book review

 Title: Black Civil Rights in America

 Author: Kevern Verney

Publisher: Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2006

This book is a commanding introduction to the history of black civil rights in the U.S., it provides a comprehensive history of African American struggle for freedom from 1860-1990.

The first five chapters encircle what might be seen as the traditional areas of African American studies and the last two chapters add future perception of African Americans.

In chapter one, Kevern Verney, begins with explaining about growth of urban population in American society in the last decades of 19th century by internal migration and mostly overseas immigration.

 Between 1880 and 1921 most of the immigrants arrived from southern and eastern European countries, but in the world war period because of wartime condition and also legal restrictions, European immigration fell and industrial growth led to great migration (1915-1925) in which 7 million African Americans escaped from racism in rural southern United States into cities. In fact they were offended from southern cities for some reasons such as suffering economic condition, and on the other hand boom in industrial productions created job opportunities for blacks in north. Their situation in north was better, though, racism was present there.

At first, most large cities of north had small African American communities but gradually racial tensions increased and segregation spread in cities, formally.

After a while whites and blacks found that in race relations they could not achieve any improvement.

By creation of this idea about racism, national urban league (NUL) was established as the major civil rights organization in 20th century.

 Also, Marcus Garvey founded universal negro improvement association and African communities league and in 1923 it had one million members in the united states.

Chapter two allocated to Great Depression (1928) and consequences of Second World War (1939-45) for African Americans.Verney explains Great Depression as a dramatic, world wide economic downturn which led to urban poverty and unemployment and racial discrimination.

On one hand, administration of republican president Herbert Hoover did noting to reduce blacks disasters during great depression and on the other hand the aims of national black civil rights organization were influenced by the Great Depression.

One of the most important African Americans leaders was emerged in 1920 that named Philip Randolph. He found Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) which was the first black labor union .later; in 1935 he became the president of the National Negro Congress. NNC was established in order to unite black groups to confront the problems of the depression. But it was not able to deal with the problems.

 By the liberalists’ victory in the presidential election, New Deal was innovated in order to giving reform to people and economy of the United States during great depression. In 1935 National Youth Administration as a new deal agency established under the supervision of an African American.

But, in practice, not all new Deal agencies were enlighted, but New Deal as a whole was beneficially to African Americans.

In 1935 a trade union body for workers was formed which raised the political consciousness of black workers. All of these changes constituted pre-condition for civil rights campaigns.

The Second World War, also, had noticeable results for African Americans but the total impact of that was to advance further the changes set in motion during New Deal. In wartime huge number of blacks served in U.S. army and as a result their grassroots consciousness increased and after war they had heightened expectations and but unfortunately during 1930 and 1940 there were few racial advances in popular culture.

In chapter three he describes the effects of the Second World War on civil rights movements as a vital part of the blacks' struggles for freedom and then vernery refers to the process of African American civil rights .

In the mid 1940 the national democratic party was divided on racial issue , while, northern wing argued for a more liberal stance on civil rights questions the southern opposed to any changes in the status quo.

 Truman empowered the creation of a rights committee to investigate the state of race relations in America by that he made the first third party presidential election. In any case, committee recommendations awarded for an end to segregation in transportation, in public schools and later in military.

  The emergence of civil rights in the end of the Second World War was destroyed by cold war politics.

 But later, newcomers from the Third World encouraged African Americans for civil rights and on the other hand anti- communist purges help civil rights groups to authorize themselves. Civil rights groups during the 1950s and 1960s focused on issues like voting rights but because of disorders civil rights campaigns failed to confront problems of poverty and economic inequality.

Ultimately all of these changes led to some advances for blacks but racial relationship dominated in the society.

 In this chapter the author focused also on great men as Martin Luther, Elijah, Muhammed, Malcolm, Jesse Jackson, but except for a brief mention pf Ella Baker the importance of the women to the movement is virtually ignored.

Chapter 4 of this book is about Black Power during the 1965 and 1976. It noticed to Black Power adherents whom believed in Black Nationalism and necessity to use violence as a means of achieving their aims.

As the result a black power group organized revolutionary action movement and then Black Panther Party as an African American organization.

 But the severest repression destroyed the Black Panthers and most of its leaders were killed or imprisoned .when Nixon became president he concentrated on the principle that the law must be color-blind and he support affirmative action, that’s why during his time integration of public schools in the South foe the first time took place.

Chapter 5 begins with black condition during 1980s. In the first years if the 1980s blacks achieved political success but Jesse Jackson whom was a candidate of democratic presidential nomination held no elect office at all. But he could establish Rainbow and PUSH which were established to demand social programs, voting rights and affirmative actions. Totally race relations were reflected in American popular culture during the last 25 years of 20^th century.

As a conclusion it should be say although African Americans achieved some success but many figures of the civil rights movement has ignored; in the last year of 20^th century half of the black children continued to live in poverty, many black men were in prison and... .   

Verney is able to highlight key turning points and developments, their causes and consequences.

This book is invaluable for both students and readers whom want to have an almanac for African Americans history.

Life in the White House

 The White House presents Life in the White House, an exclusive presentation of the rich history of the
   White House and West Wing

The Oval Office is the formal office of the president of the united states which is located in the west wing of the white house,where he confers with heads of state, diplomats, his staff, and other politicians and where he deals with the 

issues of the day

Each president decorated it according to his taste and certainly the decoration of that indicates interests and believes and memories of him. 

Just marble mantel from the original 1909 Oval Office, the presidential seal in the ceiling (which is the official arms of the U.S. presidency and is based on the great seal of united states) , and the two flags behind the president's

desk remined the same for all presidents. 

 

 Gorge Bush explains about his office in a personal interview; in this interview he speaks about the decoration of his workplace.When he talks about his office he .expresses his satisfaction of working in the nice and calm office.

He speaks about the large south-facing window behind the his desk, the carpet which indicates peace not war, the Resolute desk as old famous desk which was a gift from Queen Victoria to president Resolute B. Hayes in 1879 The desk was made famous by a photograph of President John F. Kennedy.

 

Then he speaks about the pictures in his office. Art may be selected from the White House collection, or may be borrowed for the length of an administration. Interestingly, he has selected several paintings depicting Texas scenes by Texas artists for his office. Many are on loan from museums in San Antonio and El Paso. He believes that all of the pictures in his office carry the meaning of peace, union, responsibility of the president. He believes that the view of one of his tableau says him that a president should shines he should shines for all members of his country.

Also three sculptures he selected are statue of the 3 presidents, he explains about Lincoln more, the named him as his favorite president whom conserved union of united states and made continuance of the America.

 The Oval Office became a symbol of strength and reassurance the evening of September 11, 2001, when President George W. Bush delivered comforting words through a televised address from the Oval Office

http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/life/video/index.html

Six students shot in Las Vegas after getting off school bus

Six students shot in Las Vegas after getting off school bus

Las Vegas Strip- Six teenagers were wounded by gunfire Tuesday in a shooting at a school bus stop in Las Vegas,

Nevada, local police said. (news.yahoo.com)

Hours before the shooting the fight happened in the Mojave High School and school police arrested three teenagers, they were about 16 years old. The police said two weapons, a 9-millimeter and a 45-caliber were used.

The six students whom injured were transformed to University Medical Center; as hospital spokeswoman said one of the-- an 18-year- old boy—was in critical condition and a 17- year-old boy was in worse condition. Four other students had minor gunshot injuries to their arms and legs.

There are 2300 blacks, whites and Hispanics students in Mojave High School as one of the larger high school in the region.

“The bus stop shooting was not a random act; police said.”

But, in fact, it was another shooting tragedy which was created by teenagers in united state.

These sorts of disasters in schools and universities of United States proved that security is not protected for ordinary people, even in the schools. It seems gun politics is not accurate and efficient. Ownership and usage of   firearms do not control in a way that protect public security.

Increasing number of shooting in public places indicates increasing trend of violence and coarseness among people and also shows that many people suffer from mentally illness, both whom are doer of these crimes and whom are victims.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/us/12vegas.html?_r=1

&ref=us&oref=sloginhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22207840