Category: African American Culture

Slavery may very well be the most vile and inhumane practice that ever-surfaced mankind. Innocent people of African descent both in America and across the globe felt the detrimental implication of slavery for centuries. While it was nearly impossible to escape captivity at the height of slavery, resistance and rebellions became widespread methods for slaves tired of the torment. Resistance from African and African American Slaves was very present due to the unnatural circumstances and practices of oppression. Through various forms of resistance, both violent and non-violent, slaves illustrated their natural reaction to reject supremacy and contest against a life of bondage. It is important for society to understand the true nature of the term slave resistance. Slave resistance commonly visits notions of violence in armed rebellions. While that was an essential piece of resistance, non-violent acts of fleeing and verbal resistance very well contributed to efforts against enslavement.

The Transatlantic Slave Trade was the prime assertion of African American descent into the new world. This systematic oppression oversaw millions of African men, women, and children stripped of their basic human rights and extradited into the Americas, Europe, and other factions of the globe. As a class we discussed early on the significance of diaspora, which is the displacement of African descendants from their native lands all over the globe. No event in history illustrates this term more vividly than the Transatlantic trades which lasted from the early 1500s until the mid 1800s. Slaves did not openly accept this mistreatment despite the evident basis of supremacy that was present worldwide. In their desires to resist, slaves continuously had to challenge authority in order to carry out basic traditions and communal expression. Through the advancement of historic studies there is evidence of African resistance that dates back all the way to before the discovery of the Americas. Portuguese settlers from 1440-1445 were the first recorded slavers to meet resistance from African groups. Coastal defense units were placed in order to attack settlers and destroy their ships or cargo that was occupying African land, “African captives initiated a multidimensional resistance process that was to unfurl throughout the long period from the fifteenth to the twentieth century.” (Oruno). Systemic oppression had been challenged so early on in the precursor to the slave trade that it must be noted the natural inclination to resist is a part of the African identity. The slave trade did the lay the forefront to societal and economic discrepancies for years to come, but often overshadowed is the fight back that was very present among slaves.

In America we can see the evidence of resistance through practices such as fleeing and even organized rebellions. Due to the harsh environment and circumstances slaves were faced with, nonviolent forms of resistance became extremely prevalent among slaves in the U.S. As a result, the practice of fleeing was used heavily in the south. By the mid nineteenth century the northern states had become a safe haven for many African Americans prior to the civil war and thirteenth amendment. Unfortunately, if slaves were caught or failed to reach the north they were tormented and faced horrible consequences. Slave owners monitored through power, seriously limiting slaves’ accessibility to weapons. Additionally, they intently observed their slaves’ exercises, constraining their development and opportunity of affiliation. Under these conditions, association and arranging were beside incomprehensible. On those uncommon events when the oppressed got away from their masters’ domain, they confronted at this point different components of white control—local armies, nearby watches, and vigilantes. Open hangings and beheading were normal disciplines. Different dissidents were gibbeted alive, consumed alive, or broken on the wheel. In these occurrences, discipline was intended to show the totalizing impacts of racial oppression, threatening the individuals who remained subjugated. While not as popular as fleeing, armed rebellions did exist in the south and in the U.S. From approximately 1700 until the Civil War era nine groups of armed slaves formed resistance groups in an active form of aggression. These groups were very active in southern states such as Louisiana, South Carolina, and southern Virginia. These enslaved activists acquired weapons and tools then ventured to murder slave owners, steal their possessions and burn their lands (Manning). While they quickly were met with a response from White supremacist groups who reacted. Despite their not being too many revolts against the slave owners the activism shown by enslaved rebels embodies the fact that slavery would never be unchallenged no matter the severity of supremacy. Enslaved people would always resist the unnatural practices and refuse to submit to absolutism.

The slave trade marked the initial mistreatment of African Americans on a global level, but the methodology in America transcended the issue of race and made it the forefront of internal horror in this country. By undermining the efforts of African Americans consistently America created its state of segregation that can seems to outlast generations. African Americans expensed all the power they could to override racism, but the efforts we made against them in our country to silence mistreated demographics created the white identity in America. White supremacy had lasted centuries in Europe and through colonization, but it was not as subjective. Being European was the superiority and the internment of any slaves was a common practice. The turning point to black versus white was a method that grew steadily until the civil war and even remains apparent in today’s culture. In response to rebellions and the various types of resistance white America changed the narrative of race through reform and violence because they had the superiority in society to do so. America had increased its African-descent population immensely through slavery and in states such as South Carolina they passed laws to level the population so that whites would not be outnumbered by blacks. It was calculated strategies that exhibited the identity of superiority white people gained, “ ‘When the Negro slave had supplanted the indentured servant upon the plantations of the colony,’ Wertenbaker wrote, ‘a vast change took place in the pride of the middle class. Every white man, no matter how poor he was, no matter how degraded, could now feel a pride in his race.’ ”(Bennett). Blacks were fighting back with all they could but it was not enough. The tide of supremacy had grown along with America’s production and demand of agriculture. The enslaved Americans had ultimately no solution to the structure that dominated the U.S. and with little to no external support they had only the guidance of each other through these horrible times.

Anyone who argues that enslaved groups did not desire their freedom or make an effort to break free is truly lost. It is not that there was not enough effort or not everyone believed in being equal. Simply, the circumstances and disadvantage that these people were faced with was too much to overcome with the means available. It certainly was a struggle that did not see true improvement for centuries but the essential ideology had always been there. The black community did not wake up in 1865 and say hey this is not right. Through their efforts over the course of history the natural reaction to reject inequality was always part of their identity. It took the perseverance of generations in the past to allow give people of color the voice that always should have had. Black power cannot be taken from all Africans and African Americans and I believe that it has been part of their fight since the beginning. It was the mass-initiative to silence and undermine that muzzled people of color from achieving liberties.

The insurgence of segregated groups reveals the strong identity that’s applicable for any man or woman of color and their imitative to fight back. Through different strategies of violent and non-violent protest we can see the natural inclination to oppose racism that survived slavery and lead African Americans to achieve the basic freedoms they never should have lost. The global industry of slavery coupled with the transformation of pre-civil war America reveals the anomalous degradation that was always challenged.

Works Cited

1. Lerone Bennett, “The Road not Taken,” The Shaping of Black America. Chicago: Johnson Publishing Co., 1975, pp. 61-82. Originally published in Ebony, vol. 25 (August 1970), pp. 71-77).
2. Mvé Bekale, Marc. ‘Memories and Mechanisms of Resistance to the Atlantic Slave Trade: The Ekang Saga in West Central Africa’s Epic Tale the Mvet.’ Journal of African Cultural Studies, 2018, pp. 1-15.
3. MANNING, PATRICK. ‘AFRICAN RESISTANCE TO THE ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE Fighting the Slave Trade: West African Strategies. Edited by SYLVIANE A. DIOUF. Athens OH: Ohio University Press; Oxford: James Currey, 2003. The Journal of African History, vol. 46, no. 3, 2005, pp. 514-515.
4. Lara, Oruno D. ‘Resistance and Struggles.’ Diogenes, vol. 45, no. 179, 199

In the twentieth century, the United States of America has transitioned into a more diverse nation. Immigrants arriving from around the globe combined with African Americans to challenge the American identity. As a result, prominent figures including Theodore Roosevelt believed every American should indeed be Americanized. Throughout the twentieth century, Americanization, which means to sacrifice an old culture in favor of American culture, remains an issue amongst authors in particular. Authors in the twentieth century expressed their stance on the battle between cultural heritage and American assimilation. Some authors such as Langston Hughes supported diversity and pride in their culture. On the other end of the spectrum, others like Booker Taliaferro Washington advocated for assimilation into American society. However, Paul Laurence Dunbar represented neutrality by advocating points from both ends. More contemporary diverse American writers including Amy Tan had their stance on the debate by advocating for neutrality. As a major aspect of American literature, various diverse writers in the twentieth century celebrate cultural identity while others advocate assimilation.

Hughes expresses his desire to celebrate cultural identity through his poem, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”. In this poem, Hughes acknowledges the hardships of his race’s past. In the line, “I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the / flow of human blood in human veins” (Hughes, Langston 2009), Hughes analogizes rivers to ancestry. The African rivers mentioned such as the Congo and the Nile are historically significant to human civilization in the continent. Another historic aspect mentioned in Hughes’ poem is Abraham Lincoln. The “muddy bosom turned all golden in the sunset” alludes to Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation (8). Although it did not free many slaves, the Emancipation Proclamation became an important step towards black freedom. The connections to Lincoln and the rivers show historical significance, which is something African Americans have themselves and should embrace. Hughes also shows cultural identity in the final line, “My soul has grown deep like the rivers” (3). The deep rivers where his soul had gone deep signify the long inhumane history of the treatment that African Americans had received. All in all, Hughes advocates for cultural heritage in “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”.

Hughes also advocates cultural identity in “Visitors to the Black Belt”. The poem describes the feeling of oppression that southern African Americans had suffered from. Hughes starts off the poem with:

You can talk about

Across the railroad tracks-

To me, it’s here

On this side of the tracks. (1-4).

Hughes shows the strong barrier between blacks and whites based on the Harlem Renaissance based on emphasizing “across” and “here”. The Renaissance took place in the North rather in the South. To its counterparts in the tortuous South, the northern African Americans can associate themselves with the more positive Harlem. Since Harlem is in the North, it is somewhat Americanized. White culture has an influence on the Harlem Renaissance. Therefore, whites who assume Harlem represents the African American culture does not understand the true values of African American culture. As a result, the southern misery is not taken into account. The lines, “You can say / Jazz in the South Side- / To me it’s hell” indicate the outsiders’ blindness and how Hughes still acknowledges the South (9-11). This acknowledgement expresses the resilient blacks still have a presence in the South. While negatively interpreted, the poem raises awareness of cultural identity.

Other authors such as Dunbar remain neutral on the debate between cultural identity and assimilation. He expressed the mosaic ideology in “Sympathy”, which involves a caged bird representing cultural heritage longing to escape being imprisoned in his cage. The bird acknowledges its rough past when it sings and “beats his wing / Till its blood is red on the cruel bars” where “a pain still throbs in the old, old scars” (8-9, 12). The caged bird represents the African American slaves, which just like the caged birds, went through pain and scars to get their freedom. Remembering the past exemplifies cultural heritage. According to the line, “When he beats his bars and he would be free; / It is not a carol of joy or glee”, the bird longed to escape into the outside world (17-18). The desire to be part of the outside world would mean interacting with white people. This interaction would lead to integrating the black lifestyle to the white lifestyle. As a result, this poem also shows support for assimilation. “Sympathy” symbolizes the struggle of African Americans and their quest for freedom by both expressing the melting pot and mosaic ideas.

Dunbar also went for assimilation in “We Wear the Mask”. The title itself directs readers towards a sense of assimilation by wearing a mask. Wearing a mask indicates hiding an original identity in order to please the mainstream one. This is exactly the case in “We Wear the Mask”. In this case, blacks had to hide their humiliation and suffering from their white counterparts by wearing a mask that lies. When Dunbar wrote, “With torn and bleeding hearts we smile” (646), it is evident that African Americans were forced to hide their pain by showing a fake smile. They suffered emotionally on the inside but could not express it. In addition to showing a fake smile, African Americans did not care about their heritage. The third stanza reads, “But let the world dream otherwise, / We wear the mask!” (14-15). The lines do not celebrate cultural heritage because the slaves had to show pleasure while they are being tortured. Letting the world dream otherwise shows the slaves’ carelessness when it comes to expressing their identity.They are concealing their true self by hiding their pain. Hiding their pain also means hiding their cultural identity.

Meanwhile, authors such as Washington encourages assimilation according to his Up from Slavery. As a member of the Tuskegee Institute, Washington along with other African Americans agreed to a deal with other white southerners in 1895 called the Atlanta Compromise. The agreement advocated assimilation since both parties allowed the black race to submit to white supremacy in exchange for basic education to get into a trade job, which does not permit blacks to progress in society. Whites could still control them politically, mentally, and physically since blacks were still oppressed from rights such as suffrage and equality. Conceding to the white race signifies assimilation because Washington did not advocate for his race to stand up against the white race, as seen when he says:

In order to be successful in any undertaking, I think the main thing is for one to grow to the point where he completely forgets himself; that is, to lose himself in a great cause. In proportion as one loses himself in this way, in the same degree does he get the highest happiness out of his work. (181)

In this quote, Washington clearly shows his willingness to compromise with whites while his race completely forgets their identity in the process. This forgetfulness leads to eventual assimilation. Washington also states, “The wisest among my race understand that the agitation of questions of social equality is the extremist folly, and that progress in the enjoyment of all the privileges that will come to us must be the result of severe and constant struggle rather than of artificial forcing” (223). Again, Washington implies that even the “wisest among my race” believes that African Americans should not rise up to the whites. If blacks could not reach their full potential, then cultural heritage could not be celebrated. Washington’s concession to the white race is evident in his book.

Washington expressed further support in assimilation through his Up from Slavery. This autobiography chronicles Washington’s ascendance from slave to businessman. In order to rise up from slavery and improve the Tuskegee Institute, he believed he had to suck up to the race that has tortured his own for centuries. Washington believed the best way for a black man to reach the path of success is by becoming the grateful black man in history. He fulfilled that role when he believed by “notwithstanding the cruel wrongs inflicted upon us, the black man got nearly as much out of slavery as the white man did”, suggests that blacks benefited from slavery (17). According to the history of slavery, blacks were bitter victims of the white race. Washington only went this far so he could gain success, which is what he wanted. He also believed it was okay for whites to treat blacks unequally even though they technically earned their rights through the Reconstruction Era. To concede and allow mistreatment indicates a lack of pride. Washington additionally writes:

I have been made to feel sad for such persons because I am conscious of the fact that mere connection with what is known as a race will not permanently carry an individual forward unless he has individual worth, and mere connection with what is regarded as an inferior race will not finally hold an individual back if he possesses intrinsic, individual merit. (40)

Here, Washington solidified his belief that white Americans were superior to African Americans. To become conscious of this fact that blacks need to have worth in order to have a mere connection with whites shows how Washington does not want his race to become successful like whites. This supports his belief that blacks should only go as far as working in trade jobs, which is very similar to slavery. Yet Washington is successful himself. Based on his quotes, Up from Slavery reveals that Washington offers no regard for black heritage as he goes from rags to riches in his conquest for success.

In contemporary writing, Tan advocates for diversity in her essay, Mother Tongue. Tan becomes more conscious of her language use in this essay. At work, she uses sophisticated English. At home, she speaks choppy English, so her mother, who has broken English, can understand her. Even though Tan possesses an extensive English vocabulary, she acknowledges her mother’s English skills. She shows this by telling her mother, “not waste money that way” when shopping for furniture. Tan is conscious of not only her own English skills, but also her mother’s English skills. This broken English shows that she acknowledges cultural diversity since she is also raising awareness that most immigrants struggle with knowing decent English in the process. According to Tan, language “suddenly seemed to me, with nominalized forms, past perfect tenses, conditional phrases, all the forms of standard English that I had learned in school and through books, the forms of English I did not use at home with my mother” (Tan, “Mother Tongue”). This English is the only English where she can successfully communicate with her mother. She could not speak this type of English with her husband or colleagues. As seen with Tan’s mother, is okay to live in the United States without extensive English knowledge. Tan did not force her mother to match her own English. Rather than doing so, Tan was willing to communicate with her mother by speaking in choppy English. Tan concludes that language is a tool that changes depending on who people talk with. Tan also wrote the pro-assimilationist The Joy Luck Club, which reconciles two cultures. In this novel, the themes of cultural displacement and mother-to-daughter relationships shape up the idea for immigrants to assimilate into American culture.

They are frightened. In me, they see their own daughters, just as ignorant, just as unmindful of all the truths and hopes they have brought to America. They see daughters who grow impatient when their mothers talk in Chinese, who think they are stupid when they explain things in fractured English. They see that joy and luck do not mean the same to their daughters, that to these closed American-born minds ‘joy luck’ is not a word, it does not exist. They see daughters who will bear grandchildren born without any connecting hope passed from generation to generation. (40-41)

This quote shows the conflict between an assimilated daughter and a Chinese cultured mother. The mothers want their daughters to prosper in the United States. However, the mothers want to have a connection with their daughters. This would turn out to become difficult since their daughters’ daughters would become assimilated. They would turn accustomed into speaking perfect English rather than broken English. This separation from cultural ties between generations indicates assimilation. In addition, Tan’s novel advocates assimilation based on Waverly Jong’s life. While thinking about her daughter, Lindo Jong expresses:

I wanted my children to have the best combination: American circumstances and Chinese character… I taught her how American circumstances work… You do not have to sit like a Buddha under a tree letting pigeons drop their dirty business on your head. You can buy an umbrella. Or go inside a Catholic church. In America, nobody says you have to keep the circumstances somebody gives you. She learned these things, but I couldn’t teach her about Chinese characters. (254)

Jong desire for her mother to assimilate into “American circumstances” while keeping her Chinese heritage. Lindo allows Waverly to become white washed so Waverly could strive for the “American Dream”. She is doing so by means of assimilation. For instance, she would marry a white man named Rich Shields. Additionally, she discredits her mom in front of her white acquaintances. Interracial relationships as well as becoming acclimated support the melting pot idea. In these relationships, two cultures clash, making it difficult to pass down culture through generations. This difficulty makes celebrating cultural heritage difficult.

All in all, advocates for both assimilation and heritage shared different opinions on cultural identity in the twentieth century. While some expressed support for the mosaic idea, others advocated for assimilation. First, Hughes expressed his desire for cultural celebration in “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” and “Visitors to the Black Belt”. Additionally, Dunbar supported Hughes’ stance in his “Sympathy”. However his neutrality showed when he went against the mosaic idea in “We Wear the Mask”. Washington sided with “We Wear the Mask” in his Atlanta Exposition Address. This is still an issue as can be seen in Tan’s “Mother Tongue” and The Joy Luck Club. She supports cultural heritage in “Mother Tongue”. She leans towards

References

1. Langston Hughes, ‘The Negro Speaks of Rivers’ from The Collected Works of Langston Hughes. Copyright © 2002 by Langston Hughes. Reprinted by permission of Harold Ober Associates, Inc.

Migration has been the lot of the human race since ancient times. People have journeyed across the world in search of happiness, a new life, or have been forced by the domineering and evil power of racism. The unwritten rule of racism has been firmly embedded in our history and has resulted in many battle and wars. The American civil war demonstrated how evil and hate against a single race, combined with power in the hands of immoral people, can ruin an entire generation and a precious culture, never to be regained.

Migration is the movement of people to a new area or country in order to find work or better living conditions. This became a stark reality for those African Americans who were caught in the harsh drudgery of the slavery era. Dehumanized, 3 million African Americans became mere property of the unforgiving slave traders and were forced to work untiringly without proper remuneration or appreciation. This excessive number became a concern to the slaves themselves along with the abolitionists and antislavery activists. Benjamin Franklin once said that ‘Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature’. This drove the desire for all slaves to be freed and slavery to be abolished. This began the bloodiest civil war in American history. The civil war lasted from 1861-1865, 4 long years of constant battle, death and arguments. Struggling for power, the confederates fought the rest of the country, a determined foe as, the rest of the country’s power and willingness to fight was fueled by their unity as set out in the Declaration of Independence, ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’

In the mid-19th century, a network of safe-houses and secret routes was developed by white abolitionists to be used by the African-American slaves escaping and secretly migrating into the Free states, Canada and Nova Scotia. Over 1000 slaves escaped via this method each year, each in small, independent groups which helped to maintain the critical secrecy of this highly important railroad. Harriet Tubman, known as the Moses of her time, played a critical role in organizing the logistics of the whole railroad. She herself was an escaped slave and then further made 19 trips to and from Canada, guiding over 1000 slaves to freedom. She herself said that ‘I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.’- DOES THIS QUOTE LINK? To those enslaved at plantations where they were forced to work from sunup to sundown, enduring hours of backbreaking work with little or no recognition, Freedom was a dream all thought about constantly. To each personally, Freedom was something completely different. To some, freedom was being able to walk down the streets and not be looked down upon, to other it was to never get whipped again and to others again it was a land where the sun never went down, everyone was free and the white man had no power over the black. It was through the sheer determination and power of people such as Harriet Tubman and William Lloyd Garrison, thousands of slaves escaped the domineering power of slave traders and harsh plantation owners.

The abolishing of slavery and the ending of the civil war was much on the minds of the citizens of the country, those fighting for the freedom and most importantly the slaves themselves. As a founding father once said, ‘It is much to be wished that slavery may be abolished. The honor of the states as well as justices and humanity, in my opinion, loudly call upon them to emancipate these unhappy people. To contend for our own liberty, and to deny that blessing to others, involves an inconsistency no to be excused.’ The power of those at the head of the confederate states was withholding the blessing of liberty to the African Americans who had a right to it just as much as they did. The end of this withholding of power came when the Union States pounced upon the confederates, forcing a surrender. After 4 long years of countless battles and unceasing prayer, the civil war was over, and the African Americans were free. Freedom has come upon them at last. They were no longer to be held in bondage and captivity under evil, heartless masters who had no respect of human life. Slave traders could no longer bargain and banter for human lives. Happy memories and new discoveries could slowly begin to take away the pain and scars from that of enduring years slavery.

For escaped slaves who found freedom in Canada, life was far from easy. Many of those now free slaves who landed in now southern Ontario decided to farm, because they had experience in working the land. They had to work hard to clear the new land, build their own houses and then feed their families. To make a living, men and children had to work as laborer’s on other farms as well as their own to make enough money to scrape by. In the maritime colonies, the African Americans were given land to poor for farming or none. This meant they were forced to work for others, with very low wages or none at all. Canada, to them, was a strange land and they felt ostracized amongst the public. Describing the migrant’s entry into Canada, Harriet Tubman said that ‘I was free; but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom, I was a stranger in a strange land.’ Once migrated, the slaves had often severed their connections with their family and their hometown, sometimes never to be seen again. But this was the high price that the slaves were prepared to pay just for freedom and refuge.

The struggle for freedom has long been one of the greatest challenges that has ever faced the African Americans. Power in the hands of unjust men combined with the ingrained malice against them caused one of the most significant civil wars in American history. Brave and courageous hearts of the African American people and anti-slavery sympathizers, united by a single dream, were able to conquer the power of those ‘superior’ and created a country and world where we all are free.

African-American literature was composed by the descents of Africa, who came to America as slaves, later got settled and educated. Their writing mainly speaks about the suffering, depression, and oppression by Americans. Later they adapted the modern way of living as Americans. This literature is dominated by Autobiographical narratives of Africans and reached its peak by slave narratives. According to W E B. Du Bois, the writing in African American literature displays “double consciousness”, they acquire both the trace of Africans and modernity of Americans. They contributed to the literature comprising bicultural identity, irony, parody, tragedy and bitter comedy in negotiating this ambivalence, an attack upon presumed white cultural superiority, a naturalistic focus on inventing and reframing of language itself.

African-American literature generally focused on the on the role of African American in a society more likely to be surrounded by Americans. The African American writers started to use the language of American English in their writing. According to Princeton University professor Albert J. Raboteau, “all African-American study speaks to the deeper meaning of the African-American presence in this nation. This presence has always been a test case of the nation’s claims to freedom, democracy, equality, the inclusiveness of all.”

African-American literature is presented in the point of view of African American. Their search identity still goes on. Through their writing they fight for their rights against the white. It helps them to take over their problem and sufferings to the people to make them understand the situation they got into especially the black women who were subjected to double marginalisation. African-American literature was influenced by the Great African Heritage. African-Americans were good in Poetry which were sung with music as the concept of Spirituality. They use literary devices such as repetition and alliteration.

In the history of African American literature Harlem Renaissance plays a vital role in the growth of Art and literature. Harlem Renaissance first emerged in Harlem, which is near the city of New York. A large number of African American Community lives in Harlem as a result of Great Migration. Harlem is the African American Cultural Centre. The poets, artists, musicians and philosophers were all involved in the Harlem Renaissance.

The famous Harlem Renaissance writers such as WEB Du Bois and Marcus Garvey exhibit the themes such as Racism, ethnic pride which were related to Harlem Renaissance and the life of African American people. During the Renaissance African American changed drastically. They started to dress up like American wearing coat and suits. The Harlem Renaissance played a crucial role in changing the perception of African Americans. Before 1920s Black were thought to be the uneducated farmers, but it was changed during Harlem Renaissance, they were called to be the sophisticated and intellectual African Americans.

It also set a pathway to the black women writers. It is in this period that we could come across the creative women writers such as Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Maya Angelou and Zora Neale Hurston. Among the other participant of Renaissance, Langston Hughes plays a vital role. He introduced a new form of poetry known as Jazz Poetry.

Toni Morrison was an African American writer who was originally named Chloe Anthony Woffor. She was born as the second of four children to George and Ramah Woffor on February 18, 1931 in Lorain, Ohio, USA. She is noted for her examination of black experience, particularly black female experience, within the black community. Her debut novel appeared on the cusp of the civil rights and feminist movement: a time of great transformations and unparalleled historical significance. She times the appearance of The Bluest Eye so well that its impact reverberates strongly into the present. This is no wonder since her writing is not intended to cater for the general masses, nor does it follow the narrow furrows and structures of fiction writing which are usually implicitly understood.

The importance of her work does not only extend along the dimension of aesthetic value: her work is not cathartic in the sense of presenting true beauty loftily idealized; instead she endows her fictional voices with daring, cunning, resolve, resilience; they are often the loud or muffled voices of the surprisingly articulate and heart-rending insane, the latter perversion of mind being perceived in relation with mind-numbing senseless conformity. One may never tell where artistry begins and ends and to what extent her literary offerings will shape future mentalities, but one thing is for sure: her unquenchable thirst for racial justice and her innovative techniques will never cease to challenge our take on things. She received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993 for the book The Bluest Eye.

Morrison’s first book, The Bluest Eye (1970), this novel revolves around a little girl, named Picola, who think herself to be ugly and wanted to have a blue eye which he think would make her beautiful. In order to gain it she faced numerous problems at last gone mad.

In 1973 her second novel, Sula, was published. Sula is a story about the two best friends Nel and Sula with contrast personalities. Their trust for each other is very strong, But the circumstances made Sula broke Nel’s trust.

Tar Baby (1981), set on a Caribbean island, explores conflicts of race, class, and sex. Into a white millionaire’s Caribbean mansion comes Jadine, a sophisticated graduate of Sorbonne, art historian – a black American now living in Paris and Rome. Then there’s Son, a criminal on the run, uneducated violent, contemptuous- young American black of extreme beauty from small- town Florida A Morrison follows their affairs, she chart the nuances of obligation and betrayal between blacks and whites, masters and servants, and men and women.

The Beloved (1987), which won a Pulitzer Prize for fiction, is based on the true story of a runaway slave who, at the point of recapture, kills her infant daughter in order to spare her a life of slavery. Toni Morrison’s novel contains the passages of stream of consciousness, dialectal dialogue, flashbacks from the past and the conflation of past and present resulting in a destabilized horizon of racial and individual formation.

In 1992 Morrison released Jazz, a story of violence and passion set in New York City’s Harlem during the 1920s. Joe Trace, in his fifties, door- to- door salesman of Cleopatra beauty products, erstwhile devoted husband – shoots dead hi lover of three months- the impetuous, eighteen year old Dorcas. At the funeral, his determined, hard working wife, Violet, who is given to stumbling into dark metal cracks, tries with a knife to disfigure the corpse.

Paradise (1998), a richly detailed portrait of a black utopian community in Oklahoma. Four young women are brutally attacked in the convent near a black town in rural Oklahoma. Spanning the birth of the Civil Right Movement, Vietnam, the counter culture and politics of the late 1970s, deftly manipulating Past, Present and Future, this novel reveals the interior lives of the town with astonishing clarity.

Love (2003), an intricate family story that reveals the myriad facets of love and its ostensible opposite. Love ultimately comes full circle to that indelible, overwhelming first love that marks us forever.

A Mercy (2008) deals with slavery in 17th-century America. The revolve around the young girl who was brought by Jacob Vaark, a trader as a mode of payment for debt. After his death she was taken care by his widow wife. The young girl was in search of love which was later fulfilled by an African Goldsmith.

Home (2012), a traumatized Korean War veteran encounters racism after returning home. His home may seem alien to him, but he is shocked out of his crippling apathy by the need to rescue his medically abused younger sister and take her back to the small Georgia town they come from and that he’s hated all his life.

In God Help the Child (2015), Morrison chronicled the ramifications of child abuse and neglect through the tale of Bride, a black girl with dark skin who is born to light-skinned parents.

The central theme of Morrison’s novels were the racial oppression between African Americans and white society which she appealed through her characters, searching for identity, feministic view battle between good and evil were her other theme.

Some of the contemporary writers of Toni Morrison were Alice Walker, Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, Octavia E. Butler, Ralph Ellison, Jean Toomer, Langston Hughes, Alice Walker, and Richard Nathaniel Wright, Zora Neale Hurston.

Alice Walker is an American novelist, short story writer, poet and social activist. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Some of her famous works were Colour Purple, The Third Life of Grange Copeland, The Chicken Chronicles, Meridian etc.

Colour Purple, is an epistolary novel. It depicts the life of young uneducated teenage girl who was raped and abused by her Step-Father. The letter which he writes to God and her Sister Nettie narrates the complete story.

The Chicken Chronicles, this novel put forth the life of a teenage boy, Steve Guttenberg, who works as a caretaker of a folk of chicken and who cannot stop himself from impressing his dream girl, Lisa Reever.

Meridian richly portrays the life and experience of a black woman. Her active role in Civil Right Movement which in turn affected her personal life.

Jean Toomer was an American poet, born on 26th December, 1894, and expired on 30th March, 1967. He was a poet, playwright, novelist commonly associated with Harlem Renaissance. He got a good reputation as a writer only by his work Cane, which brought a great revolution.

Cane, depicts the situation of African American experience in United States. The novel is considered to be the revolutionary novel as it constitutes various genre within it such a poetry, dialogue, prose, essay and narrative.

Natalie Mann is a feminist drama that deals with the revolutionary feminist treatment of both male and female characters.

Langston Hughes was an American poet, playwright, social activist and a novelist. He is the central figure in Harlem Renaissance to progress in a literary aspect by giving new form of Jazz poetry.

Not Without Laughter, is a Semi Autobiographical novel as the characters and setting included in the novel are based on his memories of growing up in Lawrence. It explores the life of African American and the dominated nature of Women on the protagonist Sandy in a fragmented society which is divided by race and religion.

I, too, Am American, is poem which approves and demonstrates the yearning of equality through the perseverance and contradicts the thought that patriotism is limited by races.

Zora Neale Hurston was an American Author, Anthropologist and a filmmaker. In her work she mainly depicts the portrayal of racial struggles in 20th century American South. In 1930 Hurston collaborated with Hughes on a Play titled Mule Bone: A Comedy of Negro Life in the Three Act which was published posthumously in 1991.

Their Eye were Watching, the story revolves around the character, Janie Crawford, an independent women who underwent marriage for three times to seek her identity.

Jonah Gourd Vine, is her first novel published in 1934, tells the story of Jean Buddy Pearson, who had affair with many women which in turn leads to his downfall from Mayor to a mere person.

Mules and Men, is an Autobiographical collection of African American folklore collected when she explores the place in two trips namely Eatonville and Polk county; Florida and in New Orleans.

Octavia E Butler was an African American science fiction author and a recipient Hugo and Nebula Awards. In 1995 she was the first science fiction writer to receive Mac Arthur Fellow Award.

Kindred, is the first science fiction Novel written by a black woman. In this story Dana time travels to 1815 where slavery overheads Africans. It is a complex literary aspect a as science fiction a it undergoes slave Narratives with that of time travelling.

Bloodchild is an award winning novelette that describes the life of who escaped Earth and lived in the planet named Tlic planet. The creatures of that planet considered human being as the host of child implantation. It exhibits the contradictive fact of male pregnancy.

Parable of Talents is the second series of the novel Parable of Sower. In this novel the story continue after four years from the events that took place in Parable of Sower. The story is narrated by Lauren Oya Olamina and her daughter Larkin Olamina.

Countee Cullen was an American poet, novelist, children’s writer and playwright. He was considered to be the light of Harlem Renaissance. A New York public library was named after Countee Cullen a Countee Cullen Library.

The Lost Zoo, is a children’ book, which deals with the story of animal in the last Zoo, who missed the Noah’s Ark.

Color, is a collection of Countee Cullen’s First book, which contains the collection of more than seventy poems.

Maya Angelou was an American poet, novelist, and a civil right activist. She nearly wrote seven autobiographies which explore the themes of economic, racism and sexual oppression.

And Still I Rise, is the third volume of poetry which was published during one of the most productive period in her career.

The Heart of a Woman is an autobiography which constitutes of her life from 1957 to 1962 and also her difficulty in rearing her son.

Mom and Me and Mom is her last and final book of autobiography in which she wrote about her mom Vivian Baxter and Maya’s relationship with her.

According to Clarence Major, Major is an American poet, novelist, short story writer, critic, and educator, says– …’Morrison is the type of writer who would tell me that she works hard to make the presence of the writer disappear. Even so. Even so. When one goes to a book for a great reading experience, one does not wish to escape the page one is looking at…”–The American Book Review, Vol. 9, No. 6, January-February, 1988, p. 17.

The researcher, named Wendy E. Davis, did his research Titled “Self – Destructive Women in Toni Morrison’s Novels”. In Toni Morrison’s novel Song of Solomon, the two women, Ruth and Hagar who were in the path of destructiveness by their attitude. Hagar come to the acquaintance with death when she was obsessed with her appearance. Ruth too ruined her character when she got sexual pleasure by feeding her own son. Her longing for love and sexual feeling made her fall in the eyes her husband and others. This thesis also shows the character such as Pilate, a very strong woman, who exist in Black Community. Through this thesis the researcher tries to put forth the solution of how the future women should be by portraying both weak and strong women in the Novels of Toni Morrison.

The Researcher named Rachel Rest, did his thesis on “The Forgotten Women of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye and Song of Solomon”. In this research he explored the significance of the female character by analysing how Morrison’s narrative form ignore or neglect certain social factors and there by taking a closer look at the racer moment in which Morrison gives the actors the opportunity to speak. He also has explored how utilising different female voice and stories necessary in representing and experiences that multitudes of standpoints and experiences that constitutes American Blackness.

Morrison finds a way to elevate the voices of forgotten women in a way that does justice to the richness and messiness of the Black female experience. In a society that continues to ignore, marginalize, and forget Black women, Morrison’s novels suggest that while these women aren’t perfect or without fault—they have important things to say. The stories of Pecola in The Bluest Eye and Hagar in Song of Solomon outline how forgetting women can wreak irreparable psychological harm. Pauline, Ruth, and Lena give insight into the triple consciousness characteristic of Black womanhood, portraying it as both a blessing and a curse.

A Researcher named Amita Naik, has done his thesis on “The Novel of Toni Morrison- A Feministic study” which deals with the contradictive role of female characters. She also specified the work Song of Solomon as a unique one as it speak of male character and his upliftment.

A Researcher named K Sumana, has done his thesis on “Race Gender and Class in the novel of Toni Morrison a Study, which deals about the interrelation of Race gender and class. In all these, the one who is more prone to domination and alienation is a woman.

A Researcher named Koshi Elizabeth Valsa, has done a thesis on “Psychic Fragmentation and Reintegration in the Novel of Toni Morrison” which deal with the fragmantic nature of the characters where they seems to be deviated from the society and then in turn reunite with them by the end.

In this Research study, the Researcher deals with the deconstruction of the female character primarily that of Ruth, Pilate, First Corinthian, and Magdalena. Their role in the novel will be dealt in a new perspective. In previous Researches about women character in Toni Morrison’s novels will always be dealt with their fault or how they were suppressed.

This research aims at changing the perspective of human that women are lower to men. This brings the importance of female character in this novel so that their role in novel could be emphasized. This study focus on how a woman leads to the transformation of a man.

“Patriarchal Deconstruction of Women in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon.” Patriarchal society refer to the society where men dominates women and have a complete power over the house, its female participant, and also the hierarchical property. In this study, there will be the breaking of this system of Patriarchy. In this process we will be deconstructing the usually portrayed character of women.

Chapter 1 gives an introduction to the Literature where the origin of the literature, famous influential writers of that period and their work are precisely dealt. The author of the literary piece for the study is given with their contemporary writers and critic’s view on the author and the work , the Literature Review of the two thesis done were dealt. The Objectives and Statement of the Thesis is stated which make the study more clear of what is going to be dealt in further coming chapters.

Chapter 2 deals with the methodology, the method which is applied to prove the statement. In this study we will be using the Deconstruction Theory. The elements of the theory are stated briefly that help us to understand the theory and its application to the literary text.

Chapter 3 deals with the main content of the study where the Statement of Thesis is proven with the incidental and experimental evident from the textual context. The theory is applied to the literary piece. This help us to analyse the system of the piece with reference to the Deconstruction Theory.

Chapter 4 deals with the conclusion of the study where the restatement of the thesis is given and result of the study is summarized. It also includes Researcher’s inference to the text and his own findings in the thesis.

Introduction:

‘Hip Hop America’ by Nelson George is a thought-provoking exploration of the cultural phenomenon that is hip hop. In this summary essay, we delve into the key themes and ideas presented in the book, shedding light on the impact and significance of hip hop in American society. From its origins in the Bronx to its global influence, ‘Hip Hop America’ offers valuable insights into the power of this musical and cultural movement.

Body:

The Birth of Hip Hop:

George traces the roots of hip hop back to the South Bronx in the 1970s, where a vibrant subculture emerged amidst social and economic challenges. The book explores the rise of DJing, MCing, breakdancing, and graffiti as integral elements of hip hop culture. George emphasizes the transformative power of these artistic expressions and their ability to provide a voice for marginalized communities.

Social Commentary and Political Activism:

‘Hip Hop America’ highlights the importance of hip hop as a form of social commentary and political activism. Artists such as Public Enemy, N.W.A, and A Tribe Called Quest used their music to address issues of racism, police brutality, socioeconomic inequality, and the struggles of the urban poor. George emphasizes how hip hop became a platform for marginalized voices, sparking conversations and calling for social change.

Cultural Appropriation:

The book explores the complexities of cultural appropriation within hip hop. George discusses the appropriation of African American culture by mainstream media and white artists, highlighting the tension between cultural exchange and exploitation. He raises questions about the authenticity and commercialization of hip hop, addressing the challenges faced by artists striving to maintain the integrity of the culture.

Gender and Sexuality:

‘Hip Hop America’ examines the representation of gender and sexuality within the hip hop industry. George discusses the prevalence of hypermasculinity and misogyny in lyrics and music videos, as well as the marginalization of LGBTQ+ voices. He explores how women and queer artists navigate these challenges, carving out their space within the predominantly male-dominated industry.

Global Impact:

The book explores the global reach of hip hop, emphasizing its influence beyond the United States. George discusses how hip hop has become a global cultural movement, with artists from various countries adapting the genre to express their own social and political realities. He emphasizes the power of hip hop to connect people across borders and bridge cultural gaps.

Commercialization and the Music Industry:

‘Hip Hop America’ delves into the commercialization of hip hop and its impact on the music industry. George discusses the shift from independent labels to major record labels, highlighting the influence of corporate interests on the content and direction of hip hop. He examines the tension between artistic integrity and commercial success, raising questions about the commodification of the culture.

Conclusion:

In ‘Hip Hop America,’ Nelson George provides a comprehensive exploration of the themes and significance of hip hop in American society. From its origins as a grassroots movement in the South Bronx to its global influence, hip hop has shaped culture, challenged societal norms, and provided a platform for marginalized voices. George’s book invites readers to critically examine the impact of hip hop and its ongoing evolution, highlighting its power as a cultural force for social change and artistic expression.

Imagine a world where the stories of countless individuals who contributed to shaping history were silenced, forgotten, or overshadowed. That world was a reality for far too long. Thankfully, Black History Month emerged as a beacon of light, a time to celebrate, honor, and educate about the achievements, struggles, and contributions of Black individuals throughout history. This narrative essay delves into the profound importance of Black History Month, highlighting its role in acknowledging the past, inspiring the present, and shaping a more inclusive future.

Thesis Statement

Black History Month is essential as it empowers us to remember and recognize the often-overlooked achievements of Black individuals, instills pride within the Black community, and promotes a more comprehensive understanding of history.

Acknowledging Hidden Stories

For centuries, history textbooks and narratives marginalized the contributions of Black individuals, perpetuating a skewed perspective of the past. Black History Month serves as a counterbalance, providing a platform to showcase stories that were once pushed to the margins. By acknowledging these hidden stories, we broaden our understanding of history, highlighting the important roles Black individuals played in areas such as art, science, politics, and social justice.

Inspiring Pride and Identity

Black History Month is more than a commemoration; it’s a celebration of resilience, strength, and cultural richness. For the Black community, it’s a time to honor the achievements of ancestors who navigated adversity with courage and dignity. By learning about trailblazers like Harriet Tubman, Malcolm X, Maya Angelou, and countless others, young Black individuals find role models whose accomplishments inspire them to overcome challenges and pursue their aspirations.

Promoting Cultural Exchange

The importance of Black History Month extends beyond the Black community—it fosters a greater understanding and appreciation among individuals from all backgrounds. As we delve into the stories of Black history, we gain insights into the shared struggles, triumphs, and interconnectedness that define the human experience. This knowledge fosters empathy, erases stereotypes, and promotes cultural exchange, ultimately paving the way for a more harmonious society.

Challenging Historical Biases

Black History Month encourages critical examination of history. By shedding light on the often-overlooked contributions of Black individuals, it challenges historical biases and misconceptions. It prompts us to question why certain stories were omitted and to rethink our understanding of history’s key players. This process of self-reflection allows us to confront uncomfortable truths and work toward a more accurate representation of the past.

Building Bridges for the Future

Black History Month serves as a bridge between the past, present, and future. It empowers us to learn from the lessons of history and apply them to contemporary issues. As we celebrate the accomplishments of Black individuals who fought for civil rights, equal education, and social justice, we are reminded of the ongoing struggle for equality and the importance of standing up against injustice.

Educating Future Generations

The legacy of Black History Month lies in its impact on future generations. By educating young minds about the contributions of Black individuals, we empower them to be informed and empathetic citizens. This knowledge equips them to confront racial prejudices, challenge stereotypes, and promote inclusivity. Ultimately, the lessons of Black history encourage young people to become advocates for change, ensuring a more just and equitable society.

Conclusion: Embracing the Power of Black History Month

In conclusion, Black History Month is a celebration that carries a profound significance for individuals of all backgrounds. It amplifies the voices and stories that have been silenced for too long, instills pride within the Black community, challenges biases, and fosters empathy and understanding. By embracing the power of Black history, we honor the struggles and triumphs of those who paved the way and pave the path for a brighter, more inclusive future. As we celebrate Black History Month, we commit ourselves to the ongoing journey of recognizing the value and contributions of Black individuals throughout history and making their stories an integral part of our shared narrative.

Abstract

This essay provides some secret messages about Jordan Peele’s film, Get Out that revealed racism in American culture. The author argues that Peele’s Get Out illustrates the protracted terrorism that is whiteness and the concomitant objectification and utilization of the black body for white survival, accumulation, and pleasure. The film challenges those audiences to consider how anti-blackness operates within schools and education policy. More specifically, those audiences should challenge longstanding inequities that foreclose the present and future of black youth. The film also depicts the lack of attention on missing black Americans compared to missing white females. Jordan Peele’s critically acclaimed low-budget shocker became a surprise hit and showed viewers a terrifying look at the fractured myth of a post-racial US. This film uses the modes of horror to make viewers feel what daily life is like for real black men and women.

Keyword: Get out the film, racist film, black American movie

Introduction

Horror movies are commonly upcoming in cinema, we often watch some horror movies that just challenge our adrenalin by bringing up ghosts and mystical figures or characters. Then, how about horror movies that have a big message revealed about a country’s society and culture that indirectly bring up some racist attitude in their social environment?

Get Out is an American horror film that was written and directed by Jordan Peele. This film was theatrically released in the United States on February 24, 2017, by Universal Pictures. It grossed $255 million worldwide on a $4.5 million budget, with a net profit of $124 million, making it the tenth-most profitable film of 2017. Peele has dealt with race in America in a refreshing, funny, and unflinching manner. The number of things Peele manages to reference is stunning: the taboo of mixed relationships, eugenics, the slave trade, black men dying first in horror films, suburban racism, and police brutality. In one legendary Chappelle’s Show skit, comedian Paul Mooney wearily relays to the camera: “The black man in America is the most copied man on this planet, bar none. Everybody wanna be a nigga, but nobody wanna be a nigga.” His words are just as true now as when they were filmed over a decade ago, and I was reminded of them while watching Get Out, a movie that broadcasts the unique horror of the black experience in a white America. Get Out ingeniously uses common horror tropes to reveal truths about how pernicious racism is in the world.

How’s Get Out storyline

Get Out has a general narrative structure borrowing from predecessors of horror, mystery, and psychological thrillers. In its exposing of racial tensions, the film has been, referred to as “an example of ‘horror vérité’, because it uses the mechanics of the horror genre to expose actually existing racism, to render newly visible the very real, but often masked, the racial landscape of a professedly liberal post-racial America.” (Landsburg, 2018, paragraph 1). Watchers receive the mystery of the hypnosis, but also the leery music of the scariness.

Actually, at the beginning of this movie plot look like American culture in general which is bringing your boyfriend or your girlfriend to meet your family for some approval. A photographer named Chris (played by Daniel Kaluuya) joins his girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams), on a weekend trip to meet her family. Chris’s meet-the-parents anxiety is amplified when he learns that Rose, who’s white, hasn’t told her family that he is black. But after they arrive Chris’s worries fizzle. Missy and Dean, Rose’s parents, are pretty nice — albeit over-eagerly so. Jeremy (Rose’s brother) seems to be suffering from some sort of personal aggression issue, however, and the family’s black maid and black groundskeeper are just plain weird. At the first, Chris look likes very welcomed by Rose’s family, but then he discovered something weird with his girlfriend’s family. He felt anxious and wonders what really happened with all of the stuff about this family because he feels weird about Rose’s family’s welcoming attitude toward him such as a black man.

Rose’s family, it turns out, runs an underground transplant operation where the brains of white people are inserted into the bodies of blacks. The black people are reduced to vessels — unable to control any movement or form of speech — as they helplessly observe their white captor carry out their former life. In the movie this stunted state of being in which the black person is forced to live the remainder of his or her days is called “the sunken place.”

The man who ultimately purchases Chris’s body is Jim, a blind art dealer. Jim doesn’t just lust over Chris’s eyes, he wants his black vision: The invaluable tool forged through a lifetime of black experiences, black struggles, and black joy. It is the final step in this dystopian allegory of appropriation, where a black body is assumed, but the histories of the black being are left to erasure. Jim explains his decision this way: “What I want is so much deeper: Your eye, man. I want those things you see through.”

Prefer being silent about racism for politeness

Chris’s white girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams), invites him to spend the weekend at her family’s house in suburbia. Everyone there, from her parents to her parents’ white friends and neighbors to her family’s black servants, is acting strangely. Increasingly suspicious and scared, Chris eventually falls victim to a community-wide plot to abduct black men and women and fuse their brains with those of older white men and women in a horrific eugenics experiment. His only option becomes escape by any means necessary — which in Get Out’s case means open violence.

As we know that black Americans mostly get labeled as people who often use their strength for violence, but in the fact not all the violence from black Americans. Mainstream American culture considers violence heroic in certain socially sanctioned contexts — “just” wars, certain sporting events, self-defense, etc. This view extends, for the most part, to our pop culture, too: Our heroes from movies, television, and video games are often loners standing up to an unjust system, using violence to accomplish whatever they need.

But when violence is used as a means of resistance by minorities or the disenfranchised, culture and pop culture tend to take a different view, it becomes something to be avoided at all costs. Because has labeled with a bad attitude, black Americans prefer that must have high education to prove that they are not different from white and also have politeness.

Chris is strategically silent while enduring a fusillade of casually racist behaviors, and it’s clear he’s learned this maneuver through countless social interactions. Chris’s silence is deliberately designed to avoid hostility and create an appearance of politeness and compliance. He remains nonviolent until the last possible second, to his peril.

The film emphasizes Chris’s rising levels of fear and his patient attempts to remain calm and be on his best behavior in order to contextualize the escalating, life-threatening danger of his situation. In real life, the dominant narrative about black struggles to coexist within white society is that the black individual is the troublemaker, the source of agitation, and the problem to be dealt with. But because we’re so conditioned by horror as a genre to the trope of the “guy trying to convince himself everything’s fine when things are clearly not fine,” the audience remains on Chris’s side, even as his pushback against white suburbia escalates.

When Chris finally does resort to violence, it’s a cathartic and empowering moment, and there’s no platitude about peacemaking to be found. In Get Out, black violence isn’t a temporary step to harmonious assimilation with white people; rather, white people are intensely racist and need to be stopped. By making audience members — including white ones — relate to this feeling of desperation so clearly, Get Out challenges views on real-life black resistance and protest.

White feminism in a racist culture

According to Wikipedia White feminism is an epithet used to describe feminist theories that focus on the struggles of white women without addressing distinct forms of oppression faced by ethnic minority women and women lacking another privilege.

In America, white feminism seems like being toxic to some people, especially black women. Black women, feel that there are some differences between feminism between white and black women. White feminism seems racist because there are some cases where feminism didn’t work properly for black women. But this movie shows feminism with black men.

In this movie Rose (Chris’s girlfriend) seems warm, progressive, and awake to the realities of racism. She seems like the perfect kind of person to support Chris in surviving and fighting the white racist community he finds at her parents’ house. But Rose is the embodiment of “white feminism,” which prioritizes what white women want and need while ignoring social issues faced by minorities. Rose is consistently dismissive of Chris’s concerns about her family, asserting that her family is not racist in the least, citing her father’s love of Barack Obama as evidence. And when she defends him against the suspicions of a racist local police officer, she does so by speaking for him and over his objections. In one scene, she professes to be baffled by her family’s apparently oblivious racist aggressions toward Chris, which shows how well she recognizes and pays lip service to the act of being a good ally, even as she secretly uses that knowledge to further her family’s racist agenda.

A common criticism of white feminism is that white women want to be seen as supportive of minorities as long as their interests align, but when crisis moments arise, they support their own interests at the expense of minority groups. Rose’s behavior in the film is consistent with this critique, and when the crisis moment arrives in Get Out, this pattern is made crystal clear: She’s only been superficially supportive of Chris in order to manipulate him into aligning his interests with hers. When push comes to shove, she betrays him. Worse, she never had his back, to begin with. Beneath her winning exterior, she’s just as complicit in Chris’s oppression as the rest of her family. This twist reflects a larger, longstanding argument that white feminism has never prioritized racial equality as part of its agenda and has often actively worked against the cause. Rose’s feminism might be a more polite version of racism, but it’s still racism.

Racism is as American as pie. In order for the feminist movement to truly be progressive and intersectional, white women must face this fact and begin to take on their load of work. We are long overdue to dismantle this system, which, if it is not intentionally and aggressively addressed, will defeat us all in the end.

White microaggression as making dehumanization in one of the British cultures

According to Wikipedia Microaggression is a term used for brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative prejudicial slights and insults toward any group, particularly culturally marginalized groups. of women and minorities and other marginalized people. The power of a microaggression is that it’s often framed as casual ignorance — so if you get mad about it, you look like the oversensitive one. It’s used to consistently wear down and dehumanize your identity, while creating plausible deniability that can be used to make you look, well, crazy.

In Get Out, as in real life, white people’s seemingly innocuous comments on Chris’s race are not innocuous at all, though at first they’re presented that way. Chris endures a social nightmare: a garden party full of rich white people who invade his space, touch him without permission, prod him, and explicitly objectify him physically and sexually. They do all this while expecting him to approve of their benevolent approval of black people.

On the other hand, there is a British culture garden party that is a set for this microaggression. This is an American horror-mystery movie but its looks like Peele included some part of British culture in this movie. A Garden party is one of the British cultures that in the US is called a lawns party.

Back to microaggression that appears in this movie, All of this is initially portrayed as well-meaning, if annoying; as one film reviewer wrote in her review of the film, “These clueless white people are trying to be cool in front of Chris, whom they just sort of think must be cool because he’s black, and he’s indulged it.” But this is how microaggressions are calculated to come across, they’re statements and actions made with the intent to pass for clueless behavior while masking deeper forms of racism. Christ was very welcomed at that garden party which is held by Rose’s parents, but in fact, he has some microaggressions that are racist in that situation.

The comments Chris endures in good faith don’t attempt to genuinely interact with him; they’re buyer inquiries from a horrific parade of consumers inspecting new merchandise. Get Out portrays the partygoers’ “benevolent” racism as what it actually is: a cover for a system of dehumanization.

In conclusion, Get Out has a few secret messages about racism in America, in case prefers silence for politeness is all about how black people react against some people that intimidate them. Because in fact, in American culture there is little microaggression against them directly or indirectly. And also Jordan Peele’s Get Out illustrates that the physical space in which black people exist is not truly accepted, included, or beloved. A sociological and cultural analysis of this film demonstrates that liberal ideology and color-blind rhetoric in addressing racism is at its best perceived as a perpetuation of microaggressions and at its worst. And in addition, he inserted some British culture in that movie, which in my opinion it was unique, besides this is such a horror-mystery movie that in fact had a big message about racism in America.

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Out#Themes
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Out
3. https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/politics/a22717725/what-is-toxic-white-feminism/
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminism_in_the_United_States
5. https://www.thecut.com/2017/03/what-get-out-gets-right-about-american-culture-and-blackness.html
6. https://www.looper.com/143902/get-out-ending-explained/
7. https://medium.com/the-base-line/get-out-the-little-movie-with-a-big-message-3152f34cd6d6

Imagine a world where the stories of countless individuals who contributed to shaping history were silenced, forgotten, or overshadowed. That world was a reality for far too long. Thankfully, Black History Month emerged as a beacon of light, a time to celebrate, honor, and educate about the achievements, struggles, and contributions of Black individuals throughout history. This narrative essay delves into the profound importance of Black History Month, highlighting its role in acknowledging the past, inspiring the present, and shaping a more inclusive future.

Thesis Statement

Black History Month is essential as it empowers us to remember and recognize the often-overlooked achievements of Black individuals, instills pride within the Black community, and promotes a more comprehensive understanding of history.

Acknowledging Hidden Stories

For centuries, history textbooks and narratives marginalized the contributions of Black individuals, perpetuating a skewed perspective of the past. Black History Month serves as a counterbalance, providing a platform to showcase stories that were once pushed to the margins. By acknowledging these hidden stories, we broaden our understanding of history, highlighting the important roles Black individuals played in areas such as art, science, politics, and social justice.

Inspiring Pride and Identity

Black History Month is more than a commemoration; it’s a celebration of resilience, strength, and cultural richness. For the Black community, it’s a time to honor the achievements of ancestors who navigated adversity with courage and dignity. By learning about trailblazers like Harriet Tubman, Malcolm X, Maya Angelou, and countless others, young Black individuals find role models whose accomplishments inspire them to overcome challenges and pursue their aspirations.

Promoting Cultural Exchange

The importance of Black History Month extends beyond the Black community—it fosters a greater understanding and appreciation among individuals from all backgrounds. As we delve into the stories of Black history, we gain insights into the shared struggles, triumphs, and interconnectedness that define the human experience. This knowledge fosters empathy, erases stereotypes, and promotes cultural exchange, ultimately paving the way for a more harmonious society.

Challenging Historical Biases

Black History Month encourages critical examination of history. By shedding light on the often-overlooked contributions of Black individuals, it challenges historical biases and misconceptions. It prompts us to question why certain stories were omitted and to rethink our understanding of history’s key players. This process of self-reflection allows us to confront uncomfortable truths and work toward a more accurate representation of the past.

Building Bridges for the Future

Black History Month serves as a bridge between the past, present, and future. It empowers us to learn from the lessons of history and apply them to contemporary issues. As we celebrate the accomplishments of Black individuals who fought for civil rights, equal education, and social justice, we are reminded of the ongoing struggle for equality and the importance of standing up against injustice.

Educating Future Generations

The legacy of Black History Month lies in its impact on future generations. By educating young minds about the contributions of Black individuals, we empower them to be informed and empathetic citizens. This knowledge equips them to confront racial prejudices, challenge stereotypes, and promote inclusivity. Ultimately, the lessons of Black history encourage young people to become advocates for change, ensuring a more just and equitable society.

Conclusion: Embracing the Power of Black History Month

In conclusion, Black History Month is a celebration that carries a profound significance for individuals of all backgrounds. It amplifies the voices and stories that have been silenced for too long, instills pride within the Black community, challenges biases, and fosters empathy and understanding. By embracing the power of Black history, we honor the struggles and triumphs of those who paved the way and pave the path for a brighter, more inclusive future. As we celebrate Black History Month, we commit ourselves to the ongoing journey of recognizing the value and contributions of Black individuals throughout history and making their stories an integral part of our shared narrative.

Abstract

This essay provides some secret messages about Jordan Peele’s film, Get Out that revealed racism in American culture. The author argues that Peele’s Get Out illustrates the protracted terrorism that is whiteness and the concomitant objectification and utilization of the black body for white survival, accumulation, and pleasure. The film challenges those audiences to consider how anti-blackness operates within schools and education policy. More specifically, those audiences should challenge longstanding inequities that foreclose the present and future of black youth. The film also depicts the lack of attention on missing black Americans compared to missing white females. Jordan Peele’s critically acclaimed low-budget shocker became a surprise hit and showed viewers a terrifying look at the fractured myth of a post-racial US. This film uses the modes of horror to make viewers feel what daily life is like for real black men and women.

Keyword: Get out the film, racist film, black American movie

Introduction

Horror movies are commonly upcoming in cinema, we often watch some horror movies that just challenge our adrenalin by bringing up ghosts and mystical figures or characters. Then, how about horror movies that have a big message revealed about a country’s society and culture that indirectly bring up some racist attitude in their social environment?

Get Out is an American horror film that was written and directed by Jordan Peele. This film was theatrically released in the United States on February 24, 2017, by Universal Pictures. It grossed $255 million worldwide on a $4.5 million budget, with a net profit of $124 million, making it the tenth-most profitable film of 2017. Peele has dealt with race in America in a refreshing, funny, and unflinching manner. The number of things Peele manages to reference is stunning: the taboo of mixed relationships, eugenics, the slave trade, black men dying first in horror films, suburban racism, and police brutality. In one legendary Chappelle’s Show skit, comedian Paul Mooney wearily relays to the camera: “The black man in America is the most copied man on this planet, bar none. Everybody wanna be a nigga, but nobody wanna be a nigga.” His words are just as true now as when they were filmed over a decade ago, and I was reminded of them while watching Get Out, a movie that broadcasts the unique horror of the black experience in a white America. Get Out ingeniously uses common horror tropes to reveal truths about how pernicious racism is in the world.

How’s Get Out storyline

Get Out has a general narrative structure borrowing from predecessors of horror, mystery, and psychological thrillers. In its exposing of racial tensions, the film has been, referred to as “an example of ‘horror vérité’, because it uses the mechanics of the horror genre to expose actually existing racism, to render newly visible the very real, but often masked, the racial landscape of a professedly liberal post-racial America.” (Landsburg, 2018, paragraph 1). Watchers receive the mystery of the hypnosis, but also the leery music of the scariness.

Actually, at the beginning of this movie plot look like American culture in general which is bringing your boyfriend or your girlfriend to meet your family for some approval. A photographer named Chris (played by Daniel Kaluuya) joins his girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams), on a weekend trip to meet her family. Chris’s meet-the-parents anxiety is amplified when he learns that Rose, who’s white, hasn’t told her family that he is black. But after they arrive Chris’s worries fizzle. Missy and Dean, Rose’s parents, are pretty nice — albeit over-eagerly so. Jeremy (Rose’s brother) seems to be suffering from some sort of personal aggression issue, however, and the family’s black maid and black groundskeeper are just plain weird. At the first, Chris look likes very welcomed by Rose’s family, but then he discovered something weird with his girlfriend’s family. He felt anxious and wonders what really happened with all of the stuff about this family because he feels weird about Rose’s family’s welcoming attitude toward him such as a black man.

Rose’s family, it turns out, runs an underground transplant operation where the brains of white people are inserted into the bodies of blacks. The black people are reduced to vessels — unable to control any movement or form of speech — as they helplessly observe their white captor carry out their former life. In the movie this stunted state of being in which the black person is forced to live the remainder of his or her days is called “the sunken place.”

The man who ultimately purchases Chris’s body is Jim, a blind art dealer. Jim doesn’t just lust over Chris’s eyes, he wants his black vision: The invaluable tool forged through a lifetime of black experiences, black struggles, and black joy. It is the final step in this dystopian allegory of appropriation, where a black body is assumed, but the histories of the black being are left to erasure. Jim explains his decision this way: “What I want is so much deeper: Your eye, man. I want those things you see through.”

Prefer being silent about racism for politeness

Chris’s white girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams), invites him to spend the weekend at her family’s house in suburbia. Everyone there, from her parents to her parents’ white friends and neighbors to her family’s black servants, is acting strangely. Increasingly suspicious and scared, Chris eventually falls victim to a community-wide plot to abduct black men and women and fuse their brains with those of older white men and women in a horrific eugenics experiment. His only option becomes escape by any means necessary — which in Get Out’s case means open violence.

As we know that black Americans mostly get labeled as people who often use their strength for violence, but in the fact not all the violence from black Americans. Mainstream American culture considers violence heroic in certain socially sanctioned contexts — “just” wars, certain sporting events, self-defense, etc. This view extends, for the most part, to our pop culture, too: Our heroes from movies, television, and video games are often loners standing up to an unjust system, using violence to accomplish whatever they need.

But when violence is used as a means of resistance by minorities or the disenfranchised, culture and pop culture tend to take a different view, it becomes something to be avoided at all costs. Because has labeled with a bad attitude, black Americans prefer that must have high education to prove that they are not different from white and also have politeness.

Chris is strategically silent while enduring a fusillade of casually racist behaviors, and it’s clear he’s learned this maneuver through countless social interactions. Chris’s silence is deliberately designed to avoid hostility and create an appearance of politeness and compliance. He remains nonviolent until the last possible second, to his peril.

The film emphasizes Chris’s rising levels of fear and his patient attempts to remain calm and be on his best behavior in order to contextualize the escalating, life-threatening danger of his situation. In real life, the dominant narrative about black struggles to coexist within white society is that the black individual is the troublemaker, the source of agitation, and the problem to be dealt with. But because we’re so conditioned by horror as a genre to the trope of the “guy trying to convince himself everything’s fine when things are clearly not fine,” the audience remains on Chris’s side, even as his pushback against white suburbia escalates.

When Chris finally does resort to violence, it’s a cathartic and empowering moment, and there’s no platitude about peacemaking to be found. In Get Out, black violence isn’t a temporary step to harmonious assimilation with white people; rather, white people are intensely racist and need to be stopped. By making audience members — including white ones — relate to this feeling of desperation so clearly, Get Out challenges views on real-life black resistance and protest.

White feminism in a racist culture

According to Wikipedia White feminism is an epithet used to describe feminist theories that focus on the struggles of white women without addressing distinct forms of oppression faced by ethnic minority women and women lacking another privilege.

In America, white feminism seems like being toxic to some people, especially black women. Black women, feel that there are some differences between feminism between white and black women. White feminism seems racist because there are some cases where feminism didn’t work properly for black women. But this movie shows feminism with black men.

In this movie Rose (Chris’s girlfriend) seems warm, progressive, and awake to the realities of racism. She seems like the perfect kind of person to support Chris in surviving and fighting the white racist community he finds at her parents’ house. But Rose is the embodiment of “white feminism,” which prioritizes what white women want and need while ignoring social issues faced by minorities. Rose is consistently dismissive of Chris’s concerns about her family, asserting that her family is not racist in the least, citing her father’s love of Barack Obama as evidence. And when she defends him against the suspicions of a racist local police officer, she does so by speaking for him and over his objections. In one scene, she professes to be baffled by her family’s apparently oblivious racist aggressions toward Chris, which shows how well she recognizes and pays lip service to the act of being a good ally, even as she secretly uses that knowledge to further her family’s racist agenda.

A common criticism of white feminism is that white women want to be seen as supportive of minorities as long as their interests align, but when crisis moments arise, they support their own interests at the expense of minority groups. Rose’s behavior in the film is consistent with this critique, and when the crisis moment arrives in Get Out, this pattern is made crystal clear: She’s only been superficially supportive of Chris in order to manipulate him into aligning his interests with hers. When push comes to shove, she betrays him. Worse, she never had his back, to begin with. Beneath her winning exterior, she’s just as complicit in Chris’s oppression as the rest of her family. This twist reflects a larger, longstanding argument that white feminism has never prioritized racial equality as part of its agenda and has often actively worked against the cause. Rose’s feminism might be a more polite version of racism, but it’s still racism.

Racism is as American as pie. In order for the feminist movement to truly be progressive and intersectional, white women must face this fact and begin to take on their load of work. We are long overdue to dismantle this system, which, if it is not intentionally and aggressively addressed, will defeat us all in the end.

White microaggression as making dehumanization in one of the British cultures

According to Wikipedia Microaggression is a term used for brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative prejudicial slights and insults toward any group, particularly culturally marginalized groups. of women and minorities and other marginalized people. The power of a microaggression is that it’s often framed as casual ignorance — so if you get mad about it, you look like the oversensitive one. It’s used to consistently wear down and dehumanize your identity, while creating plausible deniability that can be used to make you look, well, crazy.

In Get Out, as in real life, white people’s seemingly innocuous comments on Chris’s race are not innocuous at all, though at first they’re presented that way. Chris endures a social nightmare: a garden party full of rich white people who invade his space, touch him without permission, prod him, and explicitly objectify him physically and sexually. They do all this while expecting him to approve of their benevolent approval of black people.

On the other hand, there is a British culture garden party that is a set for this microaggression. This is an American horror-mystery movie but its looks like Peele included some part of British culture in this movie. A Garden party is one of the British cultures that in the US is called a lawns party.

Back to microaggression that appears in this movie, All of this is initially portrayed as well-meaning, if annoying; as one film reviewer wrote in her review of the film, “These clueless white people are trying to be cool in front of Chris, whom they just sort of think must be cool because he’s black, and he’s indulged it.” But this is how microaggressions are calculated to come across, they’re statements and actions made with the intent to pass for clueless behavior while masking deeper forms of racism. Christ was very welcomed at that garden party which is held by Rose’s parents, but in fact, he has some microaggressions that are racist in that situation.

The comments Chris endures in good faith don’t attempt to genuinely interact with him; they’re buyer inquiries from a horrific parade of consumers inspecting new merchandise. Get Out portrays the partygoers’ “benevolent” racism as what it actually is: a cover for a system of dehumanization.

In conclusion, Get Out has a few secret messages about racism in America, in case prefers silence for politeness is all about how black people react against some people that intimidate them. Because in fact, in American culture there is little microaggression against them directly or indirectly. And also Jordan Peele’s Get Out illustrates that the physical space in which black people exist is not truly accepted, included, or beloved. A sociological and cultural analysis of this film demonstrates that liberal ideology and color-blind rhetoric in addressing racism is at its best perceived as a perpetuation of microaggressions and at its worst. And in addition, he inserted some British culture in that movie, which in my opinion it was unique, besides this is such a horror-mystery movie that in fact had a big message about racism in America.

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Out#Themes
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Out
3. https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/politics/a22717725/what-is-toxic-white-feminism/
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminism_in_the_United_States
5. https://www.thecut.com/2017/03/what-get-out-gets-right-about-american-culture-and-blackness.html
6. https://www.looper.com/143902/get-out-ending-explained/
7. https://medium.com/the-base-line/get-out-the-little-movie-with-a-big-message-3152f34cd6d6

Marc Jacob’s SpringSummer 2017 show featured predominantly white models including the industry’s ‘top models’, Bella and Gigi Hadid and Kendal Jenner, wearing wigs styled in pastel-colored dreadlocks for a ‘cyberpunk goth’ look inspired by ‘ravers’, ‘acid house’, ‘Harajuku girls’ and director Lana Wachowski’s distinctive hairdo. From the 52 shows, less than 10 of the models were people of color. When met with criticism for the show’s lack of acknowledgment of the style’s significant relation to Rastafarianism and Black culture, Jacobs took to Instagram to reply: ‘All who cry ‘cultural appropriation’ or whatever nonsense about any race or skin color wearing their hair in any particular style or manner – funny how you don’t criticize women of color for straightening their hair: don’t see color or race – I see people.’ Jacobs’ ‘color-blindness’ serves to erase Black culture and influence entirely from his design. Similarly, Comme des Garcon’s FallWinter 2020 collection put white models in Fulani-styled cornrowed lace front wigs to advertise their men’s collection; the collection’s hairstylist, Julien d’Ys, apologized on Instagram stating his inspiration was the look of an ‘Egyptian prince’, once again neglecting to credit the hair’s cultural roots and significance. Gucci also came under fire after its Fall 2018 show that featured white models wearing balaclavas that many said resembled blackface, as well as white models debuting its ‘Indy Full Turban’, a head scarf accessory that closely resembled Sikh turbans. The Sikh Coalition tweeted a response towards Gucci following the show, stating: ‘The Sikh turban is not a fashion accessory, but it’s also a sacred religious article of faith. We hope more can be done to recognize this critical context. #appropriation.’ Gucci did not release a statement following the issue. They, however, released an apology for their balaclava-style sweater that had a ring of red around the cut-out section of the lips which resembled a racist caricature. Their Twitter statement read: ‘We consider diversity to be a fundamental value to be fully upheld, respected and at the forefront of every decision we make.’

Marc Jacobs, Comme des GarSons, and Gucci are a few examples of fashion brands accused of cultural appropriation and many others include Louis Vuitton, Victoria’s Secret, and Urban Outfitters. These fashion brands, when accused of ‘cultural appropriation’ are likely to argue back with the idea of ‘cultural appreciation’ – suggesting that designers have respectively drawn from other cultures in a show of ‘artistic freedom, multicultural exchange, anthropology, reverse racism, and not sweating the small stuff’. There is often a debate about whether a brand’s actions can be considered ‘appreciation’ or ‘appropriation’ – creative, artistic freedom versus erasure of cultural significance. Minh-Ha T. Pham notes the difficulty of defining either term – ‘rather than clarify the issues at hand, they rest on and reproduce several conceptual confusions’. Pham notes that the limitations of the terms – ‘appreciation’ giving ‘too much weight to the designer’s feelings’ and ‘appropriation’ ‘too quickly reduces the problem to one of utility’ make it difficult to recognize why cultural appropriation is demeaning and ultimately entirely unappreciative. Marc Jacob’s, for example, refusal to acknowledge the dreadlock hairstyle’s significance to Black culture and its Rastafarian roots does not consider that marginalized groups and subcultures that are responsible for creating what the mainstream has embraced as a ‘trend’ are disregarded and excluded from the industry based on their culture. Similarly, Comme des Garcons’ claim that the use of cornrowed lace wigs was inspired by ‘Egyptian Prince’ which not only suggests appropriating Egyptian culture but also dismisses Black culture entirely – another example of high fashion’s continuous erasure and exploitation of Blackness. As some people commented on social media, if the inspiration was Egyptian princes, why not use Egyptian or Arabic models? To take ‘inspiration’ from such a culture and then not credit it, therefore excluding the people of that culture, is a form of cultural theft, or as Pham dubs it, ‘racial plagiarism’, a severe practice often adopted by ‘culture vultures’ to the detriment of Black people. I use the term ‘culture vulture’ to define those who commit culture theft – stealing fashion, language, music, and art, people who identify with parts of a culture that are not their own, mimicking it disingenuously without credit and forming an identity based of the stolen culture, usually for profit.

Culture vultures appear not only in the fashion industry but also in music, art, as well as celebrity culture which is prominent due to social media and the digital age. Lauren Jackson writes in White Negroes: When Cornrows Were in Vogue: and Other Thoughts on Cultural Appropriation that appropriation is ‘everywhere, and it is inevitable’. The commodification of Black and Urban aesthetics is a development that is not particularly new; black performers have been disregarded and their craft ‘refined’, but I argue that it is especially prominent in recent years considering the unique platform that social media provides the masses. Providing context using the works of Lauren Jackson as a framework for defining the subject of cultural appropriation, and Minh-Ha T. Pham’s criticism of the fashion industry’s uncredited imitation of Black culture, ‘racial plagiarism’, this essay will explore the nuances of racial and cultural appropriation, racial plagiarism, cultural materialism. Scholarly work by Christian Fuchs will help to define culture and consider cultural and racial economics, particularly about social media and its complex economic framework, and to furthermore analyze how culture vultures profit from stolen and uncredited culture and also benefit from Black outrage – monetizing on the engagement that is consequent to people’s reactions following cases of cultural theft.

Everywhere and Inevitable

To first understand the term ‘culture vulture’, it is important to be able to define culture and several other terminologies relating to it that will be applied throughout this essay. ‘Culture’ is notoriously hard to define. Raymond Williams, an influential cultural critic, famously stated that ‘culture is one of the two or three most complicated words in the English language’. In Keywords (1976), Williams analyzed its various meanings, clarifying that ‘ culture in all its early uses was a noun of the process: the tending of something, basically crops or animals’, otherwise known as ‘agriculture’. The meaning of ‘culture’ developed significantly over the centuries that followed, and ‘the tending of natural growth was extended to a process of human development’ from the eighteenth century onwards, it became important to consider culture in a plural sense to determine the difference between cultures of different nations and periods, as well as ‘specific and variable cultures of social and economic groups within a nation’. According to Williams, there came to be three definitive definitions in use by the twentieth century; (i) a general process of intellectual, spiritual, and aesthetic development; (ii) an indication of a particular way of life, whether of a people, a period, a group, or humanity in general; (iii) a description of the works and practices of intellectual and especially artistic activity. Religion, social structures, class, values, societal position, attitudes, language, economy, manners, customs, behavior, and education are a long list of some factors that contribute to the meaning of ‘culture’, which in turn shape an entire group of people. It is a limitless list, complex, and rich and it forms culture as a social group’s most distinguishing feature; and is generally, a specific part of distinguishing sociocultural groups from others.

A ‘vulture’ according to Oxford Languages, is ‘a contemptible person who preys on or exploits others’. A ‘culture vulture’ is a relatively recent term. Urban Dictionary’s earliest definition of it was in 2003: ‘a scavenger, circling the media, looking for scraps of originality to add to their conceit’, but the most popular (most agreed on) definition of the term was made in 2018, defining ‘culture vulture’ as a ‘person or an organization making a profit using unhonorable practices from a culture they do not care for’. Raymond Williams also mentions the term in his book, Keywords, and stresses that ‘virtually all the hostility has been connected with uses involving claims to superior knowledge and distinctions between ‘high’ art (culture) and popular art and entertainment’, illustrating that culture ‘culturing’ indicates a level of privilege and access which permits people of higher social standing to do so.

To begin to fully be able to understand the term ‘culture vultures’, it is necessary to first define the terms ‘cultural appropriation and ‘cultural appreciation’. Cultural appropriation is, to put it simply, the act of adopting cultural elements of a (minority) group by a group non-native to that culture. The term has evolved from academia, and it is only relatively recently that it began to be used generally, especially on social media. Though not inherently particularly offensive, it has taken on a more sinister meaning throughout the past decade as people have come to understand that cultural appropriation often takes the form of exploitive cultural theft that contributes to the reinforcement of stereotypes and the continued social and economic oppression of minority groups. Cultural appropriation is a layered and nuanced subject that is difficult to grasp, as definitions can sometimes be too vague and too partial, creating a problem as people begin to contest the difference between what is appropriation versus appreciation, the ‘respectful borrowing’ of culture. Cultural appreciation is, arguably, an unnecessary term – cultural appreciation is cultural appropriation and recent discourse has reduced both terms to function simply as euphemisms that distort to the point of unintelligibility the very things that people are doing when they ‘appreciate’. ‘Appropriation’ is not an inherently negative term, nor does it suggest a lack of appreciation, and only when it is exploitative, uncredited, and unpermitted that it becomes a problem.

Marc Jacob’s Spring Summer 2017 show, for example, featured a predominantly white cast of fashion models including Kendall Jenner, and Bella Hadid, with hair styled in colorful dreadlocks. According to Guido Palau, Marc Jacobs’ stylist for the show, the hairstyle was inspired by ‘ravers, acid house, travelers, Boy George, [the singer] Marilyn in the ’80s, Harajuku girls’ – with no mention of the hair’s cultural origins. Furthermore, when inquired about the hairstyle’s cultural roots, the stylist responded that Rasta culture was not an inspiration for the look, ‘No, not at all’. Elle, as well as other influential fashion magazines such as Vogue, and Glamour, among other influential fashion magazines and blogs, reported Palau’s words, effectively furthering the erasure of Black cultural history.