America’s past: Marginalization

By: Alexia Blake

Throughout America’s history immigrants have crossed land and sea in hopes of finding
economic, political and religious liberation along with many other reasons. The United States has
been a melting pot of opportunity providing hope and the American Dream, however, there is a
catch. Much of our countries history shows the hardships each group of people experienced to
get where we are today. Let’s look at a few.
The marginalization and unfair treatment which was inflicted upon Native Americans is one of
the most well-known traumas experienced in this land. When Europeans began flooding into this
newly discovered place, many disagreements existed between
them and the Natives. In the 1860’s there were three major events
of marginalization which actually spurred the Native American’s
to move to the west and begin living life on reservations.
The first was The Homestead Act. This Act allowed migrants and
settlers to obtain 160 acre lots of land on Native American
territory. The invasion of their land heavily impacted
them. Chief Smahalla of the Wanapum Tribe says that
ownership of the land is wrong; it is greedy. “God… commanded
that the lands and fisheries be common to all who live upon
them…” he said. “That they were never to be marked off or
divided, but that the people should enjoy the fruits that God
planted in the land” (Olsen & Beal, pg.23). Having their land
taken and sold was spiritually devastating.
Secondly, the constructions of the Transcontinental railroads were devastating for the Natives.
The Union-Central Pacific line transferred eastern products and goods to the west side of the
continent, however, the detrimental aspect to the Native Americans was that in doing so, white
farmers were granted parts of the land in order to produce for the railroad and the trade. This
split up their land, erected railroads, bridges and disrupted the Natives peaceful life by derating a
semiology dystopian environment for them.
Third, the extinction of the Southern herd of buffalo hugely diminished the Natives chance for
survival. Having their land unjustly taken from them by Homestead Act and completion of the
railroad decreased their access to resources, however, the buffalo disappearances caused by
white settlers resulted in their resources being taken exponentially more. Take the Blackfoot tribe
for example, this was a traveling tribe which would follow the buffalo herds and hunt them.
“Central to their traditional economy, the Blackfoot relentlessly followed the enormous herds of
buffalo.” (everyculture.com/Blackfoot/History)
In battles led by Nathaniel Bacon, the Native Americans had their colonies and villages
destroyed and their population went from 30,000 to 1,000 in Virginia in only a few decades
(Olsen & Beal, pg. 26). Their sacred religions and traditions were demolished and eventually
they were forced to retreat into the wilderness and eventually settle onto reservations. “In what is
remembered as the “Trail of Tears,” 100,000 Indian people were transported to Oklahoma.”
(Olsen & Beal, pg.74) Many died along the way.
Reservation life proved to be just as difficult. Many Native Americans who were forced onto
reservations were becoming ill and dying. They were losing their identity when missionaries
came and began to assimilate them to European culture by dressing them in white men and
women’s clothing, building them schools and forcing them to learn English. “By 1890,
approximately 250,000 Native Americans were barely surviving on government reservations.”
(Olsen & Beal, pg. 121) The Native Americans received much hardship with the European
migration waves.
Africans were brought to this country in a way that no other culture arrived: with deadly force.
They began to be named indentured servants and were told that after a certain time length they
would be freed, but they would first have to pay for their freedom. The most definitive act of
marginalization however was the act of which turned African-Americans from indentured
servants, to lifelong slaves. “In 1619, Dutch merchants delivered the first Africans to Virginia.
(Olson & Beal, pg. 96) Upon arrival, Africans were told that after seven to ten years of service
they would be free. This began to change when The House of Burgesses called for a change of
law in 1661. They called that rather than Africans entering the states as indentured servants, they
be bonded to a lifetime of serving. Similarly, The House of Burgesses called that the Africans
who would be brought in as lifetime slaves rather than time-limited servants have their children
inherit their fate as well. “During the
1670’s, slave codes became increasingly
oppressive. Soon the law viewed slaves as
property, people subject to the absolute
legal control of their master.” (Olson &
Beal, pg. 97) This is undoubtedly the most
severe and detrimental legislative act
inflicted on African Americans during this
time.
Between 1619 and 1660, two laws went
into effect in the States which severely
affected the African Americans. First,
African Americans were not allowed to carry firearms. (Olsen & Beal, pg. 97) Although this
gravely affected the safety of the African Americans, and was a terribly discriminatory law, the
African Americans still had the hope to hold onto that after years of service and hard work, it
would pay off and they would be free. In contrast to becoming forever a slave, it seems any one
would choose a firearm to be taken, rather than the freedom of both you and your children.
The second horrific act of marginalization which happened was the prohibition of interracial sex.
(Olsen & Beal, pg. 97) It is easy to think of why this act was wrong and racist, but it is also easy
to see how the lifelong slavery would be much worse. Apart from some die-hard lovers, this act
was probably easy to pass. Interracial couples were not common in this time. Those
discriminatory laws were the usual at the time as it was seen inappropriate to have interracial
relationships anyways. Most people would agree that having the law prohibit a black and white
marriage is much easier than having the law prohibit your freedom for life.
Another law which occurred between 1619 and 1660 was the extension of the length of service
for indentured service. It can be argued that this law was the most detrimental as it leads to
eventually the freedom of African Americans being taken away completely. I would say that it is
not as the indentured servants of the time still at least had the hope and motivation to hold on to
that one day their work would pay off and they would have access to freedom to work for pay
and accomplish their dreams.
In the 1860’s. another detrimental act which occurred to African Americans was the law which
prohibited them from getting an education. “Southern states outlawed getting and education for
slaves, hoping that illiteracy would keep them dependent.” (Olsen & Beal, pg. 102) This act was
cruel and diminished a slaves chance of being free exponentially, however it can be argued that a
slaves chance of being free would have been much greater had he or she never taken the
‘endangered servant’ to ‘slave’ transition.
The most difficult obstacle for slaves to overcome in the United Stated was to change their name
from “slave” to “person” and not be treated as property. Even after the civil war and the freeing
of slaves, most faced discrimination. “The era of "freedom" that began in the mid-1780s in post-
Revolutionary America excluded blacks entirely; black Americans were considered less than
human beings and faced discrimination in every aspect of their lives. Many historians argue that
slavery's legacy of social inequality has persisted in American society—even 130 years after the
post-Civil War emancipation of slaves in the United States.” (everyculture.com/African
Americans/ acculturation and assimilation)
Mexicans were another group which faced incredible amounts of marginalization. Californios,
who were the elite landowners and the most well off of the Mexican Americans in California
faced unfair acts such as The Land Act of
1851 which made their land disappear right
before their very eyes, by granting land
ownership to whomever proved ownership
documents. “Mexicans who held tracts of
land of any appreciable size in Texas,
California, and New Mexico prior to 1848
were angered and alienated when they began
to lose their properties because of alterations
made in the 1848 treaty after its signing or
because of other unethical tactics used by
Anglo Americans to obtain their land.”
(www.everculture.com/ Mexican Americans/ relations with Anglo Americans) Mexican
Americans from Texas were facing injustices of having their land stolen from under them. High
taxes and interest rates were being implemented forcing many to foreclose on their land. White
squatters were living on their land and the Mexican Americans could not rid them. “Judicial
fraud also occurred.” (Olsen & Beal pg230) This meant that when the Mexican Americans would
petition the court to rid the white squatters, the court would deny them after they were unable to
provide ownership documents and sell the land to the squatter, who never really paid as in the
case of Charles Stillman, a Texas squatter who stole the land of a Mexican American named
Cavazos.
There was a terrible amount of police injustice and brutality toward the Mexicans. “During the
1800s, Texas Rangers may have killed nearly 5,000 Mexican Americans.” (Olsen & Beal
pg.230) White settlers who wanted the land would often ask the help of the rangers who would
simply get rid of the Mexican American who owned it and the land would be sold to them at
nearly two cents per acre, 15% of what it was really worth. Mexican Americans were subject to
poll taxes and literacy tests which would keep them out from congress and unable to remain in
control of their land.
To include all of the marginalization this country as put its immigrants through, one would need
an entire sheath of paper, which sounds depressing. But when you think about everything that we
have done as a nation to better ourselves and the world, we have made some impressive moves
forward. As a Black American I can now do things that my ancestors would have never dreamed
of. I am making my ancestors proud and we should all make it our responsibility to better this
country and not regress to what we used to me, after all; love trumps hate.
 Course Reflection
In these recent years my knowledge of the struggles American immigrants have had has grown
due attending college, the news outlets and social media. We still have struggles to this day with
the marginalization of African Americans and Latinos with things like equal pay, equal
opportunity and police brutality. This course has increased my knowledge of the fact that history
repeats itself. I have learned of the terrible things that were done to each and every group of
people whether dark, white or purple. This country was built on the suppression of people it
seems like. I am glad that I too this course because I now have had my eyes opened to the things
that have happened on this land before my time which explain why things are the way they are
today. No magic bell could have been rung which ended discriminatory thoughts and actions.
Though it has taken centuries for us to finally come to the understanding that suppressing a
certain group is wrong, it will take a millennia for the opinions of racist people to die down.
In my English 2010 course I studied worldwide hunger this entire semester. I learned that the
majority of the hunger experienced in America is in ghettos which hold predominantly ethnic
populations. Since abolition, African
Americans have faced discrimination and
marginalization which holds them down and
prevents them from accomplishing what is in
their full potential. This Americanization
course has show me how recent it was that
America had slavery and Jim Crow laws.
Many Americans today think that
discrimination is not real and that it just
people of ethnic backgrounds complaining
and not being willing to work hard enough to
get what they want. However, this course has
showed me that even though it is 2018, we
still are not far from the days when African Americans were forced to sit in the back of rooms
and drink from separate drinking fountains. In today’s society, I feel as if African Americans are
still sitting in the back though metaphorically.
Despite the depressing history of America’s past, today there are more opportunities than ever
for American people of every color. There are predominantly black colleges and scholarships
awarded to people of certain ethnic backgrounds. Native Americans can get their college paid for
by the government as condolence for the terrible way that they have been treated. I am inspired
and motivated to do my part in making sure that America becomes the country that it has
potential to become.