Book Review on Countering the Conspiracy to Destroy Black Boys Vol. III
The book am reviewing is titled countering the conspiracy to destroy black boys Vol. iii, and it is written by Jawanza Kunjufu an educational consultant with African American images. This book is intended to help the rest of the society understand better and deal with the stage by stage growth of young black boys. It also explains an effective way for parents and teachers to assist young black boys become grown men. Another important thing he talked about is how methods of learning differs based on both gender and race. Jawanza also has a strong argument on the fact that the educational system is not intended to help black boys succeed. He also talks about how the conspiracy to destroy black boys starts right from birth stage due to drug abuse, lack of pre and post natal care, etc.
This book is divided into four chapters using the development stage at different stages of a child’s development into an adult. The first chapter is from infancy to nine years, second chapter from nine through fourteen, fourteen to eighteen, and finally adulthood which is eighteen to twenty-five. In each of these chapters Jawanza list problems black boys face at that age, reasons behind the problems, and also suggests solutions to them. The author states clearly that that no stage is more important than the other, but he believes that the adolescent stage (nine to fourteen) is the most critical. He also believes that the presence of a black adult male makes a big difference in the life of a young black male.
To begin, I will talk about the first stage, which is infancy to nine years. According to the author there is shortage of adult African American males in the society. This sh...
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... the military or having to take low paying jobs. There will be less children born out of wedlock, especially if children are raised up to be God fearing, and are thought to practice abstinence. If we are unable to control all theses at a young age, then we find a method of helping the damaged adults.
Considering the fact that am a young black boy myself, I believe that the author has really covered most of the problems young black boys face. One good thing about this book though, the author also provides possible solutions to the problems he listed. This book also helps me understand better the concept of lynches we discussed in my African American class. Finally the book has opened my mind to some unknown obstacles that hinder the success of not only African Americans but the entire world in general. I also recommend that this book be read by every young black boy.
The introduction to this article begins with a personal narrative about his own experiences as an African American teenage
In the autobiography Black Boy by Richard Wright, Wright’s defining aspect is his hunger for equality between whites and blacks in the Jim Crow South. Wright recounts his life from a young boy in the repugnant south to an adult in the north. In the book, Wright’s interpretation of hunger goes beyond the literal denotation. Thus, Wright possesses an insatiable hunger for knowledge, acceptance, and understanding. Wright’s encounters with racial discrimination exhibit the depths of misunderstanding fostered by an imbalance of power.
In conclusion, African American children face unwanted obstacles that prevent them from getting the equal education opportunities that they deserve. These children face problems everyday regarding crime, poverty and the school system not providing the right supplies for them to become effective members of their communities. When these children grow up in the high-poverty areas, they are already being set up as a failure. The time for equal education opportunities may not come due to the lack of funding, poverty levels and the way they are looked at through societies eyes. It is up to the black community to fix what they need to succeed.
There are many, many forces — physical, historical, cultural, and political — that shape and constrict the life chances of black males in the U.S. Some of these are longstanding legacies that may take generations to shift. But in other ways, the social, economic, and symbolic place of African-American men and boys is recreated and reinforced every day. In particular, public perceptions and attitudes toward black males not only help to create barriers to advancement within this society, but also make that position seem natural or inevitable. Among the most important mechanisms for maintaining (or changing) these perceptions are the mass media with their significant power to shape popular ideas and attitudes.
Boyz in the Hood is a statement of how urban youth have been passed a legacy of tragic indifference, and the writer has shown that it is an almost inescapable fate for those born into racism and poverty to repeat the patterns they wish to escape. The movie’s characters are clear representations of how the system fails young black youth in the United States, and the difference one mentor can make for these kids. During segregation young black children became targets for white brutality. This movie reflects what the European mentality and what it has done to the African American culture.
Society must accept the rebellion of the black teen contributes to the image of an American teen has a whole. The carelessness and complacent nature of the American teen is epitomized in urban youth’s culture. Keeping this in mind, society cannot embrace the teenager’s image, without first acknowledging all of those whom contribute to it. The Black and White teens’ rebellions should be viewed as contrasting elements, but two foundations that are different structure, but contribute to a greater ideal.
African-American parents and grandparents play a pivotal role in the socialization of children as they help
In today’s society there are many stereotypes surrounding the black community, specifically young black males. Stereotypes are not always blatantly expressed; it tends to happen subconsciously. Being born as a black male puts a target on your back before you can even make an impact on the world. Majority of these negative stereotypes come from the media, which does not always portray black males in the best light. Around the country black males are stereotyped to be violent, mischievous, disrespectful, lazy and more. Black males are seen as a threat to people of different ethnicities whether it is in the business world, interactions with law enforcement or even being in the general public. The misperceptions of black males the make it extremely difficult for us to thrive and live in modern society. Ultimately, giving us an unfair advantage simply due to the color of our skin; something of which we have no control.
Spencer, Margaret B., Gerald Brookins, and walter Allen. 1985. Beginnings: The Social and Affective Development of Black Children. Hillsdale, N.J. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Prejudice, racism, discrimination have always been present in society. Combined together, they form one of the most terrible and dreadful ways of treating and thinking about another human being. The effects of these actions and views on individuals have impacted society in an irreparable and tragic way. Judging someone by the color of their skin creates permanent impacts in people’s lives. A consequence caused by that old-fashioned way of thinking and seeing society in general is the effects these views have on black children education: a considerable number of American black children suffer to get a good education since they are in preschool.
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It must be noted that for the purpose of avoiding redundancy, the author has chosen to use the terms African-American and black synonymously to reference the culture, which...
The aspect of African-American Studies is key to the lives of African-Americans and those involved with the welfare of the race. African-American Studies is the systematic and critical study of the multidimensional aspects of Black thought and practice in their current and historical unfolding (Karenga, 21). African-American Studies exposes students to the experiences of African-American people and others of African descent. It allows the promotion and sharing of the African-American culture. However, the concept of African-American Studies, like many other studies that focus on a specific group, gender, and/or creed, poses problems. Therefore, African-American Studies must overcome the obstacles in order to improve the state of being for African-Americans.
After reading “Invisible Inequality: Social Class and Childrearing in Black families and White Families,” by Annette Lareau, it was evident that she collected much data from her study of different types of families. In this study with the help of other sociologists, Lareau went into the lives of both black and white middle class and working class/ poor families. In her study she observed the behavior of children at home, school, and in the public eye. She observed the parenting methods the adults chose to use and the child’s reaction to them. Lareau and her team were able to see what influences certain factors such as income, race, family size, home location, schooling, and career choices had on each family and their children. The purpose of this study as well as the central argument is very well addressed by Lareau in the text and leads to many well supported conclusions.
Every black male's plight in America can be regarded as a provider for his family. However, society does not afford black males the benefit of feeling secure about providi...