Blog #2:Archives visit

Throughout the visit to LaGuardia archives, the class was given a brief overview of what resources were available. The archives are a collection of private, primary information. Primary and reliable information was available on the mayor Robert F. Wagner. Valuable items suchs as the medals and pins mayor Robert F. Wagner received were displayed on a wall by the bookshelves. A primary source that was provided was the letter from Robert F. Wagner known as the “Remarks by Robert F. Mayor.” Mr. Wagner was a democratic and liberal mayor that had been serving his third term. In the letter, Mr. Wagner talks about how he was surprised to witness how bad Harlem was doing. He took the time to see what the people of Harlem had been going through. He wanted to address the major problems of poverty and unemployment. As Mayor Wagner walked in Harlem, he saw debris of battle, boarded windows, and residents that were in fear. Mayor Wagner supported the police because he knew it was there job to protect the people. The sanitation department had lied to the Mayor because he had been told that the debris of battle was cleaned up, when in reality this was false.

Even though Wagner supported African-Americans in Harlem and understood the hardships they were facing, he still supported the police officers. I feel that he was trying too hard to satisfy both the African-Americans  of Harlem and the police. These are conflicting ideas to me because, African-Americans feared the police and felt hostility. Mayor Wagner states, “Attacks upon the police, whose mission it is, to enforce law and order, will not be condoned, or tolerated by me, at any time.” In essence, Mayor Wagner is saying that the police are doing their job in protecting people and shlouldnt be harmed by the people of Harlem. He believed that the police was doing their job and was professional about it, when African-Americans felt otherwise.

             

 According to Malcolm X, 1964 was considered the most spontaneous year in history due to the fact that it was a political year. False promises were given to African-Americans only to serve as let downs from white politicians. Promises of equality and living conditions in a safe police state were false. In the speech "There's a Worldwide Revolution going On," Malcolm  explains how African-Americans felt that the police were around to be to frighten and be against them instead of providing genuine aid when necessary. Malcolm believed that a man would be better off fighting for civil rights than for him to be sent off to Korea to battle against 800 million Chinese. After an interview with Mike Wallace, Malcolm felt that people like commissioner Murphy would encourage White people to think that they can beat or suppress African-Americans. Throughout the interview he continues to say there was hostility towards black people instilled within them feeling of resentment. This injustice played a vital role in making Malcolm x feel as if he wasn’t American, as well as other African-Americans like him.

                Malcolm had faith in African-Americans fighting over their rights and goals. "He wasn’t a specialist in politics, a democratic, or a republican." This statement alone proves how much even an outsider such as Malcolm noticed how unjust society was.  Malcolm X didn't feel like he was an american unless he was a person with blue eyes and blonde hair. This feeling of alienation was vital in causing African-Americans to retaliate do to inequality.  

Adam Charles

                According to Malcolm X, 1964 was considered the most spontaneous year in history due to the fact that it was a political year. False promises were given to African-Americans only to serve as let downs from white politicians. Promises of equality and living conditions in a safe police state were false. African-Americans felt that the police were around to be to frighten and be against them instead of providing genuine aid when necessary. Malcolm believed that a man would be better off fighting for civil rights than for him to be sent off to Korea to battle against 800 million Chinese. Malcolm felt that people like commissioner Murphy would encourage White people to think that they can beat or suppress African-Americans. He says that the hostility towards black people instilled within them feeling of resentment. This injustice played a vital role in making Malcolm x feel as if he wasn’t American, as well as other African-Americans like him.

                Malcolm kept up the belief that it was best to be aware of what you are having a fight over whether it’s for rights or goals. He wasn’t a specialist in politics, a democratic, or a republican. Americans were blue eyed, Italian refugees, honkies that were fresh off the boat, and Polacks. 

In this blog I will discuss the brief overview of the introduction to “Workin' on the Chain Gang.”  Mosley says, “We call ourselves most advanced of all he species but show very little understanding for the world we live in.” Adaptation of century and millennium has given hope to allow people to forgive and forget the brutal/rough past. People aren't in control of what they can do or their own abilities. Crimes and ignorance must be only a memory in order to break free from the cold chains. Instead of acting, as if our bonds or links do not exist must stop in order to be able to free ourselves. Everything that is good and bad about America could be found in a person’s race. As opposed to how many advancements human beings have made in technology, we have changed very little towards freedom and life. Mosley says, by the 1960’s “African Americans were still fighting for the right to vote, while technological advancement had brought us into outer space.”

Racism is seen as the factor that rejects unity that could ever be possible among all races. Mass media, various social events such as the civil rights movement or war has enabled the races to come together. Class plays a significant role in all people and their lives. Ageism, poor education, job insecurity, are alive in all cultural groups, race, and religion. Black people have contributed traits such as blues, jazz, rap, tap, slang, and style which has been imitated by the white population. African-Americans are united to the rest of the nation through how each individual is a “unit of labor,” according to Mosley.