Anti-miscegenation laws

Black Intellectual Resistance Tactics in Brazil The protest and resistance tactics employed by black thinkers in Brazil, during the early to late 20th century, took on many forms. In order to investigate the dynamic nature of black resistance, I will focus on responses to two popular ideologies that appear at different points in the century Alberto investigates. The two ideas are scientific racism, and idea of racial mixture. In Terms of Inclusion: Black Intellectuals in Twentieth-Century Brazil…

This article explores many topics related to these two questions: Has the United States progressed morally and socially enough to where Black Americans are no longer disadvantaged on a societal level? And, how we are to decide what a marker of social progress is in the context of racial discrimination? The main issue explained in the article that prompts the questions above is the election of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States. To many, his election symbolizes an end to…

The case Loving v. Virginia (1967) was a turning point for interracial relationships. It prohibited laws that prohibited interracial marriages. The acceptance of interracial marriages began to progress, but at a very slow rate. Later on in time, the media began to show more interracial relationships, particularly through television. This was a good sign, but it still was not enough to cause a change, since other television companies chose not to act on the subject in fear of those who did not…

Through-out Passing we are torn between two characters who both live life so differently. Who lives their life honorable, shows who that person truly is and what their morals are. To pass is something secretly desirable yet also condemning. What has been made popular by society as portraying passing, is different from what it was really like. To pass means you must have a stronger will in your heart and even stronger will-power to leave all you know behind. Not only was passing a selfish choice,…

Passing: A Continuing Reality In 2015, racial passing still goes on in this day and age. A woman’s 62 year-old brother’s adult child is “passing.” Racial passing occurs when a person classified as a member of one racial group is also accepted as a member of another racial group. Generally, “passing” is done to make a person’s life easier. However, the sense of loss may not be understood. Her nephew is of mixed racial ancestry, African-American and Caucasian. His parents were still in high…

Oppressed people need to set themselves apart from the rest - they need to realize that being different does not make them any less of a human being, or less fortunate. When oppressed people come to terms with this, they will be able to reflect this to others and not settle for what “has always been”, but rather pride themselves in their distinction, and take steps towards making a difference. In “Just Walk On By: A Black Man Ponders”, Brent Staples shares a personal experience on how he had to…

In Rebecca Skloot’s book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, racial stereotyping against minority patients is predominant in every aspect of health care. Many of these stereotypes in Skloot’s book painted blacks as unintelligent and vulnerable and led to many doctors taking advantage of their patients. Henrietta Lacks was one of these patients and unfortunately doctors made millions off of her cancerous cervix cells without her informed consent. Her cells, named HeLa cells, helped cure the…

Is racism still alive on college campuses? You might think it is not, but the reality says that it does exist in many colleges. Incidents of racism, ranging from calling name to physical abuse, have increased in the last few years. According to the Department of Education, the number of racial complaints reported on college campuses “has increased from 555 in 2009 to 939 last year” (Quijano). One of the most recent racist incidents is the racist chant that happened at the University of Oklahoma.…

Shedding Color As I grew into the young woman I am today, I faced many challenges that my Caucasian counterparts have not. The melanin in my skin has acted like a beacon for harsh jokes and inappropriate comments from my peers, and on some occasions, even adults. I began to see the effects of being black in the young stages of my life, for I was one of three African-American students at my school from preschool nearly until I started high school. The United States of America is nicknamed “the…

Happiness is something that everyone wants to have. However the road to attaining happiness is filled with obstacles. In Djanet Sears 's Harlem Duet and Lorraine Hansberry 's A Raisin in the Sun, Othello and Walter both struggle to find happiness due to their race, and their fragile sense of masculinity. In the end, Walter is able to overcome those obstacles while Othello succumbs to them. One factor that hinders Othello and Walter 's ability to find happiness is their race. In Sear 's Harlem…