Nolasco 1

Jocelyne Nolasco
English 115 Honors
Professor Lawson
Rough Draft Project 3
21 November 2016
Word Count: 575
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The foundation of the Unites States of America is based on racism and comprised of a
system that mostly benefits the white rich male. Since the time Christopher Columbus
discovered this land and committed a mass genocide against Native American through today,
in 2016 where our newly elected president is a blatantly racist, misogynistic white man, systemic
racism and racism in general still very much exist specifically against people of color. However,
among other things, this deep-rooted racism in America continues because of the ratification of
amendment Thirteen on December 6, 1865, marking the period of reconstruction for America.
This amendment is essential in keeping systemic oppression against people of color existing
because despite it being the amendment to formally abolish slavery, is holds a huge exception to
the rules of slavery that white men in power have been using to their advantage almost
immediately after its ratification and even still in modern America. Through the thirteenth
amendment systematic oppression against people of color is kept alive and has only evolved into
a new form of slavery in American prisons.
The Thirteenth Amendment of the U.S. constitution holds significance role for
systematically continuing white male supremacy in America. The amendment states, neither
slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime wherefore the party shall

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have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States. Along with the Emancipation
Proclamation, which only declared the freeing of slaves in the rebellious states (meaning the
states that had seceded from the Union), there had to be an official document that freed slaves
throughout the nation, so the thirteenth amendment was created. Yes, this amendment clearly
abolishes slavery and free labor; however, there is an exception to rule. Every is man is a free
man except when there has been a crime committed and the person has been formally convicted.
Because of this loop hole, many states took this to their advantage and started arresting African
Americans for extremely petty crimes even for something as simple as interacting with a white
person and now that they were criminals, African Americans could again be used as slaves.
Throughout the reconstruction era in America, African Americans were stereotyped as rapist
criminals. Because of this growing stereotype, it became easier to arrest African American
through racial profiling. Oddly enough, these same negative stereotypes about Blacks are still
carried out in present day America.
During the civil rights movement
During the 80s and 90s What presidents emphasized the stereotypes through
government policy? How did the policies affect people of color during the time? What was the
prison rate during this decade? Ratio between white prisoners and blacks in the nation. How did
the war on crime movement play a role in racially profiling black and Hispanic males?
During 00s and 10s Now more people of color are being discriminated against.
Minorities are being rounded up in low income communities. Prison rate has gone up drastically
because of mandatory minimums. Black Lives Matter movement. Although there has been many
public shootings committed by aa white male, African Americans are still shot down by a cop
more often than white male. Ratio between white men and people of color in prisons.

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Institutionalization, how the government has manage to keep minorities in prison more often
through policies. How are companies using prisoners for free labor?...