The Middle-Class Black's Burden Summary

In the story “The Middle-Class Black’s Burden” Leanita McClain is discriminated by white people and lower-class African Americans. White people had “Jim Crow” laws to prevent African American mixing with whites in public. Most African Americans during that time are poor but McClain’s family has made it to Middle-class and is discriminated against by lower class African Americas because of her success. The discrimination from lower-class African Americans toward McClain is the most painful of all, which later causes her to commit suicide later on in her life.

When a person who have the same culture background and experience, but he or she are discriminated by he or she own people it can destroy an individual pride. In the quote “I am burdened daily with showing whites that blacks are people” McClain always tries to show white people that black people are no different than whites. Yet, lower-class African Americans discriminated against McClain family because they are

more successful; they think that McClain families have betrayed the African American race and become white. Lower-class of African American describe McClain as an Oreo “black on the outside, white within.” McClain family is experiencing the same discrimination as lower –class African American by white people on public; McClain family are no different. Instead of hating on successful African American, lower-class African American should embrace their success because it would give a good reputation about the African American race.
Middle-class African American are bound to be discriminated by the lower-class African Americans and white Americans.

When an individual is being discriminate by their own race he or she will have a sense of lost on where they belong because their own race does not see you as one of their own yet you have the same character or experience as them. McClain is one of the victim “whites won’t believe I remain culturally different; black won’t believe I remain culturally the same.” She does not and cannot pick white or black side because they both hated her. In the quotes “I have fulfilled the entry requirements of the American middle-class, yet I am left, at times, feeling unwelcome and stereotyped” McClain explain how lower-class African American hated her for her success and it broke her heart that her own race not accepting her for whom she is and other race discriminated her for being black. Being that much hated by her own race will eventually overwhelm her and she committed suicide because of

it.
Every race has a culture and put pride in it, but when an individual are being hated for who they are it will destroys them physically and mentally. McClain is being discriminated by lower-class African Americans because of her own success. This is very wrong because an individual should not be discriminated for his or her success. When someone in your own race is in the middle class or higher class; it will send a good reputation for what your own race class are, so you should not hate them for it; it should be a pride that your own race is successful.