The Significant Flights

Tuskegee Airmen

The Tuskegee Airmen was a highly decorated WWII squadron that consisted of all black men. At the time, this was done for racial segregation due to Jim Crow laws. African Americans suffered discrimination and poor treatment along with segregation because of these Jim Crow laws. The military was yet another place victim to racial segregation. Among the brave men, fought the all African American squadron named the Tuskegee Airmen.

The Tuskegee Airmen became the first African American military airmen. The men hailed from all around the country including Los Angeles, New York, Detroit, and Philadelphia. The men were trained as single engine and double engine pilots at the Tuskegee Army Air Field, hence the name of the squadron. From 1941 to 1946, 996 pilots received their wings there and 450 went on to serve in the 99th Pursuit Squadron or the 332nd Fighter Group.

The first victory against an enemy aircraft was in Sicily. This feat has led to other crucial aerial skirmishes between the Germans and the Tuskegee Airmen where the Airmen, yet again, defeated their foes in the air. This historic victory led to many accomplishments. For one, Mussolini surrendered soon after their victory. They also won two distinguished unit citations, which is the military’s highest commendation, for their outstanding aerial combat against the Germans.

It is said that the Tuskegee airmen had to fight two wars – one against the military forces and one against inescapable racism. Even after their remarkable war records, the Tuskegee airmen did not receive much recognition after returning from war. They continued to face bigotry and racism abroad. However, the airmen were well valued in the Air Force where many units needed the black personnel but could not work with them due to segregation policies. This held until 1948, when President Harry Truman enacted Executive Order Number 9981, which directed equality of treatment and opportunity in all of the United States Armed Forces. Integration of the airmen began soon after that.

The Tuskegee Airmen were role models for future African Americans who, facing racism, would join the military. This plays a huge role because despite segregation, oppression, and racism, Africans will continue to show their respect for their country. This signifies the coming end to segregation in the future.

-Felix, Kevin

Progression of Voting in America

Around 1789, in the beginning years of the United States, voting rights extended to all male taxpayers. These were mostly wealthy Caucasian male land-owners, but in some states free African-Americans were granted the right to vote. Many state constitutions required that the voter be at least 21 years old.
About 80 years later, in 1870, The Fifteenth Amendment stated a U.S. Citizens' right to vote "shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous conditions of servitude." Although this amendment was passed successfully, African Americans were prevented from voting with poll taxes that were not abolished until 1964 by the Twenty-Fourth Amendment. Literacy tests also served as a way of preventing African-Americans from voting, but in 1965 they too were stopped with a separate Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Another huge issue was suffrage for women which was not granted until 1920 with the passing of the 19th amendment. 4 years later, citizenship was extended to Native Americans, including the right to vote.
The Vietnam War brought up many other issues in America, including the voting age. Many argued that if you were old enough to be drafted to the army, you should be granted the right to vote. In 1971, the Twenty-Sixth Amendment was ratified, and to this day anyone who is 18 or older has the right to vote.

by Mingming and Hannah :)

Voting Rights by Edoardo, and Da Vonnia

EDITORS: EDOARDO, DA VONNIA

Voting Rights 

American colonists declared their independence from Great Britain in 1776, they struggle to create a representative Government, the state constitution established voting rights, but only for certain citizens. These small amount of citizens were 21 years of age, and generally were all white. Because of the fact that the Articles of Confederation did not address voting rights, the existing state law remained the same. In 1788, a new constitution was established to replace the articles of confederation, but it did not address voting right to many people in the United States. Over the years the right to vote expanded to more and more citizens. Which allow them to practice local and national government. 

During 1789, property qualification were more open in some states(Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Carolina, Georgia, and Vermont) to include all male taxpayers, and woman were not allow to vote. Some states allowed free African Americans to vote.

During 1870, the fifteenth amendment attempted to guarantee African American males the right to vote. The amendment stated"to vote shall not be denied or abridged[limited] by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." One way government limited the African American vote, was through poll taxes, which were finally abolished in 1964 by the 24th amendment. 

During 1920, the nineteenth amendment granting voting rights to woman, was finally ratified. Four years later, the nineteenth Amendment gave citizenship to Native Americans, which gave them the right to vote. 

During 1971, the twenty- sixth Amendment guaranteed the right to vote citizens" eighteen years of age or older" 

 

Voting Rights

The 1776 Declaration of Independence was signed to end “taxation without representation.” In reality, suffrage (the right to vote) in America would remain highly limited until the late 20^th century. After the Revolutionary War, the Articles of Confederation let suffrage rules be decided by the states. Even the 1789 Constitution failed to create national voting rights. As a result, voting was typically limited to white, male taxpayers- the people who ran those states. This would slowly begin to change.

The 15^th Amendment(1870) was the first step in changing national suffrage; it legally allowed males of every race and social status to vote. But even after the 15^th, voting in the South (and even in some Northern states) was largely limited. High poll taxes and difficult literacy tests, which white voters could skip, continued to prevent non-white voting. These devious methods would remain in place till the mid-1965.

Women had tried to secure their suffrage with the 15^th, but they were not included in the amendment. They were only allowed to vote 50 years later, following the passing of the19^th Amendment . Four years later, suffrage was finally extended to all American citizens (including Native American citizens, who had previously been prevented from citizenship). In addition, the ratification of the 24th amendment (1964) and the Voting Rights Act (1965) abolished poll-taxes and literacy tests, respectively.

The national voting age at that time was twenty-one (a few states had lowered it to eighteen). But during the Vietnam War, men were drafted from eighteen years and older were drafted. Many saw their inability to vote about the war they were going to fight in an unfair irony. So, because of the 26^th Amendment (1971), all citizens eighteen years or older can vote today.

-Gayan

Voting Rights

Voting Rights by Matt and Yuli

In 1776 the colonists declared independence from Britain to create a representative government. The new constitution in 1788 did not extend voting rights to many people, however amendments gradually extended rights to more and more citizens.
As of 1789 male property owners of 21 years old or more were allowed to vote. People who qualified were usually white, and occasionally African American males. The fifteenth amendment attempted to guarantee African Americans the right to vote. However they were often kept from voting through the use of poll taxes, which were finally abolished by the 24th amendment.
In the early 1920’s women were granted suffrage with the 19th amendment. After women got the right to vote, the nineteenth amendment also extended to Native Americans.
In the mid 19th century the 26th amendment made citizens 18 years old or older eligible to vote. The idea behind allowing people above 18 years old to vote was people found it weird that people who were being drafted and going to war are not allowed to vote.

Voting Rights

In 1789, only white, male property holders possessed the right to vote. Later, this population was extended to male taxpayers of twenty-one years of age, although some states allowed free African-Americans to vote.
In the 1870's, the admission of the Fifteenth Amendment guaranteed African-Americans the right to vote. However, they were discouraged by high, subjective poll taxes and literacy tests. The Poll taxes were eventually abolished in 1964 by the Twenty-Fourth Amendment and the literacy tests were suspended by the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Despite these improvements, there was still discrimination in terms of voting; women and Native Americans did not have the right to vote. In the early Twentieth Century, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and many others pushed for women's suffrage, and held peaceful marches and parades to draw attention to the issue. After strenuous work, their efforts succeeded; the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified, allowing women to vote. Several years later, Native Americans also gained suffrage as well as citizenship.
By the late 1900's, most of the adult population had the right to vote. However, during the Vietnam War, people began to question the morals behind drafting eighteen year olds, yet denying them the right to vote. Soon thereafter, after the 26th Amendment was ratified, all eighteen year old citizens and above had the right to vote.

-Casey F., Grace M.