Wells And Carter

Sample Solution

    Ida B. Wells and Maria Carter experienced the criminal justice system in drastically different ways due to their racial backgrounds, demonstrating how people of color have historically been treated differently than whites in this time period. While both women lived during a period that was marked by strong racism, violence, and discrimination against African Americans, their experiences with the criminal justice system demonstrate how these injustices were particularly pronounced for Black individuals.

Ida B. Wells is perhaps best known for her activism against lynching practices throughout the Southern United States. During her lifetime she was an outspoken advocate for civil rights and successfully campaigned against legal lynching through her newspaper articles exposing its widespread use throughout the region as a form of racial terror used to enforce white supremacy. She also took direct action to challenge unjust laws that sought to disadvantage African Americans; most notably when she refused to obey segregation-related laws on public transportation in Tennessee which led to her arrest in 1884. In order to avoid being convicted of disturbing the peace and going jail, Ida had a white man stand as bail guarantor whereupon she ultimately won an appeal after garnering support from prominent Black figures such as Frederick Douglass who testified on her behalf at trial proceedings. This example demonstrates how despite Ida’s important work and challenging of oppressive laws regarding race during this time period, it was still necessary for support from influential members of society in order for Blacks to receive fair treatment under the law—demonstrating one way that systemic racism operated within legal systems during this time period. By contrast Maria Carter’s experience with the courts occurred not through resistance or protest but rather out of necessity due largely because of acts perpetrated by vigilante Klansmen rather than government officials themselves: specifically when seven men—including two KKK members—broke into Maria’s home claiming they were looking for stolen chickens (though historians suspect they may have had other motives). The men attempted to extort money from Maria who refused prompting them instead rob her family and beat several family members savagely including Maria before leaving without repercussions since police officers refused assistance citing it was “best let [them] alone” due to fear retaliation by Klan forces who often held power over local governments at this time resulting in little protection offered towards vulnerable African American citizens like Maria Carter facing abuse like hers at hands vigilantes seeking retribution based on unfounded accusations motivated by racial animus . These examples illustrate just some among countless others occurring throughout history wherein people of color have been denied access equal protection under law yet systematically targeted by those operating outside official channels feeling empowered act with impunity based on racist ideologies rampant across America then (and now), revealing another element systemic racism prevalent within our criminal justice systems even today