The Legacy Lives On

   The Piano Lesson by August Wilson is a play that explores the significance and importance of family heirlooms. The main point of conflict in the Piano Lesson is a piano. The piano has been in the family for years and has an extensive history with the main characters. Problems arise when a character in the book, Boy Willie, wants to sell the piano to buy some land. His sister, Berneice, staunchly refuses. She realizes the significance of the piano and doesn't want to part with it. Just like Berneice and Boy Willie, many families have family heirlooms. Heirlooms are important in that they carry on a legacy that is not easily broken. People die and stories change, but heirlooms are concrete.
   Before my great grandmother died, she passed on a pearl necklace that she used to wear all the time. She was known around my hometown as a very classy lady, and everyone knew who she was. Before I left for college, my mother passed the necklace on to me, and although I've never met my great grandmother, I have a connection to her. Her classy legacy lives on through the things she left behind--in my case her pearls. Many families have heirlooms, and each one is important for different reasons. They are apart of many families' legacies and histories, and they should not be carelessly sold or destroyed.

Stigmatized!!!

   There have been many instances in my life in which I have locked my car doors, held my purse a little tighter, or crossed the street because a person I thought was a threat was close by. In his essay entitled "Black Men and Public Space," Brent Staples talks about how he was sometimes the cause of such reactions. He tells about how his stature, the color of his skin, his beard, and state of dress make him come off as threatening. For many black men, this is a common occurrence. They are subject to many instances of racial profiling, but why is this so? Why are black men synonymous with so many bad things? This is because they have been stigmatized. 

    In his book, Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity, sociologist Erving Goffman wrote that to Greeks "the term stigma... refer[s] to bodily signs designed to expose something unusual and bad about the moral status of the signifier." For black men, this is invariably their skin color and sex. Because they are black males, they have been stigmatized to be aggressive, rough, thuggish, ect. It doesn't take a genius to realize that such assumptions are not true for everyone, but that doesn't stop people from reacting in certain ways when they see certain types of people. Truth is, we are all subject to certain stigmas and labels. Every person of every race has the ability to alter public space his or her own way.

    Placing stigmas on people is wrong in every case, but it is our job as people to break them. Not everyone is the same and we should not be treated as such!

Never Judge A Book By Its Cover!!!

   In his essay entitled "Black and Latino," Roberto Santiago tackles what it was like growing up black and Puerto Rican. Many people are not able to grasp how a person can be both black and Latino at the same time, but I soon found out that the term Afro-Latino refers to many people in America.

    When I first heard the term Afro-Latino, I was mildly confused. I didn't really get the concept of what it meant to be Afro-Latino--if you could call it a concept. My confusion was soon pushed away by understanding after a fellow classmate, Isabel Lorenzo, did a presentation on Afro-Latinos. From her presentation, I learned more about the background and culture of Afro-Latinos. She talked about how in school she would often times be mistaken for a black girl and also how only a few people knew that she was Dominican or Hispanic. Many people often times judge a person by how they look without ever talking to or engaging in a conversation with them. I am guilty of doing that on more than one occasion, but going to Howard and living in the D.C. area has really opened my eyes.

    Afro-Latinos have a very diverse culture. After attending a presentation on Afro-Latinos in pop culture I found out even more. Different topics included in the discussion were Spanish Novellas and Dominican hair salons. I found out that just like Americans, Hispanics have soap operas too. They are often times very dramatic and the characters very silly. The issue of colorism in the Spanish speaking community was also talked about. In many novellas, you find darker skinned women playing simple roles like that of the maid or mistress. It is never a leading role. Unlike American soap operas, which are long and ongoing, novellas are usually over in one episode, and they are also centered on different places and cultures of Latin and South America. After listening to two presentations about Afro-Latinos, I was thoroughly informed and very entertained. Ultimately, I learned to not judge someone by the color of his or her skin. Just because they are the same color as I am or darker does not mean they are Black!!!

Skin Color or Attitude???

    The African American or black race is one of the most diverse on the planet. This is because we come in many different shades of color. There are mocha, chocolate, caramel, honey, and even pecan colored black people, and each one is beautiful in its own right. Although each color is beautiful, there is still the problem of colorism. Colorism is the rejection of a person or group by their own people because of the color of their skin. Clarisse Jones tackles this issue head on in her essay entitled "Light Skin v.s. Dark Skin." 

     In her essay, "Light Skin v.s. Dark Skin," Clarisse Jones tells about different encounters in which she has experienced colorism. Many people told her that she was pretty for a dark skinned girl or that she was the prettiest dark skinned girl they had ever seen. My question is, why did all of those compliments highlight the fact that she is dark skinned? Why couldn't she be seen as just pretty? Many people place a lot of emphasis on the color of skin. The most favorable skin tones are those that are lighter in color. I think people put too much emphasis on the color of their skin. The color of a person's skin has nothing to do with who they are as a person. It is what's on the inside that counts.

    All people are beautiful despite the color of their skin, and it is time people stop living in the past when color was a huge deal. It is ultimately what's on the inside that counts. A person's attitude, not their skin color, can make or break them. If you have a bad attitude or are snobby, no one is going to want to talk to or befriend you. In today's world, attitude plays a bigger factor than the color of a person's skin!

Is It Just My Imagination???

Today, the United States prides itself on its multiculturalism. We claim to be a nation that is very tolerable of the differnent races and ethnicities that continually cross our borders each day. If anyone were to take a closer look, they would see the in discrepancies that still plague the black community. Karen Grisby Bates notes many of the racial slights that African-Americans still endure in her essay entitled "Excuse Me, Your Race is Showing." Bates' essay was written in 1997, and today, some of the same racial slights are still happening.
Most black people today can admit to having experienced at least one racial slight in their lifetime. Some have experienced them at school or work while others have experienced them in public places. We have built up a layer of tough skin, but the hardest thing to swallow is the accusation that we are imagining these things. Many white people believe blacks are just walking around with a chip on our shoulders waiting to expel our wrath. That is no where near the truth. Why does everything always have to be chalked up to our imagination when it comes to racism and racial slights? Is it too hard to believe that there are still racist people in America? It shouldn't be. Racism exists everywhere. It's more than just the imagination, and it's not fair to blacks that people assume we are always imagining things. Few black people walk around looking to be discriminated against, but when it happens, it gets noticed. As i stated before, racism exists everywhere. So, when it comes to blacks, why does it always have to be just our imaginations?

Definition or Stereotype?

In his essay entitled "The Handicap of Definition," William Raspberry explores the narrow-minded definition of "black." He shows how in some instances people view doing something "black" as a compliment, while at other times, people find it offensive. Why is that so? It is no secret that many entertainers and athletes are black, but to think that that is all black people are good at is absurd! Sadly, this is the case for many young black children today. This is a major result of how the world has defined what it means to be black. William Raspberry wrote his essay in the eighties. It was a time in which many of the opportunities for black people were limited though not completely cut off. That being said, black people took advantage of the few opportunites that were possible, and the exceptional few went on and conquered fields that were thought of as unattainable to blacks. These fields were usually dominated by whites. Many of those same fields are still currently dominated by white people, and blacks continue to shy away from them.
Today, too many young black chilldren do not live up to their full potential for fear of acting "white." They want to be seen as black in every sense of the narrow-minded definition that has plagued the black community for years. I see that as a pure act of foolishness, but to the young girls and boys that want to fit in, it is an entirely different matter. What they fail to realize is that being black is about more than being a great athlete, entertainer, ect. We can be ANYTHING that we choose to be as long as we work hard and strive for it no matter what.
It hurts not only black children but all children who feel they have to live by certain standards of their race. The things that are defined as being "black" or "white" or even "chinese" are merely stereotypes that can indeed be broken. Too many children are not able to be the best they can be because of what they feel they are not suppose to do. This is the biggest handicap of all.

Hut Building

In her essay entitled "Gikuyu Industries: Hut-Building," Jomo Kenyatta describes the process of building a hut. This process is used by the Kikuyu people. It is a process that is very sacred to the Kikuyu people, and it is a long process that cannot be completed in just a few hours. This process varies greatly from the American tradition of building a house in many ways. In building a house, many Americans simply pick and buy the land they wish to build on. There are no special ceremonies that proceed building. The same thing can't be said for the Kikuyu people. Before building a hut, a fire is lit on the ground where it is going to be built. Also, there are seperate huts built for the women and men for their private use. In America, this is like having seperate rooms. A man can have his study and a woman can have her sewing room. The Kikuyu people also put much emphasis on a ceremony that precedes building. They have a big dinner and invite all of the participants to join and be merry. This differs greatly from American culture in that Americans don't normally build their own houses. Most times, a contractor is contacted and a construction company soon follows. Although the processes vary greatly, the end result it always the same-a place to stay and lay your head. The Kikuyu people have an interesting and profound process of hut building.

Slave Resistance

   Few people agree with the institution of slavery. I am included in that number. The thing I hate most about slavery is the brutal treatment of the slaves by some of the slavemasters. Therefore, I was excited to read an essay entitled "Slave Resistance" written by John Hope Franklin. In short, the essay talked about the many different types of resistance used by slaves in the South. After reading the essay, I felt an array of emotions with the dominant ones being shock/horror and amazement/wonder. I was very shocked because many times books and movies portray slaves as being submissive and dormant to authority--in this case their slave masters. After reading "Slave Resistance" I realized this was not always the case.
    Slaves went to many extremes to escape the harsh life of slavery and resist. Harriet Tubman is a very notable figure in black history with her operation of the Underground Railroad. Through her, many slaves were able to escape, but those that were not able to escape went to sometimes extreme measures in resisting their slave owners. I was both horrified and amazed when I read about the different forms of resistance used. The forms of resistance included self mutilation, destroying different tools, and revolting. Suicide was a form of resistance that I found out was very common. I would not say I was ignorant to the fact that slaves resisted, but I never knew the extent to which they resisted. My eyes were opened because I realized that there was a time when people would rather kill themselves than live another day of their lives. Being that I did not grow up in slavery but as a free individual, I don't think I could have EVER lived under a slave master and be treated in such harsh and brutal ways!!! I believe that I, too, would have killed myself or tried to run away. I say that, yet, in reality, I do not believe I would have had the strength or willpower to physically injure or kill myself. So, in my opinion, slaves were very strong individuals. They each had minds of their own and were not submissive or dormant to authority. John Hope Franklin makes this very clear in his essay entitled "Slave Resistance."

African culture V.S. African-American culture

Most Americans tend to see our culture as better than others. This is prior to ever having any experience with any other cultures. In his essay, 20/20 Hindsight, Jay Ford brings this fact full circle. He aptly compares and contrast Kenyan culture with American culture. Ford calls on his experience with an exchange program in college to bring his point full circle.
Upon first reading Ford's essay, I was quick to respond by saying, "Why should he have to assimilate to Kenyan culture to feel acceptable?" My thoughts were that the Kenyan people should have accepted him either way. To better understand the point Ford was trying to make, I reread the essay a second time. Upon reading it a second time, my eyes were opened. I began to see the point that was trying to be made.
In America, Black people are classified as being African-American, but if we look deeper, many of our customs and traditions are more American than African. With that being said, how can we call ourselves AFRICAN-American. Being immersed in Kenyan culture forced Ford to take a step back and reevaluate himself. Although he and the Kenyan people shared the same skin color, they had little else in common. Most African-Americans can not idenitfy with anything African besides skin color. Culture is more than just about skin color. It is about art, food, religion, dance, and much more. To get the most out of his experience, Ford absorbed every aspect of the Kenyan culture. He learned new languages, customs, and gained a different view of life itself. Before leaving Kenya, Ford began to experience a lingering sense of pride for his African culture. As African-Americans, we should all feel that exact sense of pride when talking about or hearing about Africa and its diverse culture. We should want to learn about different things associated with the culture. Upon taking a closer look at the two cultures, ask yourself which is superior. Is it the culture that is more advanced but naive about its background or the culture that is very knowledgable about its background but less advanced??????

Have American race relations changed since the election of President Obama?

Since the election of President Barack Obama, many Americans are thought of to be more open minded. The election of an African-American president is a milestone that most Americans thought would never be crossed. With the crossing of such a monumental milestone, one could assume that finally a prolific change was taking place in America. In some ways, a change was taking place, but there will always be people that resent change and stubbornly refuse to do so. In this case, many Americans refuse to accept the fact that there are other races and ethnicites in this world besides their own. A sociologist would call it ethnocentrism, but many people, including myself, see it as racism. Sadly, many people still have a racist mindset. Because of this, many people are not able to grow and form relationships with people of different races and cultures. The relationships that can be created are very limited and restricted. This is not restricted to one race. Many different people from many different races have a racist or ethnocentric mindset. Because of the results of the recent election, many people wanted to believe that all Americans would come together in harmony. A survey taken by USA Today the day after the election showed that 28% of Americans thought race relations would get better. That percentage has gone down 13%; today, only 15% still hold on to that belief. When many people voted, their thoughts were not on the color of the candidate's skin. Their thoughts were on which candidate could better repair our nation's economy and run the country. Therefore, many people retained their same mindset and racist ways. These things have and continue to restrict race relations in America.