African American History - Essay Example

African-American History Part I Dear Mother, I hope that you are well and that you are taking good care of yourself. I am doing fine and am very focused on my studies. Recently, I have been reading some very interesting books that have allowed me to attain a clearer perspective of African-American history as well as the motivations behind the subjects that are discussed by African-American writers. The interest that these books have generated has made me decide to share what I have learned with you. One of the most interesting books that I have read is The Autobiography of Malcolm X because one of its most significant aspects is that of human freedom and dignity. Human freedom and dignity, especially for African-Americans is advocated for by Malcolm X who states that it is necessary for this community to empower itself rather than wait for the white dominated establishment to empower them. This theme is discussed in the context of the life that Malcolm X lived before his joining the Nation of Islam as seen in his childhood when he had to suffer the trauma of losing his father under suspicious circumstances. In this autobiography, I have come to realize that Malcolm X is attempting to show that despite having been released from slavery, African-Americans have not been able to achieve true freedom. This is because of the discriminatory actions of the white establishment designed to make sure that African-Americans are not only disenfranchised, but also made to lose their dignity through being treated like animals. The result of these beliefs is that Malcolm X advocates for the empowerment of African-Americans through their own initiatives, as exemplified by the manner through which he lived his life. Another book that I have recently read is I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, which is a record of her early life. The most significant theme within it is that of discrimination as exemplified through Maya and her brother Bailey going to live with their grandmother after being abandoned by their parents. Despite their grandmother being fairly well off, the white community of Stamps, Arkansas, is not very accepting of her because of her being black. This creates a situation where the discrimination is extended even to her grandchildren with Maya withstanding the worst of the discrimination. A white girl who exposes her pubic hair to Maya’s grandmother humiliates her grandmother, known as Momma, despite being a senior member of the community. There are also instances where the children have to be sent away in order to protect them from not only a discriminatory society, but also members of the Ku Klux Klan who through their actions seek to cause harm to African-Americans. The open discrimination that Maya and her family experience in Stamps leads to a situation where she is negatively affected by the experience and this is to such an extent that she ends up not having a normal childhood where she is comfortable in her environment. However, despite the discrimination, I find that Maya also comes to display strength of character, which ensures that she is able to endure the discriminatory circumstances that are prevalent in her society without falling into despair. Furthermore, I have also had the opportunity to read The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson whose main theme is that of racial identity. From the beginning of the story, one finds that the Ex-Colored Man attempts to ensure that he fits in the mainstream society in such a way that he escapes the humiliation and discrimination that is inflicted on his fellow African-Americans. I have noted that this man takes advantage of his light skin to pass as a white man because he finds this to be the only way through which he can not only experience happiness, but also live a life of security. The Ex-Colored man is an individual who, in a bid to ensure that he lives a secure life, chooses to abandon his musical talent that is a part of his black heritage. He is shown to be a man who is proud of his cultural roots but an incident where he witnesses the lynching of an African-American leads him to take advantage of his mixed heritage, which has given him light skin in order to join white society. This man not only joins white society but also marries a white woman in order to secure the future of his children who grow up not knowing of their African-American heritage. The result of this lack of knowledge is that like their father, they are not able to partake of the rich cultural heritage that is their birthright. I hope that the summary of the books that I have read have been as educational for you as they have for me. Yours faithfully Ji-Eun. Part II “The freemasonry of race” – where does the comment occur and is it helpful to you in thinking about Black Nationalism. Weldon Johnson’s phrase “the freemasonry of race” is extremely helpful in the development of an understanding concerning Black Nationalism. This is because it leads to the understanding of the different circumstances throughout Black history in the United States that has ensured that not only has black identity survived, but also it has continued to endure long after the abolition of slavery (Roberts 2013, p.3). The freemasonry of race can be considered to mean the manner through which those African Americans who were freemasons were able to help their brethren who were enslaved to not only develop a communication network, but also to ensure that they were able to escape slavery and attain freedom. Black freemasons played a significant role in helping in the development of means through which slaves, especially in the southern states, could be able to maintain their morale under the harsh conditions that were prevalent during slavery. Furthermore, it was through the unity and effectiveness of black freemason lodges that developed means through which slaves could develop networks through which they could not only agitate for their freedoms, but also ensure that they were able to undertake covert activities to undermine the institution of slavery itself. While this may be the case, the freemasonry of race is a phrase which can also be considered to be a reflection of the manner through which black people stuck together as brothers throughout the harsh period of slavery and beyond as they attempted to retain their identity as a separate people. In addition, one would suggest that despite the attempts to undermine them and treat them as inferior creatures by the white slave owners, the slaves were able to ensure that they retained their dignity through the formation of brotherhoods, which ensured that despite the massive oppression, they remained united in their identity. It is this idea of a shared identity, comparable to freemasonry that led to the rise of Black Nationalism because it brought together all black people under the same banner. The ability of African-Americans to ensure that their identity was not submerged by the onslaught of white racism that developed after the end of the Civil War can be attributed to the highly communal nature of the way that members of this race were able to live. Their shared experiences of discrimination and such horrifying acts as lynching led to the development of a shared identity because wherever they were, they faced almost the same problems. The power of such identity became a form of brotherhood where the African-American community came to realize that they could not be able to survive the calculated onslaught against them without being united; hence the rise of Black Nationalism (Tsoukalas 2001, p.23). The latter can be considered to have been a response to the extreme white nationalism that occurred in the southern states during the reconstruction era and beyond. Black Nationalism was a means of showing that despite the massive repression that they faced from the white dominated society to prevent them from achieving equality; the African-Americans would continue to endure and was willing to continue the fight that would guarantee their rightful place in the nation. The freemasonry of race can also be considered a phrase that suggests the continued segregation of some aspects of American society to this day. This is especially the case where the Jim Crow laws of the southern states ensured that there was segregation in society based on race. The conditions within which African-Americans were forced to live especially when one considers that they were treated as inferior human beings, led to a situation where there developed a consciousness of oppression unique to this community (Hall 1978, p.1). The ability of this community to survive these circumstances without resorting to actions that might have ensured their downfall can be attributed to Black Nationalism. Black Nationalism and the Pan-African movement allowed for the development of a consciousness about the origins of black people in Africa and the need for them to be proud of their roots. This movement further allowed for the sustenance of the unique African-American culture that had come into being in the United States because both the overt and covert racism brought about a situation where the African-American community came to realize that they had to retain a sense of identity. Without the efforts made by such individuals as W.E.B Dubois and Marcus Garvey, the Black Nationalist movement would not have been realized because both Dubois and Garvey advocated for the brotherhood of all individuals whose origins were from Africa. The movement promoting a return to Africa ensured that a significant number of African-Americans came to identify with Africa not only as a homeland, but also as an identity (Mills, 2014). In this way, it was possible for them to have a sense of pride in not only their origins, but also attempt to rise above the stigma that had been brought about through over two hundred years of slavery. In conclusion, Black Nationalism, like freemasonry, can be considered to have been based on a brotherhood that had developed in an attempt to protect the interests of the African-American community. Not only did it give a sense of pride to all people of African descent in the United States, but it also brought about a situation where this community came to take an active part in the promotion of equality in society. Black Nationalism came to play an active part in the Civil Rights movement which not only helped in the recognition of the equal rights that African-Americans had in society, but it also ensured that they were able to attain greater opportunities than had been the case before. Therefore, ‘the freemasonry of race’ can be considered to have been a testament of the resilience of African-Americans in the face of adversity. References Hall, R.L. (1978). Black Separatism in the United States. Hanover, New Hampshire: University Press of New England. Mills, B. (2014). "The United States of Africa". Journal of the Early Republic, 34(1): 98 - 101. Roberts, B. (2013). Artistic Ambassadors: Literary and International Representation of the New Negro Era. Charlottessville: University of Virginia Press. p. 3. Tsoukalas, S. (2001). The Nation of Islam - Understanding the "Black Muslims". New York: P&R Publishing. Read More