Part 1- Race and Media in the Networked Public Sphere
The early newspapers were reminiscent of the gross prejudice and discrimination against African Americans. This form of media formed a basis for cultural and racial stereotyping. This prejudice has spilled over into the twenty-first century where multiple platforms free of government control are available and foster much more open and honest dialogue.
Part 2- The Civil War Legacy of Slavery, Racial Conflict Injustice of the Jim Crowe Days
Although the Civil War had not started as a fight for freedom of slaves, it quickly turned into that and strengthened the Union once they recruited the freed slaves to fight with them. While they won, the deeply rooted racial justice issues were not addressed, and the African Americas lived in a racially discriminative America because there were no laws that protected them from subsequent prejudice post-slavery. Segregation and racial discrimination were still present in the country till the 1960s in all spheres of life and more pronounced in sharing of public places and the justice system.
Part 3- Media Depiction of the Murder of Emmett Till and Media Images of Rodney King
The murder of Emmett Till by white men sparked the beginning of the Civil Rights movement led by Martin Luther King junior who led peaceful protests which resulted in the U.S Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibited discrimination based on color, race or religion. The media has formed an outlet for Black people to report the injustices directed against them.
Part 4- Post-Racial Pride and Prejudice
Even with the swearing-in of the first African-American president, racial prejudice and discrimination have continued. Holder made the point that the Americans had all ignored the issues of race and lived in a delusion. The killing of two unarmed Black teens by white men in recent years had re-sparked another outcry for the deeply embedded racial prejudice that still exists. In this century more than any other, there have been more injustices against the Black people and other minorities.
References
Aikat, D. Post-Racial Pride and Prejudice: Media Depiction of Racial Conflict in the Networked Public Sphere. Reviewing the Media, Chapter 5. Iowa: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.
