The Obamas present a positive image of the Black Family. They set standards we could follow and learn from so that we could improve our own family structures.
In today's society, most of the times African American families are labeled as deficient and dysfunctional; where there is no father figure in the home and single mothers are left to raised their children on their own. However, the Obamas put a different perspective on how African American family is portrayed, by showing intelligence, leadership qualities and love for each other.They are role models and gives us all hope, not just in America, but around the world.
During the inauguration season I was watching BET, a reporter was interviewing people on the street and a young Black man said that he never think about marriage, but when he saw the Obamas, he wanted to get married and have children. This is the imapact that the Obamas are making in the Black community, and I'm loving it!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Thinking more about African American Society and Culture
The development of the Black church has played a vital role in the black community. During the civil rights movement the black church was not used only for wporship, but as a political organization.Prominent leaderslike Dr Martin Luther King would use to plan marches and discuses issues facing the Black community.
Over the years the black church has continued to grow, it helps to develop the black community by providing schools and businesses.
The HBCU has played a significant role in the lives of Black people by providing knowledge and better opportunities for them. Even though some of them are facing issues such as proper funding and loosing accredation, they continues to make important contribution to social capital creation in the black communities.
For these organiztion to move beyond these negative practices is to treat everyone eqully.
Over the years the black church has continued to grow, it helps to develop the black community by providing schools and businesses.
The HBCU has played a significant role in the lives of Black people by providing knowledge and better opportunities for them. Even though some of them are facing issues such as proper funding and loosing accredation, they continues to make important contribution to social capital creation in the black communities.
For these organiztion to move beyond these negative practices is to treat everyone eqully.
Considering African Americans and American Culture
Some of the sociological theories relating to Black family life are:Single parenting, this is due to the unemployment, underemployment and aslo incarceration of Black males. This makes it difficult forBlack male to maintain family relationships.
Welfare - because there is no Black male to provide for his family,a single parent with low income has to turn to government for help.
Incarceration - because Black men dont get enough oppotunites, some of them turn to crime and violence which leads to imprisionment and this affects the family economically and socially.
Looking at Black families as deficient and dysfunctional allows the dominant group in society to think of them negatively. The misrepresentation of a Black single mother is that she is on welfare and she is not able raised her children with proper standards, and these children are likely to turn to crime and violence because their is no father role. However, there are so many Black single mothers who raised their children to be respectable and intelligent individuals. Also some men rised by their mothers are more nurting and loving and are capable of maintainig sucessful marriages and relationships. Moreover, some black single mothers chose this lifestyle because they dont want to get married,husband dies or they or divorce.
Our defnition of a nuclear family is so narrow because we tend to follow, or maybe forced to follow what the dominant group regard as a nuclear family. We are made to believe that the dominant culture family is the right family and we as Blacks should try to live that lifestyle.Society should try and see that the Black family is a part of their African heritage, where the extended family and the community plays an important role in the Black family.
Black people doesnt get the same opportunity as Whites.They are not provided with the same economical resources as whites which leads to more unemployment and underemployment of Blacks than Whites. A large number Black Men are incarcerated making it more difficult for Blacks than Whites to maintain a nuclear family.
Welfare - because there is no Black male to provide for his family,a single parent with low income has to turn to government for help.
Incarceration - because Black men dont get enough oppotunites, some of them turn to crime and violence which leads to imprisionment and this affects the family economically and socially.
Looking at Black families as deficient and dysfunctional allows the dominant group in society to think of them negatively. The misrepresentation of a Black single mother is that she is on welfare and she is not able raised her children with proper standards, and these children are likely to turn to crime and violence because their is no father role. However, there are so many Black single mothers who raised their children to be respectable and intelligent individuals. Also some men rised by their mothers are more nurting and loving and are capable of maintainig sucessful marriages and relationships. Moreover, some black single mothers chose this lifestyle because they dont want to get married,husband dies or they or divorce.
Our defnition of a nuclear family is so narrow because we tend to follow, or maybe forced to follow what the dominant group regard as a nuclear family. We are made to believe that the dominant culture family is the right family and we as Blacks should try to live that lifestyle.Society should try and see that the Black family is a part of their African heritage, where the extended family and the community plays an important role in the Black family.
Black people doesnt get the same opportunity as Whites.They are not provided with the same economical resources as whites which leads to more unemployment and underemployment of Blacks than Whites. A large number Black Men are incarcerated making it more difficult for Blacks than Whites to maintain a nuclear family.
Making Privilage and Power Visible
In the American society Black women are percieved negatively,some of us are viewed as hostile, sexuall promiscuous and loud.This all goes back to slavery when Black women where characterize by slave owners as Mammies, Jezebels and Sapphire.
In the popular rap music Black women are being seen as sex objects in the music videos with little clothes on and shaking their booty.Also some these derrogatory names that these Rappers used to describe Black women doesnt give a positive feature of a Black women. In 2006, when Snoop Dogg arrives at the MTV music award with two Black women with leash around their necks was very disturbing to me. I think that this was very degrading to Black women.
This makes it easier for people outside the Black communtiy to perceived Black women negatively.I think Mitchelle Obama plays an important role in letting the world see that Black women are intelligent and well educated and not just seen as Jezebls or hoochies.
In the popular rap music Black women are being seen as sex objects in the music videos with little clothes on and shaking their booty.Also some these derrogatory names that these Rappers used to describe Black women doesnt give a positive feature of a Black women. In 2006, when Snoop Dogg arrives at the MTV music award with two Black women with leash around their necks was very disturbing to me. I think that this was very degrading to Black women.
This makes it easier for people outside the Black communtiy to perceived Black women negatively.I think Mitchelle Obama plays an important role in letting the world see that Black women are intelligent and well educated and not just seen as Jezebls or hoochies.
The history Makers
Most of the interviews I've listen to talked about racism and how it affected their lives. They also talks about their different struggles and obstacle they faced being Black in America.
However, I was inspired by their huge success and accomplishments.In an interview with Carol Moseley Braun, she talks about critiicisms she faced and how she overcame them. This has motivated me to strive for the highest goals in life.
However, I was inspired by their huge success and accomplishments.In an interview with Carol Moseley Braun, she talks about critiicisms she faced and how she overcame them. This has motivated me to strive for the highest goals in life.
Tell Me More
I'm from the Carribean and I know that Carribean History and African American history have their similarities in which Africans were taken from Africa by Europeans to become slaves in these countries. They were robbed of their human dignity and forced to adopt the Europeans culture.
However, I would like to increase my knowledge about African American History, their struggles and their success.Knowing and understanding more about African American studies will help me to be strong and more determined to be successful.
However, I would like to increase my knowledge about African American History, their struggles and their success.Knowing and understanding more about African American studies will help me to be strong and more determined to be successful.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
