美國歷史上黑人所扮演的角色-文學學士畢業(yè)論文

TheRolePlayedbytheAmericanBlacksintheHistoryofAmericaPAGEPAGE53中文摘要從美國的歷史可以清楚的了解黑人對美國的政治、經(jīng)濟和文化有著重要的影響。他們經(jīng)歷了各種各樣的困難和挫折，進行了各式的斗爭，為的就是爭取民族平等和自由。美國黑人的解放運動是黑人斗爭史的開端，民權運動期間達到頂峰。整個斗爭過程對美國歷史的發(fā)展起到推動作用，更是使美國人權得到發(fā)展。本文重點剖析了美國黑人的地位和民權運動產(chǎn)生的原因。黑人在美國歷史上扮演著非常重要的角色。同時，應當重視多民族國家的文明發(fā)展，從而避免種族歧視對和平發(fā)展的遏制。關鍵字：黑人的角色；美國歷史；種族歧視TheRolePlayedbytheAmericanBlacksintheHistoryofAmericaTableofContentsTOC\o"1-4"\h\z\uAbstracti中文摘要ii1.IntroductionandLiteratureReview12.HistoryofAmericanBlacks22.1BlackImmigrants22.1.1BlacksSlaves 22.1.2LiberationMovementofBlackSlaves 22.2CivilRightsMovement32.2.1TheReasonsofCivilRightsMovement 32.2.2Anti-segregationMovement 4Non-violentPeaceMovement 4TheClimaxofBlackMovement 43.PositionofAmericanBlacks63.1EconomicPosition63.1.1LivingCondition 63.1.2TheImpactontheSouthernAgriculture63.2PoliticalPosition63.3EducationalPosition74.TheGreatBlackFiguresinAmericanHistory85.Conclusion10Reference11Acknowledgements12TheRolePlayedbytheAmericanBlacksintheHistoryofAmericaPAGE91.IntroductionandLiteratureReviewInAmericanhistory,blacksplayedanimportantrole.AmericanblackstriedtheirbesttofightagainstracialdiscriminationandnationaloppressionincessantlyfromthetimeofearlyslaverytillthepromulgationofEmancipationProclamation,bothinCivilWarandCivilRightsMovement.Americanblacksthirstedforextricatingthemselvesfromadifficultposition,throwingofftheyoke,obtainingfreedomandbeingapprovedbyhistorywithdignity.AreviewoftheroleplayedbytheAmericanblacksinthehistoryofAmericaraisescriticalquestionsabouttheconflictofAbolitionMovementinUnitedStatesduringtheCivilWarandCivilRightsMovementwhichstruggledagainstviolentrepression.Manyscholarssurveyedtheeconomic,politicalandculturalpositionofAmericanblacksin1960s.CarolineRoth(1972)usedthestatisticsaccordingtoBryantDowlaistoshowtheinjurybyracialconflictsduringtheCivilRightsMovement.ClayborneCarson(2009)recompiledandrearrangedtheautobiographyofMartinLutherKingwhichcompletelypresentsthegrowthofanationalleaderandhisexperienceasanaverageblack.JamesJackson(1959)laidouttheroadthatAmericanblacksfoughtfortheircivilrights.ThearticledescribedthediscriminationofblacksfromdifferentaspectsofAmericansocietyatthattime.Moreover,DengShusheng(1990)gaveadetailedanalyseonthehistoryofAmericanblacksandtheirstatusquo.However,littleworkhasbeendoneonthereasonsofCivilRightsMovementasforhowtocoordinatethemultinationalrelationship.ThisstudydiscussestheencounterandreasonsofAmericanblacksinAmericanhistory,andanalysestheirpolitical,economicandeducationalpositiontoexplaintheimportantroleplayedbyAmericanblacks.ThepersonswhomadecontributionstotheimprovementofAmericanblacksaregreatblacksinAmericanhistory.Thefirstpartofthispaperwilllayoutblackimmigiantsandcivilrightsmovement.ThesecondpartwilldiscussthepositionofAmericanblacks,thenpresentsthecontributionsandsomesuggestions.Thistopicandsuggestionsareofimportancetothecivilizeddevelopmentofaunitarymultinationalcountryandtothepeacefulandharmoniousdevelopmentofthewholeworld.HistoryofAmericanBlacksBlackImmigrantsTheUnitedStatesisacountrycomposedofdifferentnationalitiesandimmigrants.AfricanscameintotheAmericanContinentasthraldom.Theyknewwheretheywerefrombutnotwheretheycamefromexactlybecausetheylosttheir“roots”intheirmohterlandandtheirfamilies.BlacksSlavesAsopinionsvary,nounanimousconclusioncanbedrawnwhentheblackslavesfirstcametoAmerica.Somehistorianpointstotheyearof1607withoutanydirectevidence.ANetherlandishshipbrought20blackswhogenerallyregardedascontractedslavesin1619,butlittleevidencecanprovewhethertheywerereivedorbought.Thenumberofblackslavesarelessthanwhitecontractedslavesbytheendofseventeenthcentury.Virginiaistheplaceregardedasthebeginningofearlyslaverysystem,with15000slavesin1681butonly3000blackslaves.(ChengJingyu,2007:71)Lawwaspassedtoensurethatthestatusofblackslaveswasconstantandsustainablein1611.Atthesametime,Blackslavesweretakentoothercolonies.VirginiacreatedaprecedentofslaveryinAmericanhistory.(ChengJingyu,2007:192)SlaveryintheUnitedStateswasaformofbondedlaborwhichexistedasalegalinstitutioninNorthAmericaformorethanacenturybeforethefoundingoftheUnitedStatesin1776.BlackslaveryderivedinAmericahasitsuniquefeature.Inmanycountries,slaverywasadmitedinhistorypoliticallyandmorallyforthousandsofyears.However,thepracticeoftradingblackslaveswasdiscusseddrasticallyfromthebeginninginAmerica.Somecolonieseventriedtopasslawstopreventslaverysystem.Thosewhoopposedtothepracticeorinstitutionofslaveryworriedthatslaveswouldconstituteathreattothesocialstabilityratherthanconsideringtheaffectionofslaves.Withthedevelopmentofsouthernagriculture,lawswhichprohibitedthesalesofslavescouldn’tcontrolthesituation.Large-scalesmugglingofslaveswasrampantwhenexternalsourceofslaveswascutoff.Thissituatondidn’tsuspenduntil1860.LiberationMovementofBlackSlavesAlthoughTheDeclarationofIndependencestatesthatallmenarebornequal,thewhiterulingclassdidn’tregardblacksasthus.Blackslosttheirpositionandprivilegeasman,andtheywereobviouslyexpectingtobeequalandrespectedandstrivedforthem.However,anylegalactioncouldn’tprotecttheirrightsandtheyfacedallkindsoffrustrations,someblackswerecompelledtoresorttoviolenceinsuchsituations.Morethan250slaveoutbreakshadhappenedbeforetheCivilWar,allofwhichwereruthlesslypersecutedandsuppressed.(DengShusheng,1990:49)Themovementofdemandingtheabolitionofslaverycameintoexistencesincethebeginningof1830s.Actually,duringthetimeofthecolonizationandIndependenceWar,FranklinandJeffersonhadcomeupwiththeideaofabolishingslavery.Somestatesinthenorthabolishedslaverysuccessivelyaftertheindependence.In1820s,theorganizationofabolishmentofslaverybegantoappearinAmerica.In1820,therewastheManumissionSocietyinNorthCarolina,whichisregardedastherecreationoftheSouth.Abolitionistsbuiltsomesecretsubwayswhichledtosomeroutesandaccommodationstationtoasistblackslavesintheirescapefromsouthtonorth.From1800to1850,therewere2000escapestotheNorthonaverageeachyear.(ChengJingyu,2007:237)TheCivilWarfrom1861to1865playedavitalroletodecidewhetherslaverysystembeabolishedornot.LincolndeclaredEmancipationProclamationonJanuary1st,1863.AmericanblacksextricatedthemselvesfromslaverypositionthroughtheCivilWar,about250,000blackstookpartintheconfederatearmytofightagainstslaveholders,and38000blackslosttheirlivesfortheLiberationWar.(DengShusheng,1990:50)OnJanuary1st,1865,TheUnitedStatesCongresspassedAmendmentoftheslaveryabolishmenttopreventblacksandtheirdescendantsfrombecomingslavesagaininlaw.CivilRightsMovementAftertheWorldWarⅡ,inthe50sand60softhe20thcentury,Americacameintoaperiodofmaximumdevelopment.Duringthisperiod,thecivilrightsmovementoftheblackswereconstantlydevelopingandgrowing.AmericancapitalismgreatlydevelopedaftertheCivilWar,sodidthesocialstructure.MoreandmoreoftheblackslefttheSouthandalargenumberofintellectualblackshadgrownintheNorthatthebeginningofthe20thcentury.ThentheNationalAssociationfortheAdvancementofColoredPeoplewasfounded.TheCivilRightsmovementinAmericahadcomeintoaperiodofbeingwell-organized.TheReasonsofCivilRightsMovementTherearemanyreasonswhyCivilRightsMovementhasvitaleffectsonthewholehistoryofBlacksstruggle.Thekeyfactorcontainsthreepoints.Firstofall,thebasicfactoriscontinualgrowthofthepopulationofblackcitizensalloverthemaincitiesofAmerica.LargenumberofblackpeoplelefttheSouthtofindchancestoworkinbigcitiesattheturnofthecentury.Asignificantnumberofsocialproblemsandemploymentpressureappearedconstantlybecauseoftherisingpopulation,whichresultedintheracialdiscriminationfromregionstothewholecountry.However,atthesametime,itisadvantageoustoblacksintheirprotestinregardtothegeographicalenvironments.Themigrationofblacksalsoprovidedanindispensableconditionforsocialmovement.In1940,thenumberofblackcitizensaccountfor36%oftotalnumberofblackpopulationinSouthernAmerica.Thenumberincreasedto58.4%in1960.ThesocialfoundationofCivilRightsMovementformedgraduallyduringthetimeofurbanization.Secondly,theappearanceanddevelopmentofalargecolonyofblacksbroughtafertilelandtostrengthenthesenseofidentityandcreategreatnationalleaders.Manycoloniesbecamethebasesofanti-segregationorganization.Finally,thedevelopmentofblackworkingclassbegantorecognizetheimportanceofhumanrights,whiletheirconsciousnessofequality,newthoughtsandprinciplesimprovedgradually.ViceSecretaryofLaborofNationalAssociationfortheAdvancementofColoredPeopleHerbertHillwrites“Thegrowingpopulationofblacks,thefasturbanizationofblackpopulationandthedevelopmentofBlackColonyarethefundamentalpreconditionofCivilRightsMovement.”（HuJinshan,1998:51）AlloftheabovereasonslaidthefoundationsfortheCivilRightsMovementtolaunchanationwidecampaign.Anti-segregationMovementAmericanmonopoliedcapitalismruthlesslyexploitedblacklaborersthroughracialdiscrimination..Americanblackshadadequatereasonsforfreedomandequalityandprotestsagainstracialdiscriminationinthelasthundredyears.However,theirsituationofoppression,exploitationanddiscriminationneveressentiallychanged.InthetenyearsaftertheCivilWar,themovementaimedatequalityandfreedomwasrestrictedtothestruggleincourthouseofNationalAssociationfortheAdvancementofColoredPeople，U.S..Americanblacksbegantowagesomelarge-scalemovementagainstracialoppresstionanddiscriminationandstrivefortheequalrightsofpolitics,economyandsocietyuptothemiddleof1950sto1960s.AseriesofstrugglesagainstviolentrepressionhappenedinLosAngeles,andthenspreadtoChicago,NewYork,PhiladelphiaandotherbigcitiesinAmerica.Demonstrationdevelopedintotheclimaxofnationalstruggleagainstviolentrepression,whichwaslargelysuppressedbytheAmericangovernment.December1st,1955,AblackwomaninMontgomery,RosaParkswhowasarrestedforrefusingtoofferherseattoawhitepassenger.ThenledbyMartinLutherKing,blackpeopleofMontgomerybegantorefusedtotakebusuntilDecember21th,1956.Atlast,thebuscompanywasdesegregated.ThismovementwasknownasthebeginningofCivilRightsMovement.Thesamemovementhappenedinothersoutherncities.December17,1956,MartinLutherKingstatedinMontgomeryImprovementAssociation“Ouractionwasresultedfromaseriesofunfairandinsultingwordsanddeedsformanyyears.”(ClayborneCarson,2009:73)Thisshowedthefactthatthestrugglewouldcontinueuntilthegovernmentmadeacompromise.Aftertheexplosionin1956atKing’shouse,heclaimedthatthestruggleofcivilrightsshouldbenon-violent.Atthesametime,Americanblackswereawarethatnon-violentmovementwouldreduceviolence.Someconscientiouswhitesalsobegantomakeaself-questioningandsympathizewiththestruggleofblacks,andthenon-violentmovementwasalsosupportedbythepropleallovertheworld.Americagovernmenthadtoputaseriesofproblemsaboutblacks’civilrightsontheagendaandpassedsomeimportantlaws.AlltheseweretheachievementandsignificanceoftheCivilRightsMovement.TheClimaxofBlackMovementDuringtheWWⅡ,asthepopularityofmovementincreasedandthepoweroforganizationdeveloped,thepositionoftheblackpeoplehadbeenimprovedaccordingly.Theyhadstartedtolaunchalotofmovementsinbigcities.Atthattime,AcolumnistwriteroftheAmericanblacksGeorgeSkylerdescribedhisopiniontowardWWⅡ:“OurstruggleisnotonlyfightagainstHitlerinEurope,butalsoanotherHitlerinAmerica.Whatweshoulddoisnotonlydefendourrightsbutalsogaincivilrightsthatweneverenjoyed.”(HuJinshan,1998:52)Americanblacksdecidedtoprovethattheywouldliketocontributetoandsacrificefortheircountrywhiletheywerealsofightingfortheirrights.Theblacks’struggleneverstoppedafterWWⅡ.Themovementofanti-segregationandrecuperationofblacks’civilrightsbrokeoutinthesouth,includingSit-inMovement,FreePassengerMovementandVotingRegistrationMovement.IntheNorth,theyfoughtagainstlivingsegregation,employmentdiscriminationandsegregationpolicyinschool.Blackpeoplefromdifferentplacesunitedagainstunfairpolicies.About200,000studentsfrom20statestookpartintheSit-inMovement.In1963,theblackpeoplefrom50statesandsomewhitesjoinedintheMarchingtoWashingtonMovement.ThispushedtheCivilRightsMovementtoaclimax.PositionofAmericanBlacksEconomicPositionLivingConditionTheincomeandprofessionalnatureofblackcitizensgainedasignificantimprovementduringWWⅡ.Theincomeofblacksaccountedfor40%ofwhitepeoplein1939butincreasedto53%in1945.Althoughtheemployment,economicandsocialpositionsofblackpeoplehadimproved,alargenumberofthemstilllivedinproverty.Whattheygetisdisappointmentandhopelessness.In1960s,laborerswithlowerincomeis99%oftotalblackclass,smallblackcapitalistsandfreelanceonlyaccountedfor1%.(ZhuYulian,1963:15)EconomicsituationofblackpeoplehadbeenimprovedafterCivilRightsMovement.Americangovernmentpassedthelawaboutdesegregationofminoritynationality,whichgavealotofhelptoblackpeople.In1970sto1980s,theemploymentofblackwasstillthelowestinAmerica.Themajorityoftheblackweredoingworkthatwerethemosttiringanddespisedwithlowerpaybecauseoftheirlowereducationallevel.Acertainorganizationreportedin1988,“20yearsago,ACommissaryofPresidentialCommissionhadwarnedthatAmericawasgoingtofallintotwosocieties,onebelongstothewhitesandthewealthy,theotheristhesocietyofblacksandthepoor.Nowithasbecometrue”.(DengShusheng,1990:56)Thegapbetweenwhitesandpoorblacksdidnotgetsubstantialimprovement.TheImpactontheSouthernAgricultureSlaverywasoncethepreconditionforthedevelopmentofthePlantationEconomyinsouthAmerica.Blackslavesplayedanimportantroleinthisdevelopment.Bytheearlydecadesofthe19thcentury,themajorityofslaveholdersandslaveswereinthesouthernUnitedStates,wheremostslaveswereengagedinawork-gangsystemofagricultureonlargeplantations,especiallydevotedtocottonandsugarcaneproduction.Suchlargegroupsofslaveswerethoughttoworkmoreefficientlyifdirectedbyamanagerialclasscalledoverseers,usuallywhitemen.DengShushengpointedout:“Itistheblackslaves’bonesusedbyslavetradersandplantersthatestablishedtheeconomicKingdominthesouthernplantations”.Thisisreallyavividdescriptionoftheblackslaves.(DengShusheng,1990:48)Atfirst,tobaccowasgrownintheplantationinsouthAmerica,thenriceandcotton.Theseplantsweregrowninwetmarshland,whichneededenoughhumanresourceswhocouldstandupwithhardworkandsufferbitterness.Andblackpeoplewerethemostsuitableinenergyandstamina,slavesholdersalsofoundthatblackswerethebestsupplementarylaboringforcewheninjuriesanddeathsresultedfromvileweatherandmeagrelife.(ChengJingyu,2007:125)ThenotorioustobaccokingdomandcottonkingdomwerebuiltuponthebonesandbloodoftheblackslaresinsouthAmerica.PoliticalPositionWhentheCivilWarwasover,blackpeoplewerestillplaguedwithtragediesbecausetheydidn’tobtainrealpoliticalrights,includingvotingright,freedomofassemblyandassociationandeducationalright,thoughtheyhadachievednominalliberation.AftertheCivilWar,manyblackswereunderthreatsfromreactionaryforces.Duringtheperiodfrom1865to1877thegovernmentranintoaverbalbattle.SlavesholdersconcoctedBlackCodestostopliberalsfromfightingfortheircivilrights.ThestruggleswiththeslaveholdersincludedConferenceoftheRepresentatives,negotiationandarmedstrugglewhichbroughtblackspartsofcivilrights.TheenactmentstatedthattherightofcitizensoftheUnitedStatestovoteshouldnotbedenied.Blackpeoplewereunabletoexercisetheirvotingrightsstipulatedbyconstitutionbecauseoftheobstructionofreactionaryforce,thusthegovernmentfailedtoputitintoeffect.Reactionaryforceinthesouthtriedtocancelblacks’votingrightbyquotingdifferentkindsofreasonsandtheamendmenttotheconstitution.Thenumberofblackvotersdecreasedbyabigmargin.Asaresult,allblackpeopleinthesouthernstatesweredeprivedofvotingrightin1910.MajorsuccesseshavebeenachievedinequalityofAmericanblacksbyCivilRightsMovementin1950sto1960s.Thepoliticalpositionimprovedandmembersofblackcitizensinthegovernmentincreasedgradually.However,largenumberofthemwereworkingingrass-rootsunitwithouttakingpartinsomeimportantpolicydecision.Thepliticalpositionofthemstillcouldn’tcatchupwiththatofthewhites.EducationalPositionEducationalpositionoftheblackswasnotlikethatofthewhitestudents.Thelevelofeducationandteachingfacilitiesinblackschoolswaslowerthanthoseforwhites.Theilliteracyrateoftheblackswashigherthanthatofwhites.Blacksusedtobesegregatedfromwhitesinchurchesandschoolsbytheendofthe19thcentury.Andlawsstipulatedthatblackchildrencouldn’tenterschoolsforwhites,justasmallamountofschoolswerebuiltfortheblack.In1954,inordertochangetheInternatinalimageofAmerica,theSupremeCourtdecidedthatdiscriminationineducationwasunequalaccordingtothecaseofalawsuitagainstthelocalboardofeducationfiledbyMr.Brown.SincetheCivilRightsMovement,discriminationineducationhadbeenabolishedbasically.Numbersofblackyoungstershadopportunitiestostudyatschool.Therearestillmanydeficienciesandproblemsonthesysteminlegislationandjudicatureaswell.Blackengineersandscientistsareaminority.TheGreatBlackFiguresinAmericanHistoryContributionofsomenotablepeoplecan’tbeneglectedinhistoryofanation.Theyarewithhigherconsciousnessandthepowerofeffectiveaction.Theyhaveplayedsignificantroleintheprogressanddevelopmentoftheirnation.Themajorityofblackpeopleservedtheirnationandfellow-countrymenmeritoriously.Herearesomeoutstandingpersonages.AmongtheleadersoftheU.S.CivilRightsMovementinthe1960s,blackclergiesplayedanimportantrole,MartinLutherKingisoneofthem.MartinLutherKing,isanAmericanblackcivilrightsleader.HealsoplayedanimportantroleinAmerica.HewasbornonJanuary15,1929,awardeeoftheNobelPrizeforPeacein1964.In1955,heledthebusboycottinMontgomery,thefirstgreatNegronon-violentdemonstrationofcontemprorarytimesintheUniteState.In1957hewaselectedpresidentoftheSouthernChristianLeader-shipConference.Kingtraveledfromplacetoplaceandspokemanytimesintheeleven-yearperiodbetween1957and1968,appearingwherevertherewasinjustice,protestingandtakingaction.ThemostinfluentialandthebestwellknownspeechofhimisIHaveaDream,whichresultedintheabolishmentofdiscriminationpolicylegallyin1964.HisthoughthadatremendouseffectontheCivilRightsMovementin1960s.Unfortunately,hewasmurderedonApril4,1968,diedattheageofthirty-nine.Theinfluenceofthecommonblacksisalsoveryimportant.RossaParksisnotableasafamousCivilRightsfighter.OnDecember1st,1955,RossaParks,aworkerinMontgomery,tookthebusonherwayhome,shesatinthefirstrowforblacks.Laterawhitegoton,thedriveraskedblackstooffertheirseatstothewhite.Sherefused.Therefore,shewasarrested.Shethought“Ionlyknewthat,asIwasbeingarrested,thatitwastheverylasttimethatIwouldeverrideinhumiliationofthiskind.”Threedaysafterwards,blackcivilianpeopleofMontgomerybegantorefusedtotakebus.ThisMovementlasted381days.Atlast,theAmericangovernmentabolishedthissegregationintheSouth.Shebecameaheroine.Literaturealsoplayedanimportantroleinimprovingthethethinkingofblackpeople.Douglas,apopularreformer,writeranddebater,gavehiswholelifetotheabolishmentofslaveryintheblackmovementin19century.HecalleduponBlackpeopletojointhetheUnionArmyduringCivilWar.HeheldseveraltalkswithAbrahamLincoInaboutslavery.HehadbeenajusticeofcertificateintheDistrictofColumbiafrom1881to1886,andambassadortoHaitifrom1889to1891.In1845,DouglaspublishedhisautobiographyLifeTimeofDouglas.Frederick,whowasafraidthatthebookwoulddiscloseatruesituation,eacapedtoLondonwherehecouldcontinutehisspeech.In1847,hereturnedtoAmericatoeditnewspaperfortheabolishmentofslavery.UncleTom'sCabinisarealistnovelbyHarrietBeecherStowe,whowasborninafamilyofclergy.ShehadbeenateatherandlivedinCincinnatifor18years.There,shehadseenmanyblackpeoplelivingindifficultiesandabscondence,whichgavehercreativeinspiration.ThisnovelfirstserialisedonNational’sTimein1852,itcausedstrongrepercussions.Thisisawonderfulnovel,laysbaretheslaverysystemanddescribesdifferentencoutersoftwoblackslaves.AnditalsomirrorstheAmericansocietyatthattimebyportrayingcharactersandsituations.Lincolnevensaidthatthiswoman’snovelcausedawar.However,theprototypeofthecharacterinUncleTom'sCabinisrarelyknowntopeople.ActuallyheisaslavenamedJosiahHensonwhowasborninMarylandin1789.Hesurvivedwhilehewasescapingfromhismiserableslaverylife.Thenheranalaborschoolwherechildrenofallracescouldstudythroughhiseffort.ItwashewhoprovidedtheprotoypeofthecharacterforMrs.Stowe.(LiZixiu,1973:15)ThefightingofAmericanblackspushedforwardthedevelopmentofthehistoryofAmerica.NotonlyCivilrightsleaderbutalsoaverageblackstiredtheirbesttofightagainstracialdiscriminationandfightforhumanrights.ThethoughtsofgreatblackpeoplewakeupthesenseofgaininghumanrightsamongAmericanblacks.AndtheirmovementsmadethewholeAmericasocietyprogressoneconomyandpoliticstosomeextent.TheRolePlayedbytheAmericanBlacksintheHistoryofAmericaPAGE11ConclusionToday,discriminationinAmericaisnotseriousasusual.(DengShusheng,1990:56)Variousformsofstrugglesofblackssafeguardthehumanrights,toacertaindegree,thisgivesaboosttotheharmoniousdevelopmentbetweenblacksandwhitesinAmericansociety.Theroadledtovictoryisalwaysruggedforblackpeople,andtheacceptanceofAmericansocietyhadimprovedalot.BlackshasplayedapivotalroleinpromotingthedevelopmentofAmericanhistory.Firstly,blackshaveinfluencedtheinfrastructureandchangedthestructureoflaborforceofAmerica.BlackscameintotheAmericanContinentasslaveswhoprovidedgreatlaborresourcesforAmerica.TheAmericaninfrastructureandplantationeconomyinSouthAmericandependedtoagreatextentontheblacklabor,espaciallythedevelopmentofsouthernagriculture.BecauseofthespecialeconomicpatterninsouthernAmerica,farmlandsandslavesspontaneouslybecamethebestinvestmentandproperty.Manyblackswerelowerclassandworkerofinfrastructure.Theywentinforhardwork.Atthesametime,blacksplayedanimportantroleinthedevelopmentofAmericancities.Secondly,blacks’movementalsoplayedavitalroleinnationalunityandpoliticalprogress.Asweknow,abolishmentofslaveryisthemainfactoroftheCivilWar.ManyblacksviedwithoneanothertojointhearmytofightagainstthesouthernconfederategovernmentforfreedomduringtheCivilWar.Thispromotednationalunity,andAmericabecamemorepowerful.InthehalfcenturyfollowingtheendoftheCivilWar,Americaneconomywasdevelopingrapidlywhichresultedfromreleasingtheproductiveforces.Thelivingstandardsoftheruralpopulationhavebeenraisedbecausetheyhadmoreeconomicopportunitiesduringthistime.DuringtheCivilRightsMovement,blacksstrivedforuniversalsuffrageandparticipatedinthemanagementofStateaffairs.TheirprogressinfluencedthedevelopmentofAmericanpolitics.Andthese,atthesametime,madewholeAmericansocietyharmoniousandsteadyprogresstosomeextent.Theimprovementofthesettlementofracialproblemsisbecausetherearenosocalleddominantmainnationalitytointerferewiththerelationshipbetweenthefederationandpoliticalsystem.Anddemocraticrightsareenjoyedbybothblackandwhitecitizenslegallynow.Theycantakepartinpoliticalactivitiesofdifferentpartieswithoutconsideringtheirraces,whichreducedthecontraditionamongdifferentraces.OnNovember4,2010,theDemocraticPartypresidentialnominationofBarackObamawontheelectionandbecamethe56thpresidentoftheUnitedStates.HeisthefirstAfro-Americanpresident.AndthisisagreatpoliticaladvanceinAmericanhistory.TheroleplayedbytheAmericanblacksinthehistoryofAmericai