Society Takes Over On a cool summer morning, one of my mother’s high school students that lived in the projects of the Bronx who is a black male towering at a height of 6’6” and three hundred and sixty-five pounds just fresh out of jail charged on a gun possession. My mom and I wanted a better life for him so we took him out to breakfast one morning at the Ihop nearby our house. After we ordered our food, he went to the restroom as everyone moved out of his way with his purple bandanas showing to represent his gang. An older lady came up to my mom and I and asked if we were ok and if he was with us with a startled face. Right then and there I realized society makes bold stereotypes off of appearance and race. In the two articles “Hip Hop Planet” and “Black Men and Public Space” society stereotypes identity by appearance and race. The authors in both articles explain their thoughts on appearance and race. Brent Staples in “Black Men and Public Space” feels appearance is a strong way for society to judge people. Also he states that more black males cause fear in people than any other race. James McBride actually states his fear is his daughter marrying a rapper with gold teeth and a do-rag. He also says hip-hop in New York started from black males in Harlem and the Bronx.

Brent displays his experiences on the streets to show that society stereotypes race and appearance. Staples states, “At dark shadowy intersections, I could cross in front of a car stopped at a traffic light and elicit the thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk, of the driver- black, white, male, or female- hammering down the door locks. […] I grew accustomed but never comfortable with people crossing to the other side of the street rather than pass me.” This quote possesses Brent Staples’ race because he also states blacks have the highest rate of crime so these people got nervous and locked their cars when they saw Brent walk out of a sketchy intersection or when people crossed the street instead of just passing him on the same side of the road. James McBride portrays appearance more than race, but nonetheless is apart of society that stereotypes. James says “This is my nightmare: My daughter comes home with a guy and says, “Dad we’re getting married.” And he’s a rapper, with a mouthful of gold teeth, and a do-rag on his head, muscles popping out of his arms.” Clearly the quote shows that James stereotypes on appearance if his biggest fear is his daughter marrying someone who is dressed like a thug with gold teeth and a do-rag. If her daughter brought a boy home that has a clean haircut, a collard shirt and khaki pants, I’m sure James would feel a lot more comfortable. The two articles both displayed different ways on how society portrays and stereotypes particularly black males. I feel stereotypes on appearance and race will always be in the world, but I feel it will get better and maybe blacks aren’t portrayed as bad as much anymore and maybe another race will be portrayed worse.

Works Cited

McBride, James. “Hip Hop Planet.” Diversity in America. Boston: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2014. 12-17, Print.
Staples, Brent. “Black Men and Public Space.” Life Studies. ED. D. Cavitch. Mason: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2014. 19-21. Print.