“We are American, Praise the Lord” Song
The song was created as a gospel song that African Americans sang about how despite our differences, we are the same and we all want the same things. The song shows how African Americans did not wish to be ahead of the whites and their needs but rather they wanted only equality. They wanted the whites to know that they go to similar struggles to each other for example waiting for their husbands and sons to return from war. They wanted there to be a connect between them so that ultimately, they can understand each other leading to freedom. I included this item because it would give the audience an auditory way to understand the oppression that African Americans faced during the time and its important to know that through song, African Americans were able to reach more people since music was one of the only ways blacks and whites could possibly connect.
1963 March on Washington
This photo was taken during the 1963 March on Washington. It shows an African American woman being stopped from protesting while other watched in horror and disgust. It shows the police brutality at the time in regards to African Americans to suppress them from pushing their message of equality. It shows how African Americans rights were continuous disregarded and mistreated despite there being laws that should’ve protected them. I would include this photo into the museum because it visually shows how African Americans were having their rights being taken away from them. It also shows how they needed to hold themselves to higher standard and not retaliate and use nonviolence to help them gain more equal rights. It would add a visual importance because it shows the desperation on the faces of African Americans and how they were treated by the police and the government during this time. It would also add value to fact that were violent oppressed by those who are supposed to protect them.
The Color of Justice
https://search.alexanderstreet.com/view/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cvideo_work%7C1792435
In the video, it discusses how supreme court decisions were fundamental part of how African American discrimination in America continued for as long as did. This also depicts why discrimination became a more societal issue. Many laws were put in place that protected African American rights such as the 15 amendment which gave African American men the right to vote. But when voting is discriminatory it stops the African Americans from having a political presence which leads to laws being created to suppress African Americans.