The Pros And Cons Of Being Black

Being black is really the best gift I’ve received from God. I’m not sure what my life would be like if I was not. I am proud of my heritage and where my ancestors come from. It excites me to see black people come together and share things that we can almost all relate to. However, it hurts to see the sugar coated lies about the history of my ancestors, to automatically be put in a box full of stereotypes, to have to watch little girls look up to white woman to see what beauty is, to be treated differently because of the color of our skin, and even to have low self-esteem because of the color of your skin. I’ve seen arms filled with deep scars, hurt, anger, and neglect that come with the color of my skin. But could being black be somewhat of a disadvantage? You’d be crazy if the word “no” ran across your mind and there are several reasons why. …show more content…
I am certain that we don't know half of where or what our ancestors come from. My heart is filled with rage knowing the fact that I’ll never know my true last name. I will never know who my family was three or four generations back while others have the access to a website to find theirs. Our textbooks are filled with lies, so where are we able to find the truth about black history? Why do students know more about Christopher Columbus than Claudette Colvin or Edmonia Lewis? Why is slavery the only topic covered when it comes to African American history? Parents and schools systems need to get into expanding their children’s knowledge of black history. I was lucky enough to have a father that expected me to know about more than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He made me memorize poems by Langston Hughes or write about the importance of where I came from. The image African Americans are put in is almost always negative. It gave me confidence knowing people of color accomplish so many unknown