Black Culture Final
What is the meaning of Africanism?
A feature of language or culture regarded as characteristically African.
Explain the syncretism in African-American religion?
African diaspora to the Americans caused cultural blending. Slaves were forced to get baptized in some cases and learn a new religion. Like the guy said in the video, "they force us to go to church but they don't speak of the real Jesus who loves every person for who he is and every is made equal, they divert from those subjects.
What is your position in Herskovits-Frazier Debate? Give reasons for your opinion.
Although I can see Frazier's points on Africanisms being lost in slavery, I don't agree with him. Instead I agree with Herskovits because hundreds of written documents have been recorded in African histoy regarding the Africanisms pre-slavery and what happened to those Africanims during and after the slavery.
What role did drumming and dancing play in the slave culture of the New World?
Drumming and dancing, like creating a different Christianity, was a way to escape from all the pain and oppression. It was the way the slaves enjoyed their time of misery.
What is your definition of black culture?
Early blacks were always looked at as "social problems" not "social partners". Black culture to me is the history of MUSIC, TRADITIONS, ETC. and how the whites stripped them of their culture because of racism.
What do you mean by ethnic identity?
Ethnic identity is the ethnicity that you identify yourself with based on your culture.
Why are African-American church, faith and spirituality culturally and stylistically different?
Faith, spirituality, and religion differ on many levels. Faith is described as a belief in something beyond ones self. It is not bound to spiritual understandings but can be applied to any aspect of life. Spirituality has a less concrete expression; it is directly related to a relationship with God and self. Religion, or being a part of a faith community, can offer support among people with similar faith experiences. Attending church and relying on faith have long been mainstays in the African American community (Mattis, 2000).
Why is identity so important?
Identity is yourself and the thing that makes you different from everyone else. THINK SSN, no two people have the same number and no two people are exactly the same.
What is culture shock or self-shock?
Integrating oneself in a totally new cultural that one has not experienced in the past.
Why is Chicago referred to as "the Promised Land"?
It was referred by this because it was a place of economic growth. Cheap homes and apartments were constructed where many families lived in one living space. Also many jobs were opening up during the time, and the mechanical cotton picker was being introduced, Industrial Revolution.
What is the significance to African-American music tradition to the Black community? Assess the contribution of Blacks to Jazz and Blue music to American culture.
Music such as Blues and Jazz was meaningful to the black community because it was like they didn't lose everything in Africa, it was there way of creating their own culture and not integrating into the New World culture. Hip-Hop as well was the way Blacks created their own culture.
What is prejudice?
Prejudgment, or forming an opinion before becoming aware of the relevant facts of a case.
What is racism?
Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.
What do you mean by racial identity?
Racial identity is the race you identify yourself with based on physical features.
What role has religion played in the survival of African-Americans in the New World?
Religion has played the role of hope. When the Bible teaches about the revelation and Jesus coming back for the believers it makes your time in the New World less suffering and more reinvigorating. THINK ABOUT: Boot camp when it was hell and all I had was the Bible and letters, those words gave me hope to keep pushing forward and never give up.
Mention some prominent personalities of the Harlem Renaissance.
Some prominent personalities were that the Harlem Renaissance was the rebirth of the African-American Arts. It was a place in which blacks relived their culture and added on to it.
Give one example for Africanisms: speech, customs, art, music and spiritual belief.
Speech: African slangs, and the language of the people of Africa Customs: Burial customs Art: An artists paintings are based on the environment they are surrounded by..... paintings of oppression, slavery, etc. Music: Jazz, blues, hip-hop, historically rich and diverse music. Spiritual belief: Connection with god or gods, what happens to ones soul when dead.
Discuss the significance of the Harlem Renaissance?
The Harlem Renaissance a.k.a. the "New Negro Movement" was as stated the rebirth of African-American arts and was a rebirth of their culture.
What gave rise to the Harlem Renaissance?
The factors that led to the Harlem Renaissance were: 1. The Great Migration 2. College Graduates who appreciated the arts 3. Marcus Garvey who preached about racial pride and started the newspaper, "Negro World". 4. W. E. B. Du Bois who started the NAACP (National Advancement Association of Colored People)
How is our thorough understanding of Black situation being a necessary first step in the process of social redemption and transformation?
The first step in solving any problem is realizing there is one. To often we have turned a blind eye to the daily struggles of our black brothers and sisters, once we focus on solving the problem we can all live as the Human race. One race.
What group do you most identify with and for what reasons?
The group I most identify with is the Human race because there is only one race and once we realize this we will truly have peace between all peoples.
What is Culture?
The learned, socially acquired traditions and life-styles of the members of a society, including their patterned, repetitive ways of thinking, feeling, and acting.
What is the implication for studying African-American culture?
The old schools never taught black culture they only taught one historical answer. The reason for myself and hopefully other people for studying African-American culture is so we can truly come together as different races and become one Human race. You have to first acknowledge someone for them to become a brother or sister of yours, in a sense.
What is Cultural Relativism?
The principle that an individual person's beliefs and activities should be understood by others in terms of that individual's own culture.
What is soul and how is soul related to Africanisms?
The spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal. Soul is related to Africanisms based on the fact of spiritual beliefs and what happens to your soul when one dies.
What factors led to the forced mass migration of Africans to the New World?
There was a new plantation economy in America and Americans needed the work to be done for little to no labor. European vessels took goods to Africa, where they were exchanged for slaves. The ships then sailed to the Americas to trade slaves for agricultural products - extracted by slave labor - which were sold in Europe after the return journey.
How have Africanisms continued to influence African-American culture?
Things like music, religion, food, language, etc. are all Africanisms that have influenced African-American culture because those Africanisms are history to be studied.
Why did Black Christians revitalize and reinterpret core spiritual message of Christianity?
Think about it. If you were a slave and they forced upon you a religion of a loving God who loves all man but then the white man says he is superior to you, why would the Bible who the white man teaches from be truthful. They changed it for the true meaning of loving all men and women.
What is race?
Those who share the same physical features.
How did the plantation economy in the new World redefine the institution of slavery?
With a new plantation economy being instituted settlers needed all the work to be done, like planting crops, hoeing fields, and even house work. They thought, why not just enslave these people and make them do the work because we are the superior race. RACISM.
Is race prejudice a product of group position?
Yes, people generally feel comfortable with their own race and people make prejudices based on what others say, generally.
Is race socially constructed? How?
Yes, when some people use the "race" they attach a biological meaning, still others use "race" as a socially constructed concept. It is clear that even though race does not have a biological meaning, it does have a social meaning which has been legally constructed.