Introduction
This is a short essay focusing on some of the prominent African-Americans in history. It highlights brief achievements and contributions of Ralph Bunche and James Meredith. Contributions of these individuals are fundamental for people who seek to understand African-American literature and history (Flynn 1).
Ralph Bunche (1904 to 1971)
Bunche had a difficult childhood. He did odd jobs to supplement the family finances. However, Bunche demonstrated his academic prowess by being a valedictorian in his graduating classes, and he excelled as an athlete in different sports. He became an academic, adviser, political scientist, and a diplomat with the UN and in the administration of John F. Kennedy.
Bunche had some of the most outstanding achievements in the African-American history. He was the first black to receive the Nobel Peace Prize (1950) because of his mediation efforts between Arabs and Jews in Palestine. Bunche did not actively engage in civil rights movements. However, he criticized racial segregation by maintaining that racial segregation had no scientific basis. He claimed that democracy and segregation were not “compatible and urged blacks to maintain their struggle and accept responsibilities that come with freedom” (Nobel Media 1).
He made such claims through personal speeches and published works. Bunche was a member of the Black Cabinet, and Roosevelt’s administration consulted him on several occasions. Bunche rejected the position of Assistant Secretary of State from President Truman because of segregation in Washington, D.C. He was a part of the Civil Rights Movements organized by Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1965. He also supported other black movements such as the Urban League and NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People).
James Meredith (1933)
Meredith is a writer, an activist, and a political adviser, who actively participated in the American Civil Rights Movement. He was the first black to attend the University of Mississippi in 1962 during racial segregation (Eagles 9).
Meredith shaped American politics and the fight against racism. Meredith saw an inaugural address of President John Kennedy as an opportunity to demand his constitutional rights and applied to the University of Mississippi. This was an attempt to pressure the government to enforce equality for all races. Meredith started his campaign against racism (the March Against Fear) in 1966. This marked the beginning of civil rights movement against racism in America. Meredith attempted to join Congress, but withdrew his candidature on all occasions. He accused whites as the greatest enemies of blacks.
Conclusion
Meredith and Bunche were among the first African-Americans who pioneered the fight against racial segregation and had excellent achievements in education. As a result, their works shaped African-American history.
Works Cited
Eagles, Charles. The Price of Defiance: James Meredith and the Integration of Ole Miss, Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2009. Print.
Flynn, James. Negroes of Achievement in Modern America, New York: Dodd, 1970. Print.
Nobel Media. n.d. Ralph Bunche: Biography. n.d. Web.