Have Things Changed Today?

Before doing research on the topic of riots across the country during the 20th century, the reasons and motivations behind them, I initially thought that I would find evidence to support the claim that we live in a "post-racial America". The phrase "post-racial America" was first coined by journalist in 2008, who felt that the election of President Barack Obama and the wider acceptance of interracial marriage & relationships would inspire change unto those who believe in the false ideologies about the social construct that we know today as "race".

Looking into my research of the East St. Louis Race Riots of 1917, the Louisville Race Riots of 1968 & comparing those events to things that still take place today, I soon came to realize we still have a long way to go in hopes of gaining the equality that we as Americans are promised.


The publicized beating of Rodney King on March 3, 1991 would lead to The LA Riots of 1992 which is described as one of the worst riots in American since the 1960's.

Rodney King Beating 1992

( YouTube)

Rodney King after brutal beating which lead to L.A. 1992 Riots

(Photo Credit: CBSnews.com)

LA Riots of 1992

(YouTube)

 More recently the untimely deaths of both Travyon Martin & Mike Brown, two teenage African American males have sparked both national and international attention of the racially motivated deaths of African Americans in America.

Trayvon Martin & Mike Brown
(Photo Credit: CBSnews.com)