African American Culture

In this paper I discuss the African-American culture in regards to values, norms and beliefs.

Music is a creative art form that allows the artist to construct something that expresses a purpose. It evolves over time and changes as the world changes, taking on many different motivations behind the melody and lyrics. In today’s society, anger, oppression, racism, and negative opinions rule the media and popular culture. I believe that African Americans need to show their self worth and not let white people hold them back. With the music in white culture often mocking African American culture and portraying negative stereotypes, African Americans have to find ways to gain respect. In acknowledgement of the negative portrayal of their culture, African Americans respond by creating songs and videos that express their pride in their culture and heritage, react to white oppression, and communicate their independence.

In his essay “Paper Tigers,” Wesley Yang discusses his own experiences as an Asian American, tying them into the larger picture of Asians functioning in American society today. Yang’s argument is that even though Asian Americans are one of the most successful ethnicities in the country, stereotypes that Asian Americans are exposed to affect the way other Americans view them. Because of personal bias and racism, human society fails to see other people for who they are and put too much emphasis on what they are supposed to or not supposed to be in America today. Stereotypes cloud people’s vision and judgment and keep some from achieving their goals because others have a pre-created

“Cooning” was a TV show or Film usually they act like idiot behavior that misrepresents African American culture. I think idiot because that shows a deliberate act. Many people called “coons.” Yes, I saw some examples today’s culture some white people still discriminate black people. Some white people were enjoying it, and that seems to some people they insulted African- American behaves. African-American got angry. It was not fair at all that behavior. All are good examples.

Africans have, since the early settlement of America, has had a great influence in the nation’s growth. These contributions to the United States from enslaved Africans have been greatly portrayed in American culture. Varying from cuisine, to song and dance are not only portrayed today but it has a deep-rooted impact throughout the United States. During the middle passage, enslaved Africans were forced to abandon their everyday lives, their families and their homes and forced to adapt to a new lifestyle they knew nothing of. However, upon arrival into the New World, due to their prior knowledge and wisdom from back home, they were able to quickly adapt and custom themselves to this new lifestyle in order to survive with the hope of potentially one day returning back to Africa. Unfortunately, African contributions to the culture of the United States has received little to no recognition and it has been taken credit for by Europeans and Whites since the early establishment of the United States.

The African American Culture and Traditions A Research Study and Facts That Will Take Us Into What Makes This Culture So Unique.

n the African American Culture, we are often copied in many different ways. From our

There is no doubt that African Americans have a rich cultural background and history like the many different ethnic groups who settled in the New World, whose origins lie in another country. For this reason, America was known as the melting pot. However, the backgrounds of each of these cultures were not always understood or, in the case of African Americans, accepted among the New World society and culture. Americans were ignorant to the possibility of differences among groups of people until information and ideas started to emerge, particularly, the African retention theories. This sparked an interest in the field of African culture and retention in African Americans. However, the study of African American culture truly emerged as a result of increased awareness in America, specifically through the publication and findings of scholarly research and cultural events like the Harlem Renaissance where all ethnicities were able to see this rich historical culture of African Americans.

All countries are defined by their specific religions, cultures and traditions. African culture is just one of those disposed with traditions, spirituality and music. Unfortunately, as Africans were taken from their homes to be sold in America as slaves, they were separated from the cultures that they understood and that were theirs. The Africans in America had to find ways to fit their culture into their new environment. In order to acclimate to their new country, African slaves from different countries and cultures in Africa combined their unique traditions with the Christian ideology of their masters to create their own new form of existence. Slaves were able to form their own culture with unique food, religion, and ceremonies. Slave culture was developed from Christian ideas, African traditions and devoutness, as well as the distinctive mentality that arose from slave experiences.

African American, also known Black American, is a very mixed and compacted culture. From history to present day, traditions taken back from slavery to the hip hop age. Incorporating details from all different times in history. Starting with the Music, African Americans have a very intellectual way of expressing their feelings, pain, history and teaching lessons, which really started from old hymns sung by slaves. From Jazz, to blues, to hip hop, all different forms of music to express the way of their lives. Music isn’t the only thing African Americans have to be proud of, they also so have a strong background of cultural food. Soul Food is very common and eaten by many across the world, and is used a lot with another tradition of African

That’s because you are not an ordinary person you’re an extraordinary person. I thank you being an African American woman I had defense my African American culture. Here’s one example I was in a 4.5 star restaurant, I walked away with a group of lady going into the same direction. A white lady turned around a single me out of the group asking if I can get her a glass of water. I pulsed and carefully collected my thoughts and said in these time I’ve could have ask you the same question it appear your intelligent enough to distinguish a waitress from a customer and those days are over and by the way the meal was amazing. For a minute she looked taken back until she thought about what I said and then she apologized. As I smiled because it could

What I observed growing up in the 70s was the all natural big afros or pressed hair styles, platform shoes and bell bottom pants and dashiki shirts was apart of my African-American culture. Shoes had to be shined, even sneakers had to be wipe clean and cloths had to be pressed before you was able to walk out the door. Growing up I had three different styles of clothes. I had church clothes, play clothes and schools clothes.

In my second week of Asian American Studies, I got to learn about how the reality of Asian Americans being in poverty level are often overlooked by popular myths about how Asian Americans are best educated, high income, and very successful. The common theme through all the readings in class is that Asians are commonly discriminated as one monolithic group and are often judged by their race and culture. In fact, I used to face such discrimination during my childhood from other kids assuming I am Chinese and have small eyes as well as any other common Asian stereotypes. Asian Americans do not resemble just the high end of the spectrum to being very successful and intelligent, but they also resemble the lower end of the spectrum to those living in poverty and do not have a good chance of a good future.

However, this is far from the truth. Asian Americans are not immune to the consequences of racial discrimination and other forms of

I have traveled all over the world but I have never been down South. Being from New York has also given me a very narrow perspective of African American culture. The purpose of this research project is to gain some understanding of Black culture specifically in the South. College has exposed me to a lot of people who were born and raised in the South and some of my closest friends are southerners. By researching the history, culture, and demographic information of the South, I plan on becoming a more well-informed American.