Outsiders Compare and Contrast Free Essays

The Outsiders book and movie were completely different, but they still had some similarities. Like how they both talk about the lives of the characters, for example the movie doesn’t talk about Johnny’s abusive parents or any of the socs. In the book they talk about bobs and cheery valances life. We will write a custom essay sample on Outsiders Compare and Contrast or any similar topic only for you Order Now There are a lot of appearance-related differences. For instance, Dally’s supposed to have this lynx-like, almost elfin look with ungreased hair so blonde it’s nearly white. Soda’s hair is supposed to be dark gold. Pony’s hair is supposed to be like Soda’s hair but slightly redder. Steve’s hair is supposed to be slicked back in very complicated black swirls. Two-Bit’s supposed to be tall with rusty hair and exaggerated sideburns. The movie cut out all of the Sandy drama I thought the movie made Two-Bit more serious. He cracked some jokes, but the book made him out to be fiercely playful and whatnot, almost always being wise. The movie placed a bit of emphasis — not much, but still — on Dally’s necklace, which was nonexistent in the book. In the movie, he wore a St. Christopher medallion. The movie made Soda seem considerably less happy than the book made him out to be — that is, the book made it clear he was naturally a happy person who got â€Å"drunk off life,† but in the movie, he was awfully happy a lot of the time so the audience didn’t know this character trait. The movie skims over Pony’s illness after the rumble, during which time Randy visits their home. The regular movie edition skips the entire first chapter pretty solidly, but the extended opening does tell you about the first chapter. The movie makes no mention of Soda’s horse, Mickey Mouse. It also ignores Soda’s past dabbling in rodeo bronco-riding. In the movie, the Socs are from the south side of town and the greasers are from the north. In the book, the Socs are from the west and the greasers from the east. In the movie, when Pony comes home from the lot at two in the morning, Darry shoves him hard and he falls. In the book Darry just slaps him across the face. The movie, understandably, drops some of the banter between Two-Bit and Marcia at the movies. As far as I remember the movie didn’t include Dally messing around. Little scenes like Dally terrorizing those kids weren’t in the book. The movie showed Dally alone at the store when he held it up, whereas the book didn’t describe that. The movie showed Pony’s dreams. The movie never mentions that girl who looks good in yellow, the one who called Pony a hood when he whipped out his blade during class to cut a worm. How to cite Outsiders Compare and Contrast, Papers

Solar energy is the least polluting and the most i Essay Example For Students

Solar energy is the least polluting and the most i Essay nexaustable of all known energy sources such as coal and natural gases. Other forms of energy have shown significant drawbacks to our enviorment but solar energy is safe and has great potential. There is an abundance of solar energy in our enviroment that we are now beginning to use as our technology advances. There are many practical solar energy systems used today, the most commonly used are solar heated homes, and small electric systems. These two systems when applied to solar energy have proven to last over a decade. Also these electrical systems show the best way to harness solar energy by: solar thermal systems, and solar electrical systems. Solar thermal systems convert the energy of the sun into heat, and then use the heat whenever desired. The electric systems convert the energy of the sun directly into electrical energy, and can be used just like our electrical energy we use. Some less popular models fo solar energy systems are the domestic water heating systems, remote water pumps, and electric power for radio repeaters. Most of our spacecrafts use solar power for things like communication. One example would be the Mir Cooperative Solar Array Program. Solar energy is in the process of being tested, and in hopes may be used in the near future. The avalibility of solar energy on the Earths surface varies in many different ways. Most of the energy we use requires both constant and readily available energy. One of the greatest challenges that the designer of solar energy would have is to be able to forecast the availability of solar energy and to capture and store it so it can be used when nessecary. The rotation of the Earth on its axis, changing of the seasons, and the orbiting of the Earth around the sun are all predictable factors that have to be considered when dealing with solar energy. However there are many unpredictable factors that also would have great impact on solar energy. Another great challenge the designer of solar energy may have it to create a devise that could be able to capture the solar energy in the radiation form, and to convert the radiation into a useful form of energy .

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Essay Example For Students

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Essay To turn Jim in, or not to turn Jim in, that is the question that Huck is faced with in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Whether it is nobler to protect a friend or to give in to the demands of society by ending a friendship. This novel portrays a period in American history where most Southern whites considered blacks as a piece of property. Huck, a white Southern boy, and Jim, a run-away slave, had a friendship that was inappropriate in society. During their adventurous journey, Huck would have to confront the consequences of protecting a run-away slave, if he decided to give Jim protection. Throughout this novel the relationship between Huck and Jim differs in and out of society because of Hucks feelings towards Jim. These two adventurers had planned to leave the Mississippi and go North, but missed their chance. The river took them farther and farther South. If Jim was caught, he would be in big trouble. If Huck didnt turn Jim in, he would also be in big trouble. We will write a custom essay on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Huck found himself battling with his conscience, when he realized how close Jim was to his freedom, I begun to get it through my head that he was most freeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ and who was to blame for it? Why, me. I couldnt get that out of my conscience, no how nor no way. pg. 85 Turning Jim in would be difficult, since he was a benevolent and amiable man. It was not righteous that he should be hurt, but if Huck helped Jim run away, he would have to turn his back on his own people. He would be saying slavery, and everyone who believed in it, was wrong. Huck came to the decision to tell someone about Jim that will force him back into slavery. Soon enough they encountered two white men on a skiff. During this incident Huck perceived that his feelings to protect Jim were stronger than his feelings to turn him in. He lied when the men asked if Jim was white or black. Each time they encountered other people who might turn Jim in, Huck was prepared to reveal another untrue story. Huck knew that Jim counted on him to protect him and not betray him, since they had a special friendship that most whites and blacks would never have, ous de bes fren Jims ever had; en yous de only fren ole Jims got now. pg. 87 When Huck and Jim are alone, Jim cant help talking about what he is going to do once he becomes free and Huck couldnt quite bare that kind of talk. It most froze me to hear such talk. He wouldnt ever dared to talk such talk in his life before. pg. 86 But Huck continued to protect Jim in society, he was able to fool anyone in order to make sure Jim was safe. Outside of society Huck didnt have to pretend anything. In society he had to fight back his guiltiness and hide Jim. The special friendship that Huck and Jim had together contrasted greatly from the conservative relationships between whites and blacks in the South. Whites felt that slaves had no feelings whatsoever, but Huck knew that Jim had feelings just like everyone else. They gave concern for one another and in some ways Jim was like a father figure to Huck. As they spent more time with each other, their friendship grew stronger and stronger until Huck could sacrifice things for Jim. Mark Twain presented the terrible existence of slavery and gives the reader a big adventure in how a white can sacrifice so much for a slave to reach freedom.

Discrimination Against Women and the History of CEDAW

Discrimination Against Women and the History of CEDAW The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is the key international agreement on womens human rights. The Convention was adopted by the United Nations in 1979. What Is CEDAW? CEDAW is an effort to eliminate discrimination against women by holding countries responsible for discrimination that takes place in their territory. A convention differs slightly from a treaty, but is also a written agreement among international entities. CEDAW can be thought of as an international bill of rights for women. The Convention acknowledges that persistent discrimination against women exists and urges member states to take action. Provisions of CEDAW include: States Parties, or signers, of the Convention shall take all appropriate measures to modify or abolish existing laws and practices that discriminate against women.States Parties shall suppress trafficking of women, exploitation, and prostitution.Women shall be able to vote in all elections on equal terms with men.Equal access to education, including in rural areas.Equal access to health care, financial transactions, and property rights. History of Womens Rights in the UN The U.N.s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) had previously worked on the political rights of women and the minimum marriage age. Although the U.N. charter adopted in 1945 addresses human rights for all people, there was an argument that the various U.N. agreements about sex and gender equality were a piecemeal approach that failed to address discrimination against women overall. Growing Womens Rights Awareness During the 1960s, there was increased awareness around the world about the many ways women were subjected to discrimination. In 1963, the U.N. asked the CSW to prepare a declaration that would gather in one document all of the international standards regarding equal rights between men and women. The CSW produced a Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, adopted in 1967, but this Declaration was only a statement of political intent rather than a binding treaty. Five years later, in 1972, the General Assembly asked the CSW to consider working on a binding treaty. This led to a 1970s working group and eventually the 1979 Convention. Adoption of CEDAW The process of international rule-making can be slow. CEDAW was adopted by the General Assembly on December 18, 1979. It took legal effect in 1981, once it had been ratified by twenty member states (nation states, or countries). This Convention actually entered into force faster than any previous convention in U.N. history. The Convention has since been ratified by more than 180 countries. The only industrialized Western nation that has not ratified is the United States, which has led observers to question the U.S. commitment to international human rights. How CEDAW Has Helped Womens Rights In theory, once States Parties ratify CEDAW, they enact legislation and other measures to protect womens rights. Naturally, this is not foolproof, but the Convention is a binding legal agreement that helps with accountability. The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) cites many CEDAW success stories, including: Austria implemented CEDAW committee recommendations about protecting women from spousal violence.The High Court of Bangladesh prohibited sexual harassment, drawing on CEDAWs employment equality statements.In Colombia, a court overturning a total ban on abortion cited CEDAW and acknowledged reproductive rights as human rights.Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have revised land ownership processes to ensure equal rights and meet the standards in the Convention.

African American Contributions to American History Essay Example for Free

African American Contributions to American History Essay Africa (768) , African American (597) , African (466) , American history (69) Haven't found the essay you want? Get your custom sample essay for only $13.90/page ? Many blacks contributed to the success of our country in every war that we as a people have ever fought. In order to properly thank them for their heroic effort, I as a Hispanic Caucasian must give credit where credit is due. In order to properly do so, I must begin with the contributions of â€Å"Black America† beginning with the American Revolution and continue up until the World War II. Make no mistake blacks made contributions well past World War II, but in the interest of time and accuracy I must stay within the confines of our earlier history. One main aspect that should be analyzed is the fact that no matter how hard the struggle, blacks have always overcome adversity no matter what the cost. Of course, contributions made by blacks are not limited to war alone, but include a wide spectrum of achievements that have advanced civilization as a whole. My personal respect and thanks go to all people who have served and continue to serve this country at any capacity. But we must never forget the contributions made by our black brothers and sisters who gave their lives fighting for a cause that so greatly affected their lives as well as our well being. Charles Dickens said it best in his book A Tale of Two Cities, â€Å"It was the best of times it was the worst of times†. The American Revolution was a time of great struggle for people of all races. But, Blacks in particular understood the literal meaning of patriot rhetoric, eagerly took up the cause of American freedom, fighting bravely in the early confrontations with the British. Though the revolution freed some blacks and set the country on a course toward the abolition of slavery, political accommodation to plantation owners forestalled emancipation for many blacks in the south for 90 more years. A black man was one of the first martyrs of the patriot cause. Crispus Attucks, apparently a slave who had run away from his owner 20 years before, died in the Boston Massacre in 1770. Though facts were disputed at trials then as now, witnesses said Attucks hit a British officer with a large piece of firewood, grabbed a bayonet and urged the crowd to attack just before the British fired. Attucks and two others were killed while eight were wounded, two mortally. Blacks served at the battles of Lexington and Concord. Peter Salem, a freed slave, stood on the green at Lexington facing the British when the first battle broke out with the shot that was heard around the world. One of the last men wounded in the battle as the British escaped to Boston was Prince Estabrook, a black man from West Lexington. At least 20 blacks, including Peter Salem, were in the ranks two months later when the British attacked an American position outside Boston in the Battle of Bunker Hill. Salem has been honored for firing the shot that killed Major John Pitcairn, the British officer who led the Redcoats when they had attacked his small unit at Lexington. Unable to venture outside Boston and then threatened with cannon surrounding the city, the British left Boston for New York. As the war changed from a Massachusetts endeavor to a broader conflict throughout the colonies, the politics of race changed dramatically. Blacks had been welcomed in the New England militia, but Congress initially decided against having them in the Continental army. Congress needed support from the South if all the colonies were to win their independence from England. Since southern plantation owners wanted to keep their slaves, they were afraid to give guns to blacks. Congress ordered all blacks removed from the army, but black veterans appealed directly to George Washington, who took up their cause with John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress. Blacks serving in the army were allowed to stay, but new enlistments were forbidden. Though the Declaration of Independence declared that â€Å"all men were created equal,† many blacks soon saw more opportunity on the British side. The British governor of Virginia promised immediate freedom and wages to any slave who would join the Kings army. Hundreds flocked to the standard of the governor, Lord Dunmore, but he was denied a base on the land by the American forces and many of the blacks who joined him died of smallpox on overcrowded ships. The loyalty of blacks was a serious issue for the American leaders because blacks made up one-fifth of the two million people in the colonies. With the British soldiers already outnumbering the American troops, and recruitment difficult for the patriots, the northern colonies soon again began to enlist blacks. Rhode Island made up a regiment almost entirely of blacks. As the war continued, colonies as far south as Maryland and Virginia were recruiting free blacks for the American cause. As the war spread into the South, Congress found it needed to recruit slaves. It offered to pay South Carolina slave owners $1,000 for able-bodied male slaves. The slaves would receive no pay, but would be given $50 and their freedom at the end of the war if they served â€Å"well and faithfully. † The South Carolina Assembly threatened to leave the war, dooming the plan in the southernmost colonies. Recruitment of blacks to the American cause continued further north, but the patriots had less success than the British. The offer of immediate freedom extended by Virginia’s unfortunate loyalist governor was eventually made by the British throughout the colonies. Slaves joined the British by the tens of thousands. The fate of the loyalist blacks varied considerably. Some were captured by Americans and either returned to their masters or treated as war loot and sold back into slavery. Approximately 20,000 were with the British at the end of the war, taken to Canada or the Caribbean. Some became the founders of the British colony of Sierra Leone in West Africa. Even though the British offered slaves a better deal, many blacks served on the American side. They made up a sizeable share of the men in the Continental navy, state navies and the large force of American privateers. Blacks had long been in the labor force on ships and at seaports. On the water, then as now, skill counted for more than politics. The precise role of blacks in the revolution is difficult to quantify. Blacks in those days generally did not write. The people who did write early histories of the revolution were whites and concentrated on the efforts of white men. Also, many participants in the revolution were not specifically identified by race in the documents of the time and historians now have no way of knowing whether they were black. When blacks were allowed to serve in the American military, they often did work as laborers, sometimes in addition to regular soldier duties. Usually they were privates, though a few rose to command small groups of men. The words of the Declaration of Independence were taken literally by blacks and some whites. In, 1780, Pennsylvania became the first colony to pass a law phasing out slavery. Children born to slaves after that date were granted their freedom when they reached 28. Other northern states followed. The Superior Court of Massachusetts held in 1783 that slavery violated the state constitution, and New Hampshire also ended slavery by a court ruling. Vermont outlawed slavery and Connecticut and Rhode Island passed gradual emancipation laws. New York outlawed slavery in 1799 and New Jersey followed in 1804. The international slave trade was outlawed in 1808. Progress then came to a stop. A boom in cotton production spread the slave economy into the lower Mississippi Valley. Slave states were careful to control at least half the political power in the federal government, blocking any national movement against slavery until the Civil War. The 54th Massachusetts Regiment On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves in the rebelling territories of the confederacy and authorizing Black enlistment in the Union Army. Since the beginning of the Civil War, free Black people in general, and Black Bostonians in particular, were ready to gather arms on behalf of the Union, yet they were prevented from doing so. Popular racial stereotypes and institutional discrimination against Blacks in the military contributed to the prevailing myth that Black men lacked the intelligence and bravery necessary to serve their country. By the fall of 1862, however, the lack of White Union enlistment and confederate victories at Antietem forced the U. S. government to reconsider its racist policy. As Congress met in October to address the issue of Black enlistment, various troops of Black volunteers had already been organized, including the First South Carolina and the Kansas Colored Troops. It wasn’t until January 26, 1863; however, that secretary of war Edwin Stanton authorized the enlistment of Black troops. As a result, the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer infantry was founded, becoming the first all-Black Union regiment raised in the north. Training began for Black volunteers at Camp Meigs in Reedville, MA on February 21, 1863. Although some members of the community voiced opposition to the prevention of Black men from achieving the rank of colonel or officer, most community activists urged Black men to seize the opportunity to serve in the Union forces. The fear many Black volunteers had about the potential racism of White officers and colonels was calmed when Massachusetts Governor John Andrew assured Bostonians that White officers assigned to the 54th Regiment would be â€Å"young men of military experience, of firm anti-slavery principles, ambitious, superior to a vulgar contempt for color, and having faith in the capacity of colored men for military service. † Andrew held to his word, appointing 25-year-old Robert Gould Shaw as colonel and George P. Hallowell as Lieutenant. The son of wealthy abolitionists, Shaw had been educated in Europe and at Harvard before joining the seventh New York National Guard in 1861. In 1862, when Governor Andrew contacted Shaw’s father about the prospect of commissioning his son as colonel of the soon-to-be organized fifty-fourth, Shaw was an officer in the Second Massachusetts Infantry. Although reluctant to accept the commission, Shaw eventually became colonel. By the time training began at Camp Meigs, Shaw and his officers began work with the soldiers whose bravery would forever change public perception of Black military skill and valor. Black community leaders across the country such as Frederick Douglass and William Wells Brown served as recruiting agents for the Union army. As a result, over 1000 volunteers enlisted in the 54th Regiment, a response so overwhelming that Massachusetts organized a second Black regiment, the fifty-fifth. Men of the fifty-fourth represented twenty-four states, the District of Columbia, the West Indies, and Africa. Approximately 25% of them had been slaves, over 50% were literate, and, although as civilians they had worked in forty-six different occupations, the overwhelming majorities (55%) were common laborers. Regardless of origin, occupation, or social class, the men of the 54th Regiment both inspired Boston’s Black community and provided a symbol of pride for abolitionists across the country. Activists such as William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass visited Camp Meigs to show their support. Although the organization of the 54th Regiment resolved the conflict over Black enlistment in the Union army, the struggle of Black soldiers to gain respect in the military was just beginning. Upon arrival in the south, the Black soldiers were often treated as common laborers and the potential for their valor on the battlefield was disregarded. Upon arriving in Georgia on June 11, they were ordered by Col. James Montgomery of the Department of the South to raid the town of Darien. Reports of Black soldiers burning buildings and ravaging the homes of townspeople confirmed stereotypes of Black soldiers as un-trainable brutes. Col. Shaw found the raid on Darien barbarous and distasteful, and sent a letter to Brigadier General George C. Strong, requesting that the men be used in the planned attack on Fort Wagner, South Carolina. On July 16, the 54th Regiment fought alongside White soldiers of the 10th Connecticut Infantry in a skirmish on James Island, SC. This battle redeemed the Black soldiers’ fighting ability in the eyes of White skeptics, including General Strong, who commanded the 54th Regiment to lead the assault on Fort Wagner, scheduled for July 18. Strategically, a successful attack on Fort Wagner would allow Union forces to seize control of Charleston Harbor. Located on Morris Island, Fort Wagner protected Battery Gregg overlooking Fort Sumter. Thus, seizure of Fort Wagner was valuable because it enabled the Union to shell Sumter and close the harbor to confederate blockade runners, thereby paving the way for further Union attack on Charleston. Fort Wagner was located at the northern tip of Morris Island, and was controlled by 1700 troops and 17 artillery guns. Depleted to just over 600 men by the skirmish two days previous, the men of the 54th Regiment were ordered to lead the assault on Fort Wagner with the backing of regiments from New York, Connecticut, Maine, and Pennsylvania. Before the charge commenced, Colonel Shaw ordered the regiment to â€Å"prove yourselves as men. † Within 200 feet of the Fort, the confederates began to attack as the brave men of the 54th Regiment struggled through darkness, four-foot deep water, and marshland. Colonel Shaw, accompanied by dwindling numbers of dying men, managed to reach the top of the parapet where a bitter hand-to-hand combat ensued, the Black Union soldiers with bayonets against the White Confederate soldiers with handspikes and gun rammers. Colonel Shaw was mortally wounded with a pierce through the heart, along with a dozen of his men. Meanwhile, members of the 54th Regiment – some wounded, some dying – began to retreat; those who refused to back down were taken prisoner. As the smoke cleared, evidence of Confederate victory was immediately apparent, with 174 Rebel casualties and 1515 Union soldiers dead or wounded. Of the eleven regiments who participated in the Union assault, the fifty-forth Regiment accrued the most casualties, with 256 of their 600 men dead or wounded. Despite the heavy losses, the assault on Fort Wagner proved to the nation and the world the valor of Black soldiers in general and the men of the 54th Regiment in particular. From the ranks of the fifty-forth came stories of unfailing patriotism and undying glory. The men of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, their White officers, colonel, and allies, not only struck a blow for American freedom and unity, they also proved to the nation and the world the valor, bravery, and devotion of African American soldiers. In the sacrifice made by Col. Shaw and his soldiers, Americans witnessed, for the first time, the supremacy of equality over racism, discrimination, and ignorance. Upon his death at Fort Wagner, the body of Col. Shaw was placed in a mass grave on Morris Island along with the bodies of his soldiers. The lack of proper military burial for a man who had distinguished himself as a soldier and as a leader was intended to insult the honor of Shaw and his family, who were deemed as race traitors by Confederates and White unionists alike. However, upon learning that his son had been buried with his black soldiers, Francis Shaw stated, with dignity, that â€Å"We hold that a soldier’s most appropriate burial place is on the field where he has fallen. † This statement and the honor displayed by the Shaw family and veterans of the fifty-fourth helped immortalize Shaw and his men as symbols of the Civil War battle for unity and equality. As a result of the 54th Regiment, over 180,000 Black men enlisted under the Union flag between 1863 and 1865. AFRICAN AMERICAN MILITARY SERVICE from WWI through WWII. During the global conflicts of the first half of the 20th century, U. S. servicemen fought in Europe for the first time in the nation’s history. African Americans were among the troops committed to combat in World War I (WWI) and World War II (WWII), even though they and other black Americans were denied the full blessings of the freedom for which the United States had pledged to fight. Traditional racist views about the use of black troops in combat initially excluded African Americans from the early recruiting efforts and much of the actual combat in both wars. Nonetheless, large numbers of African Americans still volunteered to fight for their country in 1917-18 and 1940-45. Once again, many black servicemen hoped their military contribution and sacrifice would prove to their white countrymen that African Americans desired and deserved a fully participatory role in U. S. society. Unfortunately, the deeply entrenched negative racial attitudes prevalent among much of the white American population, including many of the nation’s top military and civilian leaders, made it very difficult for blacks to serve in the military establishment of this period. African-American servicemen suffered numerous indignities and received little respect from white troops and civilians alike. The historic contributions by blacks to the defense of the United States were usually ignored or downplayed, while combat failures similar to those of whites and violent racial incidents often provoked by whites were exaggerated into a condemnation of all African Americans. In the â€Å"Jim Crow† world of pre-1945 America, black servicemen confronted not only the hostility of enemies abroad but that of enemies at home. African-American soldiers and sailors had two formidable obstacles to deal with: discrimination and segregation. Yet, black servicemen in both world wars repeatedly demonstrated their bravery, loyalty, and ability in combat or in support of frontline troops. Oftentimes, they accomplished these tasks without proper training or adequate equipment. Poor communications and a lack of rapport with their white officers were two additional burdens hampering the effectiveness and efficiency of African Americans in the military. Too frequently, there was little or no recognition or gratitude for their accomplishments. One of the worst slights of both wars was the willingness of the white establishment to allow racism to influence the award of the prestigious Medal of Honor. Although several exceptionally heroic African Americans performed deeds worthy of this honor, not one received at the time the award that their bravery and self-sacrifice deserved. It took over 70 years for the United States to rectify this error for WWI and over 50 years for WWII. Despite the hardships and second-class status, their participation in both wars helped to transform many African-American veterans as well as helped to eventually change the United States. Though still limited by discrimination and segregation at home, their sojourn in Europe during WWI and WWII made many black servicemen aware that the racial attitudes so common among white Americans did not prevail everywhere else. The knowledge that skin color did not preclude dignity and respect made many black veterans unwilling to submit quietly to continuing racial discrimination once they returned to the United States. In addition, the growing importance of black votes beginning in the 1930s and 1940s forced the nation’s political and military leaders to pay more attention to African Americans’ demands, particularly in regard to the military. Although it was a tedious and frustrating process, one too often marked by cosmetic changes rather than real reform, by the end of WWII, the U. S. military establishment slowly began to make some headway against racial discrimination and segregation within its ranks. The stage was set for President Harry S Truman’s landmark executive order of 26 July 1948. Another main contribution of note would be the trails and tribulations of the Tuskegee Airmen. In the 1940’s, it was still believed that Blacks were incapable of flying aircraft. This myth was dispelled with the help of the U. S. Congress. On June 27, 1939 – THE CIVILIAN PILOT TRAINING ACT was passed. This solitary ACT helped to create a reserve of civilian pilots to be called in case of War. Young black pilots were given the opportunity to train with U. S. approved programs located at TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE. The SELECTIVE SERVICE ACT OF 1940 also increased the opportunity for a broader participation of Blacks in the military when it banned discrimination in the selection and training of all American citizens because of race and color. The success of the CIVILIAN PILOT TRAINING ACT helped put the 99TH PURSUIT SQUADRON OF TUSKEGEE on the map. It was said that â€Å"the success of Negro youth in the Army Air Force would be predicated upon the success of the ‘Tuskegee Experiment. ‘† HBO’s docudrama, THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, is a good depiction of this era of Black Americans seeking acceptance as military pilots. Because of the opportunity provided by the Civilian Pilot Training Act, the number of Blacks in the ARMY AIR FORCE jumped from 2,250 in 1941 to over 145,000 by 1944. The two major groups to see combat as AAF men were the 99TH PURSUIT SQUADRON and the 332ND FIGHTER GROUP. Out of the 332nd Group came the 100th, 301st, and 302nd Squadrons under the command of Lieutenant Colonel BENJAMIN O. DAVIS, SR. , who became America’s FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN GENERAL on October 25, 1940. By 1944, the 99th was added to the 332nd and participated in campaigns in Sicily, Rome, and Romania. The 99th and 332nd earned many DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATIONS. These historical examples are but a small sample of the many great contributions and sacrifices made by black people in order to secure freedom and prosperity for this great nation. We owe them a debt than can never be fully repaid. If anything these great contributions should curtail any negative or racial thoughts toward such a magnanimous people. You would think that with all that has transpired throughout history, that we as a people could live and coexist together with peace and harmony. My only hope is that with time people will come to realize that we are all not that different from one another and that we can thrive together for a better future for all of us. African American Contributions to American History. (2016, Dec 16).

Sarbanes-Oxley Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sarbanes-Oxley - Research Paper Example Oxley. The scenario that led to the implementation of this act was the number of corporate accounting ignominies including that of Enron, Tyco International, Adelphia, Peregrine Systems, and WorldCom etc. According to the US government record, the definitions including ‘Appropriate State Regularity Authority’, ‘Audit’, ‘Audit Committee’, ‘Audit Report’, ‘Board’, ‘Commission’, ‘Issuer’, ‘Non-Audit Services’, ‘Person Associated With a Public Accounting Firm’, ‘Professional Standards’, ‘Public Accounting Firm’, ‘Security’ and ‘State’ shall apply to this act (Public Law 107-204, 2002). It consist of11 sections which is constituted by provisions from additional corporate board responsibilities to criminal penalties and provides for the Securities and Exchange Commission to oversee the implementation of the law. The need of ensuring the existence of an ethical workplace is not only to implement a moral conduct within the firm but also to procure whatever advantage that the firm may achieve when there is a belief among the potential consumers and employees that the company is ethical. Creation and gradual implementation of a proper code of conduct is a method that is commonly adopted by managers to ensure an ethical workplace. ... The Securities and Exchange Commission which was supposed to implement the act created a new agency called Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to review matters regarding accounts of all public companies (cited in The University of Cincinnati College of Law, 2002). The sole intention of the act was to prevent fraud and scandals within the corporate so that the nation’s security markets and economy remain strong. Corporate are entitled to submit clear and accurate financial reports and it defines the interaction between external auditors and audit committees. There are severe penalties and punishments if a violation of the law is detected. As Kuschnik (2008) points out, the section 302 of the act provides that CEO and CFO of the companies must certify and approve the authenticity of the financial reports of their company. Planning is the key part of making the data of the company compatible with the law. It is significant for taking future steps freely and to discuss the project with the auditors and the audit committee. The planning phase is where varying opinions can be put into consideration and a commonly accepted resolution can be formulated. Planning can be executed in a sequential pattern. Staffing has to be done in order to carry out the compliance process. The task should be divided into portions that can be completed in a limited time framework. Selection of a recognized framework for testing and business systems and procedures also prove to be cogent. Examine risk-tolerance and impacts of a possible control failure on an organizational level. Complete outsourcing, co-sourcing, direct lining or utilizing existing staff can be used to completing the process. The key advancement that resulted from the act was enhanced investor confidence and more

The Culture and History of the Shawnee Indians Research Paper

The Culture and History of the Shawnee Indians - Research Paper Example Although, by 1730s, the Shawnee had returned to their homeland, they faced relocation by American settlers whereby they moved first to Missouri and then to Kansas. Most of members of the Shawnee tribe finally settled in Oklahoma after the end of the Civil War. In 1793, some of the Shawnee tribe received a Spanish land grant at Missouri (Clark 5). Nevertheless, in 1803, the land was came under American control and the Shawnees had to settle in Southern Oklahoma, becoming the Absentee Shawnee. The Shawnee people view themselves as the descendants of the Delaware, considered to be their grandfathers. They also possess strong links with the Kickapoo, who manifest linguistic ties. Original estimates of Shawnee population in the pre European era ranged around 10,000. The first official accurate count occurred in 1825, which placed the count at 1,400 in Missouri, 110 in Louisiana, and 800 in Ohio. The decrease in the population arose from conflicts and diseases such as the flu and scarlet f ever. Some of diseases that decimated the population emanated from the settlers from Europe. The Shawnee demonstrated a strong tribal identity. The largest group comprised of loyal Shawnee, who numbered about 8,000 individuals recognized by the United States Government as the Cherokee nation. The Eastern Shawnee tribe of Oklahoma comprised of about 1,600 members while there were about 2,000 Absentee Shawnee. The Shawnee Nation United Remnant Band numbered about 600 (Clark 8). Prior to contact with Europeans, the Shawnee tribe comprised of coalition of five divisions, which boasted of a shared language and culture. The divisions encompassed Chillicothe, Hathawekela, Kispokotha, Mequachake, and Pekuwe (Warren 14). Each of the five groups operated individually, and membership in each division was inherited from the father. The villages were usually named after the division. The central chief presiding over the divisions could ever come from one division or what is referred to as Chilli cothe. Headship of the different divisions hinged on hereditary (Murphree 410). How they got their name The word Shawnee stems from the Algonquin word â€Å"shawun† (shawunogi), which means Southerner (Pritzker 4). The Shawnee was the southernmost group, as the name implies. The original Homeland of the entire Algonquian population was centered in the eastern subarctic region of Canada. The meaning of â€Å"shawun† points that they originally lived to the south of Kickapoo, of the Ohio valley. The name â€Å"Savanoos† was applied by the early Dutch writers referring to the Indians who occupied the north bank of Delaware River within New Jersey. The name mainly applies to their initial locality within the Ohio Valley comparative to other Great Lakes like Algonquin. Shawnee habitually prefers to refer to themselves the Shawano or Shawanoe or Shawanese. The Shawanee dialect encompasses Southern Great Lakes (Wakashan) closely related to Fox, Sauk, Mascouten, and Kic kapoo. Language Linguistically, the Shawnee tribe is identified with the group of Central Algonquian dialects, inclusive of the Miami, Kickapoo, Illiniwek, and Sauk and Fox. The Shawnee Indian language is credited for being the most expressive and eloquent of all the other Indian languages. The Shawnee managed to retain their folklore despite the dispersion and loss of contacts with other languages and cultures.