...EN105 25 January 2015 Racism For many years African Americans have been discriminated against, not as individuals, but solely because of the color of their skins. In her essay “How it Feels to Be Colored Me”, Zora Hurston relays to the reader that being discriminated due to your color doesn’t take away from who you are as a person, nor does it change the morals and virtues and pride that you have for yourself. Hurston speaks of her life experiences, and through those experiences she has became to know who she was, which at the beginning made her feel ashamed. The author didn’t realize or have ever been truly exposed to racism until the age of thirteen, when she moved from Eatonville, FL., a predominately black community, to Jacksonville, FL. Until then white people only differed to Zora because they didn’t live in her town. There in Jacksonville Zora experienced racism and discrimination; through all of this Zora never felt bitter towards those that discriminated against her. “But I am not tragically colored. There is no great sorrow damned up in my soul, nor lurking behind my eyes. I do not mind at all. I do not belong to the sobbing school of Negrohood.” (Hurston 266). Though slavery was sixty years in the past, Zora understood that slavery was the price that was paid for civilization by her ancestors. Racism is alive and well. The past year many of us were stunned by the cases of racial intimidation and judicial bias, during the Michael Brown and Eric...
Words: 1053 - Pages: 5
...evident on indigenous soil, the division of non-indigenous populations and indigenous populations have been present. The racism and discrimination that has impacted the Indigenous populations have drastically affected many generations. It is the development of the everyday Australian attitude that has encouraged social movements across the country; moving majority away from the traditional racism or “old-fashioned” racism. Old-fashioned racism regards the statement and policies that are intentionally and blatantly discriminative, it includes the genuine belief that a life of a black individual is worth significantly less than white individuals (Tesler, 2013). Movements across the decades have attempted...
Words: 1243 - Pages: 5
...“A reality check for America” Mary C. Terrell was a powerful pioneer in civil rights and a powerful leader who faced many struggles of prejudices because she was a colored woman. Because she had lived a difficult life in the capital of the US, she decided it was time the world knew of her the many trajectories she continued to face along with many other African Americans. On October 10, 1906, Terrell gave a speech titled, “ What it Mean to be Colored in the Capitol of the U.S.,” to the members of the United Woman’s club in Washington, D.C. This speech was very influential and significant speech that served as a voice for other African Americans who had no voice. This speech also was a time for Terrell to explain the unnecessary hassles she and other blacks had to take on when trying to live as a citizen in the capital. Through this speech we can see an abundance of prejudice that taint the lives of African Americans in the U.S.. In the following paragraphs, I will establish the notability of this speech, analyze the historical context that sparked the discourse into existence and explore other rhetorical features that will establish my analysis’s significance. Mary Church Terrell embodies feminine style rhetoric in her argument to address the social, economic and political struggles placed against African Americans with the undertone of constitutive rhetoric, topical structure, pathos and logos to validate her point. History: Mary Church Terrell...
Words: 2386 - Pages: 10
...Arc of Justice- Residential Segregation The Arc of Justice depicts the struggles, injustices, and hatred experienced by ethnic minorities in the United States during early part of the 20th century. Throughout the book, author Kevin Boyle shows to us the violence and oppression endured by blacks as they strived towards success and racial equality. A key struggle for many African American families trying to improve their lifestyle and social status in northern American cities, was finding a place to live and raise their families. Those who dared to move from the cities’ black quarters into white neighborhoods faced fierce opposition from white supremacist groups and residents alike. An analysis of the Arc of Justice shows us that social, cultural, and economic forces challenged the African Americans’ fight against residential segregation. In his introduction to the book, Boyle paints the situation that black Americans faced in the 1910’s and early 1920’s. Looking to escape the prejudices, oppression, and low working wages of the south, many individuals looked to the North as a gateway to financial stability and independence. With the emergence of the steel and automobile industries, thousands upon thousands of black men and women were drawn into the northern cities of Chicago, Detroit, and New York by the opportunities to earn higher wages and provide for themselves. There they faced the reality of what their life would be like. Blacks were often restricted to living in overcrowded...
Words: 1039 - Pages: 5
...Arc of Justice- Residential Segregation The Arc of Justice depicts the struggles, injustices, and hatred experienced by ethnic minorities in the United States during early part of the 20th century. Throughout the book, author Kevin Boyle shows to us the violence and oppression endured by blacks as they strived towards success and racial equality. A key struggle for many African American families trying to improve their lifestyle and social status in northern American cities, was finding a place to live and raise their families. Those who dared to move from the cities’ black quarters into white neighborhoods faced fierce opposition from white supremacist groups and residents alike. An analysis of the Arc of Justice shows us that social, cultural, and economic forces challenged the African Americans’ fight against residential segregation. In his introduction to the book, Boyle paints the situation that black Americans faced in the 1910’s and early 1920’s. Looking to escape the prejudices, oppression, and low working wages of the south, many individuals looked to the North as a gateway to financial stability and independence. With the emergence of the steel and automobile industries, thousands upon thousands of black men and women were drawn into the northern cities of Chicago, Detroit, and New York by the opportunities to earn higher wages and provide for themselves. There they faced the reality of what their life would be like. Blacks were often restricted to living in overcrowded...
Words: 1039 - Pages: 5
...affects child’s perception towards a person Submitted to: Ms. Amy Corado Submitted by: Bilano, Clareze Bonina, Mary Isabelle Bustamante,Clarenz CHAPTER I Introduction Most people assume that they see the same thing as other people, taking into account corrections for refractive errors with eyeglasses. However, there is now substantial evidence to suggest that this is not the case. Namely, we do not see exactly what others see. Racism is the belief that characteristics and abilities can be attributed to people simply on the basis of their race and that some racial groups are superior to others. Even though race and color clearly overlap, they are not synonymous. Thus, color discrimination can occur between persons of different races or ethnicities, or between persons of the same race or ethnicity. Racism and discrimination have been used as powerful weapons encouraging fear or hatred of others in times of conflict and war, and even during economic downturns. Racism is also a very touchy subject for some people, as issues concerning free speech and Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights come into play. It may be a factor contributing to poor health and health care disparities in minority children through multiple mechanisms, including effects on psychological and physical well-being. Little is known about the experiences of racism that children encounter in their lives. This study describes the occurrences of perceived racism in children, including...
Words: 3578 - Pages: 15
...reading, I noticed that despite the year tacked on to the assigned readings, the content barely changed. From Dubois (1903) to Wingfield and Feagin (2012), we are still acknowledging the same woes that a society assigns particular groups of people. We are still attempting to come up with dire solutions in hopes that everyone will begin to “get along” with one another. But most of all, because of this…People of color are still waiting to exhale. In this essay, there will be two parts: Firstly, a general analysis of the assigned literature for this week. In this compartment of my paper, I will analyze extracted points from the readings thematically as it directly relates to certain points in the “Critical Race: An Introduction” excerpt. Here, I will also be giving a respectful critique of Dubois’ postulations in the “Souls of Black Folk.” Secondly I will critique Allport’s (1954) contact hypothesis that was discussed in Hewstone and Swart (2011). Introduction of Critical Race Theory (CRT) Before I analyze the literature, I think it would be wise to give a brief definition and explanation of Critical Race Theory in general. Delgado and Stefancic (2006) offered a pretty understandable definition and illustration of CRT, highlighting key people, elements, and objectives...
Words: 3445 - Pages: 14
...it is his personal duty to construct the Civil Rights Movement into further progression and fight against the social conduct of his time. Dr.King doesn’t use pathos to appeal to the audience’s emotions until paragraph four. He states that he is quite knowledgeable and aware of all the close ties of the states and the prejudiced acts that are happening within them, such as enforcing strict and unjust laws. By stating this, he is indirectly referring to the state and local laws known as “The Jim Crow Laws” passed from 1877 through the mid-1950s where colored people were denied basic, social, economic, and civil rights. Some laws were that colored people can only use specific bathrooms and water fountains, could only eat from colored restaurants, and could not visit anywhere a white male had the luxury of visiting. In paragraph fifteen, Dr.King acknowledges that the whites are concerned with the strong urge that the colored people withhold to break laws if considered unjust. King is referring to his own protests, sit-ins, boycotts, and marches here. He demonstrates rhetorical questioning in paragraph eight when he interrogates, “Are you able to accept blows without retaliation? Are you able to endure the ordeal of jail?” He uses rhetorical questioning again in paragraph fifteen when he asks, “How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?” King answers by stating that he can advise others and himself to break and obey some laws because there is a differentiation between...
Words: 1691 - Pages: 7
...Jessica J. Ordonez CSLG – 6145 Dr. Ceballos Color of Fear Analysis Paper Question #1 The 3 major themes that are highlighted in David’s utterances are the following: 1. White people are seemingly unaware of their White privilege and the fact that they are part of a group. Throughout the video David clearly expresses that he does not feel that being white makes him any special. He finds the topic of racism “extremely exciting” because he never really understood why “they” had to cause struggle and strife and why “they” couldn’t feel happy. ------------------------------------------------- And when the subject of racism was mentioned to me I found it extremely exciting because I grew up in this area with friends of all races and we would read in the news - see on the television of racial struggles in other areas and could not comprehend how that could be - why they had to cause struggle and strife for each other. Why couldn’t they be just like at home, happy and productive together? (Transcript) David’s comments clearly demonstrate how clueless he is about his own White privilege. In the beginning of his dialogue David explains that he has never felt that he was “in control” of anything. Yet, in the same statement he goes on to explain how he has owned vineyards and orchards that employed several minorities. David’s own words appear to be oblivious to him. It appears that he is speaking without even listening to himself. In one sentence he states...
Words: 4185 - Pages: 17
...Introduction Some would argue that racism does not exist today, this is not an attempt to prove anything of the contrary, instead this is an attempt to understand racism and where it comes from. Although racism lives within the hearts and minds of some people it is much more cleverly disguised, some may not even notice it right in front of their face. For some, it may be a fact that they have not experienced racism, however for others, racism has a great impact on daily life. . Due to the complexity of the human mind, I believe that it would be impossible to find one single cause of racism. This is merely an attempt to discover some contributing factors to racism and why so many people tend to accept racism either consciously or sub consciously. Finally, from an objective perspective, this research will explain how racism develops through various ideas and why. Within these pages we will explore the possible causes of racism such as ethnocentrism, or the idea that one ethnic group is more superior to another. Xenophobia, fear and dislike of people from other countries or cultures is another contributing factor to racism. National pride can be a source of unity but also an excuse to discriminate against others, by holding the belief that your nation is better than other nations. We will explore some theories related to racism such as the idea that sexual repression is to blame for violence. Also exploring the theory of energetic fields as a possible explanation...
Words: 3389 - Pages: 14
...understanding of the subtle bias that affects our society is a form of humanistic deception. Although the norms in America appear to be uniform; we will see that biases are influenced by various social factors such as stereotype, prejudice, discrimination, and labeling including the Attribution Theory. This paper will compare and contrast scientific literature to gain more insight into the subtlety of this social construct. I am seeking not to understand the reason why we as social beings are bias, but to simply show that this distorted truth exist. Subtle Bias as a Social Construct In America My theory of unconscious bias along with the self-affirmation process that accompanies it clouds our worldview in our present society. We all do it no matter how accepting we appear to be or even claim to be. Irrational thoughts are usually based on a worldview that illustrates our interpretation of the world we live in (Wilson, 2001). This worldview is a set of assumptions and beliefs that we hold on to that guide our behavior. It helps us to make sense out of our lives. It determines what we think about human nature, causes of emotional issues, and where bias comes from (Entwistle, 2004). There is always some form of discriminatory behavior or covert prejudice prevailing within our essence. Unfortunately, there is a strong manipulative force who affects the relationship between self and our cognitive decisions which fosters the quality of our everyday life. It must be remembered that...
Words: 2423 - Pages: 10
...Distinguish between the concepts of race and racism. Do you agree that the concept of race is socially constructed? Can you use the conceptual framework for understanding identity to understand racial discrimination? ……………………………………………….....………………………………………………………………………………………… ….………………………..………………………………………………………………………….......................................................... To answer the following question, we would go through a re-interpretation of the word race. Followed by the biological, historical and social aspects of race from where race becomes racism (idea of social construction which in itself contains the notion of Identity). When we claim the view of race on identity, we are slowly drifted to the currents of Ethnicity. Race is a modern concept. The English language didn‟t even have the word „Race‟ until 1508 when William Dunbar referred race to a lineage of Kings in his poem. Historical records show that neither the idea nor ideologies of race existed before the seventeenth century. We will now randomly take up a definition of Race, keep it as a base for understanding and then reinterpret it if required. According to “Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy”, the concept of race has historically signified the division of humanity into small number of groups based on five categories. i. Races reflect some type of biological foundations. ii. This biological foundation creates discrete racial groupings such that all people of the same group share the same biological characteristics...
Words: 2224 - Pages: 9
...In this academic paper the researcher will endeavor to with the aid of examples assess the view ethnicity in Africa serves to polarize otherwise connected groups. A conclusion based on the data used, and the analysis of material used will be given at the end of this academic work. Ethnic groups are defined as a community of people who share cultural and linguistic characteristics including history, tradition, myth, and origin. Scholars have been trying to develop a theoretical approach to ethnicity and ethnic conflict for a long time. Some, like Donald Horowitz, Ted Gurr, Donald Rothschild and Edward Azar, agree that the ethnic conflicts experienced today-- especially in Africa -- are deep rooted. These conflicts over race, religion, language and identity have become so complex that they are difficult to resolve or manage. Ethnicity has a strong influence on one's status in a community. Ethnic conflicts are therefore often caused by an attempt to secure more power or access more resources. The opinion of this study is that conflict in Africa is synonymous with inequality . Using Nigeria and South Africa as case studies, it compares the management of ethnic conflicts in both countries and shows the difficulties in managing deep-rooted and complex conflicts. The governments of Nigeria and South Africa have taken bold constitutional steps to reduce tension, but the continuing ethnic and religious conflicts raise questions about the effectiveness of these mechanisms. This study...
Words: 2077 - Pages: 9
...The Battlefield When most of us hear the word leader, during the Civil Rights Movement, we think of great men like, Martin Luther King or A. Philip Randolph. However, Louis Armstrong must be considered as one of our countries leaders. Being an innovative musician he not only pioneered jazz but overcame barriers set by racism. He saw the musician, not the color of the musician. Louis patented his own style of music which became known and loved the world over. David Stricklin’s book Louis Armstrong gave us a detailed description of Armstrong’s life. By cracking open the pages of history we gain a greater understanding of his life and how he interacted with his environment. Armstrong was born August 4, 1901, in the Third Ward just west of downtown New Orleans. Stricklin quoted Gary Giddins, “Louis was raised in a house of cards in the middle of a gale,” which describes his life. His family moved later to a red light district known as, The Battlefield. Just the name, The Battlefield, makes one think of a harsh environment where you could lose your life at any moment. According to Stricklin he was primarily raised by his grandmother, and had to endure seeing his mother struggle economically, even subjecting herself to prostitution to provide for her family. His father had limited contact, which must have been difficult for Louis to understand, since he had another family. During Armstrong’s early adolescence the United States was in an era of reform, the Progressive Era, asking...
Words: 1603 - Pages: 7
...Rhetorical Analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail The nonviolent approach remains supreme as a way to achieve a peaceful resolution to conflict arising as a result of social, economical and political change in a contemporary society that has faced many of those challenges as a result of the fight for equality and social vices. This is because non-violent actions tend to create an atmosphere for peaceful negotiations and dialogue. In the case of Martin Luther King Jr in his letter from the Birmingham Jail, his idea was to create an atmosphere to frame the minds of his readers and clergymen of the situation in Birmingham caused by injustice and inequality. Martin Luther King Jr’s letter from Birmingham Jail was an icebreaker. The Letter intended to break the chains of segregation and injustice. The letter was written in the 1960s when African Americans were facing a series of injustices in the South as a result of racial segregation. This social injustice was seen in his letter when he used words such as “Negros,” to support his point. He said “ Negros have experienced grossly unjust treatment in the court. They have been more bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in the nation. These are the hard brutal facts of the case. On the basis of these conditions, Negro leaders sought to negotiate with the city fathers. But the latter consistently refused to engage in good faith negations.”(Lee 215) These citations reiterate...
Words: 1590 - Pages: 7
