Works Cited
Monday, May 7, 2012
Afro-Native American Awareness
I have always been interested in the Native American culture but I had never really been given the opportunity to recieve information about them aside from the "Thanksgiving story" and the story of Pocahontas. I feel that the media and history books do not give Native Americans justice in terms of making people aware of who they are. I am glad I was given the opportunity to only learn about pure Native Americans but also about Afro-Native Americans. I know for a fact that not nearly enough people are aware of Afro-Native Americans as there should be.
The video above is video of photos that display the beauty of Afro-Native Americans. I encourage anyone to take the time and press play because the Native American music in the background evoked such emotion in me. I could tell by listening that Native Americans and Africans have a very similar form of musicality and praise. I was absolutely beautiful to listen to. The Native American Culture is so incredibly beautiful.
The untold story of Afro-Native Americans is one of such depth that I plan to continue to learn about them in the future because I truly do believe that they go unnoticed entirely too often. No one should be invisible. Most definitely an entire community should not go unnoticed. I will take it upon myself to spread the word of their existence and all of the wonderful contributions they have made to this country.
My Afro-Latino Connection
Works Cited
How much does Justice cost?
“Polly
Gentry's skin is black. But she says she is an Indian. A black Indian. For generations,
a little-known chapter of America's racial history shows, she and other
descendants of escaped slaves have been members of the Seminole Nation of
Oklahoma. Even on the tribal council, descendants of slaves have sat alongside
descendants of native people. Until last
summer. Then, in the middle of a bitter legal battle over $56 million in
federal funds, Seminoles with native blood voted to strip the people who call
themselves black Seminoles of tribal membership. Suddenly, Ms. Gentry said, ‘My
skin makes a difference.’("Black Seminoles”)." When I read this article, I could not believe how upset I got at the fact that the Blood Seminoles would not accept the Black Seminoles because of a settlement. I was upset at how easily injustice could be bought.
I may be
slightly biased because I feel that although African Americans were enslaved for
hundreds of years, we have yet to see any type of reparation for our people
being uprooted and forced to live as property. I think that it is unfair for us
to receive absolutely nothing and for the Blood Seminoles to receive such a
bountiful amount and then in my opinion be too greedy to share it with their
fellow Black Seminoles. I also really do not buy the Blood Seminoles reasoning
for excluding the Black Seminoles. I believe that they are just money hungry
and have allowed the money to blind them from the years have solidarity they
had shared with the Black Seminoles prior to the money settlement. I agree with
the Black Seminoles when they claim that the Blood Seminoles are now acting not
only out of greed but also out of racism. Like most discrimination, the
discrimination faced by the Black Seminoles by the Blood Seminoles in stemmed
in racism and intolerance. I also think that it is absolutely outrageous that
the Blood Seminoles have not only excluded them from compensation but they have
also excluded them from the Tribe and from other Tribal rights and activities.
I only agree with the Blood Seminoles when it comes to the issue of the
Government being too involved with Tribal affairs because I do believe that the
Government should never be too involved in personal and community affairs. It
just really is not the U.S. Governments place but I do believe that the lawsuit
in question is extremely appropriate for the injustice being seen within the
Seminole Tribe. And I am sure by now it is clear that I do not agree with Susan
Miller’s view of Black Seminoles because I believe that they do exist and
should therefore be included in the compensation settlement.
The video above is about the history of Black Seminoles. The information shared in this video touches on the fact that Africans were one of the earliest people to be in Central Florida. They lived as Freedman alongside the Seminoles for years and became apart of different tribes as Black Seminoles.
Works Cited
Black Seminoles.
Copyright 2001 The New York Times
Company.
Bound by History and Silenced by Culture: Domestic Violence in Afro-Latinas
Individuals are defined by culture
and culture is defined by history. “Domestic violence a pattern of physical,
psychological or sexual abuse, threats, intimidation, isolation or economic
coercion used by one person to exert power and control over another person in
the context of an intimate relationship.” Domestic violence is a consistently devastating
issue that faces both men and women of every background, but it is increasingly
prevalent in Latin communities. Latina victims face unique barriers when it
comes to their ability to seek help in domestic violence situations, resulting
in a more complex issue. The complexity of the domestic violence situations
seen in Latinas is a result of their history and culture. The perpetuation of
domestic violence in Latin communities because of their particular history and
culture needs to end.
The video above is about a brave woman named Asela who after being married for 11 years and abused for the last 2 years decided to leave her husband and find help from the LAA.
Latinas’
roots make it difficult for them to find the available resources needed for
them to remove themselves from domestic violence situations.The cardinal rule of Latinas is to keep their
families together, that is what they are meant to do as mothers and wives. In
their culture, Latina women have a duty to be presentable. They must have a
presentable home, a presentable appearance, and a presentable family life. “A
strong sense of culture keeps Latinas from “betraying” long-standing values.
Those who step outside of these norms, shame not only themselves but also their
parents, grandparents, etc. Latino family obligations always come first no matter
what personal animosities may exist” (“Latinas”).
Many abusers claim that it really is not their
fault. They claim that the battered women provoked their behavior causing them
to lose control and resulting in them having no choice but to abuse their
women. Those who are not opposed to domestic violence like to make it known
that women should know their place, stay in line, and not disobey their men. If
women choose to step out of line and disobey their men, then men should be able
to take it upon themselves to put their women back into place. Domestic
violence offenders and those who support them like to victimize the abusers and
incriminate those abused. There is no excuse for abuse. If a man gets angry, he
should find another way to release his anger. If a man is drunk or high, he
still should possess enough common sense to not physically or verbally abuse
his women. “Because of these factors- the
language barrier, the lack of resources, the threat of deportation for some and
misinformation about legal rights Latinas often become isolated. These women
fear being hurt by the very authorities charged with protecting their well-being.
Communities must develop culturally sensitive solutions to violence in Latino
families and find effective ways to reach this growing segment of the
population” (“Latinas”). Latinas need to become educated of their rights and
the Latina culture needs to become more supportive of these sensitive but
serious situations. Latinas should never feel bound by their history or
silenced by their culture when their well-being is at high risk. “A spirit of
stress and struggles characterizes a woman” (Womanhood pg. 240) but her
strength in adversity defines her.
Works Cited
Cruz-Janzen, Marta
I. "Latinegras." Revelations: An Anthology of Expository Essays by
and about Blacks. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Pub., 2010. Print.
"Domestic Violence in the Hispanic Community." Safe
Harbor, Inc. Web. 04 Mar. 2012.
<http://safeharborsc.org/blog/domestic-violence-in-the-hispanic-community/>.
"Domestic Violence Online Support Group." The
Excuses Abusers Use to Blame You. Web. 04 Mar. 2012. <http://www.mdjunction.com/forums/domestic-violence-discussions/general-support/2017739-the-excuses-abusers-use-to-blame-you>.
McDougald, Elise J. "The Task of Negro
Womanhood." Revelations: An Anthology of Expository Essays by and about
Blacks. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Pub., 2010. Print.
"Mujeres Latinas En Acción." Mujeres
Latinas En Acción. Web. 09 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.mujereslatinasenaccion.org/>.5
Economic Sociology: Fueling Mainstream Racism
Erving
Goffman once stated, “society is an insane asylum run by inmates” and what
motivates society is the concept of economic status. This “asylum” is built on
a foundation of standards set by the economy of a country. The idea of Economic
Sociology is never more apparent than when analyzing mass media production,
especially in the film industry. Sociology and economy are the primary factors why
common stereotypes of African Americans in the film industry are so frequently
accepted because they unfortunately fuel the fire of misconceptions viewed in
the media. Society should no longer accept the misrepresentation of African
Americans in mainstream film production.
The video above is the trailer to Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family. I believe that this was one of the most over the top movies I have ever seen. It amplified stereotypes to a level that I could not even laugh at. All I could think was how absolutely ridiculous he made us look in some odd form of entertainment. I actually am I fan of Tyler Perry and some of his films but this one was just too much.
Others would argue that the stereotypes of African Americans in the film industry are justifiable. They claim that “Stereotypes are not inherently a bad thing. In fact, they can be quite helpful in understanding a complex society in which nothing stays the same” (“What’s wrong”). Supporters of the misrepresentations of African Americans in mainstream film claim that the depictions seen in the media are accurate. They claim that these stereotypes are commonly seen and perpetuated by African American individuals in the community.
This misrepresentation of African Americans in mainstream
film production has been perpetuated a society that seems to find these
stereotypical characters to be entertaining and a film industry that finds them
to be profitable. The economic motivation behind the entertainment industry is
partially to blame for the popularity of offensive stereotypes in the mass
media. Apparently, stereotypes sell. This unfortunate yet apparent truth can be
dated back to its origins “Blackface” entertainment. Which was the initial
perpetuation of racist images and negative perception of the African American
community worldwide.
“Every immigrant group was stereotyped on the music hall
stage during the 19th Century, but the history of prejudice, hostility, and
ignorance towards black people has insured a unique longevity to the
stereotypes. White America's conceptions of Black entertainers were shaped by
minstrelsy's mocking caricatures and for over one hundred years the belief that
Blacks were racially and socially inferior was fostered by legions of both white
and black performers in blackface” (“Blackface”).
“Blackface” entertainment, very similar to the stereotypical
characters seen today, has established a divide between races that is
frequently portrayed in mainstream film. The film industry is profiting on
society’s modern form of mental and social segregation. The film industry’s
prolific success has come at the expense of the African American community for
far too long. Bottom line, the misrepresentations of African Americans is an
economic investment of great magnitude and has been a major part of the
lucrative business that is the film industry. There needs to come a point when
profit is no longer allowed to be the driving force of injustice in the media.
Others would argue that the stereotypes of African Americans in the film industry are justifiable. They claim that “Stereotypes are not inherently a bad thing. In fact, they can be quite helpful in understanding a complex society in which nothing stays the same” (“What’s wrong”). Supporters of the misrepresentations of African Americans in mainstream film claim that the depictions seen in the media are accurate. They claim that these stereotypes are commonly seen and perpetuated by African American individuals in the community.
The entire African
American community is not one that can be thought of narrowly and economic promise
should not be allowed to perpetuate such an injustice. If we can better
understand society’s motive to enable and the mass media’s economic depth in
the involvement to this unfortunate form of “entertainment,” then we can find a
solution to produce more accurate entertainment.
Works Cited
Blackface! - The History of Racist Blackface Stereotypes.
Web. 11 Feb. 2012. <http://black-face.com/>.
"Mass Media and Racism." Yale University.
Web. 11 Feb. 2012. <http://yale.edu/ypq/articles/oct99/oct99b.html>.
"Stereotypes and Prejudices." Holocaust
Cybrary Remembering the Stories of the Survivors - Remember.org. Web. 11
Feb. 2012. <http://remember.org/guide/History.root.stereotypes.html>.
"Top 10 Racial Stereotypes | Top 10 Lists |
TopTenz.net." Top 10 Lists - Top Ten Lists - TopTenz.net. Web. 11
Feb. 2012. <http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-racial-stereotypes.php>.
"What’s Wrong With A Stereotype? | Clutch
Magazine." Clutch Magazine: Fashion.beauty.life.culture. Web. 11
Feb. 2012.
<http://www.clutchmagonline.com/2009/06/whats-wrong-with-a-stereotype/>.
"Why Are Stereotypes so Entertaining? | Psychology
Today." Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness Find a Therapist.
Web. 11 Feb. 2012. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sex-drugs-and-boredom/201004/why-are-stereotypes-so-entertaining>.
How to Win a War
What is the easiest way to win a war? Some would consider the divide and conquer tactic most effective. Those who exercise this strategy would break up alliances to ease the process of attacking an enemy. No stranger to this tactic, outnumbered European powers put Africans and Native Americans against each other to subdue their combined power. Although the black and red peoples were divided over two centuries ago, separation between them still exists. For this reason, many people participate in the discussion of whether or not Native Americans should allow people of both African and Native descent to be members of their tribe. Critics like Sarita Cannon would say that Afro-Native Americans should be granted tribal membership for the simple fact that they possess Native blood, but others like Orlando Tom and Leona Begay believe that Afro-Native Americans do not possess enough Native American blood for induction (Cannon). Ultimately, undeniable historical parallels, psychological impairments, and cultural benefits show why Afro-Native Americans should not be excluded from the Native American community.
The short video above is about certain famous individuals that are Afro-Native American such as Tina Turner, Frederick Douglass, and Langston Hughes. The video also highlights the fact that Afro-Native Americans are a people that few are aware of and that denial of their existence is a big part of that. Some Native American tribes refuse to except Afro-Native Americns into their communities forcing the idea of them to "disappear."
Native American communities should not exclude Afro-Native Americans because this exclusion sustains harmful racist ideals. The fury surrounding 1997's Afro-Native American Miss Navajo Nation shows that some Native Americans find affiliation with their European counterparts more desirable than that of their African counterparts. According to Sarita Cannon’s Authenticating the Black Indian Body, “it seems that mixedblood [sic] Miss Navajo Nation have been crowned in the past without incident, as long as their blood mixture did not include African heritage” (Cannon). The desire to severe ties with Africans commemorates a belief that is the central motivator of racism, the idea that groups can be viewed as either superior or inferior to one another. In most cases, like that of Miss Cody, Caucasian is seen as superior and African is seen as inferior. The Clark Doll Experiment shows how the ideas of racial superiority and inferiority may impinge on healthy cognitive development. In this experiment, psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark asked black children to choose which doll they though was the better doll. Though the dolls were identical in every aspect but skin color, the black children thought the fairest doll was nicer (Abagond). Even in contemporary doll experiments, results show that children tend to favor the Caucasian doll. If the Native American community continues to perpetuate racist ideas of superiority and inferiority, the group will end up being one of the sources of psychological impairment in current and future generations. The Native American community should not only refrain from excluding Afro-Native Americans to avoid being a hindrance to healthy cognitive development, but also to reap the benefits of culture.
Tiya Miles, "Preface: Eadng Out of the Same Pot?" in Crossing Waters, Crossing Worlds: The African Diaspora in Indian Country, edited by Tiya Miles and Sharon P. Holland (Duke University Press, 2006), xv.
Works Cited
"Abagond." Abagond. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.
Tiya Miles, "Preface: Eadng Out of the Same Pot?" in Crossing Waters, Crossing Worlds: The African Diaspora in Indian Country, edited by Tiya Miles and Sharon P. Holland (Duke University Press, 2006), xv.
Struggle to be yourself
Afro-Latinos and Afro-Native Americans seem to have many issues when it comes to their identity and when it comes to what and who they can identify with. Many of them feel like if they choose to identify more to one then they are neglecting the other. Problems also arise when people from either culture do not accept people who are of both cultures. Being denied by both of your cultures can leave a person feeling very alone and bitter. They can also develop negative views of people in these cultures.
In Black and Latino,Roberto Santiago spoke of the injustices and discrimination he faced as a young Afro-Latino. He wrote "'There is no way that you can be black and Puerto Rican at the same time.' What? Despite the many times I've heard this over the years, that statement still perplexes me. I am both and always have been ("Black and Latino")." Despite people always trying to tell Roberto Santiago who he was and who he was not, Roberto knew that he was in fact both Black and Puerto Rican. His younger years were very rough on him but at time went on he did not allow for the narrow minds of otherwise to dictate his life or define him. I applaud the courage and determination it took for him to reach that level of self-discovery because I know it could not have been easy. His Aunt had even told him "Roberto, don't worry. Even if---no matter what you do---black people in this country don't, you can always depend on white people to treat you like a black ("Black and Latino"). I think those words are so powerful because it's true that as long as you like you are of color, you will be treated as a person of color by white people.
Marta I. Cruz-Janzen wrote in Latinegras that "Latinegras represent the mirrors that most Latinos would like to shatter because they reflect the blackness Latinos don't want to see in themselves ('Latinegras")." This is just another example in the perpetuation of discrimination which fuels the fire of identity struggles. Instead of viewing members of African descent as family, they treat them as social pariahs...making it so difficult for Afro-Latinos to feel like they belong.
Works Cited
Cruz-Janzen, Marta I. "Latinegras." Revelations: An Anthology of Expository Essays by and about Blacks. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Pub., 2010. 299-311. Print.
Santiago, Roberto. "Black and Latino." Revelations: An Anthology of Expository Essays by and about Blacks. 189-90. Print.
The Untold Story: Baseball
In fact, according to Left Out by Adrian Burgos Jr., there needs to be a revision when it comes to baseball's racial history. Too frequently stories are told about baseball's history that minimizes the impact and contributions of Afro-Latinos.
"The lack of recognition black Latinos receive as contributors to, and
beneficiaries of, the legacy of black baseball reveals how lines have been
drawn within popular understandings and within the historical literature ("Left Out")."
I feel that this is such a sad reality because people of color are constantly being swept under the wrong as if the struggles that they overcame is not of importance to the progress of their people. I had never even thought about the fact that Afro-Latinos were a huge part of desegregation in regards to professional sports. But apparently, Latinos had been integrated into Major League Baseball even before African Americans or more specifically Jackie Robinson. I personally am sick and tired of people of color being overlooked when they are the reason much of history we study today is what it is.
"Among those left out, Buck O’Neil drew the most notice. O’Neil’s endearing personality, homespun storytelling style, and tireless work on behalf of the Negro Leagues helped spark a revival of popular interest in black baseball history. His lack of bitterness made him the symbol of the Negro Leagues for countless Americans and assuaged the guilt of many about the national pastime’s Jim Crow past ("Left Out")."
Works Cited
Burgos, Adrian Jr.. "Left Out: Afro-Latinos, Black Baseball, and the Revision of Baseball’s Racial History." Social Text 98 • Vol. 27, No. 1 • Spring 2009. Duke University Press, 2009. Web. 7 May 2012.
How do you authenticate race?
I am who I am. I am a black young woman. And I am sure that if I ever decided to trace my family tree, I would find that African descent is not my only lineage, but that discovery would not make me any less black or any less of anything else I could be. In Authenticating Race by Sarita Cannon, there is an ongoing tug-a-war in the fight to prove that Afro-Native Americans are in fact Native Americans and should be included in their culture.
"In the past several years, cross-cultural dialogue between Blacks and Indians has
arisen in publics spaces throughout the United States, such as the 1998 conference ""Eadng
Out of the Same Pot': Relating Black and Native Histories" at Dartmouth
College, which was co-organized by Tiya Miles, a Assistant Professor of
American Culture, Afroamerican & African Studies, Native American Studies
at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. But interactions between African and Nadves
in the Americas were not always characterized by harmony and cooperation ("Authenticating Race").
Although, African Americans and Native Americans have gotten along in the pass because of their similar struggles under tyranny, they continue to perpetuate segregation and discrimination. I believe the reason Native Americans do not want to be affiliated with African Americans or Afro-Native Americans is because of the negative social stigma that is in association with African Americans. African Americans are treated as second class citizens and have countless negative stereotypes. A part of me can understand why Native Americans want "blood proof" in order for the Afro-Native Americans to accpet their membership into their tribe. But I also think it is wrong to prevent someone from trying to embrace their own culture.
Above is an image of Native Americans working among African Americans. This was why they began to interact and "interbreed." Since the days of slavery, there has been the existence of Afro- Native Americans. Being an Afro-Native American is just as valid as being an African American or Native American and should be accepted as such.
Works Cited
Tiya Miles, "Preface: Eadng Out of the Same Pot?" in Crossing Waters, Crossing Worlds: The African Diaspora in Indian Country, edited by Tiya Miles and Sharon P. Holland (Duke University Press, 2006), xv.
Overview: Change of Pace
Introduction: I have decided to add posts about what I have learned this entire semester in terms of Afro-Latinos and Afro-Native Americans. Before I took this course, I really had not ever given much thought to the fact Afro-Latinos and Afro-Native Americans are such a huge reality in the African American community as a whole. I became surprised when I discovered connections between all three cultures, and I will expand on those similarities in my other posts. I have learned that we are all so much more intertwined than we think or choose to accept. This blog is my view and interpretation of my fascination of these cultures. It is my reasons for finding their history and people to be so captivating. This semester I was able to really appreciate the experience of being of mixed culture. And to be able to appreciate that it is okay to embrace both or all of them. It is okay to be both Black and Latino or to be both Black and Native American. I happen to believe that it is a beautiful thing to embrace all of who you are.
The video above is a short video of Zoe Saldana at the 2011 Latin Grammys. Zoe Saldana is a known Afro-Latina actress that has always made it known that she is of both African and Latin descent. In this video, she briefly voices the pride she has in being a Latina and how honored she is to be apart of the 2011 Latin Grammys.
Works Cited
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