African Americans in Politics- Race Is Not the Main Issue - Essay Example

Reflective Learning Project (African and African American Studies) African Americans are now a part of American culture, and are one of the single largest racial minorities’ people of the country. As a part of my essay, I have interviewed some people with diversified background in terms of class, age, culture, and sexuality to collect their opinions about the status of African Americans in the country. Most of them said, economic and social status of African Americans has been significantly improved after the civil rights movement, and they have been gaining access good representation in the highest levels of American government. Their contribution in business, literature, music, and dance is also noticeable. Some feels that despite having good social status in urban areas, families those who lived in the rural were at risk for low education level, low wages, unemployment, and substandard housing. Even though community people were in favor of traditional American values about their family and marriage life, modern life affects them badly. In recent years, marriage rates were decreasing. At the same time, divorces, out of wedlock births have been increasing. Single parent household is becoming a common scene, and as a result, children were forced to living with single parents, which shows changing scenario of the communitys family relationship. Introduction African Americans are mainly migrants of West African countries and were formerly known as American Negroes. They were also referred as black Americans or Afro Americans. Some were migrated from Caribbean or South American nations, and they are now one of the single largest racial minority’s people in USA. According to the latest figure, nearly 40 million African Americans are living in the United States, which comprises almost 14% of the total population, and among them 54.8% are living in the south. For decades, there is a controversy surrounds regarding the accurate population count of African Americans. African American civil rights organization blamed that, there was a conspiracy for minimizing the significance of the black population to reduce their political power base (Shirley Ann Hill, 2005). Political orientation When compare to other minority communities, African Americans are seems to be more involved in the nations political process, both in terms of voter registration, and electoral participation. Community people have highest level of congressional representation, as well as attain higher levels of education than any other minority communities. When I interviewed An African American, who is a father of two, and working as a sales manager in a private firm said, economic and social status of African Americans has been improved significantly after the civil rights movement, and they have been gaining access good representation in the highest levels of American government. He cited the example of Barack Obama, 44th and current president of USA, who is the first African American to hold the office in the history of American presidency. Community people were generally supported republican candidates during elections. This is because, Abraham Lincoln, a republican president stood behind them, and helped in granting freedom to American slaves, he added. But, in contrast, during 2004 presidential election, democratic candidate John Kerry succeeded to get 88% of the community vote whiles Republican Party candidate George W. Bush managed only to receive 11% votes (GH Brody, 2000). Progress during post-civil era During the post-civil rights era, community people have made substantial achievements, showed all round performance, and contributed a lot in the countrys progress. Their social and economical status has been improved significantly. To come out from the white control, African Americans congregate themselves, set up schools, business establishments, and community associations, replied a woman, who is a retired school teacher, and lives with her son. African Americans have contributed a lot for American literature, music and dance. According to Chris Volk, a writer, African American literature is mainly based on a past of poverty and oppression. Community people have influenced significantly in the American culture, and they are among the most dominant in mainstream music. They have also showed their presence in the field of literature. Authors like Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, Richard Wright, Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison, and many others niche their name in American literature (Shirley Bryant, 2011). But, Poverty is one of the long standing issues within the community people, and is related to low educational attainment, health problems, marital stress and dissolution, and crime, replied in an interview who is a student, studying MBA in a university college. According to him, African American families those who lived in urban areas are generally accessing good facilities, amenities and services. But, families those who lived in rural south are at risk for low wages, unemployment substandard housing, and low education levels. Meanwhile, in support of his statement, the latest data revealed the fact that nearly 25 % of African American families were living below the poverty line. Changing trend in family relationship Since pre-date period of slavery, there was a practice of establishing fictive kinship ties among the community people, and they used this practice to socialize their children into the community. Adding, practice of informal adoption of black children during and after civil war reflects the communitys relationship of fictive kinship. Here informal adoption means orphaned of children by deaths of their parents, parental desertion or by wartime dislocation (Linda M. Chatters, 1994). According to a divorcee, who is now working as technical assistant in a private company opinioned that, generally, community people were in favor of traditional American values about their family and marriage life, and have more conservative opinions about abortion, and extramarital sex. But, in recent years there was decreasing trend witnessed in marriage rates, while the rates of divorce, out of wedlock births have reported increasing. She gave her own example in support of her argument. As she said, she abandons her husband to lead her own life as her wish. In addition, a latest census figure shows that, less than 38% of black children are living with both their parents. Trend of single parent households are becoming a common scene among the community people. Majority of the community people are Protestants and follow the historically black churches, while some of them follow Islam. Historical records revealed the fact that, most of the enslaved Africans brought to the Americas were Muslims, and later they converted to Christianity. However, during the 20th century, some of them had been influenced by Black Nationalist and converted to Islam. Most of them followed the Jim Crow laws to protect themselves from racially motivated violence, and to maintain self esteem and dignity (GH Brody, 2000). According to a social activist who is working for an NGO, community people were continually using the past as a way to represent themselves. Adding she feels that, African American women received fewer rewards and appreciation for their credentials from job authority than men of their own community and white people. According to Diane Hughes (1997), unemployment is one concerned factor among African American women. Community women were most likely concentrated in blue-collar and service positions. And she feels that they were becoming the targets of subtle occupational bias. According to Wayne Sutton of New Me, race was a main cause. But, they were trying to make history here. Tiffani Ashley Bell of Pencil You In, blacks were still facing some kind of discrimination from white. She cites her own working experience to claim her argument (Julianne Pepitone, 2011). Conclusion Barack Hussein Obama, 44th and current president of USA is the first African American to hold the office in the history of American presidency, which is a remarkable achievement of the community. Now the community’s people were progressing well, showing all round performance, and even throwing their weight in the governments policies. Some of them opinioned that race was still a main issue, but, they were here to make history. In 2010, American government has recognized and defined African Americans as black people born in USA under the 2010 census integrated communitys campaign plan, which is considered as a significant move for the development of the community. Reference Diane Hughes & Mark A. Dodge [1997]. African American Women in the Workplace: Relationships between Job Conditions, Racial Bias at Work, and Perceived Job Quality. Retrieved October 10, 2011from http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/scmsAdmin/uploads/002/720/African%20American%20women%20in%20the%20workplace.pdf. GH Brody, Z Stoneman, & D Flor [2000]. Religion’s role in organizing family relationships: Family process in rural, two-parent African American families. Retrieved October 9, 2011from http://www.jstor.org/pss/353600 Julianne Pepitone [2011]. 8 entrepreneurs diversifying the tech scene. Retrieved October 10, 2011from http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2011/technology/1107/gallery.newme_accelerator/index.html. Linda M. Chatters, Robert Joseph Taylor, & Rukmalie Jayakody [1994]. Fictive Kinship Relations in Black Extended Families. Retrieved October 8, 2011from http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst?docId=5000302013 Shirley Ann Hill [2005]. Black intimacies: a gender perspective on families and relationships. Retrieved October 9, 2011from http://books.google.co.in/books?id=DYEUEj4wf1gC&pg=PA154&lpg=PA154&dq=critical+reflection+on+%E2%80%9CBlack+in+America%E2%80%9D.&source=bl&ots=TwEAJXfaX_&sig=clxLASBUYa1-1XeVXRMW2kFNL9s&hl=en&ei=vtKPToOtFMnirAeoh8WzAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCEQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false. Shirley Bryant [2011]. INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS VOLK, REGARDING BLACK WRITERS & LITERATURE. Retrieved October 9, 2011from http://www.ioba.org/newsletter/archive/v5/CVolk.html. Read More