Malcolm X’s “Message of the grassroots” speech is a powerful call to action for black people. He urges his audience to band together and fight for their rights, using whatever means necessary. His language is forceful and direct, and he makes no apologies for his message. This speech is an excellent example of Malcolm X’s … Read more
“Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space” is an essay written by Brent Staples in 1986. In it, Staples discusses the racism and unconscious bias that he experiences as a black man in American society. He describes how he is often seen as a threat simply because of the color of his skin, … Read more
The documentary “13th” explores the history of race and racism in the United States. It examines how black people have been discriminated against and oppressed throughout American history. The film also discusses the mass incarceration of black people in the United States. The documentary begins with a brief history of slavery in America. It then … Read more
We aren’t racists, yet we buttress a system that acts in racist ways. ” stated Nicholas Kristof in part 3 of his series “When Whites Just Don’t Get It”. This series involves five different articles in which Kristoff explains that even though we have come a long way from racism in the past, it is … Read more
Throughout the years, people have debated upon whether or not Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is racist, and if other characters in the book are depicted that way. In the book, we see Huck’s conscience evolve and his personality change, particularly towards the concept of slavery. Even though in the beginning of the … Read more
A stereotype often affects a way a group of people are seen as a whole. Misconceptions and stereotypes can sometimes be misunderstood or overused, and be used in an invalid manner. Many people are being stereotyped because of a small portion of the larger group of people. A misconception occurs when an untrue stereotype is … Read more
Kevin Gannon argues that ? We are the product of history that our ancestors chose, if were white. If we are black, we are the products of history that our ancestors most likely did not choose.? In this quote Gannon is saying that Blacks have never been able to choose how their life goes. They … Read more
Moving from one place to another allows you to experience many new aspects of life. However, moving from one country to another is a life changing the experience. A person which changes the place of living of the certain reasons most likely will experience specific difficulties, with an understanding of accepting them. No matter if … Read more
Slavery is an important part of American history. People had always been fighting for equal rights, even as today. As politicians and people campaigned and fought, many artists and authors expressed their ideas and thoughts through art and writing. Beloved is one of the influential book represent the life of typical women slavery in American … Read more
A mother and two children are in the back of a car. As she looks in the rear view mirror, the children can see in her eyes the fear of her future. They question, what could this really come from? They turn their heads to a knock on the window to find their mother facing … Read more
Annie J. Easley was an female African-American computer scientist, mathematician, and rocket scientist. She helped develop power technology and software for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which we all know as “NASA”. She was born on April 23, 1933 in Birmingham, Alabama. Easley was the daughter of Samuel Bird Easley and Mary Melvina Hoover. … Read more
In the book “Frankenstein”, Mary Shelley flawlessly reflects the contemporary racial discourses of nineteenth century England, which involved the revolution of slaves at the time. Throughout her novel, it is evident that the anxieties and fears of the white, European world are of racial premise. Victor fears of being responsible for creating a “race of … Read more
“Most middle-class whites have no idea what it feels like to be subjected to police who are routinely suspicious, rude, belligerent, and brutal. ” ? Benjamin Spock In the year 2015, 400 plus years after slavery, America still struggles with the thought of racism amongst African Americans. To name a few, African Americans experience racism … Read more
At the sociocultural level, interactions affect variations in skin pigmentation (Kittles, 1995). Various social, cultural, and political transformations that emerged in the 20th and 21st centuries highlight the effects of socioeconomic outcomes, especially with African Americans. Lighter-skinned African Americans tend to have higher status, occupations, higher educational attainment, and greater achievements in life. In America, … Read more
During the 1940’s; an American time of depression, 83% of children were living in a two parent functional home. These children had a higher chance of academic achievement, better emotional health, and most importantly, fewer behavioral problems. What about the other children who lacked not just one parent,but two? Children are additionally influenced by their … Read more
Black is hands down one that can say he is a vet, speaker, writer, poet, and radio commentator. But Black does all with a humble and humorous personality. Black is described to be an “easy man to spot, with his bushy mustache, slightly rumpled cowboy hat and bandanna. He looks like a guy who knows … Read more
Being a DJ is very key to music, because they usually determine what are hits and what are not based on their sets and what music is played on radios, clubs, and different events. A female DJ is hard to come across by especially one who knows how to use her advantages of being a … Read more
Affirmative action is a phrase used to describe attempts to redress past discrimination by giving groups that have been discriminated against an advantage in allocating opportunities, such as jobs and admittance to colleges and universities. When affirmative action was first established over fifty years ago, the intended beneficiaries were African-Americans, but since that time, it … Read more
“Where do we draw the line? I get it, the Black and hispanic community deserve their rights, they are people, I get it. But racially mixed bathrooms?? Like, you’re joking right? You can give me all the stats about Black men and how they don’t rape our white women, but this is asking for problems. … Read more
Why can’t I be a Bishop? In many church communities, including my own, women are seen as second class citizens. Women are not ordained to positions that are considered as traditional male roles such as deacons, elders, ministers, bishops or pastors. They are ordained to positions that where created exclusively for women such as missionaries … Read more
Why is it so hard to be a Black person living in America? It is because the White culture has never wanted to see Blacks as equal or superior to their race. To prevent such thing from happening, racist Whites set up obstacles that stand in the way of Blacks ever reaching their full potential. … Read more
Chesnutt’s conjure stories subvert post-Civil War plantation fiction because they touch on the horrors that slaves went through at the hand of their white masters. How African American are treated lesser than human beings. They are objects to whites that can be moved anywhere at the right price and without a moment’s notice to the … Read more
Twelve Years a Slave “I don’t want to survive, I want to live” Solomon Northup, main character of Twelve Years a Slave, perhaps spoke of what all slaves felt. The Missouri Compromise followed by the Compromise of 1850 created a divided nation of some free black people and some slaves. Unfortunately, the free weren’t necessarily … Read more
Great authors use characterization to develop a message. In Richard Wright’s Native Son, Bigger Thomas, a young black male living in Chicago during the 1930s, depicts how growing up in poverty around crime can affect one’s well-being. Bigger went to court for murdering and raping a young white woman, Mary Dalton. The murder of Mary … Read more
Journalist, Brent Staples, in his narrative essay, “Just Walk on By: Black Man and Public Space” narrates a series of events when he was growing up. Staples purpose is to tell personal stories in chronological order of how he was viewed by society. Other people convey the idea of a black man as a dangerous … Read more
Octavia Butler, author of the novel Kindred, focuses on the main issues surrounding race and gender, and their effects on the experiences the characters in the story as they face slavery. The novel focuses on how the system of slavery shapes its central characters, emphasizing society’s power to effect a change in identities through certain … Read more
As a child, Maya Angelou faced difficulties that no child should ever face. At the age of seven, Angelou was raped by a close friend of her grandmother. For years, Angelou struggled with her inner demons. When Angelou transitioned to a woman, stepping into her purpose, she embodied a sense of style in her work. … Read more
Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb stand guilty of the motiveless and random murder of fourteen year-old Bobby Franks in August of 1924. Intellectual and wealthy, the criminals stand to gain nothing from the senseless slaughter, yet commit the act nonetheless. Neither boy denies the killing, as their defense attorney Clarence Darrow pleads guilty on their … Read more
After the Emancipation Proclamation (millions of slaves were freed on January 1, 1863 due to Emancipation Proclamation) and the end of the Civil War, countless African Americans who were once held in bondage were considered free. With slavery demolished, and the once enslaved Africans freed, there came the question of what about the freed African … Read more
Rafael Trujillo was a Dominican Republic dictator who was in power for roughly 31 years. “The 24th of October in 1891 God’s glory made flesh in a miracle. Rafael Leonidas Trujillo has been born” (Alvarez 24). People within the Dominican Republic eventually did start to realize what impact his actions had on people, directly and … Read more
The United States of America has always strived to provide freedom to those whom the government deemed fit. There have been many instances in United States history in which a particular group of people were prohibited from achieving the freedoms they rightfully deserved. Many organizations assembled in order to promote racial equality and also to … Read more
In recent cases such as Treyvon Martin, it is evident that justice is being denied to innocent black men, an issue that has raised awareness for far to long. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Nelle Harper Lee, was written in 1960. In this novel, the man falsely accused of raping a white woman has no … Read more
Gender-specific violence is something that impacts women all over the world on a daily basis. Gender-specific violence against women is violence that is directed towards women due to their sex or violence that indirectly affects them. It can be the product of environment, religion, culture, music, and other situational factors. In this essay, the impacts … Read more
In this essay, I evaluate the validity of David Walker’s central argument introduced in Article II of his controversial pamphlet, Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World. This argument, in which Walker contends that African Americans are complicit in their own domination, is clearly suggested in the rhetoric of the chapter title, Our Wretchedness … Read more
Slave labor is the foundation that the nation was built on and is a crucial part of United States history, from the colonization of Jamestown up until present day. African Americans, more often called blacks, were viewed in society as the defective, secondary race and it negatively impacted the lives of millions of African Americans … Read more
In February of 2012, a 17 year old black boy by the name of Trayvon Martin was on his way back to his father’s home from a local convenience store where he purchased a bottle of Arizona and a bag of Skittles. While on his way home, he was followed in a car by neighborhood … Read more
“Reconstruction is the process by which the states that had seceded were reorganized as part of the Union after the Civil War”. This period lasted from 1865-1877 and was mostly evident in the southern states. This was an important time in the history of the United States because it started a discrimination that turned fellow … Read more
This study will attempt to explore interracial relationships’ impact on openness to other cultures. Researchers plan to evaluate individual’s openness to other cultures, dating experiences, and attitudes towards interracial dating. Interracial relationships impact on openness to other cultures is a topic that has not been directly explored. Past research on interracial relations and the impact … Read more
Two future revolutionaries, with similar upbringings, yet contributing on two entirely different platforms had no idea of the impact they would bring, nor had intention of making such a statement. One of these people was Marsha P. Johnson, an American drag queen and sex worker. She was best known for her role in the Stonewall … Read more
It’s not apparent and upfront, and you don’t see black men beaten and bloody, chained together walking down busy streets. You don’t see black women in fields with their young babies wrapped in their bosom, as they pick cotton until their finger tips are bloody and numb. Slavery dates back to biblical times. Land was … Read more
For more than 200 years before the civil war blacks weren’t treated equal and even after things didn’t get better only worse. The Williams vs Mississippi case was fought over black suffrage. The court case took place in Washington County, Mississippi. The jury consisted of all whites; the jury ratio was 9-0 (9 white men … Read more
Hattie McDaniel This paper examines the life and achievements of Hattie McDaniel. Hattie McDaniel paved the way for many black actors and performers today. Hattie was one of the first African American women on radio. On radio Hattie was known for her comedy and singing. Her first major acting role was in a film named … Read more
Within the Civil Rights Movement, a great impact on education and schooling systems took place, thanks to the Little Rock Nine. The Little Rock Nine were a number of students who were brave enough and were prepared enough to integrate the Little Rock school system and Central High School. Their names were, Melba Pattillo Beals, … Read more
Was that a good idea made by African Americans, migrating to the big Northern cities? The migration to the north was a major turning point for Americans and African Americans. The major changes came from the society plus the changes in the culture and lifestyles. Around this time people needed a change because times were … Read more
During reconstruction, black lives had changed dramatically. There were changes that related to slavery, and changes that gave blacks citizenship, voting rights, civil rights, and much more. The period of reconstruction was a struggle for African Americans, however by the time it was over, they could all breathe a sigh of relief. After the South … Read more
Troublemaker a Memoir by Bill Zimmerman Bill Zimmerman was born in 1940 to Jewish Immigrants on Chicago’s west side. In his memoir Troublemaker, he tells the story of himself, a man dealing with education, family commitments, and his broad involvement in the anti-Vietnam war movement. Zimmerman witnessed racism in the Mississippi Delta and, and spent … Read more
Writer Chloe Rattray once said, “People aren’t always what you want them to be. Sometimes they disappoint you or let you down, but you have to give them a chance first. ” This quote may be interpreted as how just a small push of encouragement can help a person reach their goals. The quote is … Read more
Among all the emotions people have, the most multifarious is fear because fear can be spread much faster than most emotions. Literally, people define fear “an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat “. However, the delusion of endangerment can cause racism of … Read more
According to the dictionary, motherhood is the state or experience of having and raising a child (“Motherhood”). During slavery the children were not born to their mother they were born to the capital; each child that was born meant more wealth to the slave owners. White slave owners were not charged with rape when it … Read more
In the twenty-first century there are no other issues that have been more influential and significant than issues regarding human rights. Jimmy Carter, throughout his whole life, has voiced his opinions on many cultural issues that were not only significant back in time, but are also important today. Jimmy Carter has addressed issues from women’s … Read more
There is a moment in all of our lives when you are working on something and you just can’t seem to get it. And then all of the sudden it clicks, just like that. I can’t remember the first time | could read words out of a book, but I remember I suddenly loved to … Read more
The beginning of Mathabane’s literary career sparked a hunger when he came across a book titled “Black Boy, Richard Wright’s searing autobiography” in the Quincy College library. (Mathabane 3-78) This led him to read just about all the books written by black authors. In turn, this spark stood dimly lit until he arrived at Dowling … Read more
Family Guy, an animated sitcom produced by Seth MacFarlane, has humored millions of viewers since it first premiered in 1999. It captivates viewers through its satirical content, which not only tackles issues that are prominent and relevant to its audience, but also entertains them. Despite the initial cancellations of the show, Family Guy has successfully … Read more
Question 1 What relationships of power are featured in “Virginian Luxuries” (Document 1)? Two relationships of power are depicted in the painting entitled “Virgin Luxuries”: sexual power and physical power. In the first panel of the painting, a well dressed white man embraces a female African-American woman, presumably a slave. The way in which enslaved … Read more
With music we can express the feelings that are hard to express with everyday language. An example of this is Bessie Smith’s song, “Thinking Blues. ” (McClary). In the song she is singing about how much she misses and wants her man to take her back, how she will do just about anything to take … Read more
1. List five major characters. Write three sentences identifying each one. Lily: Lily is a fourteen year old girl and the main character of the novel. She does not enjoy living with her father, as he is abusive and blames Lily for his problems. After she breaks Rosaleen out of jail for confronting racists, she … Read more
It is somewhat an oxymoron to consider yourself a prosecutor and a good person. Paul Butler writes describing the discrepancies with progressive prosecutors who believes they are able to change the “definition” of a prosecutor. Butler defines a prosecutor as someone one who is “more part of the problem than the solution” and a person … Read more
The different types of conflicts help shape the book because the conflicts help deepen the story and the characters in the book. In ‘The Outsiders’ the main conflict is person vs society. Since Ponyboy is a greaser he is looked down upon in society because he is poor. One example of a plot is person … Read more
Richard Wright is known to be a genius inspirator to many writers because of his style of writing and deep philosophy on how the world acts upon african americans. Being an african american, Richard Wright had to do whatever he could to pursue his gift and passion of speaking and writing. Richard Wright’s early life … Read more
In 1965, African Americans were given the right to vote. The decade that followed brought with it an increasing recognition of black rights, but the prejudice of the white community was still profuse. ‘Remember the Titans’ is set in this socio cultural climate. Directed by Boaz Yakin, this film follows the adversities faced by an … Read more
Hip Hop in El Alto, Bolivia Bolivian youth have used hip-hop music for expression with political issues as well as the social issues the young people of Bolivia face. In Latin America, hip-hop helps tell the stories of the struggles. It is described in the article to be a “Hip-hop revolution” because of the criticism … Read more
Beginning almost as soon in America as what is known as “America” did, slavery lead to hatred against the African and African-American races (known as negro or black in the vernacular), and as time progressed these races became more entwined with life in America until the time came where they were seen as equals by … Read more
Looking for Lovedu: A Woman’s Journey Through Africa is a riveting story about Ann Jones’s journey through Africa. Throughout the novel, Ann Jones’s mentions the “Western World’s view on Africa. Not only do most westerners have a negative view on Africa, but a completely misunderstood point of view on Africa. Africa is a beautiful continent … Read more
The Harlem Renaissance emerged during turbulent times for the world, the United States, and black Americans. World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 had left the world in disorder and stimulated anticolonial movements throughout the third world. In America, twenty years of progressive reform ended with the red scare, race riots, and isolationism … Read more
There is one primordial reason why we do not doubt Europeans have taken the lead in history, in all epochs before and after 1492, and it has little to do with evidence. It is a basic belief which we inherit from prior ages of thought and scarcely realize that we hold: it is an implicit … Read more
Racial Profiling and Male African Americans Racial profiling has been and will continue to be a problem in the United States. Many believe that racial profiling is more prevalent in today’s society; however, this issue has been a part of our society since slavery. Moreover, African American males are mostly the targets of racial profiling, … Read more