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Discrimination - Native Americans

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Discrimination - Native Americans
RACISM & DISCRIMINATION – NATIVE AMERICANS
By Fred Bridgwater

Native Americans have had a huge impact on history and racial relations since they have been on the North American continent for over 10,000 years. They have been discriminated against since the colonial era. The racism against these people was legally sanctioned due to greed. These people have endured the Indian Wars, Native American reservations, segregation, residential schools, slavery, and internment camps. They have been banned from white schools, from public facilities and restaurants, and all kinds of establishments and businesses. Finally, beginning in the mid – 20th century formal racial discrimination has been banned, making it unacceptable and morally repugnant. The primary objective during the colonial and independent periods in history was to obtain Native American resources through conflicts and wars. There have been many issues with the Native Americans that have been political, social and culture. These issues concerned keeping their legal status as tribes, maintaining tribal lands and preserving elements of their culture. These elements include languages, music and dance, art, and religious practices. The main political issue has been their land. Their land was taken and hardships imposed through wars, massacres, forced displacement like the Trail of Tears, and the imposing of treaties. They are also concerned with economic resources, ecological issues and jurisdictional issues. As a result of these issues, military and civil resistance by Native Americans has been constant in history. Also, there have been many debates of sovereignty, treaty provisions and civil rights of Native Americans under U.S. Law. Because of the history of Native Americans and the title of “Savages” being given to them by discriminatory groups, there has been much legal action taken over the years. The English enslaved hundreds of Choctaws in the early 18th century. After the U.S. was

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