African American Influence On Society

Black musicians gained respect and a consistent audience. Names such as B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, Little Richard, among others, would not be recognized if it weren’t for John Hammond. The fact that black musicians were accepted and even respected, translated to a beginning of the civil rights movement.3 This attitude slowly carried over from music to the world as a whole with the help of civil rights leaders.

This helped to bring awareness of multiple issues in the black communities into the homes of other races, such as Michael Eric Dyson, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Cornel West, and a host of others. Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, and Malcom X paved the way for those scholars, in turn those men paved the way for the next generation of activist.

There have been many African American influential figures who have done extraordinary things to try and advance the African American race as a whole. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois are just to name two of these influential figures. Booker T. Washington has showed us that African Americans can advance from being in horrendous situations. He was once born a slave on a farm in virginia and became one of the most influential African American intellectuals of the late 19th century. He founded the Tuskegee institute, a black school in Alabama. He also formed the National Negro Business league, and even served as an Advisor to the presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. W.E.B Du Bois has shown us that African Americans

Within our school's education system we often center the black activist movement around those such as Martin Luther King, Harriet Tubman, and so on. While these people have important significance, others who are less known; who have contributed to our nations has fallen into shadows, of which are not spoken of to the point that it has become untold stories. These people are taught to us in school, as role models

African American people have come a long way from the illiterate slaves, who were once picking cotton in fields, to powerful political leaders. A prime example would be President Barack Obama, the first African American president of the United States of America. But first we must ask ourselves, how did this occur? Who lead African Americans to better living standards? Civil rights leaders, such as Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, and Rosa Parks, just to name a few. However, among these great names in history, there is one that stands out, and that man is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King gave hope to those in need with his awe inspiring sermons he performed at the church his grandfather founded. He changed foes to

There are many African Americans who made significant achievements and contributions to our society such as Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Harriet Tubman, W.E.B DuBois, Booker T. Washington, and so many more African Americans that are strong role models. Our ancestors have done so much for us to be where we are today.

In this reading response we are reviewing Booker T Washington and W.E.B Du Bois both are many who are both driven to make a difference in the black community, whether it’s being passive like Booker T or acting non-passively like W.E.B.

These men provided a huge step forward for all of the African American community to a world more welcoming to their

Across the nation, millions of Americans of all races turn on the television or open a newspaper and are bombarded with images of well dressed, articulate, attractive black people advertising different products and representing respected companies. The population of black professionals in all arenas of work has risen to the point where seeing a black physician, attorney, or a college professor are becoming more a common sight. More and more black people are holding positions of respect and authority throughout America today, such as Barack Obama, Colin Powell, Condelezza Rice and many other prominent black executives. As a result of their apparent success, these black people are seen as role models for many Americans, despite their race.

115 years ago, African Americans fought against the most oppressive and cruel system of chattel slavery. Their fight was executed by slaves and white abolitionists. As a result, 13th amendment abolished slavery in 1865, and the struggle succeeded. After the abolishment of slavery, life was a world filled with happiness and hope.The brutalities and indignities of slave life, the whippings and sexual assaults, the selling and forcible displacement of family members, the denial of education, wages, legal marriage, homeownership were gone. Free and enslaved African Americans, abolitionists, and everyone else who helped with this achievement celebrated their newfound freedom and win. However life in the years after slavery proved to be unbearable as well.

I believe one of the most influential African Americans of all time is Marcus Garvey. Marcus Garvey achieved accomplishments in not just one, but many areas. His accomplishments ranged from a worldwide Black political organization, The Untied Negro Improvement Association, to the first, and to this day the largest Black-owned multinational businesses, the Black Star Lines. Marcus was criticized by many of his fellow African American leaders because many of his projects failed. In despite of that, Marcus Garvey talent to attract followers towards his beliefs is inspiring.

Through the years we have realized that the African American community has grown and developed. Our communities have come to live in harmony with one another. Although it took a long time for African Americans to get their say in society, they have come to show the world that they deserve their chance. We have learned that we need each other because it brings more color, music, and new ideas into our lives.

African Americans have endured many trials and tribulations over the centuries. Our people have suffered from war, violence, and anguish simply because of the color of our skin. Our history has been so blatantly missing from textbooks and the K-12th grade educational atmosphere. Our educational system continues to neglect the history of our African American ancestors and fail to provide them with the educational resources to inform them of our past and allow them to learn about the true origins of our culture. We have made many significant contributions to the world but those have also been highly ignored as well.

While Kylie Jenner’s faux dreadlocks for her ‘rebel-themed’ Teen Vogue photoshoot were described as beautiful, edgy, and raw by various style magazines, Zendaya Coleman’s dreadlocks she wore on the Oscars red carpet were described as making her look like she “smells like patchouli oil. Or, weed," by Fashion Police host Giuliana Rancic. America loves to appropriate black culture, even when black people themselves, don’t receive the same amount of love from America. From box braids to dashikis, black culture has been stolen by America and used for their own personal gain, disregarding the historical context and meaning of these traditions or blatantly perpetuating stereotypes.

African Americans have been through so much since being uprooted from their home in Africa. Most people do not understand what happened to African Americans and they understand what they had to go through to be where they are today. It went from being kings in the comfort of their home to being thrown on a boat packed like sardines to be forced to work in the fields. The trip was a massacre itself because many did not make it due to the treatment from others. African Americans have always been treated like outsiders and it took many people to sway the perception of others to be where they are today. Through all the ups and downs African Americans persevered and made it out the struggle. African Americans has always been treated badly all groups of people and they always looked down on African Americans. Throughout the history involving African American, it showed the constant inferiority treatment. African Americans were slaves years ago, people still look at blacks as less important than other people. Slavery has a huge impact on our society today because people are still bias and unfair towards African Americans, most African Americans are still living in poverty and don’t have proper education beyond high school which is why they don’t have the equal opportunity for jobs. African Americans still continue to sit in the shadow behind white people.