Calvin's Problem as an African American

Incorporating topics of the violence and racial tension we see everyday can be difficult when it comes to certain class subjects. If a teacher is having trouble, Pitts takes the time to recommend various units teachers can use to inform students of what actually happened during times of trouble. This includes teaching about a revolutionary book in literature, what propelled the civil rights movement in history, and the black scientists who have contributed greatly to advance medical fields. Although the “black bodies have too often been used” and manipulated, she does not forget to acknowledge the fact that not all white people are bad and not all African Americans are saints. She asks educators to “be on guard against false narratives” and to teach about the white people who had

James mentioned that when ‘people ask those questions, thinking that they ask it in a good faith, are really the victims of this conspiracy to make Negroes believe they are less than humans” (Baldwin, 682). This happened during the depression the 1930’s, since “Negroes” were prohibited to work with white workers. The idea of learning is the idea of believing, but not all information given to the audience is true. Although, people can’t really tell if it’s true or not. The author claims that if he was a teacher himself, he’ll teach black men that “those streets, those houses, those dangers, those agonies by which they are surrounded are criminals” (Baldwin, 685). Having to think society likes you, but truly they don't. The author proves that in another individual's eyes, they are correct and you are not due to your differences,  which we face in our day to day

In this particular body of work, Woodson discusses many issues that arose and mistakes made (and appear to still be relevant) in the educating of people of color. One such issue and summary discussed, is the disdain the learned African American develops for his fellow less formally educated African American brother, for himself, and for life in general because “he has been estranged by a vision of ideals…he can not attain” (6). He must exist in a social body that he must not associate with socially, and yet has no alternative. The self-hate that is taught,

“We are not makers of history, we are made by history,” once said by Martin Luther King Junior. Black history has impacted all of our lives, regardless of our race or the color of our skin. Therefore, it is imperative that we all explore black history. In modern society, most adolescents can’t even begin to fathom what it was like to live in the 1950s as an African American. Moreover, they don’t recognize the colossal sacrifices African Americans made in order to obtain equality. Many juveniles find it difficult to wrap their heads around what life was like prior to all of these pivotal icons that paved the way for our contemporary lifestyle. Icons much like Ineria Hudnell who revolutionized academia in Florida.

In the fictional story, “Of the Coming of John”, DuBois rebukes Washington’s ideas of subordination to whites in order to obtain support for black education. The dominant white male of the story speaks the following statement, “Now I like the colored people, and sympathize with all this reasonable aspirations; but you and I both know, John, that in this country the Negro must remain subordinate and can never expect to be equal of white men” (373). This is a fundamental sentiment that white people in the American society during that time held on to. In this essay W.E.B DuBois shows how this black man, John, was treated in his hometown after returning home with a college education. Both blacks and whites reject his new views. However, to whites the black John represents a devaluing of the college education. If a black person can have a college degree, then having a college degree must not have value. After this reaction from society John started to think, “John Jones, you’re a natural born fool” (369). This behavior from society kept the average black person stagnant, and unmotivated.

The history that is taught in the American educational system is Eurocentric; hence, European history is taught, but not African history. “We do not offer here any course in Negro history, Negro literature, or race relations,” recently said a professor of a Negro college. (132) Woodson noticed the systemically system and deliberated the new program of education for African Americans’’. The application of this concept is for African Americans educate themselves in order to know as much about their history as much as others.

As the request for Black programs in schools are increasing so have new ideas of how to teach Black history; one idea is to go back in time to traditional teaching styles. This would require “ a track system... for Whites and Blacks, possibly with White instructors teaching the Whites and the Black instructors teaching the Blacks”, proposed Drimmer at the Afro-American studies conference in Atlanta (441). Even though this suggestion caused a turmoil among the audience it also brought up an unmentioned viewpoint, that “blacks and whites bring various levels of awareness and knowledge” to the Afro-American subject(Drimmer 441). As new generations are developing so have new beliefs that have led families to accommodate their anecdotes and

Textbooks, teachers, and proud historians preached false facts on how America’s society was founded on ideals of democracy and equality. In reality, the truth was hidden beneath prejudice whites and the subordinated blacks that had no voice. Those were the same blacks that shaped many of the aspects in Americans lives since the 16th century. America’s foundation was not built upon liberty and mutual respect for all human beings, but instead upon a racial system of oppression, and inequality constructed solely to benefit white Americans. But knowledge like this was not taught, especially to blacks. Their educational systems constantly created deeper deception on their people, culture, and heritage. Blacks along with other races were not being

When he actually did his own assignments, my subject was disturbed by how little African American history was taught, how much the African culture was ignored. “We spent half a semster on World War I and never talked about the black military units! I learned about the black efforts through my parents!”

“The Negro’s lower scholastic showing springs not from racial default, but from being deprived of cultural and educational advantages by the whites. When the segregationist argues that the Negro is scholastically inferior, he presents the most eloquent possible argument for desegregated schools; he admits that no long as the Negro is kept in tenth-rate schools he will remain scholastically behind white children” (Griffin 115). In this excerpt he writes about the crucially deprived education from the African Americans. The white men judged them for no reason other than their darker skin, it was the white man’s only reason to deny them

I have always advocated for social equality and have been aware of the prevalence of racism. However, my forethought now seems insignificant compared to the degree of racism that James W. Loewen suggests is indoctrinating the minds of America’s youth. Loewen takes readers on an enlightening journey through his book, Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong. The book intends to expose the false claims and lack of information in standard American high school history textbooks. He aims to correct the stigma behind how and why American history is so misrepresented and why it is important to represent history accurately and not limitedly. He proposes a few ways in which we can reform the teaching of history as well. Throughout the book, he largely focuses on the shortcomings or outright fallacies of historical textbooks in regards to racism, government, colonialism, and patriotism. Loewen serves this book to bring about institutional change where he feels that it is needed and to stress the importance of factual historical information and realpolitik. He displays vast amounts of logical and thoroughly descriptive anecdotes and facts, however, the scrambled organization of his topics, and his clear devotion and passion for the theme of social justice and anti-racism present the problem of bombardment. Furthermore, he does not appeal to his suggested audience in an adequate rhetorical manner that is consistent with his declared purpose of the

I have long advocated for social equality and been aware of the prevalence of racism. However, my forethought now seems insignificant compared to the degree of racism that James W. Loewen suggests is indoctrinating the minds and classrooms of America’s youth. Loewen takes readers on an enlightening journey through his book, Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong, that intends to expose the false claims and lack of information in standard American high school history textbooks. He aims to set the record straight on how and why American history is so misrepresented and why it is important to represent history accurately and not limitedly. Throughout the book, he largely focuses on the shortcomings or outright fallacies of historical textbooks in regards to racism, government, colonialism, and patriotism. Loewen serves this book to bring about institutional change where he feels that it is needed and to stress the importance of factual historical information and realpolitik. He displays vast amounts of logical and thoroughly descriptive anecdotes and facts, however, the scrambled organization of his topics, and his clear devotion and passion for the theme of social justice and anti-racism present the problem of bombardment. Furthermore, he does not appeal to his suggested audience in adequate rhetorical manner that is consistent with his declared purpose of the book.

It is now over a century and a half since President Abraham Lincoln took the courageous step of issuing the emancipation proclamation that essentially laid the foundation for the freeing of African-Americans from slavery. Since then, African-Americans have been engaged in a never-ending struggle to effectively appropriate this hard fought freedom. The election of Barack Obama into the highest office of the United States is perhaps a significant enough achievement that speaks volumes of just how far African-Americans have come. However, a closer look at Americas social, economic and political fabric reveals a grim truth – that close to two centuries after gaining their freedom, African-Americans are still discriminated based on their racial identity. Of course the amount and form of discrimination is quite different from the total oppression of the slavery years, but still, for many African-Americans, it appears as though very little has changed. From housing to education to employment, African-Americans face numerous challenges that further taint the sacred values contemplated by the founding fathers of America. This essay takes a critical view at racial discrimination in schools with respect to African-American students.

It certainly can be argued that for every quality there is a sort of opposite, of course in many instances there is an overlap. Considering tradition black and white culture, it’s obvious that some of the things we base these cultural values on are stereotypes at very best. However, the foundation of black culture in America is in slavery, and the opposite in this instance with reference to the white culture is in ownership of the African slaves, a kind of forced inequality. Although the Emancipation Proclamation began a long fight for supposed freedom and equality of all men, there is residual hatred and contempt even now. In the instance of age being a factor, typically we look at our elders and bestow upon them the wisdom of the experience their years on earth have granted them. Age can also lock in old or obsolete ideals. The youth of a society oftentimes is regarded as more open minded and therefore more willing to “roll with the punches” and adapt to the changing times. With reference to the older professor, Hughes makes a subtle implication that the instructor will view the narrator’s assignment as different, as he is the only person of color in the entire class, saying, “So will my page be colored that I write? ... Being me, it will not be white.”(Kennedy and Gioia, 980).

In discussion of pre-teacher training the second critical issue has been the absence of professional development geared towards teaching African American male students. On the other hand, researchers Closson, Bowna and Merriweather contend there is no Black pedagogy to teach African American students. The investigation of pedagogy is explored by all three authors, presenting the fact there is not a Black pedagogy to teach Black students. Closson, Bowman, and Merrimweather collaborate in their study attesting Black faculty struggle to develop pedagogy for teaching. All three authors articulate very strongly teaching children about race, exposes risk revealing their genuine self, as well as position. This literature points out, “Black professors are often not given respect,” they must present themselves accordingly “to expectations often unrealistic,” artificial “of the student” (Closson, Bowman, and Merrimweather 85). This study claims the plight of the mixture of literature combined in a class setting is a touchy subject, the instructors “face consequences, such as racial battle fatigue,” centered upon the experiences of race, yet it is highly based on “White students report experiencing cognitive dissonance where students interpret the course material as threatening, experiencing feelings of shame and may consequently engage in resistance” (Closson, Bowman, and Merrimweather 83).