---

Follow My Blog

Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.

Taking this class has opened my eyes to topics that I never even knew existed. There are so many issues deeply imbedded within the African-American community that doesn’t get the attention they need to be addressed. To be able to sit in an educational environment full of students like me has been instrumental in opening my eyes and helping me form my own opinions. Last semester is when I took my first African-American history class and I knew after that, it would be crucial in my future law career. My dream is to be apart of the change our justice system needs and to be able to do that I need all the sides and all the information. This class is my second dip into learning more about my culture and what slavery and decades of oppression did to American society. 

The first topic that really resonated with me was respectability politics. I’ve heard examples of what preaching respectability politics sounds like but I’d never known the exact term and how prominent it was. In an article, I read by Damon Young he explained it in layman’s terms pretty well I think. He basically said that it’s the practice of telling black people that if they talk the right way, act the right way, and look the right way then the upper classes or white people basically will accept them. And keep in mind this is a very basic definition and respectability politics has been around since slavery was brought to the Americas. Typically it’s passed down through older generations who were taught this practice themselves and it’s also prevalent throughout society in the way people blame black people for their own misfortunes when in reality it’s a system that’s against acknowledging the problem or doing anything about it. In another article by Fredrick Harris, he goes into depth about what this problem looks like in today’s politics and society. How politicians don’t want to focus on specifically black people but
“All” people which is yes a nice sentiment but the odds are extremely stacked against african-American people specifically low-income men, women, and children. It’s a practice that prevents true progress and it’s another consequence of America’s past sins. 

Another topic that answered questions I didn’t even know I had is the concept of black rage. After being suppressed for so long of course there are pent up emotions of rage and injustice but I never realized that it could also be a tool to help motivate a path for change. In an article titled, “The Uses of Rage: Women Responding to Racism”  it explains and reiterates a presentation once given by Audre Lorde. She speaks about her rage and the fight she’s taken up on behalf of African-American women. She says that rage is a powerful tool and she uses hers fuel her passion for change. Another article that showcases how people neglect and ignore black women is by Alicia Garza. She writes about how the #BlacklivesMatter movement took off and garnered worldwide support. But as more and more people supported the movement others wanted to turn it into something else. People would ask for permission to use it for their own campaign but then they’d twist it into something else with no respect for its original purpose. The fuel for the campaign was rage, anger at how police were killing unarmed black men and women with no consequences for their actions. And then as American society tends to do they take something and completely misinterpret its meaning. Which only adds fire to a fuel that’s been burning for centuries. Black rage is a real thing that every African-American person has felt or will feel at some point in time. But it doesn’t have to be an issue or a problem to be solved, it can empower and if used correctly be a powerful force for change. 

Both of these topics I feel are important lessons and information to have. They depict a strong race of people who fight for change in a society where more people are content to ignore the problem. But by taking this class it’s my way of educating myself so I can enter the adult world armed with the truth. I want to be a contributing member to society but specifically the black community and learning not only about my history but how it’s affected today’s society is crucial to that. I hope that after my education is complete I can go into the legal world and make a real difference within the justice system. 

Works Cited

“A Herstory of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement by Alicia Garza.” A Herstory of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement by Alicia Garza – The Feminist Wire, https://www.thefeministwire.com/2014/10/blacklivesmatter-2/.

Young, Damon. “The Definition, Danger and Disease of Respectability Politics, Explained.” The Root, The Root, 12 Jan. 2017, https://www.theroot.com/the-definition-danger-and-disease-of-respectability-po-1790854699.

Harris, Fredrick C. “The Rise of Respectability Politics.” Dissent Magazine, https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/the-rise-of-respectability-politics.

BlackPast. “(1981) Audre Lorde, ‘The Uses of Anger: Women Responding to Racism’ • BlackPast.” BlackPast, 24 Sept. 2019, https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/speeches-african-american-history/1981-audre-lorde-uses-anger-women-responding-racism/.