Social Changes in the Aftermath of the Freedom Sumer - Paper Example

The Freedom Summer is an important event in the history of black civil rights in America. It gave impetus to similar subsequent campaigns that sensitized Afro-Americans on their rights. It is thus important to investigate the motivation, genesis, and the course of this important event.

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Aim of the research

This study aims at identifying any social changes in the aftermath of the Freedom Sumer, while at the same time documenting the response of both the whites and the blacks on the matter.

Research question

What did the Freedom Sumer achieve in terms of political and social emancipation of African-Americans in Mississippi and beyond? Since the event was part of a bigger black activism campaign, it was a continuation of something already started in other parts of the country. The event had its achievements, impacts, and flaws. This paper will put the event in the context of nationwide campaigns and explain its significance.

Methodology

This will be a qualitative study focusing on the review of primary and secondary sources.

Primary sources will include:

Racial Crisis: A New York Times article on June 28. 1968 that gives the extent of racial segregation in Mississippi prior to the Freedom Summer

Youth Corps in Mississippi: A New York Times post of June 7, 1964 explaining the Entry and activities of black students in the state and the beginning of freedom campaigns

Mississippi towns fears new strife: another New York Times article dated June 7, 1964 on the impending rivalry between the white supremacists and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee

A May 30. 1964 article on the organization of black minority activists and their entry into Mississippi

Mississippi Summer Project brochure (1964) - the original document circulated by SNCC outlining the modus operand of the organizers and requesting for financial donations.

Mississippi Tells off Fight on Rights Drive: New York Times post of July 9, 1968 on the ensuing resistance to the Rights Drive by the white bigots in the State

In addition, a number of secondary sources from Google Scholar and the School digital library will be used in this paper. Literature will be reviewed depending on the objectives of the paper. Some sources will provide insight on similar events happening before the Freedom summer to put it into context. Other sources will provide the socio-political realignments in Mississippi and what they meant to the black minority.

Conclusion

The exercise in Mississippi was one of the many historical events aimed at enlightening the Blacks in America to stand for their rights. The event took a general approach of freeing the community from social and political bondage. Through the project, many African-Americans became more aware of their constitutional rights. Throughout history, they had not enjoyed them due to suppression by the shite man. However, through education and activism, many African-Americans partook in electoral process as they became more politically conscious. Therefore, the event is a remarkable landmark in the history of Black activism. This paper will, therefore, seek to determine the effect that the Freedom Summer had on Black emancipation in the United States.

References

Civil Rights Movement Veterans (1964). Mississippi Freedom Summer Brochure. Available online at http://www.crmvet.org/docs/fs64-1.pdf