Hyphenated American

Self-loathing. Anguish. Bitterness. These are all emotions that stem from colorism within the African American community. Colorism is skin color stratification. It is a "form of oppression that is expressed through the differential treatment of individuals or groups based on skin complexion" (Lowman). Typically, it demonstrates favoritism to those of a lighter skin tone, while those of a darker tone experience rejection and mistreatment. This is a social issue that “is...taught in our society,…

Millions of high school football players risk their future lives on the football fields under the lights on Friday nights. Their parents have either decided that the amusement of playing football either outweighs the risks that may occur, or they do not even think the sport is as dangerous as most think. Therefore, brain injuries have become a troubling topic of discussion in the NFL today. Football players use their helmets as weapons for a playing advantage on the football field. Due to…

Impact of Race, class, and gender in Policing and Sentencing Race, class, and gender have an effect on the outcomes of the American criminal justice system. However, whether that outcome is favorable or not depends on where each individual lies on the race, class, and gender hierarchy of the United States. Cassia Spohn writes in great detail about the effects of these three characteristics in her article “30 Years of Sentencing Reform.” Before Spohn lays out the findings of her research, she…

Current Event An unarmed African American 18 year old, Michael Brown was shot and killed on August 9, 2014 by a white police officer, Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri. Shortly before the shooting, a convenience store had been robbed. Officer Darren Wilson claims that as he encountered Michael Brown, he recognized him as the suspect of the robbery. Therefore, he backed up to block him. There are several claims, and not enough evidence to anticipate what exactly happened next. Officer…

of our ideas and opinions can be stereotyped or prejudiced, bearing no relationship to the truth” (ch.5, p.254). Learning to Read and Write This reading by Fredrick Douglas on his experience to read and write shows great commitment by an African American during a time of slavery. Douglas was a slave that whose duties were to work and obey, not read and write. But, he felt a strong urge to be educated thus leading him on a search to find white people -mainly male children- to help him read and…

Sinatra was the typical singer that American parents and teen 's heard during the 40s and 50s. His music contained variations of swing and jazz. In the early 50s, it would all change with the birth of rock and roll and its teen idols. As for the older generations and religious figures they…

The 1970’s were a time of the change for women and African Americans in America. Alice Walker’s short story “Everyday Use” gives readers a glimpse into some of the difficulties African American women faced and still face today. Alice Walker displays the difficulties to try to keep heritage, traditions, identity while being able to make political and societal change through her use of symbols, characters and theme. Many men and women over time have conformed to what society believes people should…

During the story of Anne Moody there were many accounts of African-Americans facing inequality in many different areas. These areas include things such as unemployment, treatment in the workplace/community, and various beatings/murders on many innocent African-Americans throughout these times. Anne Moody was one who believed that things needed to be changed and can if people have the courage to step up to fight for what they believe in. Anne Moody believed that the civil rights movement was and…

and dandy when it comes to racism, but we still have a long way to go. According to the Color-Blind Privilege by Charles A. Gallagher, denying race as a structural bias for inequality, we fail to recognize the privilege of Whiteness. Being a white American has some connotation of putting on our “color blind glasses” on just to say that everything is okay. We want to think there is no racism left in the…

late February of 2011, after residents of Soho felt highly offended by an ad Life Always placed at the intersection of Sixth Ave. and Watts St. The billboard featured a young, innocent looking, African American girl with a quote stated above her picture: “The most dangerous place for an African American is in the womb.” Life Always, an anti abortion organization from Texas, defended their billboard by stating, “The intent of the board is to call attention to the tragedy and the truth that…