Intro to African American Society Exam 1
Right to Forget article- Gregory W. Streich
1) individuals have a right to forget slavery, oppression, etc. and to create a new identity free from societal meanings of race- melting pot, all choose how to identify 2) nations must apologize/ reconcile for past racial injustice- have to acknowledge it to move forward and understand where we are today author is more in support of 1. must remember the past so as to teach it and have it remembered the way it actually happened, not white wash it- CRM, dumbing down of slavery. etc. no living survivors of slavery to push for an apology from the government argues that memory is attached to social structure, memory of origins keeps getting passed down, specific memory that comes down, informs social structures, forgetting benefits whites in a social structure- benefits certain groups to forget- some forced to melt while others can stay solid- must assimilate to american or white culture. but also america apologized to japanese and other places?? model minority thing. also just forgetting everything doesn't undo generational privedlge and accumulation of wealth. must be addressed. never forget 911 but please forget the way black people have been treated and are still treated in america.
Plessy v. Ferguson
1/8th black guy challenged Jim Crow laws of seperate but equal sat in white train, no one said anything, stood up and said he was black in order to bring the case to court and challenge whiteness, one drop rule, and seperate but equal had been sitting in white section for a month and noting happened so saying its all arbitrary- he's not a predator, he didn't get anyone sick or anything backfired because made the rules actual laws- strengthened seperate but equal.
Africans in New World
1619- 1st large group of africans came 1661- slavery instituted in virgina 1620- irish slave trade (slaves were anyone who was conquered by the british, not racially based)
Susie Guillory Phipps (1980's)
3/32nds black blood- didn't know about it said she was white, everyone thought she was white, lived a white life, had a white husband and white kids getting passport and found out she had a drop of black blood, had to change all documentation from white to black- her kids were also black now tried to have it changed back to white but supreme court said no you're black- law shapes idea of racial identity and racial exclusion she lost the social status and privilege of being white
Essentialism vs. Constructionism
Essentialism: categories of difference are biological Constructionism: social identities are not biologically real. doesn't deny difference that are biological but says society constructs, creates, and puts meaning to these things (race, gender) that aren't real
the "I's" of inequality
Ideological: any oppressive system that has core idea that one group is better than another, and has right to control the other group- done implicitly and explicitly through words and institutions institutional: idea of supremacy is embedded in institutions of the society- laws, legal system, media, police, schools, education, housing, political power, public policies, hiring policy, family interpersonal: supremacy is manifested personally from one person to another person, most in dominant group aren't oppressive consciously but is microagressions and attitudes internalized negative images , implicit bias internalized: oppressed people internalize the ideology of inferiority, they see it reflected in the institutions they experience disrespect interpersonally from members of dominant group and internalize these negative image. everyone is effected by racist ideologies
Sociological imagination
Mills argues that the SI allows a connection between seemingly private occurrences and bigger societal occurrences- connection between personal biography and history- interconnectedness of personal and societal- connections between ourselves and society individuals can understand their own experiences and gauge their own fate only by locating themselves within their period, capacity to shift form one perspective to another- from political to psychological can't use same view to understand 2017 as you do 1890, can't use same tools and methods, contextualize all answers in order to understand personal independent choice you have to understand societal forces that make choices for us (pencil example) dangerous to know you're not making your own choices- reproducing domination of societal forces b/c you're unaware
Black Sexual Politics chap. 6
New black sexual politics to liberate/ allow people to be who they are people praise negative traditional view of black sexuality- they aren't rewarded for complex portrayals in media and pop culture black church- very traditional, enforces traditional things, very important to black communities, more religious than whites, CRM black church- preaches that gay is bad, reinforces gender roles but should question this and rethink this- don't divert attention away from structural problem- not how black people don't live up to expectations but what systems make it that way- structural inequality
Rights the government owes us
Political rights: rights that ensure access to the political process, which shapes one's country, state, and inevitably one's sense of self- the right to vote, free speech, press, property, etc. Civil rights: control of ones own body without government intervention- live where you ant, work where you want, etc. Social rights: right to education, general safety net (wellfare, social security) contradictions: running for president requires money, living wherever you want requires money, income inequality impedes our ability to access full rights
Queering the Color Line
Sexual and racial anxieties emerged around the same time period and shaped each other the invention of homo and heterosexuality depending on corresponding ideas of black bodies- same sex behavior always occurred but was socially constructed at same time as construction of black bodies- blacks couldn't be gay because too primitive with sex, compares the mapping of homo and heterosexual bodies with that of black and white bodies and found some remarkable similarities comparative anatomy: they (not science) decided what was the standard monogeny vs. polygeny: monogeny: all humans come from same group but changed over time, all races are member to same species polygeny: all came from different species- became american way of viewing race with slavery, justified slavery women's bodies are the site of racial and sexual controversy- women's bodies seen as deviant because the standard was male,regardless of race, women's body was inferior Hottentot Venus (Saartjie Baartman)- taken to euope from SA, enslaved, used a s a circus animal, people could touch her, analyze her, dissected her body, displayed her body in museum- large butt and clint- this is the model of black women's bodies, represents black women consuming black women- don't treat them like humans (chocolate), black women bodies are for consumption scientific racism same with sexuality- making it sceintific, looking for things to support it being deviant supposed connection between black women and lesbians- black women had large clints and so did white lesbians so that was a connection but found that wasn't true later on find evidence to support what is deviant radicalized sexuality with plessy v ferguson- his case was that as a black man he never raped anyone, since segregation was largely about protecting white women from black men. people had a hard time accepting friendship between same sex but different races- these became sexualized, won't be friends with black men as a white man because labeled gay, used to divide- races can't have a connection unless sexual- this keeps people seperate, also don't want to be seen as a rapist- intimacy can keep people apart facsinated with the black body, espeically black female body, and the homosexual body
Cece McDonald+ transphobia in black community
assaulted by white mob- man died, arrested against stand your ground- 41 months in prison, male prison, assaulted several times in there transphobia rampant in black community- black trans more heavily targeted by police, black trans women get assaulted 1 out of 2 times if Cece had been cis gendered, the black community would've rallied around her immediately, would've been accepted instead of a subsection of black community- almost seen as not black by black community, not worthy of blackness, seen as betraying their race- homosexuality connected to whiteness, blacks historically as seen as sub human and go most basic animal instinct which is to reproduce- so heterosexual sex only, whites had the freedom to be gay because they were more evolved. also black men were emasculated, so trans women are seen as embodying that- fear of being emasculated law saw Cece as a black man that was assaulted by four white people, great example of intersectionality- black, trans, woman trans woman of color is 50% of all LGBT homocides assaults are a way to regain masculinity when men cat call trans women and then find out their trans- seen as a homosexual act, have to retaliate to show dominance
Black Sexual Politics chap. 5
authentic black male rooted in ghetto expressive culture- but can't assume its all a reaction to oppression police the way black men try not to live up to stereotypes- police response to oppression in a way. idea that black men are predators can police you- double consciousness, always aware of the way people are perceiving you. middle class people who submit to the white way- go out of their way not to make white people uncomfortable- are seen as weak, sellout, so rather be the opposite of that impacts gay black men- makes them both less black and less masculine, few spaces to feel comfortable leads to Down Low- secret gay basically blacks were made to be feminine and emasculated over time through rape and other things and now go out of their way to prove masculinity through aggression and violence- but sort of backfired because now theres the stereotype of predator dangerous man-
race as a world view
biological: a subpopulation within a single species- share certain physical and behavioral attribute. defining race as biological doesn't really make sense social: meaning attached to certain people as defined by a particular society or culture, usually by laws, custom, and or practice constructionist: not biological but race is very real in consequence- social construct with real implications sociologists focus on the meanings that attach to these differences- don't deny biological differences- don't deny biological differences but claim that the meanings attach are social, not base in science
connection between BLM and indigenous struggles
blacks and NA can't show emotional responses because deemed offensive by dominant culture, not letting them show all emotions doesn't let people have full humanity- to be calm and peaceful in the face of oppression is not letting people be human can't respond without it being attributed to your race stereotypes of blacks as violent keeps them from being able to express rage whites allowed full range of human emotions and its celebrated, blacks don't have this- violence brings attention, brings it to people who can do stuff about it, selective understanding of history that reinforces black people should be pacifist- MLK centered narrative
Killing the Black Body- Roberts
current social order is based on dehumanization based on race and controlling women's reproductive rights black women are most oppressed becaue they don't have conrol over reproductive rights- forecd to have babies during slavery, couldn't care for them, tension between working adn being a mother, today that's seen as being a bad mother that black women cant stay home with their kids, have a lot of babies, pass down the "black" gene to their kids, people don't want that, said to be very fertale, jezebel stereyotype that black women jsut want it all the time, contrasted to true womanhood which is pure, silent, and white. pg. 23- important for female slaves to reproduce because added to economic growth of white slave owners- progressed and perpetuated slavery once importing of slaves was outlawed rape= domination, fear, control over black men- showing black men the position they were in, couldn't protect their women- psychological control, emasculated men, sometimes had to watch their women be raped. rapes caused friction between white women (wives) and their husbands who raped slaves, psychological torment for white women to see and know, white wives abused black female slaves, took anger out on them, white women seen as property too slave women would resist abuse by nailing their windows shut, bringing children to bed with them, physical retaliation, did self abortions, killed babies (rather have kids be dead than be slaves, throw kids overboard on slave ships) forced to reproduce the very system that oppressed them reproductive rights main difference between white and black feminism- whites don't want kids, blacks want them on their own choosing. whites wanted blacks to take care of their children- mammy stereotype, a-sexual, but also jezebel stereotype, never says no, black women couldn't be raped because always wanted sex so image changes depending on need, weber view because changes based on material need- need to take care of kids vs. need to rape and justify that rape to increase number of slaves.
English slavery
english slavery was more rigid than other types of slavery mostly bc of how english treated the irish- this was the root of english racial attitudes- Irish were the first slaves for brititish pedro alonzo nino: pilot of colombus ship to america
equality of opportunity vs. equality of results
equality of opportunity: can do it, physically avalible equality of results: of equal quality (communism), also what challenged seperate but equal
Weberian lens of race (i like booty)
historical emphasis on process of status attainment relationship between ideas and material reality world works in relation between what we have materially material reality shapes ideas and those ideas shape material reality ex: Europe: china and northern + southern africa, south america and middle east were ahead and more developed than europe, but these places had material resources, euope didn't so it had to go out and conquer other places in order to get material resources- the material reality of europe created the idea that other races were inferior in order to colonize them for materials. once conquered, ideas of inferiority made it hard for those places to have material resources also europe had advanced weapons *marx view as well- surplus, need for resources
Bacon's Rebellion 1676
indentured servitude and slavery becoming more and more alike Nathan Bacon led a revolt against the government elitists decided to help end revolution- 1st legalization of racial categories White, black, indian- irish became white , southern free blacks became slaves
Whiteness as Property article- Harris, Cheryl
origins of property rights rooted in racial domination property= legal rights whiteness or passing gave you access to legal rights, also access to own actual property the dominant culture's perceptions of race and property played a critical role in establishing racial and economic subordination starts off with a story about passing- vested economic interest in being able to claim whiteness, whiteness is a treasured object in economic system (plessy v ferguson, Susie Phipps) only whites could own property- when irish became white they got property proptery and race interconnected legally blacks and NA's both had racialized conception of property implemented by force and ratified by law whites: own property blacks: are property NA: property taken away whiteness a shield from slavery - children's status according to race of mother- benefits white slave owners, sue black women to increase slaves- increase property- black female bodies raped to increase their property- vehicles to accumulate wealth. whiteness provides the absolute right to exclude physiological benefits of owning whiteness- no matter how bad you are, at least you're not black affirmative action: anti-subordination, not black supremacy
Looking for the Real *****
people confuse behavior and culture negative behaviors are authentically black- look for those, have a confirmation bias, just look for what they want to see, interpret everything as being reactionary to oppression and ghetto life aesthetic and style are equated with behavior and culture but they shouldn't seeing stylistic choices as part of culture when they're not- key mistake keep noticing one thing and ignore other things that occur "saggy pants is a part of black culture" not its just an aesthetic choice, gets mistaken for a culture code equate media with entire communist rather than looking at diversity of communities culturalist: people in a category are poor because of bad cultural values, equate culture with money structuralist: the way society structures them- not inherent, forced to adapt both blame on behaviors of those people we need poor people in a capitalist society, need to exploit people, structured to promote poverty, to adapt to poverty you react in these ways cultural wealth underscores cultural approach: rich people do very bad things, they aren't wealthy because they make good choice but because of structural reasons behavior doesn't equal culture also economic reasons- this is the type f things we want to see, poor violent black people, lots of grants to study poor black people, focusing on whats going wrong problem with social scientist- they think they already know so reaffirm preconceived ideas , only pay attention to things that fir their ideas selective observation- think employed people are the outliers social scientitest interpret everything black people do as a reaction to oppression, stop or be critical of expressive culture, not everything is a reaction to white oppression (yo mama jokes) no such thing as singular black culture afros- symbol of cultural hybridity and change, upper crust women started afros but over time associated with working class and militant black men, black culture changes rethink what we consider black, how do you deal with asian/black cultures mixing, what do we mean to be black? try to link everything black people do as a part of the struggle
personal trouble vs. social issue
personal trouble: individual immediate surroundings social issue: effects a lot of people, systemic, groups, a large percentage, occurring across wide ranges of people sociologists care about patterns over time 1 couple divorced is a personal trouble vs. 50% of marriages ending in divorce- social issue
Double consciousness
poor race in a land of dollars: bottom of hardships- poor man can change, poor race almost impossible to change, treated as less than human regardless of what you do, race is a veil that will stay with you, must navigate life being seen as a problem Blacks view life as being both black and american, must think of how white people are perceiving them, but also burdensome- looking at ones self through the eyes of others, measuring one's soul by the tape of a world that looks at you with amusement and pity- black history is the history the twoness.
Black Sexual Politics chapter 3- *Patricia Hill Collins.
prisons: supposed to come out better but really come out worse- gays and blacks get more oppressed in prison race=prison, sexuality=closet? blacks gays looked down upon in own community- oppressed by homophobia in black racism in gay community, hard to feel safe confirmation bias ex. Park: white woman jogging, raped and killed, 5 young black men accused- reffered to as a pack or gang- anamalistic, everyone thought they were guility, found that a white man did it, but the young poeple already served prison time- very publicized made the boys fit the case rather than look for actual evidence white woman should be scared of black men opposite example: black lesbian coming back form ny to nj- car of guys come and stab her for being a lesbian, basically ignored, black advocates didn't show support,anti homosexuality mentality, black culture doesn't support LGBT as much as they should
Intersectionality
racial identity plus gender plus nationality plus disability plus sexuality- all connected to inform someone's place and experiences in society
Black Feminist Thought- Patricia Hill Collins
racial+sexual oppression self determination and self defintion so crucial because gives you a sense of power, if you don't define yourself someone else will, the people in power will control the images, the media, the books, control the images and oppressed people will internalize these images pg. 5- suppressing women's ability to define themsleves make it easier to dominate them as a group and control them. black women's oppression is on three levels: must have black women telling their own stories, shaping their own images and identities 1) exploitation of black women's labor- not acknowledged but crucial to U.S, black women worked in the fields too, also domestic work 2) denial+suppression of political participation- whites and black men denying this- civil rights movement based in churches with women leading the movement but these contributions are ignored- black women oppressed by both whites and black men 3) controlling images of black women- control the way they're depicted, control how people think about them and how they think about themselves, illuminates inequality outsider within perspective: specific to black women- black slave (outsider) but inside the house taking care of kids, seeing from a new perspective (inside)- like a chair, black women have access to whiteness that black men don't because sen as physical threat, got a lot of info while working as maids in white houses through black women. also black women have access to black men which whites don't black feminist thought gives you access through intersections that oppress but also give agency+access to fight back basically women are oppressed because they don't have control over the way they are portrayed, don't have a voice, their work is ignored, politically they are kept down but black women are important/ need to be heard because of their outsider within status- so basically only important because of what they can give black men and white people??
Black Sexual Politics chap. 4-*Patricia Hill Collins.
racism and sexism in media have historical roots. just repackaged for contemporary audiences controlling images aren't just internalized by whites but by blacks too and shapes their lives in important ways POC can enact oppression on themselves through internalization, media is consumed by everyone pop culture is important to understand sexual politics media uses to perpetuate place cultural product- associated with black people this is part of the new racism: color blind racism but more about racism is dead nad blacks are just culturally inferior, not because of inherent flaws in biology. weak men, strong women- gender is a huge part of new racism- black people do gender wrong thus they are disadvantaged two uses of the "b" word- uppercase B is empowering, lowercase means female dog, used for reproduction- materialistic aspect of modern jezebel Nikki Minaj- rose up, so upper case version, but also very sexual and materialistic so lower case- hard to be sexually independent but not seen as a jezebel or a slut. class- middle class black women are differently portrayed than lower class black women- mammy vs. jezebel, crack mom vs. respectable black lady- asexual vs. hypersexual starting to see blurring of class lines, wealthy black women acting low class ways, maybe not bad to be ghetto anymore, also might not be bad to be boogie black women can't stay home and take care of their kids without being condemned but white women are praised for it.- on wellfare to stay home and take care of kids? white femininity needs black women to be lower to keep themselves up idea of authenticity- bad attributes are "real black" Neo-mammy- middle class black woman- dedicated and loyal, no power struggle, knows their place Oprah is an example- she kind of hurts it for everyone else because people use her as an example of hard work and building yourself up (meritocracy- all rewarded for our merit) not always true for POC, stops us from focusing on the oppression itself, not how to overcome oppression but why do we have it to begin with and how does it work? black women too strong- too in charge of their sexuality, too strong for black men
Reverse Racism
racism: prejudice plus power thus POC can't be racist because they don't have the power of the system to back them up. dominant group has this embedded and backed up in the system poc can have prejudiced attitude but can't have racist actions
How do we redefine gender ideology? (black sexual politics)
remove physical dominance from hegemonic definition of masculinity- uncouple dominance from gender ideology- can't have someone be superior or subordinate, pink collar jobs make the pay gap smaller- black men don't make that much more than black women, black men make slightly more than white women, also dominance in political economy and sexual dominance need to be taken out of gender ideology black men and women pooling resources together basically deconstruct strong women weak men theory new racism- colorblind- blacks are in the state they're in because of their cultural flaws, laziness, etc. blacks still are oppresed, but now its looked down upon if a black man doesn't have a job- weak men, woman steps in, strong woman, doing gender wrong, that's the problem take strength out of sex- black women being in control of their sexuality doens't make them too strong, black men dominanting women shouldn't give them added masculinity.
questions for social scientists
what is the structure of this society? where does it stand in human society? what varieties of me/women now prevail in this society/ period?
Weberian logic behind bacon's rebellion
whites had didn't impose social meaning to race until the end of the 17th century, then slavery became social and gave material, political, etc. privilege to whites to justify slavery, used science, theology (ham), philosophy, practices and customs of black chattel slavery- eternal slavery without rights, and white freedom, helped form basis for the racial world view- slaves now have no rights at all, become property
