How It Feels to be Colored Me was written by Zora Neale Hurston in which she talks about her views on black and white people.
As Hurston was growing up, the difference between black and white was irrelevant. All she knew was that there were no white people that lived in her neighborhood. She would entertain people as they passed through her town, both black and white. Honestly, those days where you are ignorant to the difference between black and white are the best. You have no prejudice against anyone. There is only one race and that's the human race.
It wasn't until she went off to school that she really became aware that she was an African American person. Even then it didn't bother her. She wasn't ashamed to be African American and she continued to live her life. She finally did start taking notice of some of the differences between black and white. She would observe people when they were taken out of a setting where everyone looked like them. However, when she was in a setting like that herself, she still felt at ease.
An interesting quote was "I have no separate feeling about being an American citizen and colored". These quotes bring us back to the question, what is an American? Is America really one country with many different cultures and races? As it stands, I don't think America can really defined by one race. And just like Zora Hurston, we shouldn't have separate feelings about being a certain race and American.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Is King still King?
Is King still King? Or has King day just become another day we don't have school? Honestly, it seems like its just another day off. I mean think about it; when teachers say, "Oh, no school Monday because it's Dr. King day", do we really say, "Yes!! A day off where I can go learn about Dr. King!". No it's more like, "Yes!! That means there is going to be a party Sunday and I have an extra day to chill or do all the work that I haven't done for the past three weeks". Of course his ideas are extremely important because he helped shape society into the way it is now. However very few people nowadays seem to really appreciate all that he did for us.
Dr. King protested against segregation laws and racism throughout America. He shaped the way for people like President Obama to be where they are today. So why do we just see his day as a day off from school? One reason is probably because people think because Dr. King did what he did, everything is all good. We can just do what we want now and maybe think about his ideals when Dr. King day rolls around. But really, if we don't watch it, history will repeat itself. Someone else is eventually going to have to step up and protest for other things, or else, our generations are just going to keep getting worse. And when things keep getting worse, then what are we going to do?
Dr. King protested against segregation laws and racism throughout America. He shaped the way for people like President Obama to be where they are today. So why do we just see his day as a day off from school? One reason is probably because people think because Dr. King did what he did, everything is all good. We can just do what we want now and maybe think about his ideals when Dr. King day rolls around. But really, if we don't watch it, history will repeat itself. Someone else is eventually going to have to step up and protest for other things, or else, our generations are just going to keep getting worse. And when things keep getting worse, then what are we going to do?
To Be Young, Gifted and Black
The story that I picked for my first Reader's Response is To Be Young, Black and Gifted by Lorraine Hansberry. Hansberry was raised on the south side of Chicago, exactly where I am being raised today. In the excerpt that I read, she talks about a few things that she experienced growing up. One thing she says is "We were the products of the proudest and most mistreated of the races of man". My question is are we still the most mistreated and are we African American still proud to be who we are?
As far as mistreatment and racism goes, it definitely still exists. The different cases may not be as extreme as they once were but that doesn't mean they are gone. For example; sometimes when my family goes to the store, the employees might watch us or ask us unnecessary questions about credit, or ask for phone numbers when they didn't ask any other customer that wasn't black. Both of these instances were subtle, but that doesn't mean they aren't there.
Are African Americans still proud to be who they are today? Well I am definitely proud to be African American. I wouldn't have it any other way. But sometimes I think there are instances of self hate which is why we have problems in African American communities. Instead of focusing on yourself and trying to better yourself, you look at another African American person and instantly dislike them because of what they are trying to achieve and how well they are doing. We just aren't as proud as we once were.
As far as mistreatment and racism goes, it definitely still exists. The different cases may not be as extreme as they once were but that doesn't mean they are gone. For example; sometimes when my family goes to the store, the employees might watch us or ask us unnecessary questions about credit, or ask for phone numbers when they didn't ask any other customer that wasn't black. Both of these instances were subtle, but that doesn't mean they aren't there.
Are African Americans still proud to be who they are today? Well I am definitely proud to be African American. I wouldn't have it any other way. But sometimes I think there are instances of self hate which is why we have problems in African American communities. Instead of focusing on yourself and trying to better yourself, you look at another African American person and instantly dislike them because of what they are trying to achieve and how well they are doing. We just aren't as proud as we once were.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Willennium
Winter break has just started. Christmas is on it's way, and after that the New Year will be approaching fast. Need something to listen to for the new year? Try a not so new CD; Willennium. This CD came out in 1999 as we were going to approach a new millennium. It was Will Smith's second hit solo album.
Try listening to the song "Will 2K". It takes about New Years Eve. The excitement that a new year is approaching fast and what is going to happen when it finally arrives is the main theme. It might even make you think about what you were doing the night before the new millennium arrived. Probably not much because most of us were only five, but still we there for the new year.
Or try listening to another hit song on the album "Wild Wild West". In 1999, Will Smith starred in a movie entitled Wild Wild West with Kevin Kline. The song was the fist song from his new album to hit the radio and just like the movie, it was very popular.
Just because you need something new to listen to, doesn't mean it has to be from a well known artist or something from 2010. Nowadays, songs are considered old after the first month. And not necessarily the first month after they are put out on the radio because once they are on the radio, their old. Songs are old about a month after that individual hears the song. It doesn't have to be like that. Try going back to 1999 and she what find.
Try listening to the song "Will 2K". It takes about New Years Eve. The excitement that a new year is approaching fast and what is going to happen when it finally arrives is the main theme. It might even make you think about what you were doing the night before the new millennium arrived. Probably not much because most of us were only five, but still we there for the new year.
Or try listening to another hit song on the album "Wild Wild West". In 1999, Will Smith starred in a movie entitled Wild Wild West with Kevin Kline. The song was the fist song from his new album to hit the radio and just like the movie, it was very popular.
Just because you need something new to listen to, doesn't mean it has to be from a well known artist or something from 2010. Nowadays, songs are considered old after the first month. And not necessarily the first month after they are put out on the radio because once they are on the radio, their old. Songs are old about a month after that individual hears the song. It doesn't have to be like that. Try going back to 1999 and she what find.
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