The Problem:

DISCRIMINATION

U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

DISCRIMINATION:HISTORY

GOVERNMENTALLY:

Accepted

Minorities and Women were not constituted as equals

Required

In 1857 the Supreme Court of the North and South referred to slaves “as beings of an inferior order, and all together unfit to associate with the White race, either in social or political relations; and so far inferior, that they had no rights which the white man was bound to respect”.

Examples of Historical Inequality:

SLAVES NOR WOMEN COULD:

Vote Serve on Juries Hold Office Bring suit in their own

name Not Own Property Not Serve as Legal

Guardians

Why Does History Matter?

IT IS THE ROOT OF: Present Inequality Continuance of

Oppression Ethnicity

Categorizations Racial Barriers

Examples of Present Day Discrimination

Individual

Organizational

Structural

Discrimination DEFINED

INDIVIDUAL:

Intentional or unintentional prejudiced attitudes and behaviors of individuals

Example of Individual Discrimination

Those who are female and/or minority being led by guidance counselors or teachers

down a simpler career path due to their low expectations of the students. Thus, the

students do not challenge themselves with more difficult subjects, which would have

led one to a job with higher pay.

ORGANIZATIONAL:

Organizations whose way of business is conducted through discrimination, and is guided by

company rules and policies.

Discrimination DEFINED

Example of Organizational Discrimination

Organizations who use nepotism when hiring. This results in the hiring of more whites, and does not give minorities a chance due to past

employment usually being white.

STRUCTURAL:

Discrimination that occurs in areas between employment, education, housing, and government

Discrimination DEFINED

Example of Structural Discrimination

Minorities living in high-crime areas who aremore likely to be accused of a crime than

whites. Employers use this crime record as abar when hiring, thus the minorities are less

likely to be hired than whites.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW DISCRIMINATION WORKS IN MODERN SOCIETY??

BECAUSE... It STILL exists

Many people are not aware it exists because they do not experience it

Understanding others experiences opens our eyes to the existing prejudices we and others possess

Opening our eyes can lead to making a difference

UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS OFDISCRIMINATION

Discrimination continues through the actions of individuals.

Discrimination does not happen by chance.

Past discrimination presently effects minorities and women.

The process of discrimination is a woven pattern of past and present prejudiced attitudes and behaviors.

Discrimination is a result of historical myths and

stereotypes, and will persist as long as this history is kept in the closet.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PREVENT FUTURE DISCRIMINATION?

Educate yourself on why discrimination exists

Educate others Look deeper than

the surface Be aware of your

own actions and/or privileges

THE PROOF IS IN THE PAST!

If you do not believe discrimination was a part of the

foundation of the U.S., then look ahead...

SLAVERY...

WAS NOT ABOLISHED UNTIL THE LATE 19TH CENTURY

THIRTEENTH AMENDMENT

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted,

shall exist in the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

MINOR VS. HAPPERSETT, 1875

This was a case that could not grant a woman the right to vote, although they were considered citizens as indicated

in the 14th Amendment in 1868.

Evidence Reveals...

Minorities and women had to be amended as equals, which took place in the late 19th century.

Convincing the government these people are equal to others took a few hundred years.

To think that people would suddenly stop their prejudices and the practices of discrimination

only one century after these amendments took place, would be naive.

Hence, THERE IS STILL WORK TO DO!