In 2017, the right to liberty and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, or civil rights, are still being oppressed. Many marginalized communities and persons continue to face discrimination, and racism unfortunately continues to be a prevalent phenomenon. In many instances, such as the recent wave of African-American men being shot by white police officers, events with racial themes or undertones continue to dominate the news cycle. Nevertheless, while the issue of civil rights continues to be a very relevant sociopolitical concern, there are more civil rights today than the 1960’s, during the height of the civil rights movement. Although many believe that race relations today are at an all time low, based on the amount of media coverage given to the topic, there has actually been consistent progress over the last 150 years, since the passage of the 13th Amendment.

The 13th Amendment was passed following the Civil War and abolished slavery. However, while slavery became illegal, segregation remained legal and racism was still rampant. Crimes committed against persons of color were often overlooked entirely. Segregation remained legal until 1954, when the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that public schools must be open to students of all ethnicities (Morris, 2006). Despite the end of segregation, however, discrimination was still legal. Businesses could still choose to not hire someone based on the color of their skin. This remained until the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which effectively prohibited discrimination in the workplace.

The 1960s were a time of progress for civil rights, but this was the result of intense political debate and activism. Demonstrations and marches being led by civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X were often met with overt hostility and police brutality. Police officers would actively turn firehoses on those who had gathered peacefully. These instances were common throughout the South, where the civil rights movement largely originated. Before 1964, even discrimination based on the color of one’s skin was legal, which reveals the amount of systemic racism that was present.

While many could argue that much of what we saw in the 1960s is also present today, the truth is that although racial politics remain part of the social discourse, racism is less prevalent in 2017 than it was in the 1960s. However, the perception of racism as they relate to news events is inflated due to how information is spread. When a cell phone capture records a black man being shot by a white police officer, that video can also be uploaded to the internet in seconds, instantly making everyone aware of the event and becoming part of the public discourse. When the same thing would have happened in the 1960s, which most likely have occurred only with much more frequency, there would not have been someone able to record video. The result is that these events were much more common in the 1960s, but less reported. The same is true for other aspects of racial politics: we now have affirmative action, anti-discrimination laws, and many other protections for diverse members of society. This does not mean racism has completely gone away, but it does show how the problem has become lessened over time, even when the news media makes a story out of race.

The United States has historically become more inclusive and diverse over time, and progressive politics have seen many social advancements over time. When the United States was founded, slavery was legal and women did not have the right to vote. Progressive movements saw the end of slavery, allowed women the right to vote, ended segregation and discrimination in the workplace, gave rise to affirmative action, saw equal pay for women, and most anti-discrimination policies include protections for members of the LGBTQ community. While racism and forms of discrimination remain in the news cycle in 2017, progress has still been made since the 1960s.