Racial Tension In Lemonade By Derrick Bell

ell’s story points out the racial tension in America through a seemingly outrageous analogy: aliens ask for all African Americans to be taken from the country in exchange for gold, fuel, and chemicals to restore the suffering environment. The story illustrates a largely racist America, with Washington jumping at the possibility of giving their black population to the aliens. America ultimately agrees to the inhumane proposal, sentencing their able-bodied black population to an unknown future. The trade points out that blacks are viewed negatively and even as objects rather than humans. Bell 's outrageous analogy delivers the message that blacks are still regarded as inferior due to still present racism.
Derrick Bell is not out of touch with reality as strained racial relations are present in America. There are Americans who still feel superior to blacks simply because they are white and obviously if faced persecution blacks would be as outraged as they are in the story. The blacks in the story outrightly refuse Dr. Golightly 's plan of accepting the offer and spreading the rumor that the Space Trader 's will bring them to extraterrestrial paradise to trick whites into refusing the offer …show more content…
Society tells black women that their features are undesirable, repeatedly favoring European beauty. Black women are constantly compared to and made to feel less than their white counterparts. In “Lemonade”, Beyoncé gathers common experiences of discrimination and presents them to the public so such problems can start to be addressed properly. She also leaves the message to black women, that even amidst struggle, hope and the belief in oneself should never be forgotten. Although discrimination is a frequently debated topic, the specific struggles of black women fail to be thoroughly discussed. “Lemonade” finally brings their problems to much-needed