Reflective Essay On African Americans

Upon graduating high school, I thought I knew everything there was to Black History. We were captured from Africa, forced into slavery for hundreds of years all around the world, became free with repercussions such as discrimination and segregation, and now today we are “officially free”. The Black history I knew, was scattered and filled with holes, which caused me to question my sense of worth. Why were African-Americans the most oppressed people in the world?

African American Studies is a very complex subject. To confuse African American studies with black history is a common occurrence. African American studies is much deeper and more profound than just Black history alone. There are many unanswered and unasked questions among the Black American culture which causes confusion and misunderstanding in modern day society. In unit one there were many themes, concepts, and significant issues in the discipline of Africana studies. Both W.E.B Du Bois and Vivian V. Gordan touched on many concerns.

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.

Slavery began in the late 16th century to early 18th century. Africans were brought to American colonies by white masters to come and work on their plantations in the South. They were treated harshly with no payments for all their hard work. In addition, they lived under harsh living conditions, and this led to their resistance against these harsh conditions. The racism towards the African Americans who were slaves was at its extreme as they did not have any rights; no civil nor political rights.

1 . What issues most concerned black political leaders during Reconstruction? Reconstruction brought important social changes to former slaves. Families that had been separated before and during the Civil War were reunited, and slave marriages were formalized through legally recognized ceremonies. Families also took advantage of the schools established by the Freedmen's Bureau and the expansion of public education, albeit segregated, under the Reconstruction legislatures. New opportunities for higher education also became available with the founding soon after the Civil War of black colleges, such as Howard University in Washington, D.C., and Fisk University in Nashville,

One can say that we live in a country that under the constitution states that there is justice for all citizens, we are all granted equal protection under the law, and we have equality for all; but yet people are still fighting for equality. Blacks are being victimized by the system that causes them to be treated unfairly by the police which leads then to dealing with discriminatory sentencings for small crimes, and they would forever live in this vicious cycle that was created to put Blacks away. There are many laws, policies, and legislations that are set in place to keep certain groups of people oppressed without even openly stating which group of people would be oppressed. Race and crime, as two significant social phenomena, are

My idea of slavery is, that it is one of the blackest, the wickedest things everywhere in the world. When you tell them the truth, they whip you to make you lie. I have taken more lashes for this, than for any other thing, because I would not lie.One day I set the table, and forgot to put on the carving-fork - the knife was there. I went to the table to put it on a plate. My master said, - "Where is the fork?" I told him "I forgot it." He says, - "You d - d black b - , I'll forget you!" - at the same time hitting me on the head with the carving knife. The blood spurted out - you can see. (Here the woman removed her turban and showed a circular cicatrices denuded of hair, about an inch in diameter, on the top of her head.) My mistress took me into the kitchen and put on camphor, but she could not stop the bleeding. A doctor was sent for. He came but asked no questions. I was frequently punished with raw hides - was hit with tongs and poker and anything. I used when I went out, to look up at the sky, and say, "Blessed Lord, oh, do take me out of this!" It seemed to me I could not bear another lick. I can't forget it. I sometimes dream that I am pursued, and when I wake, I am scared almost to death.{Benjamin Drew was a Boston abolitionist who

First, African-Americans were discriminated by white people, so that they believe Jews, who most have white skin color, are also involved. For this reason, African-Americans become sensitive for everything that relates to racism. However, the question is: If most Jews were not white-skinned, would African-Americans really unite with the Jews? Second, African-Americans and Jews initially belonged to the same level of allies. Nonetheless, Jews climbed the American social ladder quickly and successfully, which makes African-Americans envious of Jews. Therefore, African-Americans now seem to despise the Jews and see them as their

Ethnic and Racial Minorities have played a huge role if not the biggest role in developing America and making our nation what it is today. Almost 50% of the United States population is made of these minorities. Within that minority group there is over 10 different racial differences. We fought wars over these differences and the government had to pass laws because of the racial and ethnic minorities. From the civil war, to the Civil Rights Movement, to us having our first African American President ever currently in office. We have come along way since the beginning. African Americans, not only them but many other groups as well know their self worth and know how much their life is worth and are not willing to give up. The Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964 which made discrimination against someone based on their sex, religion, or race illegal. The end of slavery in 1863 which changed the lives of millions. Native Americans being accepted and actually helping during WWII with secret coding. Many groups may not seem important but are just as important to the United States as every other race. They have shaped America into the nation it is today.

Historically black colleges and universities, otherwise known as HBCUs, have played an integral role in advancing the education of underprivileged black teenagers since their inception after the American Civil War. They have had students extremely well known in their fields today, such as billionaire entertainer Oprah Winfrey, the first African American Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, and civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. Though their graduation rates tend to be around 1 in 3, they have produced a majority of successful African American professionals. For the continued advancement of African Americans, HBCUs are necessary for offering educational opportunities that their students had been historically denied and presently out of financial reach, while promoting strong family values and equality that may be lacking at traditional schools and displaying positive African American role models in their alumni and staff.

1b. I am a woman, I practice Catholicism, I am 26 years old. As for my socio economic background I come from a middle class family. Growing up in the Congo we didn’t have much money, my parents did everything in their power to provide us with everything that we need to have the best possible life. For that reason my dad got a job here in Denver twenty plus years ago and we had to start all over. It was through the help of many family friends and relatives that we were able to have all the chances in life. My parents had to go to school and learn English and work at the same time. They had sacrificed a lot in order to make sure that we had everything in order to succeed in this

Being an African American woman in a Caucasian male dominated society, I have experienced my share of racial and sexual inequalities. Nonetheless, for the purpose of assignment only racial inequality will be discussed. As stated in last week’s assignment. For centuries, inhabitants of the earth have had an innate superiority complex, countries with greater weapons, numbers, technology and economic resources, created systems of inequality through domination of inferior-minority-groups, maintained and perpetuated through social forces.

As an African-American male of Nigerian descent growing up in the United States, my parents constantly talked about my heritage and invariably enforced it on me throughout my 17 years in this world. As an adolescent I often see my parents on the phone with my relatives in Nigeria discussing their daily struggles, lack of food, little or no electricity and the withering health of the old and the young due to lack of medication and treatment. This prompts my parents to constantly send money to their loved ones. This sparked my awareness of the problems that Nigerian community and the rest of the third world countries are going through. How my parents voluntarily support their relatives has made me to participate in more volunteer activities in my Maryland Community. I have joined the National English Honor Society at my school and I participated in a home makeover program with “My Girlfriend’s House” Community Program to help the less fortunate by providing them with food and new living utensils. The many charitable acts I have done resulted from my cultural background and I plan to continue doing this during and after college.

From the 1920’s to the mid 1930’s a literary, intellectual, and artistic movement occurred that kindled the African Americans a new cultural identity. This movement became known as the Harlem Renaissance, which is also known as the “New Negro Movement”. With this movement, African Americans sought out to challenge the “Negro” stereotype that they had received from others while developing innovation and great cultural activity. The Harlem Renaissance became an artistic explosion in the creative arts. Thus, many African Americans turned to writing, art, music, and theatrics to express their selves.

All RES on African Americans is damaging, each individual is affected differently and to place emphasize on one effect or another seems invalidating. People continue to feel hopeless and powerless and feel that prejudice, discrimination and inequity are things they must accept. One, black or white, is taught to not speak up about prejudice, discrimination and inequity which then leads to resentment, shame and self blame. And it is this never ending cycle then leads to isolation, self-destructive behaviors, suicide to name a few.