African American Women Essay, Research Paper
african american women
It would be great if I could write this essay telling all about African American women, how they see the world, their perspectives on society, and their views on life in general, but being an eighteen year old white male it’s a bit difficult. Fortunately, I have had the experience of reading three essays by African American women that may help in understanding these peoples experiences; “A Question of Lanuage” by, Gloria Naylor, “How it Feels to be Colored Me” by, Zora Neale Hurston, and “My Man Bovane” by, Toni Cade Bambara
After these three readings I have gained an insight into the lives of African American women. In Gloria Naylor’s Essay, “A Question of Language” the use of the word “nigger” is questioned. I have always seen the word as derogatory and have always wondered why African Americans would use it as if it meant nothing. After reading this essay, by an African American woman I have a greater insight into why these people would use what I thought to be such a demeaning, demoralizing word. I can now see the word can have many meanings. ” In my third grade class I remarked that once again (the little boy) had received a much lower mark than I did he spit out that word “(232) here I saw the meaning of the word that I saw, the only meaning I knew. A derogatory remark used to demean an African American person. Then as I read into the story more I saw another meaning, ” the word was always applied to a man who had distinguished himself that brought approval for his strength, intelligence, or drive.”(233) Here the word was used as praise. For the first time I could see through an African American person’s eyes and understand what they understood. I also saw other meanings for the word such as “my nigger”, term of endearment. I also learned when used as a plural it represented those who had no respect for themselves or others.
The second story, “How it Feels to be Colored Me” was an eye opener. When I read this story I was stupefied. “I remember the very day I became colored. Up to my thirteenth year I lived in the little Negro town of Eatonville, Florida.”(99) Wow, this was something I really never though of before. This person really had no idea what it was to be colored, this person had no idea that there was a difference between white, black, and brown. I suppose in an ideal society this would be the case, but not living in an ideal society I was surprised. I’ve always empathized with African American people in their struggles to be recognized as equals. This story was basically an enforcement of those feelings. But I like some of the things Ms. Hurston writes. ” I am not tragically colored. There is no great sorrow dammed uo in my soul, nor lurking behind my eyes. I do not mind at all. I do not belong to the sobbing school of Negrohood who hold that nature I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.” It seems to me that Ms. Hurston has adapted really well to her situation. When exposed to the “other side” of the world she does not condemn herself to silence or deny herself anything that she deserves. She does not wallow in sorrow because she was ridiculed because of her skin color. She stands up for herself and lives her life to the fullest accomplishing every goal she sets, proving that she is as good if not better than those who ridicule her. “Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonished me. Hoe can and deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It’s beyond me.”
The third story, “My Man Bovanne” was a story in which could be applied to any family, whether black, white, green, or oyster blue. I could have put the same situation in my own family and have a similar outcome. This story was very interesting. One could view it in many different angles and from many positions. When seen from the children’s eyes it one can see their embarrassment towards their mother’s actions. “The point is momma well, it’s pride. You embarrass yourself and us too dancin’ like that.”(376) If seen from this point of view their feelings are justified. When seen through the mother’s eyes it is a totally different story. “Blind people got a hummin jones if you notice and I press up close to dance with Bovanne who blind and I’m hummin and he hummin, chest to chest not jammin my chest into the man, Wasn’t about tits. Was bout vibrations.”(374) Here one can see momma’s compassion and kindness. We can see that momma was not embarrassing anyone but was being kind to the blind gentleman who probably had no one else to dance with.
After reading these three essays I can have a greater appreciation for African American Women and what they go through. I can now see the world better through their eyes and understand better their thoughts, feelings, and reactions.
Другие работы по теме:
Discrimination Essay Research Paper Fred L Pincus
Discrimination Essay, Research Paper Fred L. Pincus, author of “From Individual to Structural Discrimination”, is arguing that discrimination is still present among many individual and institutions. The reason why it is not unlawful, according to Pincus, is because the discrimination is so subtle and in some cases it is not done intentionally.
The Bluest Eyes Essay Research Paper 2
The Bluest Eyes Essay, Research Paper “The Bluest Eyes” Toni Morrison was an African American woman that had gone through almost forty years of suppression. In an excerpt from her novel The Bluest Eyes, she tells the story of a young girl named Claudia who receives a white baby doll every Christmas. Claudia does not like the doll so she decided to tear it apart like every other “white baby doll” that she has received.
Descrimination Essay Research Paper discrimination1 The
Descrimination Essay, Research Paper discrimination 1. The federal government attempted to use many laws to protect the rights of the newly freed slaves, such as the Civil rights Act of 1866, which gave African Americans the right
Emperor Haile Selassie Essay Research Paper Booker
Emperor Haile Selassie Essay, Research Paper Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Dubois each fought for African American civil rights in America, but they each approached the matter of Jim Crow a little different from the other. W.E.B Dubois was big on the idea of integration, whereas Booker T. Washington wanted to keep segregation alive.
African Slave Trade Essay Research Paper With
African Slave Trade Essay, Research Paper With exploration arising in the 1400 s, so did the completion for success between Portugal and Spain. Both countries were in search for the ultimate prize of exploration, gold. Portugal sought after Africa and Spain attempted to find more in the Americas. Even though the African slave trade seemed racist in historical perspective, it was indeed more for economic benefits instead because of the necessity of workers by Spaniards and fact that slavery was accepted in Africa.
African American Studies Essay Research Paper Ryan
African American Studies Essay, Research Paper Ryan Bradley3/1/00 As African Americans become equal citizens in America they need to establish their own aims and ideas as people. African Americans must do
Alexander Crummel Unsung Hero Essay Research Paper
Alexander Crummel:unsung hero As we look back on the history of African-Americans we all can recall the names of Dr. Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. Also in our history are the unsung heroes that don t get talked about much. That s why I decided to take a moment to look back at
African Americans Unnoticed Essay Research Paper For
African Americans Unnoticed Essay, Research Paper For too many years, African Americans have lived without knowing the people who have influenced their way of life. We walk around without taking the time to appreciate the people that have allowed us to go to these black colleges and universities, or the African Americans that have dedicated life their to make life better for all mankind as well as blacks.
Light Skin Essay Research Paper Do black
Light Skin Essay, Research Paper Do black men prefer light-skinned women to dark-skinned women? From the founding of this counnty black have always been connected second class citizens. We were brought over here on slave ships and even on in first constitution the American we were considered 3/5 of a person.
Spirituals And Code Songs Essay Research Paper
Spirituals and ?Code? Songs Spirituals were songs originally used as vector for oral tradition for the African American population. Since they were conveyed orally, there were often times many versions of the same song. Many spirituals were based on African folk tales or rhythms. They were used by slaves in the south to exchange issues of freedom.
African Proverbs Essay Research Paper African ProverbsAfrican
African Proverbs Essay, Research Paper African Proverbs African proverbs are thought of much more than artistic sayings. They symbolize real life situations in just a few words that consummate great meaning. In cultures without literature, proverbs provide an array of values and knowledge. Proverbs often, also provide entertainment because they may consist of rhyme or clever allusions.
Minister Louis Farakan Essay Research Paper In
Minister Louis Farakan Essay, Research Paper In today’s society it does not take much to bring about a change in the way we as a people think. In the prompt, choosing a living man or woman who has influenced the way we think, Minister Louis Farakan comes to mind. In his efforts to unite the men of the African American community, there were a lot of negative and positive reactions.
Abraham Lincoln And The Use Of African
American Troops Essay, Research Paper Abraham Lincoln and the Use of African American Troops Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States. He helped keep the American Union together during the Civil War and abolished slavery in the United States. I believe that his decision to use African American troops in the Northern Army shows his strength of character and strong desire to free all slaves.
A Voice From The South Essay Research
Paper Anna J. Cooper ? A Voice from the South In her book, A Voice from the South, Anna J. Cooper expressly addresses two issues: the participation of women in American society and America?s race problem. These are two issues very close to Cooper as an African American woman herself and she claims to speak for all African American women on these points.
Kindred Essay Essay Research Paper Throughout the
Kindred Essay Essay, Research Paper Throughout the novel Kindred, Butler compared and contrasted modern African Americans with African Americans that were slaves in the novel. Some of the many ways she compares them are through education, work ethic, and their personal feelings about and/or how they handle their own slavery.
The Buffalo Soldiers Essay Research Paper The
The Buffalo Soldiers Essay, Research Paper The Buffalo Soldiers Over 180,000 African-Americans served in the Union Army during the Civil War. Of these, more than 33,000 died. After the war, the future of African-Americans in the U.S. Army was in doubt. In July1866, however, Congress passed legislation establishing two cavalry and four infantry regiments (later consolidated to two) whose enlisted composition was to be made up of African-Americans.
The Prevalence Of Breast Cancer Among Black
Women Essay, Research Paper Exploring the Growth of Breast Cancer Among African American Women Breast cancer develops as an abnormal growth of cells accumulate within the breast. Recent studies have proven that White
Delinquent Daughters Summary Essay Research Paper Delinquent
Delinquent Daughters Summary Essay, Research Paper ?Delinquent Daughters Summary? Delinquent Daughters by Mary E. Odem touches on many topics involving women residing in the U.S. from 1885 to 1920. Not only does the book raise issues about women as a whole, but also it breaks the women into a more realistic view.
Stereotypes Essay Research Paper African American StereotypesMany
Stereotypes Essay, Research Paper African American Stereotypes Many of us have received a meager education about African-Americans. In fact, many people have no clue about African Americans beyond the information we have been given in the media. The result has been that most whites possess a distorted image of African-Americans.
Ebonics Essay Research Paper One of the
Ebonics Essay, Research Paper One of the conflicting issues among African Americans and Caucasians is the issue of ebonics. It s not just an issue facing one race or the other it effects both races
Billie Holliday Essay Research Paper Billie HolidayBillie
Billie Holliday Essay, Research Paper Billie Holiday Billie Holiday was a famous jazz singer in the 1930 s and 1940 s. She was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1915 with the name of Eleanora Fagan. She became successful as by singing in various bands before embarking on a solo career. Billie Holiday was one of the first successful African American females.
The Role Of Women In Tennessee Elections
Essay, Research Paper The Role of Women in Tennessee Elections In Tennessee in 1919 women were recruiting the votes of other women to vote for the first time. In Nashville, suffragists who had been working for many years for this right, hastily organized women to register and as part of their of the preparation for their first election, struck a rare alliance with African American women leaders.
Why Slavery Essay Research Paper Captivity bondage
Why Slavery? Essay, Research Paper Captivity, bondage, restraint, subjugation, and slavery. These words all mean one thing, enslaving someone against their will. Slavery was an episode in history that scarred, many African men, women and children. Slavery tore families apart, shattered dreams, and left African?s feeling shameful and hopeless.
Southern Horrors And Other Writings Essay Research
Paper What is mob violence? Well, nowadays, mob violence differs in comparison to mob violence in the nineteenth century. In the years following the Civil War, there was a lot of mistreatment of African Americans. Ida B. Wells, a young African American journalist, investigated and accounted for the violence acted upon the African Americans during the Post-Reconstruction period.
African America Women Essay Research Paper OUR
African America Women Essay, Research Paper OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN African American women have excelled in virtually every arena of the world?s spectrum. Born of a desire to succeed, Maggie L. Walker, Shirley Chisolm, Corretta Scott
Montgomery Bus Boycott Essay Research Paper Montgomery
Montgomery Bus Boycott Essay, Research Paper Montgomery Bus Boycott One of the events that caught my attention from Eyes on the Prize was the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The Montgomery Bus Boycott gave me a clearer aspect of the Civil Rights Movement as a whole. If it were not for this movement there would be a lack of freedom to this day.
Stuttering And The Black Male Essay Research
Paper Stuttering and the Black Male: Another Form of Discrimination Prepared by Cara Williams English 399-01 Dr. Lee April 26, 2000 I. Introduction My study is on stutterers. I will be looking in depth at what stuttering is and how it affects African American males. I will be conducting a case study on a young man who stutters and the social implications of his dysfluency.
Women Essay Research Paper Women in early
Women Essay, Research Paper Women in early American society regardless of their culture faced many of the same gender roles. Native American, Black, and European women were the main keepers of the home. In spite the former occupation of African women as farmers, once slaves in America they too were molded to be in charge of the house keeping duties.