior, lead to

resentment so great that they even saw the race as worthless. Nevertheless, because of how

macabre it was, the crime caught public attention and the three white supremacists where

punished for their barbaric actions. Despite the fact that there were efforts made to incarcerate

the murderers, the controversy over the case reminded the population of the resentment still held

towards the Black Community. ​During the domination of the KKK, not even children were

exempt from the slaughter, as can be seen with the killing of Emmett Till. Emmett Till was as a

14 year old black male from Chicago visiting family in Mississippi, and it would be there on
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August 28, 1955 that he would meet his untimely death. After being intentionally purported of

cat-calling and assaulting a white store clerk, Emmett Till was dragged from his house by the

woman’s husband and brother, and “the two men then beat him nearly to death, gouged out his

eye, shot him in the head and then threw his body, tied to the cotton-gin fan with barbed wire,

into the river” (“Emmett Till Murdered”). Though Till’s murderers did not claim to be members

of the Klan, the hate displayed in the brutality of their crime is resembled through various cases

of lynchings by the KKK. The disregard proposed by the government towards these crimes

promoted the psychology of these white supremacists. The true perpetrators of Emmett Till’s

murder never received the appropriate punishment for their crimes. This wanton disregard of

justice by the government allowed this way of thinking to thrive among the white population,

only furthering the plight of African Americans. These sadistic murders rattled the African

citizens of America, but what frightened them most was when those same qualities were

displayed in the government of the United States.

During the 1900’s, the American government was undergoing change and growing in

many ways; both politically, with the events of WWI and WWII, as well as socially, with the

Civil Rights, Women’s Rights, and Equal Rights Movements of the latter 20th century. Though

there were numerous attempts at reforming society throughout the century, African Americans

were continuously seen as inferior, and even a threat in the eyes of the law. Whether it was out of

fear or spite, African Americans have been accused and punished for crimes they had no

involvement with since the time they were free from enslavement, due to the judicial system

neglecting to grant them due process. This is held true with another heart-aching murder, this one

at the hands of our own government. In 1944, 14 year old George Stinney Jr. from South

Carolina became the youngest person to be executed by electric chair in American history, and
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for a crime he had no engagement in. Stinney was accused of killing two young white girls

exclusively because he was the last one seen communicating with them before they were found

dead the next day. The young boy was apprehended and taken into custody without

communication with his parents or a lawyer. Because of the fact that, as provided by attorney

Matt Burgess, “‘There were no African-American people in that courthouse. It was a jury of 12

white men,’ there’s no surprise that, with only 10 minutes utilized to declare him as guilty, “‘it

took less than a day for a jury to convict George Stinney Jr. and send him to the electric chair’

(Chappell). The quickness behind the sentencing of this young boy’s death reveals the heartless

nature of the ideology Americans were raised with, especially in the South, extending to elected

representatives. This way of thinking has proved to be lethal to African Americans, as it has lead

many innocents to death, and has instilled fear in the rest of the Black Community. The false

accusations supported by these officials did not start, nor end here; with more than 1,800

defendants being cleared in “group exonerations” in which the defendants were methodically

framed by police officers since 1989 (Shackford). The impression left after considering this data

leads to the conclusion that the judicial system was functioning on processes of intentional

malpractice. Nearly 30 years later, the judicial system of the United States has yet to make

substantial progress in treating African Americans equal to Caucasian Americans, in spite of the

numerous attempts lead by the public. The lack of motivation to correct this issue lead to the

belief that the government simply does not care enough to take action, which only worsens the

problem facing the African Americans today.

Despite the advancements made during the Civil Rights Movement and with The

Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act passed in 2009, African

Americans are still the most targeted group for hate crimes in America. Although the measure
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enacted broadened hate crime legislation, according to an analysis completed by News21, “...

just 100 hate crimes - including 10 in Texas - have been pursued by federal prosecutors between

January 2010 and July 2018,” with half of those, and half of Texas’, involving violence against

African Americans (Byington). The lack of investigation into crimes against blacks only leads

one to speculate if the same negligence would occur for another race. Through these

investigations, the message is clear that hate crimes that are targeted towards the Black

Community are given much less attention than those of other ethnicities, further instilling the

indifference of American Society towards African Americans. One example of the disdain the

government holds for these atrocities can be seen in the case of 17 year old Trayvon Martin;

when an unarmed, black teenager was shot and murdered by a bystander for looking suspicious,

and having the murderer be let off as “not guilty”. Being only one of many similar incidents, it is

insane to think that the judicial system can let this corruption persist nonchalantly. This, coupled

with the fact that the FBI is aware, “since 1995, black Americans have been the victims of 66%

of all racially motivated hate crimes,” despite only making up about 13% of America’s

population, shows the blatant disregard for the lives of the African American race (Byington).

The staggering ratios concur with the concept that the criminal justice system of the United

States has a deep lack of care for its African American citizens, continually ignoring and

maintaining their suffering in our country, with the only explanation being the history of how it

has previously treated the population. Although legislation was passed to feign support against

incrimination, there have been laws made to hinder prosperity in the black community. The act

of limiting Black peoples’ chances at making a better life for themselves concur with the notion

that some Americans do not want to African Americans to succeed, and instead rather return to

our countries segregationist past.

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When looking at the American prison system, one must ask, who are the laws made for?

After the ratification of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, the Jim Crow laws were put in

place to limit the individual liberties of African Americans. These chiefly southern laws, lasting

from 1877 to the 1950’s, enforced the separation of white and colored people in every facet

possible, instilling neglection of the African race as human beings (“Jim Crow Laws”). The

motives behind these laws were obvious to the Southern black people, as expressed by Diane

Nash, a Civil Rights activist. In an interview with ​Freedom Riders​, Nash explained, “‘The very

fact that there were separate facilities was to say that blacks were so subhuman and so inferior

that we could not even use the public facilities that white people used’” (“Jim Crow Laws”). The

fact that this nonsensical belief was justified to the point that it became law shows just how

embedded, and supported, the notion of racism was in the South. With the enthusiastic

adaptation of these laws, and the strengthened resolve of those who believe in them, it can be

seen how deeply ingrained the dehumanization of African Americans was in American

society.These laws were eventually abrogated, leading on the impression that the American

government had gained some sense. But this was disappointed with the enactment of new laws,

with similar intentions. Passed in 1994, the purpose of Three Strikes Law was to try to limit

repeat offenders by doubling the sentence at a state prison on their “second” conviction, and

serving 25 to life on their “third” (“California’s Three Strikes”). This overgeneralization by the

criminal justice system was negatively received by many, but especially in the black community,

where they saw the worst of it. Because of the inherent bias the judicial system has against

African Americans, especially men, this law scared many to thinking that they may spend their

lives in prison. As suspected, with the application of this decree, came an increase in imprisoned

African American population. Discovered in an analysis conducted by the Center on Juvenile

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and Criminal Justice, “...blacks made up 43% of about 1,200 "third strike" defendants

imprisoned under the law as of Dec. 31, 1995,” as well as making up 37 % of 16,000 imprisoned

on “second” and “third” offences (Krikorian). These numbers start to give an idea of the obvious

disproportionate representation of African Americans in the prison system. This data coincides

with the idea that American Society does not want African Americans to prosper, extending to

the reaches of the judicial system. Possibly the most despairing aspect is, according to a study by

the Department of Corrections, “85% of all inmates incarcerated under the new law were found

guilty of nonviolent offenses in their second or third convictions” (Krikorian). With African

Americans making up almost half of all inmates, it’s clear to see who the majority of those

harshly incarcerated for nonviolent crimes were, relating back to the bias held against the race.

The carelessness displayed by the American government towards African Americans is observed

nationwide, energizing acts of racial bigotry, and rooting it further into the society of the United

States. As this racism progresses, it reaches more powerful roles in our society, further

endangering the lives of African Americans.

As the years have progressed, aspects of history repeat themselves, though in a different

fashion; an example being brutality against African Americans. From verbally to physically, the

black population faces hate in all parts of their lives. What is shocking, though, is the shift of

who the brutality is coming from. From members of popular culture to police officers,

government officials continue to bypass their jurisdiction by using excessive or deadly force with

unarmed black people, especially black men. Found in a study on police violence, “In 17% of the

100 largest cities in the United States, police officers killed African-American/Black men at a

higher rate than the US murder rate of 2014,” despite the fact that, “69% of the victims of police

brutality in the United States who are African-American/Black were suspected of a non-violent
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crime and were unarmed” (Lombardo). Basically, black people are being killed by our protectors

of safety faster than by average citizens, over nothing. The staggering numbers in which African

Americans are victims of police brutality lead one to question the police department, and the

obvious misconduct that has been allowed to take place. It’s horrifying to think that the people

designated to keep the citizens of America safe have been the perpetrators of the black

community. With backs turned against African Americans, life in America is a maze of racism

and oppression.
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Works Cited

Byington, Lillianna. “Black Americans Are Still Victims of Hate Crimes More than Any

Other Group.” ​The Texas Tribune,​ The Texas Tribune, 16 Aug. 2018,

www.texastribune.org/2018/08/16/african-americans/

“California's Three Strikes Sentencing Law.” ​Courts.ca,​ Judicial Council of California,,

www.courts.ca.gov/20142.htm

Chappell, Bill. “S.C. Judge Says 1944 Execution Of 14-Year-Old Boy Was Wrong.” ​NPR,​ NPR,

18 Dec. 2014, www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/12/17/371534533/s-c-judge-says\

-boy-14-shouldn-t-have-been-executed.

“Emmett Till Is Murdered.” ​History,​ A&E Television Networks, 9 Feb. 2010,

www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-death-of-emmett-till.

“Grant, Reconstruction and the KKK.” ​PBS,​ Public Broadcasting Service, 1996,

www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/grant-kkk/.

“Jim Crow Laws.” ​PBS​, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience

/features/freedom-riders-jim-crow-laws/.

Krikorian, Greg. “More Blacks Imprisoned Under '3 Strikes,' Study Says.” ​Los Angeles Times,​

Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 1996, http://articles.latimes.com/1996-03-05/news/mn-43270

_1_african-american-men

Lombardo, Crystal. “42 Shocking Police Brutality Statistics.” ​Vittana,​ 22 Feb. 2017,

https://vittana.org/42-shocking-police-brutality-statistics

Mintz, Steven. “The Middle Passage.”​ Digital History,​ 2016, www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp

_textbook.cfm?smtid=2&psid=446.
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“On the Plantations.” On the Plantations: The Abolition of Slavery Project, 2009,

http://abolition.e2bn.org/slavery_69.html

Scott, Terry Anne. “Byrd, Jr., James (1949-1998).” ​The Black Past,​

https://blackpast.org/aaw/byrd-jr-james-1949-1998

Shackford, Scott. “Decades of Exoneration Stats Show Blacks More Likely to Be Wrongfully

Convicted.” ​Reason,​ Reason Foundation, 7 Mar. 2017,

https://reason.com/blog/2017/03/07/decades-of-exoneration-stats-show-blacks

“Slavery in America.” ​History,​ A&E Television Networks, 12 Nov. 2009,

www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery#section_2