African American Social Force

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

The African American experience is one that is quite different from other racial/ ethnic groups. The majority of the first African American came over, unwillingly, on ships from various African countries. They were brought to America by white, European settlers to be used as slaves in an order to plant and harvest their crops and make money for the white man. This racial group was treated as if they were property and not people. However, with the ending of the American Civil War, African Americans gained freedom, freedom that not all white American were quite ready to handle. After gaining their freedom came the need for education, jobs and suffrage rights. Now in America this racial group has come a long way, having elected its first African American present for two terms, yet still there are many issues that are very prevalent. This racial group has been fighting their way to equality since the birth of this nation. African Americans have experienced an array of conflict, violence, stereotypes, prejudice acts, and discrimination against them throughout their history in America.

There are 4 peculiar institutions of the United States stated by Loic Wacquant. These 4 peculiar institutes were developed to control, define, and confine the African Americans to the lowest positions in society. These institutions has spanned from before the United States came to be.The 4 peculiar institutes Chattel Slavery, Jim Crow, the Northern Ghetto, and Prison were designed to take control of the African American race for free labor. The African American race has been stigmatized and defined as living property, slaves, sharecroppers, menial workers, and criminals. All of these titles share a common goal which is to keep them at the bottom of society.

I might not be a person like Martin Luther King Jr., W.E.B Du Bois, Malcolm X, Elijah Muhammad, Bell Hooks, and Jesse Jackson, or I might not be a part of organizations like the NAACP, SCLC, Afro American Unity, and Black Panther Party, but if I ever get an opportunity to make a difference these people and organizations made to the lives of African-Americans, I would never hesitate to take it. Although, these people adhered to the different ideologies, they all are unique, as they all had a significant role in fighting against the struggles of African-Americans in one way or the other. It’s true that, these people were able to achieve the equal

In the period from 1515 to 1765, the native American society was almost destroyed unlike the wealth of societies of European settlers since contacts with alcohol and diseases like smallpox which Americans did not face before Columbian exchange make Americans lose power to resist toward colonialism. Europeans looted the gold and silver of America and did not respect Indian culture and civilization, so Americans lost both their economical and cultural assets. Moreover, because of sugar plantation and slavery, many Africans were taken from their home to America. It results foundation of African American society in many countries in Americas in modern days. First of all, native Americans lost their power because of drastic population decline caused

Americans of African descent still have limited economic freedom, even after the end of the civil war on Monday. The hugest or in other words the most serious problem after the Civil War it was hard work. After the Civil War, Americans of African descent in this release, but we do not know where exactly to go, especially in the south. They traveled far, but some remained and hard work because they did not have anywhere to go and no one to see. Also, they were not able to get all of their land, and thus began the cycle of poverty known as sharecropping. War in South Africa to prevent Americans from exercising civil and political rights - is another example of a border post is passed Black Codes which were discriminatory

Segregation took a huge toll on African Americans emotionally and ecumenically. Schools where segregated, and black schools where known for being hugely underfunded. So they started off with a bad education, which makes getting jobs harder. This was true even in colleges, which were also segregated. Not only that but because of racism an employer would always hire a white person over a black person. Black people where also generally paid less. Even if a black person got money they where not allowed to live in the same neighborhoods as white people or even go to the same shops. So there was never the possibility of moving up the social later. “He has been a beggar economically, a beggar politically a beggar socially a beggar even when it comes to trying to get some education” (Malcom

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 number of two-parent African American households is dissolving. According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the black family has declined from 80% in 1890 to 39% in 1990. The result of conflict, and warring souls in the African American community, this trend can be stopped and reversed. The African American family must first gain an understanding of what is causing this dissolution, then they can be taught about what principals and skills they must adapt in order to reverse it. Once this is accomplished, the black family must be given opportunities to share this information. By taking these steps, two-parent African American families would once again be prevalent in the United States.

A feeling of affiliation with community and strong interaction with all of its members serve as the basis of the peculiarity of Black community. Membership of community has been always more important to African Americans than the feeling of individualism and competition among its members. Jagers and Mock (1995) have talked about Afro-cultural communalism. This communalism is the tendency of African Americans toward collectivist orientation or the preference for interdependence among people. Students who are driven by this communalistic orientation cannot describe themselves in individualistic terms. In fact, much of their self-identity is grounded in their social concern for, and need to be with, others [3]. Being a member of community young African Americans always relate themselves to it, because as it has been mentioned above, individualism is not a characteristic feature of Black community.

In essence it’s crucial for us to look beyond what lies in front to avoid one’s theory to become clouded. The superficial level shows what is obvious and disallows what is real. Society wants the majority to believe that what appears in the world is natural. However, it is evident that social order prefers people to accept the perception “it’s natural people just want to be with their own kind.” Consequently, soon after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 African Americans established a huge success. Importantly, African Americans were farming land. They attained businesses and established trades, along with the right to vote. Additionally, African Americans purchased homes, obtained an education, and held jobs. Unfortunately due to this

Individuality was not stressed but rather the importance of the extended family. I believe that African Americans suffering through the hardships of slavery strengthened the idea of kinship even further. The unity of the African culture became strong due to a series of trials and tribulations.

From what I've read, I learned how the social status of blacks was back then. They didn't seem to have any opportunities at all. Being black was probably the worst thing that could've happen to them. And I say this because in this article, a black person mentions how being a poor person was better than being from a poor race, black.

The mission of the students around the country who fought for an education that would shed light on African Americans. The progress the students created is seen today in American Universities ,and also HBCUs, where (AAS)African American Studies is implemented into the curriculum. Before, the dissection the formation of AAS, it should be noted that without the sacrifice from others I undoubtedly would not be writing about AAS ,or reflecting on the significance it has created for generations so far.

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.