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The Jim Crow Era
Post Civil War-1968 (about 100 years)
The Jim Crow Era refers to the period following the Civil War where there were local and state laws which legalized racial segregation. Even though racial segregation is illegal now, the laws were in place for so long that Black folks are still recovering from their negative effects in government and society. So today, even without legal discrimination, Black folks are what we call a MARGINALIZED group.
Marginalization (or Social Exclusion) is the process in which individuals are blocked from (or denied full access to) various rights, opportunities and resources that are normally available to members of a different group, and which are fundamental to social integration and observance of human rights within that particular group.
Disabled advocates and allies protesting for elevators in subway systems. Even though disabled people are legally allowed to use the subway systems, barriers are still in place that prevent them from using them easily.
There are 8 social identities that make up who you are
Race
Gender
Ability
Ethnicity
Sexual orientation
Religion
Socio-economic Status
Nationality
Within these identities, there are the privileged and the marginalized. Privilege comes from laws, social thought, infrastructure, etc. being made in your favor throughout history. Marginalization comes from laws, social thought, infrastructure, etc. being made without taking your identity into consideration throughout history.
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Just as people are a combination of these identities, people are also a combination of privilege and marginalization.
The overlapping of our own identities determines how strongly privilege or marginalization affects our life. This overlap is described by something called
Intersectionality
Intersectionality
and activism
"There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives"
-Audre Lorde
Think of the intersectionality within your own life. Where do your identities overlap? In which circles are you an advocate and in which circles are you an ally?
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