Arc Of Justice

To What Extent was the Social and Political Power Limited for Minority Groups in the United States from 1920 to 1945?

A “minority” is defined as “individuals with similar cultures and/or ethnicities that are distinct from the powerful and dominant group”. In the United States, a minority is one who suffers social disadvantages due to their lack of political power. Racism against Africans Americans was a consequence of slavery in the American South. Racism was also experienced by Japanese-Americans following the horrific events of Pearl Harbor. Arc of Justice and Kiyo’s Story are two major novels that express the point of view of minorities during times of racial oppression towards their respective group. Arc of Justice conveys the story of Ossian Sweet, a doctor who fell victim to the racial violence towards African

“The KKK had started recruiting in Detroit in 1921, and since then, their poison had seeped into almost every corner of the city” (24).2 Arc of Justice takes place in an interesting time in Detroit’s history as the 1924 mayoral election was underway2. With an increasing number of Ku Klux Klan members entering the city, there would be a high chance one of its members: Charles Bowles would win the election.4 However, in an effort to battle the political inequality of African Americans in Detroit, Ossain Sweet’s case was supported by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)2. Ossain Sweet’s case was set to be a murder trial, but now it was about civil rights of African Americans2. Since Dr. Sweet won the case, John Smith was re-elected as mayor of Detroit and the Klan’s extremism was deplored. The newly founded NAACP continued to fight for political power for African Americans. While African Americans gained political power, Japanese-Americans quickly lost their political