Discuss the contradictions between the values expressed in the Preamble to the Constitution and the experiences of African Americans.
The Preamble to the American Constitution creates the stage for the Constitution. It has clear indications and communication regarding the purpose and aims of the framers of the document. It introduces the Constitution of the land, but it is not the law. It does not provide the powers of the government or the personal rights to be enjoyed by people. The first five objectives are to establish justice as indicated in the 52-word paragraph, which was initiated or created by the framers in more than one month in the summer of 1787 held at Philadelphia (Harding, 1990). The framers agree on some basic ideas. Primarily, it affirms that the people of the United States can formulate a perfect Union and achieve justice or insure domestic tranquillity to defend and promote the general conditions and liberty of the country. For this reason, there is a need to create the Constitution of the United States. The values expressed in the Preamble to the Constitution are in stark contradiction with the experiences of the African Americans. Concisely, the carceral institutions created impacted the practice, perception, and work of black activism in America, contradicting the value of justice for all Americans.
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Discuss one of Harding's experiences that gave you an awareness of the African American struggle historically.
The African Americans struggled based on the ideals of justice for a long time. Vincent Harding refers to the experiences faced by the black activists when struggling for social justice. During their fight for freedom, the African Americans had to respond using various carceral actions and created cultural consciousness that resulted in the carceral challenges and imprisonment. As a result, Vincent Harding largely focuses on the effect of imprisonment, policing, and putting behind bars together with other unjust activities facing the African Americans and initiated by the native Americans.
Reference
Harding, V. (1990). Gifts of the Black Movement: Toward "A New Birth of Freedom." Journal of Education , 172(2), 28-44.