Places and forms of power: How did African Americans rebel to defend their rights ?

PLACES AND FORMS OF POWER

I'm going to talk about the notion places and forms of power. First of all, the organization of any society implies a particular distribution of power between its different groups on a political, soci or generally also implies a basic division between those who have and exercise the economic level power and those who have none or a little of it. illustrate the notion, I have chosen to tocus on the United-States and particularly on the segregation's period. That is why I address the question How did African Americans rebel to defend their rights ? To begin with, im going to show that art is a form of power and then the igures of the civils rights movement

During the 19th century, the United-states were separated between Whites and Blacks. Although was abolished in 130s discrimination remained legal with the Jim Crow laws which iegalized racial segregation in public places. Finally, the Declaration of Independence, which affirms that all men were created equal and free, was no longer. Different laws were established in the southern states. For example each transport station had to have waiting rooms and separate the whites and for the blacks, blacks could not get married with withes, they didntgo to the same movie theaters or supermarkets. In addition to all these prohibitions, they were also victims of violence beaten, humiliated or even lynched In the 1920s and 30s, racial prejudice made blacks move to the urban north of the USA in the (predominantly black area of Harlem, New York, the Harlem Renaissance movement emerged. The movement reflected the expression of a new racial consciousness for African American artists and intellectuals who believed that through art, they could fight stereotypes and racial prejudice and n, For example, William Jonhson made a painting in 1939 called the Chain thus achieve recognitio Gang. This painting represents three Africain American slaves wearing prisoners clothes. The seem to be tired, exhausted and they all look the same so they don't have individuality and identity. Through this painting, William Jonhson wanted to show that black people were like prisonners They haven't rights and they were not allowed to do what they want. The artist wants to denounce the situation of African American and fight against oppression that they endure at this time. Like him, many people fought for the rights of African Americans through art However some people says that art is too abstract to have a significant impact

Some ways are more effective, like protestation And here again, a counter power developed to face this oppression. Movements agains discrimination started in the mid 1950s. Personalities wanted to make their claims heard and became symbols against racial discrimination. For example, the poster by Shepard Fairey made in 2007 represents Angela Davis, a prominent figure of black American recognition.