Black Men and Public Space in America - 1804 Words

Black Men and Public Space: An Agent of Change African-American men and white men are born and raised within the continental U.S.; each of their own faculty empowered to change the social injustice of a society. The innate qualities of the African American do not compare to those of the white man, yet - â€Å"empowered† they are with character. The foundation for the concept –â€Å"character† is best defined as â€Å"holistic,† meaning of physical, mental and social qualities – A. Adler’s school of thought, as well as A. Maslow and C. Rogers’ thoughts –â€Å"[a]n equal human being†¦ cognitive, emotional, and volitional† (Ambrus, 33 -34) Jennifer Ritterhouse, author of Growing Up Jim Crow: How Black and White Southern Children Learned Race, explains that†¦show more content†¦This upward mobility is described by Marlon B. Ross in the article, Manning the Race: Reforming Black Men in the Jim Crow Era; persona â€Å"[a]s a reactive identity overdetermined by the hegemony of white masculinity or as a parallel, if marginalized, cultural formation mimetically patterned on white masculinity.† (Clarke, 456) Staples’ behavior resembles a person who is projecting himself in the direction of upward mobility. The difference is that, unlike the white man, Staples says that he â€Å"[t]akes precautions to make [himself] less threatening.† (231) A parallel to Staples’ upward mobility is a typical young white man at high school projecting masculinity. Related to it is upward mobility mastery in a study by Nicolas W. Proctor. In June 2007, at South West High School in Minneapolis, MN, the counselor for students H-Z had stepped out of his office. Since he was out and the door was open, I waited in his office for him to return. The second person to enter the room was a young ethnic student; she sat down beside me. Shortly afterward, the counselor entered and at that time the counselor saw that there were two women in his office. When yet when a third person entered, the white male, he proceeded to direct an inquiryShow MoreRelatedKiese Laymons How to Slowly Kill Yourselves and Others in America and Brent Staples Black Men and Public Spaces967 Words   |  4 PagesIn Kiese Laymon â€Å"How to Slowly Kill yourselves and others in America† and Brent Staples â€Å"Black Men and Public Spaces† both essays deal w ith being an African American man but the authors respond in a different ways. At one point in history being an African American wasn’t always the easiest but two Authors shared their stories about the experiences they had which were very different. Although the color of their skin is the same and how they treated was as well both authors take different precaution’sRead MoreJust Walk On By : Black Men And Public Space1464 Words   |  6 PagesThe portrait of black men that people have had in their mind for many decades has narrowed their vision about black men and has automatically affected black men’s identity. When it comes to black people, one already has a picture in his or her mind and draws a conclusion about how black people have to look and how they will act. After I read the essay entitled, â€Å"Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space,† written by Brent Staples, in which he talks about the fearsomeness mistakenly given to himRead MoreRacism In Public Space Essay1287 Words   |  6 PagesLife is very difficult in public spaces. It not only has the twists and turns but, for minorities, is racist. Ever since the slave days, African Americans have known to be cautious around police. 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Both Coates and Staples agree on the fact that the black body is being systematically oppressed by theRead MoreI Can t Breathe ( Barghi )1318 Words   |  6 PagesOn February 26, 2012, a 17 year-old Black teenager was shot to death in Florida. His name was Trayvon Martin and he was shot when returning from a store. He was a junior at Dr, Michael M. Krop High School and lived with his mother and older brother in Miami Gardens, Florida. His last words were â€Å"What are you following me for?†(Barghi). On July 17, 2014, an elderly Black man was choked to death in New York. His name was Eric Garner and he was harassed for the acquisition of selling single cigarettesRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr.1101 Words   |  5 PagesAugust 28, 1963 (Eidenmuller) marked a very important day in history that had an impact not only on America, but the whole world. On this day, Martin Luther King Jr. presented his well known I Have a Dream speech that aimed to eliminate racism, inequality and discrimination. He strongly believed that one day people would put their differences aside and come together. So, what happened to that dream? Along with other equality initiative ideas, they rarely make it past the idea stages or end in theRead MoreThe Portrayal Of The Young Black Men And Public Space1298 Words   |  6 Pagesthe young black male in the late 1980s has not changed much in the United States. Brent Staples is able to reveal the truths of racial stereotyping in the United States, and the stigmas placed on young black males with the use of imagery in Black Men and Public Space. Appealing to the readers’ senses allows for better understanding of the time period Staples is writing about. Visual imagery is used to contrast how Staples appears to his â€Å"victims† and how these â€Å"victims† appear to the public. The fearRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Who Shot Johnny 1070 Words   |  5 Pagesfor waving at a car he thought he recognized. She goes on to describe what she believes is the stereotypical inner city thug who does nothing but hurt others, and how many people perceive all African Americas to be this way. â€Å"We despise and disown this anomalous loser but, for many, he is black America.† (Dickenson 319). I agree with Dickenson about the deception of stereotypes and how the characteristics of certain bad seeds in a group overshadow the positivity of the majority. In our society thereRead MoreSummary Of Brent Stapless Black Men And Public Space1061 Words   |  5 PagesIn the essay â€Å"Black Men and Public Space† the author writes about his experience as a black male growing up in the mid-20th century. Brent Staples was born in 1951, in Chester, Pennsylvania. His father, Melvin Staples, was a truck driver; and his mother Geneva, a homemaker. The oldest of nine children, Staples grew up in Chester, but due to his dad becoming an alcoholic and having financial problems, they moved seven times before he finishing junior high school. Brent was born a year before BrownRead MoreThe Rise Of Awareness Of Police Brutality Towards Black Males965 Words   |  4 PagesAlthough written in the late 1980s with the rise of awareness of police brutality towards black males in America, it is clearly evident that black people are treated differently especially in terms of racial profiling. According to analysis by New York Civil Liberties Union, in 2013 83% of the people stopped in New York for a frisk and search were black or Hispanic with only 12% being white and of all the people stopped 81% were completely innocent. Racial profiling causing an uneasiness to those