...Mr. Randolph Engl. 210 9/21/12 Tainted History in Natasha Tretheway’s Native Guard Passion, precision, and technique are all synonyms used to describe Natasha Tretheway’s Native Guard that take the reader through the heart of the south and the heart of the family. This essay will examine the contradictions of (African) American life, especially concerning themes of history and memory. “Southern History”, “Incident”, and “South” will demonstrate these contradictions of (African) American history and memory. Serving as a scribe, Tretheway writes these poems for those people history has muted and closed the veil on. Southern History, Incident, and South; poems from section two of her book, depict racism during slavery and the Civil War, which is a part of forgotten history in the eyes of “Americans.” These historic experiences have not been given the proper examination, discussion, or acknowledgement. Tretheway refuses to allow African American history to remain as footnotes and brings out the real “American” history in her collection of poems. Tretheway’s personal experience growing up as a mulatto in the South is seen in her poem “Southern History”. This poem shows that even after more than a hundred years after the Civil War, history is still tainted. History is imperfect and at times intentionally false as textbooks in this time period were used to misinform students; keeping them bound and restricted from the real history of America. As Tretheway’s teacher presents...
Words: 1280 - Pages: 6
...comes to mind when you hear the name Ku Klux Klan? Probably you think of mean, heartless, white people that wore white robes with a cone on top that murdered thousands of African Americans. Most of this assumption is correct but the Klan not only attacked African Americans they also attacked Jews, Roman Catholics and immigrants just to name a few. I believe that the Ku Klux Klan is one of the most feared organizations that have ever existed in American history, yet people know so little about them. Hopefully by giving you background information and the some history, you will develop a better understanding of the Klan. When the Ku Klux Klan began they were not always known as the Ku Klux Klan. When they were founded in 1866 they created their name off of the Greek word “kyklos”, meaning circle. They called themselves the KuKlux clan which meant circle of brother. They later changed their name again, to the name they still use to Ku Klux Klan. The Ku Klux Klan was America’s first real terrorist group following the Civil War. The Ku Klux Klan had three very distinct movements the first from 1865-1875, the second 1915-1944, and the third movement occurred during the 1950’s and 60’s. The first movement by the Klan began around 1866 in Pulaski, Tennessee, what sparked this first movement was the rise in African American rights and they wanted to reestablish white supremacy. The Klan was founded by Confederate Civil War veterans General Nathan Bedford, Captain John C. Lester, Major James...
Words: 1213 - Pages: 5
...“The cross was burned on my lawn this time. Next time it could be yours.” wrote 1964 Pulitzer Prize winner, Hazel Brannon Smith.1 On Halloween night in 1960, Smith went outside after hearing a loud popping sound. What she found was a group of teenage boys running away, a burning cross in her yard, and a Chevrolet station wagon that was left behind. She removed the car tag and later found that the car belonged to the local prosecuting attorney, Pat Barrett, whose son was suspected in taking part in the cross burning. This was just one instance where a journalist was threatened during the Civil Rights Movement for supporting and defending blacks. This unethical treatment of these journalists did not stop them from continuing to voice their opinion...
Words: 1237 - Pages: 5
...Throughout history, discrimination has been one of the most discussed topics. Discrimination can be understood as a negative attitude toward individuals based on their beliefs in religious, racial, ethnic, political, or other domains. Our world has always faced the problem of discrimination. Discrimination does not just happen in one place or country; it happens everywhere in the world and affects different types or groups of people. Just as we live in a culturally diverse society, myriad countries has encountered at least one form of discrimination. Racial discrimination, one of most common type of discrimination, has existed for thousands of years. Racial discrimination occurs when a person is treated unfairly because of their race, color, descent, national or ethnic origin. Although racial discrimination is clearly decreasing now, it has been a long problem in social history. Racial Discrimination is manifested through different unlawful crimes such as death, torture, teasing and killing. It has been a controversial issue in world societies for many years and has caused many disagreements as well as violent conflicts toward against many different social and ethnic groups throughout history. One of the most well-known periods of time when a specific group of people were discriminated was the time of slavery. Africans were stolen from their homelands by Europeans around the early 1500s and were sent in America in a process that is known as the Triangular Trade. The triangular...
Words: 1597 - Pages: 7
...Heart Disease among African American Women Ciatta Jones, RN Excelsior College Abstract Heart Disease remains the number one killer among women. However, African American women have a higher rate of heart disease than any other ethnic group or demographics and subsequently have an increased mortality rate among other nationalities. They are disproportionately outnumbered when it comes to the obesity rate, stroke and diabetes amongst other groups such as the Caucasians and Asian’s. Contributing factors are decreased awareness and knowledge of heart disease, a low self perception regarding risk factors, ongoing behaviors that are not modified such as smoking, alcoholism, eating fried and salty foods and sometimes the inability to get to medical facilities and clinics. With more education about heart disease and an increased perception of risk, people’s minds will become transformed and will be motivated to modify risk factors related to heart disease. Differences in knowledge and comprehension levels are greater amid those that have a higher educational level. Continual health promotions, fairs, seminars and preventative efforts must continue for us to see positive outcomes associated with a desired behavior change. Keywords: African American, heart disease, women, risk factors, education Heart disease among African American Women The death threat of heart disease is greater than that of AIDS and breast cancer collectively. It is the number one killer of women...
Words: 3067 - Pages: 13
... In history there have been many changes socially and physically. In the 1960’s the civil rights movement was significant for the equality of people. After the abolition of slavery in 1853, there had been a continuous conflict between the races of people who lived in the United States. In the United States there have been and still are many hate groups. Many think that after the civil rights movement African Americans and whites people got along perfectly; however, there are many stories on how white people have been disgracing African Americans. There were many types of protesting during this time. Some protest involved violent and some involved non-violent protesting. Many influential people were here at the time such as: Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King, Jr. There were also many hate groups at the time that tried to erase the African American population. During this time there were many rights that were violated during the civil rights movement. Many amendments were also made to stop the segregation such as the 14th and 15th amendment. The civil rights movement was a mass protest movement against racial segregation and discrimination in the southern United States that came to national prominence during the mid-1950s. This was in the roots of centuries-long efforts of African slaves. (Carson, 2015) The south was worse than the north about how this. The civil rights movement was about of the Jim Crow laws. These laws gave certain restrictions to African Americans...
Words: 1920 - Pages: 8
...(his relatives lived right outside the city) where he worked odd jobs and educated himself. He read array of novels as he grew up and his education helped him realize the unjust ways of segregation. In 1927, Wright moved to Chicago after the peak of the Harlem Renaissance (a pivotal time for African Americans to express themselves through music, writings, and art). In Chicago, he worked as a postal worker, but was laid off with the depression. Wright then joined the Federal Writers Project, a state sponsored guild for authors, in which Wright composed his first novel, Uncle Tom’s Children. During this time, Wright joined the Communist party, which was often carried out into his writings. By 1939, Wright had moved to New York City and kept ties with the party for only a few more years. He married in 1941, and had left the communist party by 1944. During World War II, Wright lectured around New York. With the end of the War, Wright moved to France in 1947 where he continued to write his novels, which often contained themes of racism, poverty, and political matters. His books were often partly based on his life and what he had observed in his lifetime. Wright was the first African American author to be featured in the “Book of the Month Club” for his novel Native Son. In 1995, all of Wright’s books were reissued in 1995 in their original context after being censored by publishers for the explicit nature of his novels (which contained themes of sexual, Communist, and racial content)...
Words: 4394 - Pages: 18
...hesitation through punctuation sets the somber reality of the chorus: a list of adjectives, each one followed by the word “N***a”. Through this chorus, Jay-Z leads the listener to feel any qualities a person may have, their primary description is their skin. The infamous O.J. Simpson quote, “I’m not black, I’m O.J.” is one of the strongest examples of race over status. Even the most famous Africans Americans cannot exempt themselves from their culture. The speaker responds to O.J.’s quote with “...okay” completely dismissing the notion of being better than every other African American just because O.J. was rich. Has American society, even after going through the Civil War and the human rights movement of the 60s, become callous to...
Words: 1526 - Pages: 7
...Role of the American Government in creating Race Wars and Racial Tension There has been a long standing history of cultural divide in this country. The United States of America was built upon this premise. Race has always been a defining factor of what position you have been placed in society. America was founded upon a revolutionary approach, and once America was conquered by Europe, they set their government up to only include Europeans. The system was developed by Anglo-Saxons as a self-serving mechanism that excluded all other races. The Native Americans experienced this first hand when their country was occupied by British, French, and Spanish crusaders. This, amongst other invasions, led to the first examples of racial wars and tension in American history. We have seen this play out throughout the generations of our ancestors, who have experienced this state of racial tension, segregation, and slave ownership on both sides of the equation. America has always had racial tension from its inception. Several Civil Wars have occurred on American soil, and race has been an issue in most of them. We have been taught in society that being a certain race can define your future and potential for success. This has been proven in every aspect of American life. The infrastructure of the United States was built by several different races, some by choice, and some through slavery, and this is the driving force behind the deep seeded tension experienced by current Americans today. We...
Words: 1975 - Pages: 8
...cultivate due to a multitude of reasons including the rapid change in the racial demographic of the northern economy, which up until that point had been principally white. African Americans who had fought in World War I had additionally began to express their want for civil rights due to their contributions in Europe in the war. The previous actions caused the eruption of violence from white mobs in several areas. One of the first cities to see the eruption of violence was Tulsa, Oklahoma which had contained the wealthiest African American business community in the Southwest. The violence commenced after a 19-year-old African American man was accused of assaulting a white female elevator operator which would give rise to a substantial amount of violence in which the number of killed and injured is not completely known with an approximate by the state of Oklahoma stating that 26 African Americans killed, 10 Caucasian killed, and 317 injured. Following the events in Tulsa on New Year’s Day 1923 the small African American settlement in Rosewood, Florida was attacked by a white mob believed to be from Georgia. The death toll from the incident has varying accounts with some newspapers reporting seven deaths and others 21.Hence, the early 1920s began the years of intense violence between Caucasians and African Americans over civil rights. The 1920s showed the scale of immigration to the U.S. and brought up concerns about the influx of foreigners. From the years of 1890 to 1920 more than...
Words: 2297 - Pages: 10
...Imagine living in a Puritan society 330 years ago. Religious zeal and devotion are the basis of the community. Ministers and pastors promote male supremacy and women are looked down upon. The fundamental rule in society is to follow God’s law and obey His commandments. Harsh, remorseless punishment is inflicted on those who stray from God’s laws. Now compare the Puritan society to today’s society. The American culture is ruled by momentary yet popular trends. Colored skinny jeans, snap-backs, unnecessary fashion glasses and neon clothing can be seen almost anywhere on the street (Lutz). Also modern culture has astronomically altered social norms. Women used to be the ideal caretaker of innocence and purity, but now women dress in revealing clothing and are preyed on by the indecent society. Proper mannerisms have vanished and young people have become straightforward and sometimes even rude. Respect for elders and wisdom has dwindled (The Revolution in Manners and Morals). What is the cause of this cultural shift? In Boston during 1684, a group of strict Puritan religious leaders wrote a letter to the community addressing the issue of dancing. Men could dance together and women could dance together, which was viewed as a natural expression of joy. Also children could dance with their parents’ permission. However if a male and female danced together it was seen as an inexcusable sin before God (An Arrow Against Profane and Promiscuous Dancing). Puritan religious leaders warned...
Words: 1795 - Pages: 8
...Anthony Xiong Professor Applegate AEP2 25 December 2013 Jimi Hendrix: The God of Guitar “Everybody come alive, everybody live alive, everybody love alive, everybody hear my message.” Although died at 27, the golden age for an excellent genius, Jimi Hendrix will always stay alive in the music world. The Experience's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame biography states: “Jimi Hendrix was arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music. Hendrix expanded the range and vocabulary of the electric guitar into areas no musician had ever ventured before. His boundless drive, technical ability and creative application of such effects as wah-wah and distortion forever transformed the sound of rock and roll.” Despite a relatively brief mainstream career spanning four years, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music, and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century, not only for his unique music style, but also for his spectacular instrumental performance. Rock’n’Roll or Blues? Does not matter! Jimi Hendrix was born in the era of intense change on rock and roll music. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, either the piano or saxophone was often the lead instrument, but these were generally replaced or supplemented by guitar in the middle to late 1950s. As guitar redefined the beat and style of this emerging genre, there Xiong 1 came a new form of rock and roll band, usually played with one...
Words: 1586 - Pages: 7
...relationship. Ms. G in turn, dedicates herself to teaching her students, leaving little time for nothing else. She takes on part-time jobs to buy books for the students and spends late nights working in the classroom. The Head of Department and the faculty at large contributes little to helping Erin in the classroom. They offer advice based on institutional standards and past performance of the students, some staff suggesting that the students simply “don’t want to learn.” At the center of the film, lie the stories of the students. The students are skeptical of Ms. G and her interest in their lives. Initially, they resist her attempts and refuse to cross the self-inflicted boundaries they have designated in their classroom. Based on race, the students sit within self-segregated groups of Hispanics, African-Americans, and Asian-Americans. Ms. G attempts to break up the division by assigning students seats outside of their preferred area. They are not pleased with this move. In an attempt to connect the culture of the students with curriculum, Erin uses a Tupac Shakur song for a lesson on...
Words: 1651 - Pages: 7
...feminists disregard all questions of political and economic dispensation to concentrate on the roots of the problem. The central root of the problem is the system of patriarchy which leads to all kinds of discrimination against and devaluation of women. Politico-economic questions are not the roots but only auxiliaries. The concept of gender is the real villain and has to be demolished. Lately, more groups like Psychoanalytical feminism, Postmodern or Poststructuralists feminism, Black feminism and so on have also been added. Black feminism mainly studies the issues of self- consciousness and self identity of black women who are caught in a dilemma and tries to provide methods to help black women achieve self realization. In the long history, that is black women’s double identity,...
Words: 12016 - Pages: 49
...Chapter Study Questions Exam Five 2305 (Chapters 4, 5, and 9) The Enduring Democracy Third Edition, 2013-2014, Dautrich and Yalof, Cengage Publishing. Be sure to skip a line between the question and the answer and skip another line before the next question. Chapter Four: Civil Liberties 1. What are civil liberties and when did individual rights recognized by government first appear in a legal charter? What charter? 73 - Those specific individual rights that are guaranteed by the Constitution and cannot be denied to citizens by government. Most of these rights are in the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights. The original English legal charter, the Magna Carta of 1215. 2. How are civil liberties different from civil rights? 73 - Civil liberties may be distinguished from civil rights (sometimes called equal rights), which refer to rights that members of various groups (racial, ethnic, sexual, and so on) have to equal treatment by government under the law and equal access to society’s opportunities. 3. What were the Alien and Sedition Acts and were editors if newspapers actually jailed? 74 - Alien Act, which authorized the president to deport from the United States all aliens suspected of “treasonable or secret” inclinations; the Alien Enemies Act, which allowed the president during wartime to arrest aliens subject to an enemy power; and the Sedition Act, which criminalized the publication of materials that brought the U.S. government...
Words: 10537 - Pages: 43
