English 2100 x 81: Fall 2020

Author: MAYA GIBBS

Course Design Project

Black Studies:

Summary:

The purpose of this class is to educate students on the history of African people and slavery. We will expose false history on the topic. We will focus on African slavery and migration in the “New World”, but also touch other places around the world as well. Not only will we talk about the history of slavery but we will also address the psychological, societal, govermental and overal modern day effects of slavery. Examples on a few topics in this course: Racism, Discrimination, Sterotypes, Colorism, Texturism, Featurism, Culture Appropriation, Etc.

Assignments:

Papers:

  • History of African Slavery and Migration on one part of the world. ex: entire New World, America, the Caribbean, Europe, etc. 
  • Effects of African Slavery: choose an area in the world and also give a summary of effects worldwide. ex: entire New World, America, the Caribbean, Europe, etc.

Group projects: (choose one)

  • Pick and research a topic on the one effect of African slavery in modern day society.
  • Find 3 false historical stories or events on African slaves, how they were treated or migration and provide the correct information backed up with research. 

Classroom debate:

  • There will be an organized debate. The topic is chosen by students.

Readings: (will be articles)

  • Racism and Discrimination
  • Self-Hatred in the Black community
  • Psychological Effects of Slavery and Racism 
  • Etc.

*My hopes are to enlighten you on the issues black people deal with in society so you can help make change somehow. The first step towards change is education.

All-Star Blog Spotlight: A Case for Reparations

Coates presents many points in his writing, “The Case for Reparations”. He talks about how the system set black people up to fail. It all began during slavery times and are still in place till this day. He states that the men who came together and founded America promised freedom and equality for all. But in fact America began in “Black plunder and White democracy”. He then goes to say that black people were “plundered of their bodies, plundered of their families, and plundered of their labor”.  The slaves were used to profit America and in the end led America and whites to be successful. Slavery played a big role in the income of white people while blacks were forced to work for free. When Black people were freed from slavery, White people set the governmental system up against them. Black people did not have the luxuries that whites had and they had to work much harder to get something than a white person. Segregation was forced unto black people and it made it hard for them to live in the suburbs or in homes just as white people did. The banks would deny them loans simply because they were black. Being black and owning a home where whites lived lowered the value of other whites homes. Anytime a black person was able to live in a suburb or an area that whites lived they were harassed until they moved out. They would destroy their property and even harm them and nothing was done about it. Black people did not the have the opportunities that white people did. The system was set up against them and when they were able to achieve certain luxuries they were not allowed to have it because of the racism they dealt with. All of these things which were set up against black people still affect them today in America. Predominantly white neighborhoods are higher value and are typically upper middle class or the upper class. Predominantly Black neighbors are lower value and are typically middle class or below. Although the system has changed somewhat black people are still affected by the earlier system and still the current system. The earlier system already did damage on blacks and the damage was never undone. Because it was never fixed and black people were never given reparations black people are still faced with some of the same issues and are stuck where they were left off.

This reading stood out to me because of the points that were made. It shed light on the fact that black people still face certain issues in society and have not been compensated for it all. All that was left behind slavery was racism, discrimination and a corrupt governmental system. Throughout history black people were pushed around and treated terribly and yet accountability has not been taken. For all that black people have gone through they deserve reparations. Black people built this country for free. Forced to come to America and work for nothing. For years black people have struggled in society and still do. Reparations for all the treatment and abuse is something the government never did and never intended on doing.

A Legacy Of Incoherence

“Winning seems to absolve many things. So does money.”

Some people choose to look the other way when it comes to Kobe Bryant’s sexual assault case. Many celebrities are given a pass when it comes to sexual assault and other crimes as well. People will dwell on it for a short period of time then purposely choose to forget about it because they don’t want to associate their favorite celebrity with their cruel actions. I think everyone who sexually assaults someone should be held accountable. When it comes to regular people, people will hold them accountable for their actions. You can’t pick and choose who you want to condemn when it comes to  committing sexual assault or causing any harm towards another person. Having a high status in society doesn’t take away from act committed towards an innocent person. The victim now has to deal with that trauma for the rest of her life. Kobe Bryant did make a claim taking some accountability for what he did. And yes it is possible to change as a person and I believe he probably feels guilty and bad about the situation. I do believe he made change in his life especially after having his children but it does not justify his actions. I don’t believe it is unforgivable but people shouldn’t justify it just because he is famous.

The Case for Reparations

Coates presents many points in his writing, “The Case for Reparations”. He talks about how the system set black people up to fail. It all began during slavery times and are still in place till this day. He states that the men who came together and founded America promised freedom and equality for all. But in fact America began in “Black plunder and White democracy”. He then goes to say that black people were “plundered of their bodies, plundered of their families, and plundered of their labor”.  The slaves were used to profit America and in the end led America and whites to be successful. Slavery played a big role in the income of white people while blacks were forced to work for free. When Black people were freed from slavery, White people set the governmental system up against them. Black people did not have the luxuries that whites had and they had to work much harder to get something than a white person. Segregation was forced unto black people and it made it hard for them to live in the suburbs or in homes just as white people did. The banks would deny them loans simply because they were black. Being black and owning a home where whites lived lowered the value of other whites homes. Anytime a black person was able to live in a suburb or an area that whites lived they were harassed until they moved out. They would destroy their property and even harm them and nothing was done about it. Black people did not the have the opportunities that white people did. The system was set up against them and when they were able to achieve certain luxuries they were not allowed to have it because of the racism they dealt with. All of these things which were set up against black people still affect them today in America. Predominantly white neighborhoods are higher value and are typically upper middle class or the upper class. Predominantly Black neighbors are lower value and are typically middle class or below. Although the system has changed somewhat black people are still affected by the earlier system and still the current system. The earlier system already did damage on blacks and the damage was never undone. Because it was never fixed and black people were never given reparations black people are still faced with some of the same issues and are stuck where they were left off.

Research Paper Topic

Question: How does racism and discrimination affect Black people mentally?

I chose this topic because I wanted to research the effects black people today deal with when it comes to racism and discrimination. Racism and discrimination against a specific group of people would have mental effects on black people. Especially since it is something which has gone on for hundreds of years.

 

“We have not ended racial caste in America; we have merely redesigned it.”

This quote is saying that the racial caste has not been demolished but they have just found a way to reinvent it. They have reinvented it in a sudden manner to make it seem like the racial caste has ended. They set up a legal system in which they make it harder for black people to have certain rights. The author told stories of how black people were unable to vote for many different reasons. Jarvious Cotton’s grandparents were unable to vote due to being a slave, being killed for attempting to vote, intimidation by the KKK, poll taxes and literacy test, and being labeled as a felon. This was from his great-great-grand father down to his generation. For years they had come up with new ways to keep black people from receiving certain rights and being able to do certain things white people are able to freely do. She talks about how the criminal justice system is corrupt. The racial bias in the system and mass incarceration causes black people to make up the majority of the population in prison. After prisoners are freed, “they are legally denied the ability to obtain employment, housing, and public benefits—much as African Americans were once forced into a segregated, second-class citizenship in the Jim Crow era.” The system today is just another way of segregating, keeping a racial caste, and controlling black people. Therefore, the racial caste never ended it had just been redesigned.

Black Panther

Race matters in “Black Panther” and it matters deeply, not in terms of Manichaean good guys and bad but as a means to explore larger human concerns about the past, the present and the uses and abuses of power. That alone makes it more thoughtful about how the world works than a lot of mainstream movies, even if those ideas are interspersed with plenty of comic-book posturing. It wouldn’t be a Marvel production without manly skirmishes and digital avatars. Yet in its emphasis on black imagination, creation and liberation, the movie becomes an emblem of a past that was denied and a future that feels very present. And in doing so opens up its world, and yours, beautifully.

The writer of this article analyzes and summarizes the movie Black Panther. As the writer recaps the story they talk about certain details of it all. The writer mentions how the writers of blank panther mad a point out of adding Black empowerment. They also added a touch of women empowerment as well. They wanted to make Black panther different from typical marvel movies. The writer even states that “Most big studio fantasies take you out for a joy ride only to hit the same exhausted story and franchise-expanding beats. Not this one.” They mention this which adds an emphasis on the uniqueness of this movie.

I agree with the closing paragraph which I quoted above. Race was a huge factor in Black Panther. It breaks stereotypes and it paints a positive image for black people. Which made this movie an inspiration to the community for its representation. It also makes viewers think about the problems in society regarding the black community because they display them in the film.

“38” by Layli Long Soldier

I find this poem very unique. I even liked the way she spoke while reading the poem as well it emphasized every point she had made. This poem really stuck out to me because it not only was informative, but not written like a typical poem. Even though the poem was unique and different from typical poems there was still slight emotion within this poem which I had liked. The author focuses more on the history aspect of the story rather than focusing on how to make this piece traditional. But she read in a way where when you listen you process it and feel empathy towards this tragedy. Poems I have read before include metaphors and they make you think, make you reflect on what the poem is communicating. This piece was straight to the chase, no metaphors but instead of emphasis on the history of it all. While reading I felt a sense of sadness and compassion towards everything that had happened towards the Natives. The phrase “Everything is in the language that we use” means what we say is what we mean. Our words are very important. What we say affects other people, our relationships, our society and etc.. When we give our word, it is something that is suppose to have value. The Natives believed in what the colonizers had said and got the short end of the stick. They got screwed over. To end it all, they said “If they are hungry, let them eat grass”. This showed their true colors and intentions. It showed they didn’t really care for them and it showed through their words and their “language”.

The Language We Do Not Use.

We have been going over a quote which is stated “everything is in the language we use”. The meaning in short is that what we say shows our intentions, it shows what we mean, how we feel, and who we are. Reading these two poems we are discussing the original quote, “everything is in the language we do NOT use”. These writers are communicating in their writings that the language we do not use is is very important. For example, the shooting of the 10 year old child, was sugar coated. They tried to cover up the real possibilities while doing their investigation. They were protecting the deputy by making excuses. It correlates because it when we refrain from using certain words it can allow assumptions and sometimes can be deceiving. Going back to our old poem with the Dakota people, they were deceive by the words the English people had not said. Those words cost them their land, their families, food, and their livelihood. Now addressing the poem, “The President Has Never Said the Word ‘Black'”, where the word “black” referring to race was ignored and the presidents refrained from using it. Not only did they ignored the word, but they also ignored the issues that had went on in society regarding black people. Using the word would bring up so many topics, problems, and issues in society. They would be forced to address it. It goes hand in hand with the shooting of the 10 year old. They adjusted the way the spoke about the situation, their language, so the issue wouldn’t have to be fully addressed.