Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Date of Degree

6-2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Program

Liberal Studies

Advisor

Hester Eisenstein

Subject Categories

African American Studies | Criminal Procedure | Fourteenth Amendment | Fourth Amendment | Law and Race | Law and Society | Legal History | Public Policy | Social Policy

Keywords

Kalief Browder, Slavery, Marginalization, Black Lives Matter, Civil Rights Movement, Jim Crow Laws, Resistence

Abstract

The aim of this thesis paper is to demonstrate how the history of slavery in the United States continues to marginalize communities of color. The history of slavery in America was the result of various factors. Some of these factors included but were not limited to; economic, legal, and social. Slavery provided a reliable and self-reproducing workforce. The laws enacted during slavery ensured the continuation of the social order of the time. This social order was based on the generalized understanding that blacks were born into servitude. Those born into slavery were not given the same legal or economic status as their white counterparts. This social order has trickled down into our current system. It can be seen in the way that people of color, as well as those who are poor, are treated across the board. The maintenance of this social order is no longer explicit instead it is masked by policies that ensure that it continue intact.

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