Title: In order to understand the struggle of African Americans in the work place, one must first understan
1Introduction
- In order to understand the struggle of African
Americans in the work place, one must first
understand the history of this group in the work
place.
2The American Slave Trade
- The first work place for African Americans in
America - 1615-1865
3The American Slave Trade
- 250 years of slavery
- Recruitment to the work place
- Capturing slaves
- Auctions
- Sold for slaves
- Tobacco, Cotton, Sugar and Rice Cultivation lead
to a demand in slave labor
4The American Slave Trade Spotlighting Elsie Reece
5The American Slave Trade
- In 1776 a passage condemning the slave trade, is
removed from the Declaration of Independence. - Eleven years later it is changed again to
continue slavery for twenty more years. - 1808 importation of slaves ends in America. (1
million slaves) - Many slaves migrate north
6THE CIVIL WAR 1861-1865
-
- SLAVES EARN MONEY FOR FREEDOM
7THE CIVIL WAR
- 200,000 Blacks served in the union armed forces
- Wages Black vs. White
- 1865 Lincoln Outlawed Slavery
- Two months later he was assassinated
8THE CIVIL WARSPOTLIGHTING Frederick Douglass
- During the course of his remarkable life he
escaped from slavery, became internationally
renowned for his eloquence in the cause of
liberty, and went on to serve the national
government in several official capacities.
9Sharecroppers
- A practice that emerged following the
emancipation of African-American slaves,
sharecropping came to define the method of land
lease that would eventually become a new form of
slavery.
10Business and Employment
- 1864- Congress passes bill forbidding
discrimination in hiring US mail carriers due to
labor shortages. - 1865-Legislation contains Black Codes.
- To control blacks, slavery is re-established in
some areas. - Blacks owned marine railroad, employed 300 black
workers- black artisans. - Over the next 25 years black artisans will
disappear as white society reserves skilled
crafts for white. - 1869 blacks to form their own labor union.
- 1877- 14 blacks served at one time in the House
of Representatives. - 1879 1.25 million blacks join Colored Farmers
Alliance. -
11Blacks in Industryand Unions
- During the 1880s American industry railroads,
mining, lumber, steel and construction would hire
blacks as unskilled labor. - Cotton pickers unionize and strike for higher
wages.
12- 1896 National Association of Colored Women was
founded. - 1897 The American Negro Academy founded to
provide a forum for black intellectual
discourse. - 1900 The National Negro Business League is
organized, sponsored by Booker T. Washington, it
begins to form local all-black labor unions. - 1903 Manhattans Harlem district begin to develop
by a black realtor. - 1908 California to allow blacks to develop
industry. - 1911 first New York black police officer.
- 1912 NAACP founded (National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People). - 1920 union formed for black dinning room train
cars employees. - 1923 Grace Del Marco model agency paved the way
for black models.
13- 1924 National Negro Business League have 1
million dollars to help black business and
investments. - 1929 Black workers in dress industry organized
garment union. - 1930 Black railroad workers organize a convention
to fight discrimination. - 1932 10 blacks are killed when white employees
prevent blacks from working.
14Symbols of power and achievement
Joe Lewis
Rosa Parks
Marian Anderson
The Little Rock Nine
15- THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
16March on Washington
- The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom took
place in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1963.
Attended by some 250,000 people, it was the
largest demonstration ever seen in the nation's
capital, and one of the first to have extensive
television coverage.
17Americans
18Cultural AttributesJones, 1988 as cited in
Triandis, 1994
- Contemporary African-American
- Spiritual
- Spiritual forces
- Harmony with nature
- Present oriented
- Time is defined by the rhythm of social
relationship - Oral Emphasis on context
- Expressive
- Movement
- Surprise
- Improvisation
- Rejection of routine
- Social responsibility
- Collectivism
- Identity defined by
- Expression
- Style
- Spontaneous activity
- Gregarious
- European-American
- Materialistic, mechanistic
- Physical forces
- Control nature
- Future oriented
- Time is money time is to be used
- Written emphasis on content
- Controlled expression
- Balance
- Predictability
- Routine
- Individualism
- Self-focused
- Identity defined by
- Property
- Experience
- Record of accomplishments
- Task oriented
- Narrowly driven
19(No Transcript)
20Research
- Contemporary African-Americans are trying to find
a balance between two tendencies - African Culture
- European-American Culture
21A large empirical study (Triandis,1979) concluded
- The similarities in the subjective cultures of
African-Americans and European-Americans are
overwhelming the differences are small.
22The major difference occurs when African
Americans who have never had a job are compared
with other African Americans and
European-Americans.
23Both blacks and whites see conflict in
black-white relationships.
24The different groups of blacks all favored
formal forms of address (Mr., Mrs.), more than
whites it implies acceptance of respect.
25Differences between employed blacks and
unemployed blacks is that they live in an
ecosystem of mistrust a system of feelings or
beliefs and behaviors that include not trusting
people, not trusting themselves, not trusting the
way the establishment institutions function, and
not trusting the dependability of relationships
between events occurring in their environment.
26Another difference between these two groups is
the latter has an ambivalence about their
self-concept, the unemployed when compared to the
employed do not think of themselves as
important and they value being a powerful
person more than they value being a nice
person.
27Unemployed blacks, when compared to employed
blacks, see social relationships as a Pose or
when people try to appear better or more
important than they actually are.
28Unemployed blacks accept conditions in the
ghetto (crime, drugs) as normal.
29Unemployed blacks have strong anti-establishment
impulses including rejection of people who do
well under the status quo, such as blacks who are
successful.
30Most of these behaviors are functional and have
been adopted in order to survive the situation
unemployed blacks are in.
31Both blacks and whites think that their own
group is less prejudiced than the other group.
32Both blacks and whites think of people in roles
according to the role rather than the race.
(Black policemen are seen the same as White
policemen)
33There are more similarities than differences in
the responses of blacks and whites-some blacks
are much more like the white middle class than
they are like other blacks. Unemployed blacks are
the only black sample that is consistently most
different from the white middle class.
34Summary
- In reviewing this information- African Americans
have many advantages and different perceptions
that a work place could utilize to better the
companies productivity, competitiveness in market
place, and solutions to problems. - Employers that utilize a workforce that may be
drawing from the unemployed black population need
to make the employee feel safe, and give
stability in order to realize that employees true
potential.
35An African American Perspectiveillustrative of
situations that African-Americans might encounter
- They take my kindness for weakness.
- They consider my uniqueness strange.
- They see my confidence as conceit.
- They call my language slang.
- They take my silence for speechlessness.
- They see my mistakes as defeat.
- They consider my success accidental.
36An African American Perspective
- My questions mean I am unaware.
- Any praise is preferential treatment.
- My advancement is somehow unfair.
- To voice concern is discontentment.
- If I stand up for myself I am too defensive.
- Pride in my race makes me Too Black.
- Im defiant if I separate.
37An African American Perspective
- If I dont trust them I am too apprehensive.
- Im fake if I assimilate.
38African American Perspective - Situations
- You arrive at work on time as usual. Your boss,
making her rounds, peeks in and remark with
surprise, Oh, youre here! - You have to perform at 250 just to stay even.
- You are frequently asked why you change your
hairstyle so often.
39African American Perspective - Situations
- A colleague says with a broad smile, You know, I
really like you, I dont see color. I dont think
of you as black. - You tell your manager about a problem you are
having and the response you get is Youve got to
be exaggerating! I find that hard to believe.
40African American Perspective - Situations
- You continually get more responsibility, but no
authority. - After a co-worker returns from a weekend in the
sun, they run to you on Monday morning and extend
their arm to touch yours and say, Hey I am
darker than you.
41African American Perspective - Situations
- You are being recognized at a company banquet. As
you approach the stage to receive your companys
highest achievement award, your corporations top
executive exclaims, Yo homeboy,
congratulations!
42Employment Laws
- African Americans in the Work Place
43We The People
- Constitution
- - People did not include African Americans.
They were possessions or property. -
-
-
44Amendment XIII
- Ratified December 6, 1865
- Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary
servitude, except for crime whereof the party
shall have been duly convicted, shall exist
within the United States, or any place subject to
their jurisdiction. - Article IV, section 2, of the constitution was
superseded by the 13th amendment. - Buffalo Soldier (right) in the Civil War.
45Jim Crow Laws About Employment
- From the 1880s-1960s America enforced
segregation through these laws. - Toilet Facilities, Male
- - Every employer of white or negro males shall
provide for such white or negro males reasonably
accessible separate toilet facilities. Alabama
46Jim Crow laws
- Barbers
- - No colored barber shall serve as a barber
to white women or girls. Georgia - Amateur Baseball
- - .. It shall be unlawful for any amateur
colored baseball team to play baseball in any
vacant lot or baseball diamond within two blocks
of any playground devoted to the white race.
Georgia
47Jim Crow Laws
- Militia
- - The white and colored militia shall be
separately enrolled, and shall never be compelled
to serve in the same organization. No
organization of colored troops shall be permitted
where white troops are available, and while white
permitted to be organized, colored troops shall
be under the command of white officers. North
Carolina
48Jim Crow Laws
- Mining
- - The baths and lockers for the negroes shall
be separate from the white race, but may be in
the same building. Oklahoma - Promotion of Equality
- - Any personwho shall be guilty of printing,
publishing or circulating printed, typewritten or
written matter urging or presenting for public
acceptance or general information, arguments or
suggestions in favor of social equality.shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to fine or
not exceeding five hundred dollars or
imprisonment not exceeding six months or both.
Mississippi
49Controversy over The New Deal
- Davis-Bacon Act of 1931
- - It requires employers to pay locally
prevailing wage on federally funded projects. - The NAACP and the National Urban League opposed
it in 1931.
50Davis-Bacon Act
- David Bernstein argues that the Davis-Bacon Act
is unconstitutional and discriminatory (even in
present times). - He says the law was passed to favor white-only
unionized workers over non-unionized black
workers. - He states that black workers lost their
bargaining power because they could no longer
undercut wages.
51Davis-Bacon Act
- With Jim Crow laws actively discriminating in the
1930s, the black workers power was in his
bargain. - Many African-Americans lost their jobs because
Companies were not willing to pay a black man
that high of a wage. The discriminatory unions
didnt help either.
52Discrimination of Unions
- It was possible for unions to discriminate
because of professional-licensing laws for
plumbers, barbers, and doctors. - African-Americans were not allowed in the schools
that provided such licensing.
53Positive Outcomes of the New Deal
- Many organizations and individuals collectively
strengthened the African-Americans fight to work. - The NAACP campaigned against unequal education in
the south, saying education was a means to better
income. - The Public Works Administration (PWA) called for
a no-discrimination policy on federally funded
work projects.
54PWA
- The PWA constructed a non-discrimination clause
to be included in all PWA contracts. - - There was one problem, how to enforce it.
- Ickes and Hastie, administrators of the PWA,
devised a procedure whereby PWA contract
recipients were required to employ a minimum
percentage of black skilled labor, based on the
percentage of skilled black laborers in the local
population according to the 1930 occupational
census. - -Patricia Sullivan, Days of Hope
55Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Title VII of the CRA
- Employer is defined as an industry affecting
commerce who has 25 or more employees. These 25
employees must also work 20 or more calendar
weeks. - Section 703. Prohibits discrimination based on
race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
56CRA
- No employer is allowed to discriminate.
- - During hiring, or termination, and with
respect to compensation, terms, conditions,
privileges of employment. - - It is unlawful for an employer to limit,
segregate, or classify an employee that would
deprive him/her from opportunities and status as
an employee.
57CRA and Labor Organizations
- It is unlawful for Labor Unions to exclude and
discriminate against members or prospective
members. - - including apprenticeships and training
programs. - - unlawful employment practice does not
include a member of the Communist Party of the
United States.
58Positive attributes of the CRA
- The Davis-Bacon Act could no longer legally
discriminate. In fact it became a positive
reinforcement for African-Americans bargaining
power. Unions could not exempt blacks from
membership and therefore were paid prevailing
wages. - The EEOC was created by section 705 to enforce
the CRA. - Affirmative Action (EO 11246) was also put into
law, 1965, to help support application of the
CRA. Affirmative Action is the proactive
recruitment, hiring, promotion of minorities. - These, CRA, Affirmative Action, and the EEOC, all
increased African-Americans opportunities for
employment. - Peoples attitudes and behavior toward
African-Americans in the work force have changed.
59Signing of the Civil Rights Act
60Effect of Civil Rights Act
61The Impact of These Laws Today
- Progress or Regress?
- - The progress of the African-American worker
has not been linear. - There have been a small amount of African
Americans to serve in the U.S. Senate since 1870. - Barack Obama from IL.
- The first female
- African American in
- the U.S. Senate was
- Carol Moseley-Braun, 1992.
-
62These Laws and Today
- A survey done in 1995 concluded that diversity
programs were helpful. But were they working
fast and hard enough?
631995 Study
- SC Johnson Wax
- - 1 of 43 officers are African American
- - 367 increase in purchases from minority and
woman-owned businesses - Teachers Insurance and Annuity
Association-College Retirement Equities Fund
(TIAA-CREF) - - African Americans make up 11.6 of officials
and managers - - 10 member board of TIAA 3 are African
Americans - - 10 member board of CREF 2 are African American
- Texas Instruments Inc. and Ameritech Corp also
did well in the survey.
64Davis-Bacon Suspension
- David Bernstein and those who oppose Big
Government would argue that this is a great thing
for African-Americans. - This may or may not be helping African-Americans
rebuild their lives, economically, especially
after the Davis-Bacon Act has increased many
African-Americans income.
65No-Bid Contract Recipients
- The Corporations who have received no-bid
contracts to rebuild the Gulf are - The Army Corps of Engineers
- The Shaw Group
- Boh Brothers Construction
- Kellogg Brown Root
- Bechtel Group Inc.
-
-
66Davis-Bacon Suspended
- 62 billion has been allocated from the Federal
Government to rebuild the Gulf Coast. - Portions of the 62 billion will go to
construction companies rebuilding the Gulf. By
not having to pay a prevailing wage these
companies profit margins have substantially
increased. - - Prevailing wage in Louisiana is between 9 and
10 per hour, an already low prevailing wage.
Now workers will only be paid 5.15 per hour.
67Davis-Bacon Suspended
- What does this have to do with African-American
workers? - The areas hit by the hurricanes are a heavily
impoverished and African-American communities. - They will receive an income that equates to lower
than the poverty line to rebuild their lives. - Whether or not this suspension has racial
implications is not for me to conclude, but it
does have adverse effects for the
African-American population of the Gulf region.
68Affirmative Action Waived
- Friday September 23, 2005 Affirmative Action
policies are waived for any contracts regarding
the reconstruction of the Gulf Coast. - - meaning the companies reconstructing the Gulf
region have a personal responsibility to hire
African-Americans and minority-owned companies as
sub-contractors because it will not be legally
enforced.
69Have we done enough?
- While much progress has been made, is this enough
though? There are still gaps between Blacks and
Whites income. Unemployment for
African-Americans is consistently higher, even
though Blacks make up a smaller portion of the
work force.
70Unemployment Statistics for 2004
71Average Duration of Unemployment in Weeks
72Asking You
- We are not concerned with the political
implications of this cartoon. - There is a specific Myth we have discussed in
class that this cartoon is an example of. - What is the Myth and Why?
73Guest Speaker
- Karen Brown, MSW
- Personal experiences with discrimination in
employment - One womans view on the continuation of the Civil
Rights struggle