In Blackness We Trust
Tatyana Tandanpolie
Pickerington High School North
In Blackness We Trust Pride. Denotatively, it means having a high opinion of yourself in regards to who you are and what you’ve accomplished. However, to many its meaning often spans farther than the average dictionary definition. In America, pride is a key part of our national identity. We take pride in the Pledge of Allegiance and the symbolic meaning behind each star and stripe on our flag. We take pride in our national anthem and the army men and women who fight to protect our nation. We take pride in our multicultural society and the ways people of all races, genders, backgrounds and statuses have had their hand in shaping it. American pride is so much …show more content…
Often times, when popular celebrities assume a pro-Black stance, they’re met with strong opposition from many of their White fans. Recently, in February of 2016, this behavior was the response to the Super Bowl’s half-time show. During it, popular singer Beyoncé performed her song, “Formation.” After the performance, African Americans across the nation praised Beyoncé for her pro-Black message, her “uplifting of forms of southern Black culture” (Falzone, 2016, February 12) and her song’s “exaltation of traits and characteristics typically associated with being black” (Chokshi, 2016, February 18). For the Black community, Beyoncé’s performance was inspirational because it showed that being black was something to be proud of. However, according to professor N. Rooks, Director of Graduate Studies at Cornell University's Africana Studies and Research Center, “On the other [side] are pickets and boycotts and rage, mostly by whites” (Falzone, 2016, February 12). The cause of this adverse reaction from parts of White America seemed to be a feeling of alienation brought on by the performance. According to Dr. L. Reedus, this reaction by White Americans, especially Beyoncé fans, occurred because “[Beyoncé] never presented herself as being [...] Black in general” and it surprised many that she took such a pro-Black stance (personal communication, February 26, 2017). Along with that, …show more content…
African American’s pride in their background in no more or less valid than the American public’s pride in their backgrounds. For African Americans and Americans in general, pride is an integral part of who they are. No one, regardless of race, status or gender, should be denied their right as an American to take pride in where they came from. Americans should embrace the ethnic heritages of all of their minorities with open arms because, without them, the United States of America would not be what it is
Tatyana Tandanpolie
Pickerington High School North
In Blackness We Trust Pride. Denotatively, it means having a high opinion of yourself in regards to who you are and what you’ve accomplished. However, to many its meaning often spans farther than the average dictionary definition. In America, pride is a key part of our national identity. We take pride in the Pledge of Allegiance and the symbolic meaning behind each star and stripe on our flag. We take pride in our national anthem and the army men and women who fight to protect our nation. We take pride in our multicultural society and the ways people of all races, genders, backgrounds and statuses have had their hand in shaping it. American pride is so much …show more content…
Often times, when popular celebrities assume a pro-Black stance, they’re met with strong opposition from many of their White fans. Recently, in February of 2016, this behavior was the response to the Super Bowl’s half-time show. During it, popular singer Beyoncé performed her song, “Formation.” After the performance, African Americans across the nation praised Beyoncé for her pro-Black message, her “uplifting of forms of southern Black culture” (Falzone, 2016, February 12) and her song’s “exaltation of traits and characteristics typically associated with being black” (Chokshi, 2016, February 18). For the Black community, Beyoncé’s performance was inspirational because it showed that being black was something to be proud of. However, according to professor N. Rooks, Director of Graduate Studies at Cornell University's Africana Studies and Research Center, “On the other [side] are pickets and boycotts and rage, mostly by whites” (Falzone, 2016, February 12). The cause of this adverse reaction from parts of White America seemed to be a feeling of alienation brought on by the performance. According to Dr. L. Reedus, this reaction by White Americans, especially Beyoncé fans, occurred because “[Beyoncé] never presented herself as being [...] Black in general” and it surprised many that she took such a pro-Black stance (personal communication, February 26, 2017). Along with that, …show more content…
African American’s pride in their background in no more or less valid than the American public’s pride in their backgrounds. For African Americans and Americans in general, pride is an integral part of who they are. No one, regardless of race, status or gender, should be denied their right as an American to take pride in where they came from. Americans should embrace the ethnic heritages of all of their minorities with open arms because, without them, the United States of America would not be what it is