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A Person’s Skin Color Does Not Define Who He or She Is One’s should not have the feeling that others are “better than them” and that you can 't ever be equal to them just because they are a certain skin color. African-Americans had that sad feeling every day until around 1954 and even after that the blacks still had a rough time “fitting in” with the whites. The movie clips “Selma” , “42”, and “The Help”, the painting “Racism/incident at Little Rock” by Domingo Ulloa, the song Glory by John Legend, and a poem called “Still I Rise” By Maya Angelou all include information that a person’s skin color does not define who he or she is. We chose a clip to back up our theme from the movie “Selma”. This movie shows the struggles that the colored went through and what they did to get equal rights.In the movie Dr. Martin Luther King and his followers pressed forward in an epic march from Selma to Montgomery despite the violence that would go on. Their efforts from the march culminated in President Lyndon Johnson voting the rights act of 1965.This clip goes with our theme because these people risk their lives to be just as equal as whites. For our famous painting we picked “Racism/Incident at Little Rock” by Domingo Ulloa. This painting has six African-American children with books in their hands surrounded by evil, white coated things. The 1957 painting was inspired by the ending of public school segregation in Arkansas and across the nation. Also the painting made a connection between Dr. Martin Luther King because the painting has to do with him fighting the movement.He is Known for his advancement of civil rights. This painting shows how colored kids felt on their first day at the white public schools. This piece of artwork goes w... ... middle of paper ... ...e white reporter) wants to write an article from the colored maids point of view. Skeeter sees that this is wrong and stands up for the maids to give them equal rights. Skeeters non-racist feelings towards the help is showing that she does not judge people by there skin color. The movies “Selma,” “42,” and “The Help” all show what it was like to be treated differently because of their skin color. The poem “Still I Rise” is about black people being hated because they are black and not because they have done anything wrong. The painting “Racism/Incident at little rock” is a visual story of ghosts (KKK) surrounding a group of innocent black kids. All of these have shown black people being judged because of their skin color. In the song “Glory,” the black community unites and stands against segregation and racial violence. Finally, they are proud of their skin color.
In conversations many people get defensive when someone says, “You have this because of your privilege” they feel as though that the person they are talking with doesn’t understand that they have worked hard for what they have, however that is not the point that anyone is trying to make. What someone in that position is saying is that although you have worked hard to get where you are your journey have been well furnished with privilege on account of your race. It is said to think about that you got somewhere in life due to the color of your skin, but it is also sadder to think that someone got declined a job, got stereotyped, or got overlooked because of their race or
People in America are not all seen as equal, and this is especially true when it comes to people of color. According to “Theories and Constructs of Race” by Linda Holtzman and Leon Sharpe: “The continuous racial targeting of people of color and the privileging of whites, along with the misinformation about race passed along from one generation to the next and reinforced through the media, has imbued people of all races with a distorted sense of personal and group identity” (Holtzman and Sharpe 604). This quote means that people of color are often targeted in a negative way, which shows that racism and discrimination is something that can be passed down or learned from the media. Today, there are people who still think minorities are inferior based on the color of their skin. “Theories and Constructs of Race” also mentions how from an early age, minorities become the target for racism, blame, and overall hatred. According to “Theories and Constructs of Race” by Linda Holtzman and Leon Sharpe: “The myth of racial inferiority and superiority has been upheld not only by physical violence and discriminatory policies but also by the psychological violence conveyed through stereotyping and racist messaging” (Holtzman and Sharpe 604). This quote means that minorities are constantly targeted both physically and psychologically, which shows that inequality is a “monster” due to the damage it causes to individuals on multiple levels. Racism can also lead to internalized racism, which causes individuals to adapt a self-deprecating attitude and engage in self-destructive behavior. Furthermore, hate, racism, and discrimination often result from people not understanding that not everyone is offered the same opportunities due to the lack of
“There must be the position of superior and inferior” was a statement by Lincoln which formed the basis of discrimination towards black Americans as it highlighted the attitudes of white Americans. Although civil rights for black people eventually improved through the years both socially and politically, it was difficult to change the white American view that black people are inferior to white people as the view was always enforce by the favour of having “the superior position assigned to the white race”.
Some African Americans view their race as inferior to the white race. Even though the author may not hold this same opinion, it is still important that he or she understands that part of his or her audience does, especially when writing about racial identity. Zora Neale Hurston understood
“Selma” is an interesting documentary film that conveys the unforgettable, real story of the 1960s’ Civil Rights Movement in the United States. The 2014 film captures the riotous three-month protest in 1965 when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spearheaded a daring clamor for equal suffrage rights in an environment accompanied by violent opposition from agents of the status quo. The heroic protest from Selma to Alabama’s capital, Montgomery, prompted President Lyndon Johnson’s assent to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Act is believed to be among the most imperative gains for the agents of civil rights and freedoms in the 20th century America. Director Ava DuVernay ensured that "Selma" chronicles how Dr. King Jr, his family and supporters under the egis of the Civil Rights Movement brought about social change that has since then improved the American society by granting previously discriminated communities a political voice.
The early 1930’s a time where segregation was still an issue in the United States it was especially hard for a young African American girl who is trying to grow and become an independent woman. At this time, many young girls like Maya Angelou grew up wishing they were a white woman with blond hair and blue eyes. That was just the start of Angelou's problems though. In the autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou goes into great depth about her tragic childhood, from moving around to different houses, and running away and having a child at the age of 16. This shows how Maya overcame many struggles as a young girl.
Prior to beginning my readings on white racial identity, I did not pay much attention to my white race. If someone had asked me to describe my appearance I would have said short blond hair, blue eyes, average stature, etc. One of the last things I would have noted was the color of my skin. Growing up in overwhelmingly white communities, I never thought to use the color of my skin to differentiate myself from others. Over the course of this dialogue I have learned that my white racial identity is one of the most defining aspects of my appearance in this society. There is a certain level of privilege that I am afforded based solely on the color of my skin. According to Peggy McIntosh, “White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, assurances, tools, maps, guides, codebooks, passports, visas, clothes, compass, emergency gear, and blank checks” (71). All these objects listed by McIntosh are things I have access to and certainly take for granted. Due to a history of non-white racial oppression, which transformed into decades of racial discrimination that still lingers today, the white race has dominated our society in terms of resources and prosperity. The ideas of wealth, higher-level education and ambition to succeed are all traits commonly linked to people of the white race that collectively define privilege. The aspect of privilege can also produce disadvantages for people of the white race as well. In the book Promoting Diversity and Justice, the author D. Goodman notes that people of advantage groups develop a sense of superiority, which will sometimes lead them to wonder if, “their achievements were based on privilege or merit” (107). Along with a diminished sense of accomplishment, the cost ...
First, racism still plays a big factor in today’s society as it did fifty years ago. Some might say that everyone has equal opportunity, but some people in America will never see that blacks and whites are equal. Humans have the tendency to judge what is on the outside before seeing who the person really is. The South is the main area where the darker colors mean there is less opportunity and lighter colors mean that there’s more. In today’s society the ability to attain the American Dream is heavily influenced by race. While it is still p...
“Black, white and brown are merely skin colors. But we attach to them meanings and assumptions, even laws that create enduring social inequality.”(Adelman and Smith 2003). When I first heard this quote in this film, I was not surprised about it. Each human is unique compared to the other; however, we are group together based on uncontrollable physical characteristics. Eyes, hair texture, and skin tone became a way to separate who belongs where. Each group was labeled as having the same traits. African Americans were physically superior, Asians were the more intellectual race, and Indians were the advanced farmers. Certain races became superior to the next and society shaped their hierarchy on what genes you inherited.
In the story “The Train to Hate,” a young man dealt with racism at a delicate age. However, he learned from his mother that being a different race does not make him inferior to others in society. His mother reassured him that the conductor was not superior because he was white, and he was not inferior because he was black (Franklin 223). As can be seen, the victories for individuals who are in a certain group or society are so difficult to achieve due to there are a lot of stereotypes and limits that others put in place that prevent certain individuals from achieving and pushing through
The Association of Black Psychologist (ABP) (2013) defines colorism as skin-color stratification. Colorism is described as “internalized racism” that is perceived to be a way of life for the group that it is accepted by (ABP 2013). Moreover, colorism is classified as a persistent problem within Black American. Colorism in the process of discriminatory privileges given to lighter-skinned individuals of color over their darker- skinned counterparts (Margret Hunter 2007). From a historical standpoint, colorism was a white constructed policy in order to create dissention among their slaves as to maintain order or obedience. Over the centuries, it seems that the original purpose of colorism remains. Why has this issue persisted? Blacks have been able to dismantle the barriers faced within the larger society of the United States. Yet, Blacks have failed to properly address the sins of the past within the ethnic group. As a consequence of this failure, colorism prevails. Through my research, I developed many questions: Is it right that this view remain? How does valuing an individual over another cause distribution to the mental health of the victims of colorism? More importantly, what are the solutions for colorism? Colorism, unfortunately, has had a persisted effect on the lives of Black Americans. It has become so internalized that one cannot differentiate between the view of ourselves that Black Americans adopted from slavery or a more personalized view developed from within the ethnicity. The consequences of this internalized view heightens the already exorbitant mental health concerns within the Black community, but the most unfortunate aspect of colorism is that there is contention on how the issue should be solved.
...tain people who think of themselves as the “perfect” race and even if there are still incidents that involve racial discrimination, we have still accomplished a lot as a society as we are now closer to having full racial equality and ethnic acceptance. The pain and suffering of our ancestors through the hands of racism weren’t in vain as we now enjoy our position in a world where prejudice ceases to exist. The never ending battle between the suppressed and the oppressor finally ended—leaving the suppressed victorious. The chains of racism were finally broken and as Martin Luther King Jr. said, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
It takes an intelligent, genuine person to see past this nonsense. Education helps one realize the fallacy race creates. There is no such thing as a superior race. Unfortunately, many people have difficulty seeing past portrayed stereotypes. It may take a person years or decades to come to terms with the fact that their skin color means about as much as their eye color. Eric Liu, an Asian-American, and Malcolm X, an African-American, take us on their journey through the difficult process of accepting their individual races. Both authors have periods of confusion and disorientation about their races which causes them to change their appearance in order to feel accepted. Ultimately, they overcome their misconceptions and learn to appreciate themselves.
...ey for African-Americans. 12 Million Black Voices could not have depicted it better. Their unhappiness, shown on their faces in the photo, their weariness, fear, hopes, and highlights talked of in the text worked together to give us a look into the African-American life then. Today, our lives are better. African-Americans’ lives are better. We have more opportunity and more equality. What we do not have, we fight for. Yet we still see the traces of the past sufferings of our people’s lives today. We still see those traces of racism they were subjected to being repeated in our kin’s lives. And so the struggle continues, but with time it gets better. And this is the new hope. That one day racism will not exist and that no other will suffer like they did.
It is said that when we look in the mirror, we see our reflection; but what is it that we really see? Some people look through the glass and see a totally different person. All across the world identity is an issue that many women have. Woman today must be skinny, tall, thick, fair skinned and have long hair in order to be considered beautiful. Maya Angelou feels otherwise, as she gives women another way to look at themselves through her poem "Phenomenal Woman".