Parker’s book was composed and distributed during the Obama administration. Many people saw the obama era as a way to bring new opportunities for black Americans in this deeply flawed nation. When Obama was first elected into office, the main headline that circled around in the media was that perhaps the United States was entering a “post-racial” era. An era that Martin Luther King hoped for, where people wouldn't be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. That the possibility of the unity amongst people of all backgrounds was actually possible and no longer far-reaching.…
Recently, the public sphere in the United States has acquired a new meaning. Many people deem all citizens possess an equal chance to voice their opinions, but social groups can also play a role in who is permitted to speak. However, Patricia Hill Collins conveys, “In the United States, who gets to speak and who is silences, who gets to lead and who must follow depend primarily on socially constructed categories, such as race, gender, nationality, religion, social class, or sexual orientation” (19). Frequently, people focus on the individuals, who have achieved despite the odds. Yet Patricia Hill Collins questions how the achievements of individuals, like Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey subdue the problems and stereotypes the typical African American faces in the United…
Four hundred years ago, Dutch colonists transported nineteen Africans to America. As time passed, modern America is home of millions to immigrants who were born in Africa. In the article, “Why I am black, not African American”, Editor John H. McWhorter illustrates that “Black” is an appropriate term for black American because this term contains the history and honor of Africa American. Obviously, America, as a nation of immigrants, is the home of Latinos which are comprised of 12.5% of total U.S. population. In the article, “What it means to be Latino”, Professor Clare E. Rodriguez argues that being a Latino means that they own their unique cuisine, music and traditions and are constantly adding new infusions of Latinos to America.…
The work that Erica L. Ball and Manisha Sinha builds a conceptual framework for future African-American historiography that could be in heavy conversation with the vitality and history of other movements. The work done for equal citizenship, by “colored citizens” and other agents of change bring an ambrosia of emotions to the broad campaign of African-American justice and inequality. Their legacy resonates in current struggles against police brutality and mass incarceration, contemporary reminders of the deep and continuing insecurity of African American life. Their fight against racial discrimination and their language invokes a sense of historical agency that will never be seen…
Lopez’s book comprises what it means to be white in the United States both past and present. The argument presents itself in three ways, through social construction, law as behavioral control, and law as ideology. The author’s emphasis on the role of legal actors additionally adds to his argument towards the legal and social construction of whiteness. The power of the law possesses the range of control to mold those affected by it into whatever those creating it want. The law has and will continue to shape citizenship within the United States, and further construct the race that was never there in the first…
Rhetorical Analysis of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration Michelle Alexander is an African American civil rights activist, Ohio state law professor, and legality lawyer, who has written the famous novel, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness in 2010 which emphasizes the ongoing civil rights issues being had within African American communities and law enforcement. Michelle uses several rhetorical devices within the chapter “The Rebirth of Caste” to provide evidence as to how racism is still prevalent within the United States of America without intentionally noticing it ’s there. Through the use of quotations from historical sources, ethos, pathos, and logos and a timeline of how racism and white supremacy…
The legacy of racial discrimination and oppression towards people of black descent in America, is one of inequality and mistreatment. In “Being Poor, Black, and American,” William Wilson writes about three types of forces that hinder the progress of blacks in society: political, economic, and cultural. Society’s dialogue on the current socio-economic status of most African Americans leans towards blaming blacks for their own lack of effort and judgment; however, these situations are deeply rooted in factors beyond the control of most ordinary black folk: the government’s deliberate initiatives to create of internal ghettos with project standards of living, the lack of circulation into minority communities, the transition away from a physical…
The most often cited anecdotal case of this post racial achievement would be the election of the first African American president of the united states, Mr. Obama and arouse other African American men who have rose to high social standing over the last two decades are often herald as the sign of a post racial America. However if one were to remove their self from the contextual bias of this “progressive” movement and view the current social condition of African Americans living in the united statements as it relates to Mr. Du Bois theory of duel conciseness put forth by Mr. Du Bois one could easily see how even African Americans living within this “progressive” contemporary American society are still subject to the various forms of internalized doubt and despair brought on by the prevalence of duel social identities. And by the very virtue of this the existence of duel conciseness within contemporary American society signifies that in fact this contemporary society is no more accepting of an individuals…
To say there has been an issue of political exclusion for African Americans throughout American history is an understatement to say the least. While some scholars suggest that practices of exclusion are best understood either culturally or ideologically, their detractors say it is best understood by looking at the issue through an institutional lens. While both sides have compelling arguments to prove their points, the issue of political exclusion is complex and can be best discussed by using a combination of both sides of the argument. It is with this that I hope to describe why I think this option is the best one to view the political exclusion of African Americans in our very short yet tumultuous history as a nation. Let’s first look at…
It is often assumed that the tensions between ethnicities do not play a large role in our society today, but this is not the case. In fact, most of the decisions that we make are based on race. It is commonly seen that most of the tension in the U.S is about blacks versus whites. Our culture still struggles today with the inclusivity of african americans. Although a vast majority of the people in our country have very conservative views on ethnicities, what they do not realize is that our ethnicities actually give us the ability to spread diversity as well as cultural views throughout our communities.…
African-Americans aspired to gain the civil rights and respect they rightfully deserved as American citizens. During such a pivotal moment in time, authors across the world reported on the means by which people of afro-descent planned to achieve their goals. This analysis…
Collective action has been incorporated into many societies as a result of the inequalities that these communities have been suffering from. These groups of people unite, take motivation from their culture, and create a movement that aims to enhance the interests of their community. Authors that have discussed the idea of collective action and culture have distinct arguments that produce both strengths and weaknesses. In “Chicano Struggles for Racial Justice: the Movement’s Contribution to Social Theory”, the author, Ramon Gutierrez claims that collective action of both Chicanos and African Americans contributed to the study of social theory, including the internal colonialism theory.…
This article is about the problems faced by black Americans. In particular, the discrimination they have received based on their color. Also, the author said that there are other people that are immigrants who are treated better by white Americans than black people. This is because these people came to America voluntarily and they did not have chains when they arrived, and they were not treated like slaves. The author said, “we need only to learn something about the special origins of the Negro family to discover the root of the problem” (Dr. King P,104).…
Ever since Donald Trump became the president of the United States in 2016, we have come across a constant stream of articles and news that correspond to why Trump won the presidency? One of the many reasons that is discussed widely is the idea of race in American Politics. Probably it was not just the immigration, unemployment or other policy issues that the white voters were dissatisfied with in Obama’s term, probably there was something more to it, probably there was the issue of race where the majority of white Americans have had enough from the first ever Black president. We all know how the colossal support from Black Americans (the highest turnout) and minority Americans, including Hispanics and Asians, helped Barack Obama win presidency…
Everyone has rights! It does not matter what your race is, career, or sex. Everyone is the same and should be equal. But everyone knows all too well that that is an understatement. We all have a sinful problem to judge people, based on their outward appearance.…