Assignment
Perspectives on African Americans
Directions: To answer questions 1-7, write one to two paragraphs (note: a minimum of three sentences in a paragraph). In your response, be sure to refer to specific concepts/constructs from the readings, and lecture notes to support your answer. Submit your completed written assignment through the drop box--Examinations
• Kathy Russell, Midge Wilson and Ronald Hall (1992). The Color Complex: The Politics of Skin Color among African Americans. Anchor Books, Double day
• Sandler, K. (2015). A Question of Color. [San Francisco, California, USA]: Kanopy Streaming.
• Answer the following questions which are based on the aforementioned book readings, video and lecture notes:
1. How do the following social constructs/tests affect black identity? Doll test, One-drop rule, and the brown paper bag test:
a) In a race-stratified society, how do power, privilege and black identity, for example, light- skinned versus dark-skinned Blacks affect the life chances and lifestyles of African Americans?
• To support your answer incorporate the contents of video: "A Question of Color," Chapter 2: The Color Gap in Power and Privilege, and Chapter 4: Black Identity: Shades of Beauty and Pride (Readings: Russell, Kathy, Midge Wilson & Ronald Hall (1992). The Color Complex: The Politics of Skin Color among African Americans. Anchor Books, Double day
b) In your opinion, how do the pioneering studies in the late 1930's and early 1940's called the "doll test" of Kenneth and Mamie Clark affect black identity especially in the 1954 Brown legal case?
c) What is one-drop rule? And how has it shaped the development of racial identity in America?
d) What is the brown paper bag test? And how does it affect admission of African American students to historically black colleges/universities?
2. Lasting Legacy of the Civil Rights Movement:
• Key Decisions on Affirmative Action by the U.S Supreme Court-handout (25 points)
1) Briefly define Affirmative Action
2) Briefly define racial gerrymandering
3) How is affirmative action and racial gerrymandering related?
4) Choose two legal cases including the votes and rulings that are won or favorable (+) to Affirmative Action Policy
5) Choose two legal cases including the votes and rulings that are lost or unfavorable (-) to Affirmative Action Policy
3. Briefly define the three character types
1) The fighters
2) Dreamers
3) Believers
Give examples of each character type. To answer the questions read
Chapter Four: Fighters, Dreamers, and Believers
(Reference: Cose, Ellis. (2011). The End of Anger: A New Generation's Take on
Race and Rage HarperCollins Publishers)
4. Compare (similarities) and contrast (differences) the strategies of the Civil Rights Movement (1960-1968) and Black Lives Matter (2013-present)
5. What is the difference between Rap music and Hip Hop culture?
6. The three strategies employed by law enforcement to fight urban crime include: 1) community policing, 2) stop-n-frisks and 3) stand your ground rule. Briefly define each strategy and to support your answer give examples of cities that the three strategies are employed (reading Policing in America notes)
7. Racial microaggression is the new face of racism. 1) Briefly define racial microaggression 2) Give an example of each theme (total of five themes), i.e., microagression and implicit message.
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Theme
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Microaggression Example
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Implicit Message
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1) Criminality: A person is presumed to be dangerous, criminal, or deviant based on their race, nationality and/or sexual orientation
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2)Denial of individual prejudice: A statement made by those with social privilege to deny that they have that privilege or any oppressive thinking
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3)Myth of meritocracy: Statements which assert that race, class, gender, abilities or sexual orientation do not play a role in life success
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4)Religious or cultural superiority: When a person assumes that their race, religion, or culture (broadly defined) is better than others'
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5)Environmental microaggressions: Ways in which larger systems beyond the individual realm (such as institutional policies and practices) work to maintain systems of privilege and oppression
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