Reyita Book Report

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Recommended: Prejudice and discrimination in the world

Reyita is a book of real-life experiences and tales of an Afro-Cuban named Reyita, her mother and grandmother. She tells of the discrimination and problems the blacks had in Cuba. She also speaks about the many Pro Afro-Cuban organizations that their own government showed hatred upon. Reyita also told of how blacks were seen, that are still relatable in today’s American society. Reyita tells of the struggles and the experiences the black Afro-Cuban people experienced. From a young age Reyita experienced discrimination. Her own mother discriminated against her because of the color of her skin. She was the only black daughter her mother had out of four. Reyita stated “I always felt the difference between us, because she didn’t have as much affection for me as she did for my sisters.” (Reyita, 21). She was kept from attending fiestas and forbidden to take strolls with other girls because she was of dark complexion. Also, Reyita described how blacks would have specific jobs in the white man’s home. They would have their hair cut off because of the texture and what the whites thought it represented. She had to deal with the society of Cuba discriminating against her because her darker skin, but she could not even find freedom in her own home because her own mother discriminated against her. …show more content…

She described marrying a white man was vital. The lighter the skin, the better the person’s life would be. She wanted her kids to have a better life than she did. That is why Reyita, and other Cubans, wanted to marry white men. They would marry and have kids with a white man even though they were not in love with them because it was essential for a better life for them and their off-spring. A white man could find a better job and provide more for the family. It seemed like discrimination was everywhere. It wasn’t just a community issue it was also demonstrated through the government and throughout the

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