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"The Wages of Whiteness", 2008.
A review of the work "The Wages of Whiteness : Race and the Making of the American Working Class" by David R. Roediger.
971 words (approx. 3.9 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 34.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses the book "The Wages of Whiteness: Race and the Making of the American Working Class" by David R. Roediger which analyzes the history of racism in the United States, beginning with colonial racism and working its way up to the present. The paper notes that the author attempts to place race in a larger perspective than just class and focuses on the larger issues of race, class, and racism in society, and how society manages them. The paper comments that the author explores the conceptual categories of race, racism, the working class, and society in the United States.
From the Paper
"He says in the first chapter of the book that he began to recognize racism early and did not understand it, and has worked to eradicate it from an early age. This context certainly shapes his text, because he attempts to show why racism exists, but also how to conquer it. In the Afterward, he notes there are several "mistakes" in his original text, including the assumption that only white males made up the initial working class of America. However, this reader feels he did make his points strongly and backed them up with outstanding research, and he simply may be a little too hard on himself in retrospect of his work."
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"Native Son", 2008.
A review of Richard Wright's novel, "Native Son".
1,121 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 1 source, APA, $ 38.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses and summarizes the novel "Native Son" by Richard Wright and looks at how it was a true reflection of the time frame it was set in. The paper contends that, although possibly offensive to some readers, the story is highly relevant and worth studying as a great work of American literature.
Outline:
Introduction
Thesis
From the Paper
"The protagonist and most-discussed character in Native Son is of course Bigger Thomas. Readers know more about Bigger than about any other character, and yet Bigger has a hard time expressing his emotional experience fully and comprehensively. Much of the narrative and dialogue in the book centers around Bigger's struggle to articulate his inner feelings, and his attempts to come to terms with what he has done and what will happen to him. On page 225 the narrator explains: "There was something he knew and something he felt; something the world gave him and something he himself had... and never in all his life, with this black skin of his, had the two worlds, thought and feeling, will and mind, aspiration and satisfaction, been together, never had he felt a sense of wholeness." He had trouble answering the simplest of questions sometimes."
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"Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl", 2008.
A review of Harriet Jacobs' "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl".
962 words (approx. 3.8 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 34.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses Harriet Jacobs' "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" and asserts that it remains one of the most captivating and compelling autobiographical slave narratives. The paper looks at the major themes explored, including the different types of slavery, the Fugitive Slave Law, religion and spiritual salvation and the fight for freedom. The paper opines that Harriet Jacobs' book is interesting, historically relevant and easy to read.
From the Paper
"Harriet Jacobs' Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is an autobiographical narrative recounting the author's journey to freedom and the impact she made on the abolitionist movement. She has no formal credentials for writing the narrative and in fact was assisted in compiling it by the abolitionist activist Lydia Maria Child. However, her personal experiences are all Jacobs needs to bring her story to the world: a heart-wrenching series of anecdotes that illustrate the horrors of slavery. Her credibility lies mainly in there having been accurate records of her life, and the entire book is comprised of her stories and personal reflection on them."
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Hate Crimes, 2008.
A discussion on the challenges of hate crime legislation.
2,334 words (approx. 9.3 pages), 7 sources, APA, $ 71.95
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Abstract
This paper addresses hate crimes and hate crime legislation and rulings. The paper provides examples of hate crime throughout history, citing the Holocaust. The paper also discusses the severity of hate crimes, considering them more heinous because they are often in response to human conditions for which the barer has no choice or control of. In addition, the paper examines hate crime legislation and its effectiveness. Lastly, the paper discusses the challenges of hate crime legislation, made even more difficult by the constitutional rights to freedom of speech.
Outline:
Historical Origins of Hate Crimes
Hate Speech, Hate Crimes and the Constitution
Pros and Cons of Hate Crime Legislation
References
From the Paper
"The symbolism of hatred, including the brandishing of swastikas and the burning of crosses as a testament to the belief in the supremacy of one race over another also fall into acts that are protected by constitutional rights. Individuals in the past have not been prosecuted for such demonstrations unless they have somehow broken another law, such as trespassing in the case of cross burning. The difficulty being that the dogma espoused precipitates other unprotected acts of violence against blacks and other undesirable peoples, including Jews. The dogmatic speech associated with white supremacy, is protected by the constitution, and many people become ensconced by the ideas to perpetrate further violence and publicly demonstrate their opinions about superiority and more specifically the inferiority of others."
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Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", 2008.
A review of American poetess, Maya Angelou's autobiography "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings".
2,034 words (approx. 8.1 pages), 8 sources, MLA, $ 64.95
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Abstract
The paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the novel "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou. The paper discusses the themes of racism and segregation in the book, strong themes that are woven throughout this moving autobiography. The paper notes that in this book, author Maya Angelou recounts the story of her early life, including the racism and segregation she experienced throughout her formative years. The paper highlights that with wit, candor, and remarkable talent, Angelou shows that racism is a product of ignorance and prejudice, and that she has found the strength to rise above this crippling condition.
From the Paper
"Angelou encounters an entirely different world when she and her brother move to St. Louis to live with her mother and her family. Here, she encounters black people like her mother and grandmother, who actually have some power in the community, and who live an entirely different life than the rural life in Arkansas. They have jobs, make relatively decent money, and do not live in abject poverty. However, they are also violent, engage in illegal activities, and ultimately her mother's boyfriend molests and then rapes Angelou, then threatens her with killing her beloved brother if she every tells an adult. This leads to a long period of time where she refuses to speak to anyone. She writes of this time, "There was an army of adults, whose motives and movements I just couldn't understand and who made no effort to understand mine".
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Alice Walker's "Everyday Use", 2008.
A review of the book "Everyday Use" by the African American author Alice Walker, famous for her novel "The Color Purple".
1,418 words (approx. 5.7 pages), 7 sources, MLA, $ 47.95
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Abstract
The paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the short story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker. Specifically, the paper discusses the character of Dee in the story, and what she needs to learn to become a better person. In this short story, Dee, the sophisticated sister, is whiter than she is black, even though she changes her name to the African Wangero. The paper notes that even with her African name, her clothing, her speech, and her Muslim inclinations, these are not her real racial heritage.
From the Paper
"Walker depicts Dee as self-centered and arrogant. She is the one who gets the nice clothes to wear, while Maggie simply does not care about clothing and style. Walker writes, "At sixteen she had a style of her own: and knew what style was". In addition, Dee obtains the education and the tools she needs to break away from her rural roots. Dee is ashamed of her family and where she comes from, and acts as if it is a miracle for her to bother to visit at all. When she does visit, it is simply to show off and to take things, like the quilts and the butter churn; she can use to impress the people back in the city. Dee has become a snob and has thrown away the roots of her family and her rich culture. She cannot see it, but she acts whiter than she does black. If anyone pointed her behavior out, she would certainly disagree, since she is so adamant she is totally in touch with her black heritage. Walker points this out when she writes about Dee's sudden interest in the quilts, "I didn't want to bring up how I had offered Dee a quilt when she went away to college. Then she had told they were old-fashioned, out of style". Because of this, she seems fake and insincere, and certainly does not value the love of her family and the vibrancy of her family's traditions and heritage."
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Drawing the Line:Security Vs. Civil Rights, 2008.
A paper discussing the dangers that increased security and police activity pose for human rights.
1,375 words (approx. 5.5 pages), 2 sources, APA, $ 45.95
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Abstract
The author discusses the problems arising from the need for increased security and police activity in the light of rising crime rates and terrorism. However, according to the author, increased surveillance and police activity results in infringements of hard won human rights and civil liberties. The author of the paper contends that the parameters of the security apparatus must be carefully set, the boundaries between freedom and safety delineated in ways that do not blur the lines between public and civil rights. The writer also addresses the tendency for law enforcement agencies to judge segments of the population on the basis of race or religious background and how this also creates a situation where infringement of basic civil rights and liberties is possible. The author makes a personal statement at the end of the paper when he writes: "A society that loses its liberty is a police state. Modern day America is moving closer each day to that terrible point. "
From the Paper
"Such attitudes encourage police, and other security personnel, to look on African-Americans with suspicion, again, particularly if they are young and male. Within the emerging security state, this equal to a greater probability that young Black men will be stopped and searched - even without good cause. Young African-American males, and other members of similarly suspect groups, will be probed into more closely, their records checked or seized. More and more, both private businesses and government agencies are requesting criminal background checks and credit reports on persons whose only crime is that they fit "the profile." Intelligence agencies capture e-mails and telephone calls in an ever-widening search for suspicious catchwords and phrases. The recent story of the fight over immunity for telecommunications companies that provided FBI agents with free access to private communications is but a case in point."
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The Little Rock Nine, 2008.
A look at how the nine African-American students in Little Rock, Arkansas changed the course of America.
948 words (approx. 3.8 pages), 7 sources, MLA, $ 33.95
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Abstract
The paper describes how, in 1957, nine Black American high school students walked into Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, at a time when segregation throughout the country was a way of life. The paper relates how a few weeks earlier, Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus had defied the Supreme Court, blocking admission of the nine students. The paper discusses how once Americans were able to get past the self-interest of its political leaders, the real work of healing the disease of racism was able to begin. The paper therefore considers this event as a giant step forward in the struggle for civil rights in America.
Outline:
Introduction
Desegregating America's Schools
The Little Rock Nine
Conclusion
From the Paper
"In September, 1957, nine Black American high school students walked into Central High School, in Little Rock, Arkansas. What was unusual about that event was the time in history, 1957, when segregation throughout the country, most prominently throughout the southern states, was a way of life. The 1957 event in Little Rock was one marked by the presence of 1,200 armed military personnel from the 101st Airborne Division, sent to protect the young nine students, and to ensure that Little Rock's Central High and the State of Arkansas complied with the landmark Supreme Court case and decision in Brown v Board of Education, marking the end of segregated schools in America."
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Kenneth Bancroft Clark, 2008.
A review of the efforts of Kenneth Bancroft Clark in combating racial segregation.
1,233 words (approx. 4.9 pages), 6 sources, APA, $ 42.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses the life of psychologist Kenneth Bancroft Clark who created a theory that would help revolutionize the social dynamics in America. The paper notes that Clark was a strong advocate of desegregation and dedicated his life to studying the ill effects of racial segregation.
From the Paper
"Kenneth B. Clark's contribution to the realization of an equal society did not stop there. He continued to gather data through research towards the implementation of desegregation in schools as well as other institutions. Furthermore, he advocated that no person should be judged according to the color of his skin alone. This was his message he attempted to broadcast to black and white audiences, academes, and government leaders. As a member of New York State's Board of Regents between 1966 and1975, New York's highest educational authority, he pushed state and local education authorities to desegregate public schools, as well as invoking integration in state colleges. Kenneth Clark also acted as an adviser to local and national policy makers."
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Race Critical Theories, 2008.
This paper looks at race critical theories while discussing the book 'Worked to the Bone' by Pem Davidson Buck.
973 words (approx. 3.9 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 34.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that 'Worked to the Bone' by Pem Davidson Buck is subtitled 'Race, Class, Power, & Privilege in Kentucky' and this neatly sums up the focus of her work. The writer discusses that Buck, by training an anthropologist, embarks upon a critical examination of the construction of social and economic privilege in Kentucky in racial terms. The writer points out that Buck resides and works in the two counties she studies, thus she provides a personal and intimate as well as a scholarly overview of what she calls the false lie of 'trickle up' economics in the region. The writer concludes that Buck's work is an important contribution to literature about racial 'construction' in America, and it is particularly interesting because it is told from the point of view of whites, yet condemns white privilege.
From the Paper
"Although in Kentucky the privileged classes are white, not all whites are privileged. This is what is particularly noxious about how white class privilege is constructed. When the South was settled in the 1600s, the poorest white colonists were persuaded by the elites that it was also in their interests to create a system of slavery defining blacks as inferior. Rebellions like Bacon's Rebellion in the 1670s were put down through a false system of granting minor privileges to the poor because of their whiteness, like the ownership of small plots of land and greater access to voting rights.
"Because blacks were so oppressed white upon white class oppression seemed as bad, relatively speaking, because at least poor whites had the benefits of whiteness, and more rights than slaves. This system of racial injustice created a state of false consciousness amongst poor, free whites, as poor whites identified with aristocratic individuals who actually advanced policies against the poor's economic interests."
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