What Led to Michael Brown’s Murder
Racism has been a controversial issue in the United States for decades. It dates back to early America with African-Americans. In addition, the African slave trade as well contributed to the nature of racism within the American culture. On August 9th, 2014 Michael Brown, a young black male was gunned down by a white police officer while he was walking with his friend Dorian Johnson. Even though the majority of people believe that we live in a post-racial society; racism still exists today in an invisible form and has great implications with today’s crimes such as the shooting in Ferguson, Missouri. To really comprehend what happened in the city of Ferguson, there needs to be an understanding of the history …show more content…
Since Europeans were superior to Africans, buying Africans as slaves and transporting them was something they could do. In order to put this into perspective, there were 5.6 African slaves for every one European (Davis p.106). There were many farms that were producing vast labor-intensive goods. As plantations developed, Europeans depended on the availability of labor, so they heavily depended on obtaining African slaves’ (Hiro p. 60). There were many African slaves throughout the years of slavery. “By 1820 African slaves constituted almost 77% of the enormous population that were sent toward the Americas” (Davis p. 106). Slavery led African-Americans to believe in a Eurocentric vision of power, beauty, and religious beliefs (Hiro p. 62-63). Therefore, African slaves were stripped of their cultural, traditional, and religious beliefs and deprived from gaining any knowledge including the knowledge of Christian doctrine. European slave owners did not want their slaves to gain any knowledge or practice their African beliefs because they did not want anything to lead to their slaves “enlightenment” or insubordination (Hiro p. …show more content…
Minstrel shows played a significant role in disseminating racist images, attitudes, and perceptions globally against Africans by Europeans acting out skits in blackface (Blackface). These shows were created to control the perceptions Europeans had towards Africans. During slavery Africans in minstrel shows were pictured as docile and cheerful to influence Europeans that Africans were content with being slaves (Blackface). Furthermore, to support their economic gain and eliminate them of any guilt, European slave owners argued, “that slaves were subhuman and received the treatment they naturally deserved”(Hiro p. 61-62). Once slavery was abolished in 1865 Africans were not portrayed as cheerful and docile anymore, they were depicted as a threat to society. Africans were portrayed as a danger as soon as slavery ended because Europeans did not want Africans to be integrated into society (Blackface). These shows led Europeans to believe that Africans were actually a threat to society, thus creating a racial profile against
Racism has been a controversial issue in the United States for decades. It dates back to early America with African-Americans. In addition, the African slave trade as well contributed to the nature of racism within the American culture. On August 9th, 2014 Michael Brown, a young black male was gunned down by a white police officer while he was walking with his friend Dorian Johnson. Even though the majority of people believe that we live in a post-racial society; racism still exists today in an invisible form and has great implications with today’s crimes such as the shooting in Ferguson, Missouri. To really comprehend what happened in the city of Ferguson, there needs to be an understanding of the history …show more content…
Since Europeans were superior to Africans, buying Africans as slaves and transporting them was something they could do. In order to put this into perspective, there were 5.6 African slaves for every one European (Davis p.106). There were many farms that were producing vast labor-intensive goods. As plantations developed, Europeans depended on the availability of labor, so they heavily depended on obtaining African slaves’ (Hiro p. 60). There were many African slaves throughout the years of slavery. “By 1820 African slaves constituted almost 77% of the enormous population that were sent toward the Americas” (Davis p. 106). Slavery led African-Americans to believe in a Eurocentric vision of power, beauty, and religious beliefs (Hiro p. 62-63). Therefore, African slaves were stripped of their cultural, traditional, and religious beliefs and deprived from gaining any knowledge including the knowledge of Christian doctrine. European slave owners did not want their slaves to gain any knowledge or practice their African beliefs because they did not want anything to lead to their slaves “enlightenment” or insubordination (Hiro p. …show more content…
Minstrel shows played a significant role in disseminating racist images, attitudes, and perceptions globally against Africans by Europeans acting out skits in blackface (Blackface). These shows were created to control the perceptions Europeans had towards Africans. During slavery Africans in minstrel shows were pictured as docile and cheerful to influence Europeans that Africans were content with being slaves (Blackface). Furthermore, to support their economic gain and eliminate them of any guilt, European slave owners argued, “that slaves were subhuman and received the treatment they naturally deserved”(Hiro p. 61-62). Once slavery was abolished in 1865 Africans were not portrayed as cheerful and docile anymore, they were depicted as a threat to society. Africans were portrayed as a danger as soon as slavery ended because Europeans did not want Africans to be integrated into society (Blackface). These shows led Europeans to believe that Africans were actually a threat to society, thus creating a racial profile against