Jewish diaspora

Starting with “Negro English” or “Black Speech”, these were the first denominations that African American English had. It has to do with the period of time to which they belonged, as at this time colored people would be also designated as “Negro”. It has also been labeled as “Black communication”, which makes more sense than the other two as, at least, this label is referring to the communication patterns, or the communication features, that could be found in the black speech. Also following the…

In Citizen, Claudia Rankine provides political commentary through real-life anecdotes and poems on the modern day treatment of African-Americans. We know from the text and from current events that race is a heated topic of debate, and by including both everyday instances and overarching stigmas, Rankine is able to illustrate individual African-American experiences. Rankine’s constant shift in the race of the speaker between Caucasian and African-American people greatly influences how we may…

Let’s Get in Formation for a Revolution In Beyonce’s “Formation” music video, Melina Matsoukas’ visual choices construct a powerful portrayal of black culture and issues in New Orleans. More specifically, Matsoukas’ use of composition, angles, and mise-en-scene portrays the racial and gender inequalities in society and the need to unite black female power to rise against oppression. Through composition, Melina Matsoukas portrays the capability of black women to reverse patriarchal standards.…

Little Tokyo: a relatively small 67 acres of land, rich with cultural and social history, a hotspot for tourists and Los Angeles natives alike, a landmark of Japanese American society right in the center of downtown Los Angeles. With its roots tracing as far back as the 1880’s, even to this day it continues to bring in and entertain tourists daily, with its small town charm and many interesting and exciting attractions. Little Tokyo serves as a hub for Japanese culture and tradition, new and old…

The main contention of the book A Lesson Before Dying is the inequality between white and black people. Throughout the book we see a change in the characters’ attitudes to this situation forced upon them by society. The author’s details suggest the ability to change the world through your beliefs and what you know is true. Jefferson and Grant’s realization helped to spark the country’s awareness to how wrong the oppression the majority of people were giving to African Americans everywhere.…

Racism, the reoccurring struggle for equality Most of the African Americans are still facing racism. In 2008, an Oregon archives exhibit stated that “African Americans, both nationally and in Oregon faced continuing discrimination and segregation during World War II.” During this time discrimination in employment continued for African American. Prior to the war, many blacks found jobs as hotel and train waiters and porters along with a handful of other unskilled positions. Thus, blacks…

ASAP academic advisor and professor, Uriah Brown, published The Black Bubble on December 11, 2015. The Black Bubble was a term he created to portray the bubble that the African Americans had been placed in as well as known as “the black experience.” “The Black Bubble is a term I created. It means, that black people have been placed in it and this bubble represents a barrier to success where African Americans cannot move up the ladder to become successful CEO’s, managers, directors,” said Brown…

Hip hop culture is connected with oral rivalry called “playing the dozens”, which joins diverting put-down and oral aptitudes in a battle to shock and finally quiets one's enemy. An extraordinary ace of this expressive test was Muhammad Ali, who utilized short rhymes to demonize his opponents and paralyze intellectuals. In hip hop the "humble groups" framed into the custom known as "engaging," in which rappers conflict against each other to see who has the best verses and grow stream. Engaging,…

As an African American woman and one who comes from a family of immigrants, I often didn’t see enough people who represented me in film. The depiction of African Americans in film were either slaves or poverty-stricken. I saw a plethora of ‘token’ characters and punch lines of various jokes but never just people. The women I saw were either damsels in distress or the subjects of men’s manic pixie dreams. They were neither strong nor independent, the person I was taught to become. As a result,…

before branches" means to you. What do you think this slogan represents? How does it apply to African American and African studies? What is its significance in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement? How does it connect with the global African diaspora? Do you think the slogan is meaningful? Why or why not? When I think about slogan “roots before branches” I think of it as a term that is representative of a tree. Trees have been noted to symbolize strength, beauty, and wisdom. These are…