Drew Powell
Bangor, ME
When the American Civil War ended 150 years ago, slavery was abolished in the United States, and the war between whites and blacks was seemingly over. But, a statement couldn’t be further from the truth. Although the war on slavery was over, there remained a nationwide tension between white people and black people. No, black people were no longer enslaved by whites, but many questions concerning their available rights remained in society. In our country today, under the leadership of our black president, blacks are given every right that a white person is presented with. But, the battles are far from over, as there remains a societal view that white people have a greater self worth than black people. Everywhere we look today, in the magazines and in the movies, there are countless young white woman and men, whereas it is a rarity to spot a black person in the same place. Even though black people have every right that white people have and are seen as equals in the eyes of the law, there remains a sense of confliction between the two races. Society’s view of beauty and self worth as we know it today is intact, but with an increasing amount of respect and pride for the black community, the long held beliefs are becoming uprooted. Although it’s been 150 years since the men fighting in the Civil War saw slavery abolished, and American society has evolved a great deal, and it is apparent that their war is now our battle.
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