The Eradication Of The Black Body
Phenomenal blackness facilitates acts of terrorism to be propagated and enacted onto the dark body as a gateway to hegemony. In addition, the role of the hoodie (following the tragedy) took on a performative role as a visual icon in the struggle of racial profiling, violence, and performative (his)trocities against dark bodies. Yet I believe the hoodie carries a distinctive racialized image that seeks to demonize when worn on the Black body, which played a pivotal role in Martin’s death.
The hoodie has long been associated with visual images of the American working class. In 1976 the motion picture, Rocky, rocked the box office with the highest grossing box office revenue and went on to win Best Picture at the Oscars that same year. In the film, actor Sylvester Stallone proudly dons the hoodie as a symbol of struggle and solidarity of the white blue-collar working class. The iconic image of Rocky Balboa, the son of Italian immigrants, standing tall with fist thrust proudly in the air is recognizably altered by race. This is especially prevalent when compared to a similar image of a black youth poised with fist held high sporting a rose and draped in a hoodie.
Michael Thomas Mills, a semiotician at the University of Northern Colorado in an interview National Public Radio suggests, “The classic sweater thrown over the shoulders and tied at the chest has long been associated with country clubs, wealth and influence” (Weeks, 2012, “Remember Rocky?”).
Similarly thanks in part to popular media, the hoodie represents working class and blue -collar lifestyles and when used as urban gear it takes on a more sinister representation. Hooded sweatshirts often suggest negative and damaging ster...
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...ce and was seen as a universal object that crossed racial and class boundaries.
I participated in a student-organized rally held at my institution. Even as I walked (hoodie in tow) with those who, much like myself, have never experienced performative (his)trocities, I discovered that we all share similarities with Trayvon. We are all ill-equipped to face the ongoing war waged against the dark body. On the day the verdict was announced and George Zimmerman was set free, I was again reminded of how performative (his)trocities and phenomenal blackness, in light of a national (mis)recognition of black identity, is just as unavoidable of a circumstance to the black body as being hit by a stray bullet in the inner-city or gunned down outside a suburban subdivision in central Florida. We are not safe. Every one of us is a suspect. And we are all Trayvon. We are Trayvon.
The documentary 13th, directed by Ava DuVernay, is centered around the argument that slavery did not end with the inclusion of the 13th Amendment in the United States Constitution. To enhance her argument, she includes interviews with well-educated authors, professors, activists, and politicians. She also tells the stories of African Americans who have been wrongfully prosecuted by the police and have not received the justice they deserve, including Trayvon Martin. This essay will analyze the Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman scene in the documentary and how DuVernay effectively uses ethos, pathos, and logos in the film. Duvernay includes the Trayvon Martin case to further her argument that slavery did not disappear with the 13th Amendment; it modernized into the American prison system.
On the night of February 26, 2012 “George Zimmerman who was the coordinator for his Sanford neighborhood watch association is charged with second-degree murder in the death of a young boy. Trayvon Martin, an unarmed high school student from Miami, Florida. (Alvarez) The case began in a small city of Sanford as a routine homicide but soon evolved into a civil rights case, examining racial profiling. On the night of the attack Zimmerman was told not to get out of his car when he was following Trayvon. He described Trayvon as a “guy who looks up to no good, or he’s on drugs or something” Trayvon had his back to Zimmerman the whole time he was on the phone with the Dispatcher, from what the conversation was saying. When the dispatcher asked Zimmerman “is the guy white, black, or Hispanic? “Zimmerman says that he “looks” black, Zimmerman still has yet to see if Trayvon was black, white, or even Hispanic because Trayvon was walking the other direction. Later on in the conversation is when Zimmerman said “now he’s just staring at me”. That would have been the right time to mention the race of Trayvon. As the dispatcher was asking mo...
The case involved a neighborhood watchman, who happened to be on duty when he saw a young black man wearing a sweater jacket called a “hoodie”, walking through the neighborhood. George Zimmerman, the watchman, who was twenty-eight years old at the time, called authorities about a suspicious character walking around in his neighborhood. The authorities told him not to do anything; just continue with his rounds and not worry. Zimmerman, however, decided he would take matters into his own hands. He confronted the young man; they got into a brawl and Zimmerman pulled out a gun and shot and killed Martin. That premise will play a role in this paper as an argument as to why George Zimmerman should have been convicted of committing a crime. Even if the jury could not have reasons to convict him of the second degree murder of Trayvon Martin; they had other choices.
Following the shooting of Trayvon Martin, I began to understand the effect that systemic racism could have on the lives of Black people, and how it had already been affecting me.
Touching upon one specific case of this growing problem, she incorporates “Michael Brown,” who was an “18-year old unarmed black man shot down by a white police officer.” As heartbreaking as it sounds, it has happened on several occasions to men similar to “Michael Brown.” Accordingly, Myers formulates that it “is the same story. It is just different names.” Myers logically lists the other names of several black men who unfortunately fell victim to hate crimes, (Amadou Diallo, Sean Bell, Oscar Grant, Trayvon Martin), as well as flashing their images on the screen. Not only does Verna Myers use imagery in order to show that there is an evident issue with brutality and racism, but she knows it will tug on her viewers heartstrings. Likewise, this makes her audience become wary and sympathetic towards the situation at
In John Edgar Wideman’s article, “Looking at Emmett Till” shows Emmett’s horrific murder as the living proof of the racism that occurred at that time in history and how it has revived its way back to distress our country with the same racism that existed 61 year ago. Today, more than ever, African Americans are facing another battle for equality. It seems as if the phrase, “history eventually repeats itself” has been prove by the continuous breaking news of African Americans been murder by white police officers. The murder of Emmett Till happened 61 years ago, but his loss has found new significance, as reaching back to the lynching of a 14-year-old boy in Mississippi has stretched into the murders of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown in recent
“…it is said that there are inevitable associations of white with light and therefore safety, and black with dark and therefore danger…’(hooks 49). This is a quote from an article called ‘Representing Whiteness in the Black Imagination’ written by bell hooks an outstanding black female author. Racism has been a big issue ever since slavery and this paper will examine this article in particular to argue that whiteness has become a symbol of terror of the black imagination. To begin this essay I will summarize the article ‘Representing Whiteness in the Black Imagination’ and discuss the main argument of the article. Furthermore we will also look at how bell hooks uses intersectionality in her work. Intersectionality is looking at one topic and
Towards the end of the decade the Hippie movement had a huge impact on the way people started to view clothing. This group rebelled against war, encouraged peace and love. Their presence had a major influence on fashion. They opted for clothing that was natural and comfortable. Accessories w...
Among all races—not just Blacks—came the flood of support that was a product of the injustice swept upon Trayvon Martin and the whole black community. Following the trial concerning Trayvon Martin’s death came a wave of other White on Black injustices such as the cases of Mike Brown, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner and other cases not portrayed on a national platform that mirror issues shown in Baldwin’s “Going to Meet the Man.” In Baldwin’s story, Black people who had been protesting for the freedom to register to vote are treated terribly in prison by police because “they [are] animals, they [are] no better than animals, [and] what else could be done with people like [them]?” (231) Jesse—the police sheriff in the short story—kicked and beat the “ringleader” until blood was draining from the many orifices his face possessed. (232) While in the
In 2014, Dr. Wallace Best wrote a candid article for the Huffington Post discussing what he deemed as the irrational fear of black bodies. The context surrounding this critique stemmed from the surge of black men dying by white police officers. In the article, Dr. Best provided historical insight into this deeply rooted, unwarranted anxiety that white Americans have used as probable cause to commit violent acts against blacks, as well as systemic control over black men as a means of protection to maintain societal order. With this assertion, Dr. Best offered a critical analysis in understanding the fanatical need to preserve ownership over black movement due to this ubiquitous threat of black skin and the African American male. However, what
In the quietness of unfair racial discrimination lurked an unquestionable desire to taste the realities of justice, fairness, and freedom. African-Americans were alienated and divided in a way that forced them to lose the essence of they were as a collective body. An identity was ascribed that presented African-Americans an imbecilic and inferior race. They were given an undesirable identity; one encased in oppression. Webster dictionary defines identity as the “condition or character as to who a person is.” Without having a sense of identity, the true nature of the person is lost. The African-American was lost in America. They were forced to assimilate with the masses, assuming their identity and culture while shedding their own. This is a dangerous state of existence; an existence marked with mockery and shame. Nothing can be worse than loathing of self. Questioning why your skin is so dark, why your hair is a different texture, why your nose is so broad and your lips so full. When looking in the mirror the reflection glaring back was one filled with anger and despair. This was the collective mindset of many blacks as the result of continued confrontation with “irrational prejudice and systemic economic exploitation.” In response to this continued subjugation, black advocates declared a quest for “their own liberation by rhetorically constructing an ideology with a new collective identity for themselves.” An identity addressing black “ideological alienation” while focusing on black solidarity and nationalism. The historical analysis of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. presents multiple perspectives concerning his philosophical outlook on black identity. These perspectives ignite a creative dialogue between the past ...
In the national registration of exoneration, 2111 people being released for a crime they didn't commit. Out of the 2111 people, 985 were black and the other 1126 were a combination of caucasian, hispanic and others. The statistics shows that, almost half of the people exonerated were innocent black people. A black person that is convicted of murdering a white victim is 50% more likely to be innocent of that crime. The law enforcement targeting black males, as caused society to see black males in a dangerous point of view. The story Trayvon Martin, a 17 year old boy who was gunned down because his killer George zimmerman chose to not listen to the police instruction. On his way home after buying a bag of skittles and a can of iced tea from 7-eleven Trayvon was approached by Zimmerman. Zimmerman confronted Trayvon because he suspected him of doing something, which resulted in both men fighting on the floor. Tayvion was killed during this altercation by Zimmerman’s gun, and zimmerman was arrested for it. Even after ignoring the police instruction of not to approach Trayvon, he was released on the plea of self defense. According to Blow (2012), “One other point:Trayvon is black Zimmerman is not.” In making this case, Blow acknowledge the theory of how the death of black males are not taken seriously by law
The movement BlackLivesMatter have outed hundreds unlawful officers and victims that never got the justice needed. The same characteristics (color and style) that emulates strong, noble people can backfire. Black people in this country who actively resist dehumanization makes a call to action and a response to anti-Black racism in our current society. (Cullors, 2015) The growth of the movement has moved country-wide, first starting in the south; the south had always had history of racism and anti-black impulses. This movement is continuing to carry up north and west, and is projected that any officer can be the next one to unlawfully kill another black individual. These immoral police officers are no different from the rest of the police force, their uniforms are no different color or style they do not have different titles, there is no distinction between the these two types of officers. African Americans are persuaded to be more cautious and angry towards police officers; anyone with a cop uniform can be considered a threat to their life. Innocent cops were murdered in retaliation to the unfair judicial systems that are not punishing these cops. Once a police-like uniform is worn it not only once symbolizes honor and power, but t too many communities
The Concept of the veil has been a significant symbol of clearly differentiating from the whites, in aspects of political, economical and social prospects. Durkheim explained symbol as “something that stands for something else”(pg. 135). It is a symbol that calls up shared notions and values. In the example of the Blacks in the south, the veil symbolized an “iron curtain” separating the two races, separation and invisibility, of the black and white. The veil had previously been worn because of previous traditions demanding a clear separation of the sexes. The veil is seen as a social barrier to prevent the “others”, black African Americans, from surpassing into the clean and pure white world. Nonetheless Du bois also states, that its possible for one to, lift up the veil when one wishes, and he can also exist in a region on neither side, white nor black, which shows Du bois’ many different meaning and function with the symbol of the veil.
It is quite evident as you walk around the streets of almost any city or town in America that the line between what was once considered the black style of dress and the white styles has become less and less evident. This is especially true with the younger kids in junior high and high school. The baggy pants and shirts with labels and bright colors that were once reserved for the inner city black and Latino kids, are now being worn by whites in wealthy suburban neighborhoods.