The contrasts I see through the windows of the train are disturbing. It is not disturbing in the sense that it is gross or vomit-inducing, simply disturbing to think about. It disturbs and disrupts the impressions you hold of the people living in poor minority communities and predominantly wealthy, white communities when you see them placed beside one another. The buildings change, dilapidated and old to historic and old. The people change, their hair getting lighter, as their skin got lighter. And while I get on the bus with people who look like me, I usually get off the bus with people who look at me. I’ve gotten used to it though. The corollary of it all had become a part of my life and my everyday. My mom hated my school for the reasons …show more content…
It is not the reality, but it is mine. It certainly isn’t desirable, but it is my truth. Now, contrary to popular belief every black person reality differs. It may not differ greatly, but background and personal experiences with shape your reality as an African American. In recent years discrimination, poor treatment, and racism against African-American people has been a heated issue. I would argue it has been brought to the forefront of political discussion lately. The root of all this racialism fascinates me and upsets me. What do other African-Americans experience? What is their reality as a result of racial tensions? How do white people in America today feel about the racial tensions? Is there disagreement about the state of race relations today? It is essentially my obligation to be educated about these things. I want to understand why every time an African American man in America commits a crime is reflected back on my father, brother, and uncles negatively. It is as if they went out committed these crimes themselves even though they did not. I feel a moral duty to know and understand the struggles of my people as a whole. I wish to be educated and aware. As a fairly privileged young person, I want to know the what all have had to overcome because I am aware that I have been set to begin journey through life a few spaces ahead of many others. We all have different hurdles, but if we are ever going to remove them we must all be aware of them. My purpose in embarking on this influential and controversial issues is to be as educated as possible about the reality of race relations in America today between African Americans and Whites. Despite my feelings, I’m after the big picture. Everyone knows racism still exists and that poor relations can fuel tensions between races. Is that the root of current tensions? What are the real-world, everyday
In Africans In America Terrible Transformation written by PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) writes an article stating the historical background of African Americans that were captured and enslaved from Western Africa from 1450-1750. About 200,000 Africans were transported to Europe Islands in the Atlantic. But after Columbus excursion, Slave traders found a new market for slaves: New World plantations. From this, they were used for the planting crops for the Europeans that were uneducated how farm such as, rice, cotton, tobacco, and sugar in the south. It wasn’t till the American Revolution where they protest against “enslavement” from the British and demands from American “liberty” for some hope of being free from bondage . After reading
In this poem, “On the Subway”, written by Sharon Olds brings two worlds into proximity. We will identify the contrast that develops both portraits in the poem and discuss the insights the narrator comes to because of the experience. The author refers to several literary techniques as tone, poetic devices, imagery, and organization. The poem talks about a historical view based on black and white skin. It positions the two worlds the point of view of a black skinned and a white skinned. The boy is described as having a casual cold look for a mugger and alert under the hooded lids. On the other hand, based on his appearance the white skinned person felt threatened by the black boy. She was frightened that he could take her coat, brief case, and
Dinesh D’Souza‘s assertion that racial discrimination against African Americans has diminish due to culture rather than racism is contradicted by Derrick Bell argument that “black people will never gain full equality in this country”. Derrick firmly feels that a meticulous examination of African American and Caucasian associations supports that racism is a permanent feature of American society. Both Derrick and Dinesh made valid points and used examples throughout history to get their point across. Although both made valid points, I agree, and maintain that racism still exist in modern society. Growing up I have witnessed racism with my own eyes and have personally went through it. With everything taking into account, I personally feel that racism still exist in today’s society because, white people see African Americans as an inferior race. Their actions show it as they continue to patrol our communities like we are uncivilized animals. Furthermore, African Americans that are making progress such as being successful in the corporate business still have to deal with “the plight of our less fortunate brethren who struggle for existence in what some social scientist call the underclass”. The African American culture in this case study is perceived as being the reason why blacks have not progress from racial discrimination, according to Dinesh D’Souza. There’s a
Throughout the years, the black community has been looked down upon as a community of criminals and a community of lesser educated and poor who have a lesser purpose in life. Journalist Brent Staples, the author of Black Men And Public Spaces, takes us into his own thoughts as a young black man growing up in Chester, Pennsylvania to becoming a journalist in New York City. He tells us his own challenges that he faces on a daily basis along with challenges that many black men his own age faced and the way he changed in order to minimize the tension between himself and the common white person. Growing up in the post-segregation era was a challenge for most blacks. Having the same rights and privileges as many white Americans, but still fighting for the sense of equality, was a brick wall that many blacks had to overcome.
As an African American male, I experienced inequality, and judgment from individuals that have no idea what kind of person I truly am. As a youth, I received a lackluster education, which has resulted in me underachieving in a number of my college classes. It has come to my attention that other colored students are currently experiencing and receiving the same inadequate learning environment and educatio...
African American Hardships During pre-colonial African kinship and inheritance, it provided the basis of organization of many African American communities. African American men were recognized for the purpose of inheritance. They also inherited their clan names based on their accomplishments, as well as other things when one died. Land was not owned in many parts of Africa during the pre-colonial period. It was yet held and distributed by African American men.
For as long as I can remember, racial injustice has been the topic of discussion amongst the American nation. A nation commercializing itself as being free and having equality for all, however, one questions how this is true when every other day on the news we hear about the injustices and discriminations of one race over another. Eula Biss published an essay called “White Debt” which unveils her thoughts on discrimination and what she believes white Americans owe, the debt they owe, to a dark past that essentially provided what is out there today. Ta-Nehisi Coates published “Between the World and Me,” offering his perspective about “the Dream” that Americans want, the fear that he faced being black growing up and that black bodies are what
Ghettos, low-riders, hip-hop, rap, drugs and crime, it has got to be a Black man right? Saggy pants, unintelligible language, lazy, and the lists continue to both stereotype and describe Blacks. Do Black Americans perpetuate their own discrimination? Are Black Americans creating their own low status in society? Black people around the world have been hypnotized into believing all their failures in life are due to discrimination, but are they correct? Blacks are often their own worst enemies, often the cause of their own disasters, and many don’t see that until it’s too late, if ever. Discrimination and prejudice are imposed upon Blacks, often because the culture they live in is not “acceptable” to the dominant society. On the other hand, an understandable reason for Blacks actions is often due to unattainable opportunities towards the American Dream.
In “On the Subway” by Sharon Olds, the author contrasts two divergent people. Olds come to many conclusions as a result of the experience. Sharon Olds utilizes tone, poetic devices such as metaphor, and finally imagery.
Being a resident of South Carolina, African-American Culture was chosen as part of the applied learning project for the Intercultural Nursing class, because African-Americans make up more than a quarter of this state’s population. According to the 2010 United States Census Bureau, the total population for South Carolina (S.C.) is 4,625,364, with 27.9% being of African-American descent. The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding and sensitivity to issues and cultural variances or phenomena that are unique to the African-American Culture. Another goal is to identify nursing interventions that are important for the nurse to consider in caring for this population. These phenomena’s include variances in social organization, communication, space, perception of time, environmental control, and biological variations associated with the African-American culture. (Giger, 2013 and South Carolina minority, n.d.)
For this exercise I interviewed one of my really close friend, Patrick Kimani. He is an international student from Africa. He was born in a small remote village outside of Nairobi, Kenya called Ngenia. He came from a very low income family and had a very difficult time paying for school. Growing up he got an amazing opportunity to be in a documentary called, “A Small Act.” In this documentary Kimani played himself; a small boy who was very poor but since he received one of the highest marks in his class he received a scholarship to go to high school. Kimani maintained high marks throughout high school and was able to come to the United States to attend college. Previously, Kimani was a UW-Parkside student, but due to high tuition he is now
Money. Today just about everything in the world is based around money. Your house, the clothes you wear, the cars you drive. Money, money, money. Well how do you get money? You get a job. And how do you get a job? You get a degree. And how do you get a degree? You get a good education. In the Us, between 1985 and 2013 the total public and private school enrollment rate for 5-6 years old was about 95%. The enrollment rate for 7-13 year olds was about 99% and the enrollment rate for 14-17 year olds was about 95%. In Chad, Africa less than half of the school age children are enrolled and only one in three children manage to complete their primary a schooling.
Education in any manner is the most important aspect any person can obtain in their lifetime for a brighter future. Education for the African American community was even more important because once slavery had ended, the African American community felt the need to be able to educate themselves in reading and writing (Anderson, 1988, pg.5) so that they could be able to prosper in a world that held them at arm’s length. Gaining an education in the early twentieth century at the time of the Jim Crow laws and when the south became segregated would seem to be all but a distant dream for the African Americans. When the Jim Crow laws became really into effect in the early twentieth century, these laws had a vast impact on education for African Americans
Ever since slavery came to America, the whites had placed African Americans below their social status. After their placement as property to white men that many leaders in the African American community fight for their rights as a free man. Throughout the years, the black identity had many issues that struggle for equality from their own identity, constitutional rights they argued with radical white men and the secondary education that many leaders of African American to prove their education they needed.
The African American people of South Carolina, Georgia and Oklahoma are descendants of the enslaved Africans from the coast of West Africa, Sierra Leone. There are many documented similarities between the two people and the cultures. The nation of Sierra Leone is known for making rice on the swamp coast, and creating intricate basket weaving. The national language of the people is English, but with over 100 different ethnic groups there has to be a way that the people communicate among each other. They came up with the broken English language Krio, a mixture of the people’s native tongue and English, which is very similar to the language of the Gullah, Creole.