Malcolm X, Black Nationalist and Civil Rights Activist

Malcolm X, Black Nationalist and Civil Rights Activist Malcolm X (May 19, 1925–February 21, 1965) was a prominent figure during the Civil Rights era. Offering an alternative view to the mainstream Civil Rights movement, Malcolm X advocated for both the establishment of a separate black community (rather than integration) and the use of violence in self-defense (rather than non-violence). His forceful, uncompromising belief in the evils of the white man frightened the white community. After Malcolm X left the black Muslim Nation of Islam organization, for which he had been both a spokesperson and a leader, his views toward white people softened, but his core message of black pride endured. After Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965, his autobiography continued to spread his thoughts and passion. Fast Facts: Malcolm X Known For: Major figure in the African American Civil Rights movementAlso Known As: el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz, Malcolm LittleBorn: May 19, 1925 in Omaha, NebraskaParents: Rev. Earl Little, Louise LittleDied: February 21, 1965 in New York, New YorkEducation: Through grade eightPublished Works: The Autobiography of Malcolm  XAwards and Honors:  Multiple historic markers and plaques; streets and schools named in his honor; stamp produced with his likenessSpouse: Betty SandersChildren: Attallah, Qubilah, Ilyasah, Gamilah, Malikah, MalaaknNotable Quote: â€Å"The white man is afraid of truth†¦ I’m the only black man they’ve ever been close to who they know speaks the truth to them. Its their guilt that upsets them, not me.† Early Life of Malcolm X Malcolm X was born as Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska to Earl and Louise Little (neà © Norton). Earl was a Baptist minister and also worked for Marcus Garveys Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), a pan-African movement in the 1920s. Louise, who had grown up in Grenada, was Earls second wife. Malcolm was the fourth of the six children Louise and Earl shared. (Earl also had three children from his first marriage.) As a kid, Malcolm would often attend UNIA meetings with his father, who was president of the Omaha chapter at one point, absorbing Garveys argument that the African-American community had the tools and resources to blossom without dependence on the white man. Earl Little challenged the social standards of the time. When he began to attract the attention of the Ku Klux Klan, he moved his family to a white neighborhood in Lansing, Michigan. Neighbors protested. On November 8, 1929, a group of white supremacists known as the Black Legion set fire to the Littles home with Malcolm and his family inside. Luckily, the Littles managed to escape but then watched their house burn to the ground while firemen did nothing to put out the flames. Despite the seriousness of the threats against him, Earl did not let intimidation silence his beliefs- and this almost certainly cost him his life. Malcolm X’s Father Is Murdered While the details of his death remain uncertain, what is known is that Earl was murdered on September 28, 1931 (Malcolm was only 6 years old). Earl had been savagely beaten and then left on trolley tracks, where he was run over by a trolley. Although those responsible were never found, the Littles always believed the Black Legion was responsible. Realizing he was likely to meet a violent end, Earl had purchased life insurance; however, the life insurance company ruled his death a suicide and refused to pay. These events plunged Malcolms family into poverty. Louise tried to work, but this was during the Great Depression and there weren’t many jobs for the widow of a black activist. Welfare was available, but Louise didn’t want to take charity. Things were tough in the Little home. There were six children and very little money or food. The strain of taking care of everyone by herself started to take its toll on Louise and by 1937, she was showing signs of becoming mentally ill. In January 1939, Louise was committed to the State Mental Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Malcolm and his siblings were divided up. Malcolm was one of the first to go, even before his mother was institutionalized. In October 1938, 13-year-old Malcolm was sent to a foster home, which was soon followed by a detention home. Despite his unstable home life, Malcolm was a success at school. Unlike the other kids at the detention home who were sent to a reform school, Malcolm was allowed to attend Mason Junior High School, the only regular junior high in town. While at junior high, Malcolm earned top grades even against his white classmates. However, when a white teacher told Malcolm that he couldn’t become a lawyer but should instead consider becoming a carpenter, Malcolm was so disturbed by the comment that he began withdrawing from those around him. When Malcolm met his half-sister Ella for the first time, he was ready for a change. Drugs and Crime Ella was a confident, successful young woman living in Boston at the time. When Malcolm asked to go live with her, she agreed. In 1941, having just finished the eighth grade, Malcolm moved from Lansing to Boston. While exploring the city, he befriended a hustler named â€Å"Shorty† Jarvis, who also happened to come from Lansing. Shorty got Malcolm a job shining shoes at the Roseland Ballroom, where top bands of the day played. Malcolm soon learned that his customers also hoped he could supply them with marijuana. It wasn’t long before Malcolm was selling drugs as well as shining shoes. He also personally started to smoke cigarettes, drink liquor, gamble, and do drugs. Dressing in zoot suits and â€Å"conking† (straightening) his hair, Malcolm loved the fast life. He then moved to Harlem in New York and began getting involved in petty crimes and selling drugs. Soon, Malcolm himself developed a drug habit (cocaine) and his criminal behavior escalated. After several run-ins with the law, Malcolm was arrested in February 1946 for burglary and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was sent to the Charlestown State Prison in Boston. Prison Time and the Nation of Islam In late 1948, Malcolm was transferred to the Norfolk, Massachusetts Prison Colony. It was there that Malcolms brother Reginald introduced him to the Nation of Islam (NOI). Originally founded in 1930 by Wallace D. Fard, the Nation of Islam was a black Muslim organization that believed blacks were inherently superior to whites and predicted the destruction of the white race. After Fard mysteriously disappeared in 1934, Elijah Muhammad took over the organization, calling himself the â€Å"Messenger of Allah.† Malcolm believed in what his brother Reginald told him. Through personal visits and many letters from Malcolm’s siblings, Malcolm began to learn more about the NOI. Using Norfolk Prison Colony’s extensive library, Malcolm rediscovered education and began reading extensively. With his ever increasing knowledge, Malcolm began writing to Elijah Muhammad daily. By 1949, Malcolm had converted to the NOI, which required purity of body- eliminating Malcolms drug habit. In 1952, Malcolm emerged from prison a devoted follower of the NOI and a proficient writer, two essential factors in changing his life. Becoming an Activist Once out of prison, Malcolm moved to Detroit and began recruiting for the NOI. Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the NOI, became Malcolms mentor and hero, filling the void Earls death had left. In 1953, Malcolm adopted the NOI’s tradition of replacing one’s last name (which was thought to have been forced upon an ancestor by their white slave-owner) with the letter X, a reference to the unknown heritage complicating African-American identity. Charismatic and passionate, Malcolm X rose quickly in the NOI, becoming the minister of the groups Temple Seven in Harlem in June 1954. Malcolm X simultaneously was becoming an accomplished journalist; he wrote for several publications before he founded the NOIs newspaper, Muhammad Speaks. While working as the minister of Temple Seven, Malcolm X noticed that a young nurse named Betty Sanders had started attending his lectures. Without ever having gone on an individual date, Malcolm and Betty got married on January 14, 1958. The couple went on to have six daughters; the last two were twins who were born after Malcolm X’s assassination. America Encounters Malcolm X Malcolm X soon became a visible figure in the NOI, but it was the wonder of television that brought him national attention. When CBS aired the documentary Nation of Islam: The Hate That Hate Produced, in July of 1959, Malcolm Xs dynamic speech and obvious charm reached a national audience. Malcolm Xs radical claims of black superiority and refusal to accept non-violent strategies got him interviews across the social spectrum. Malcolm X had become a national figure and the de facto face of the NOI. While Malcolm X became well-known, he was not necessarily liked. His views unsettled much of America. Many in the white community feared that Malcolm Xs doctrine would incite mass violence against whites. Many in the black community were concerned that Malcolm X’s militancy would destroy the growing effectiveness of the non-violent, mainstream Civil Rights Movement. Malcolm X’s newfound fame also attracted the attention of the FBI, which soon began tapping his phone over concerns that some kind of racially based revolution was brewing. Malcolm Xs meetings with Cuban Communist leader Fidel Castro did little to alleviate these fears. Trouble Within the NOI By 1961, Malcolm Xs meteoric rise within the organization as well as his new celebrity status had become a problem within the NOI. Simply stated, other ministers and members of the NOI had become jealous. Many began insinuating that Malcolm X was financially profiting from his position and that he intended to take over the NOI from Muhammad. This jealousy and envy bothered Malcolm X, but he tried to put it out of his mind. In 1962, rumors about improprieties by Muhammad began to reach Malcolm X. To Malcolm X, Muhammad was not only a spiritual leader but also a moral example for all to follow. It was this moral example that had helped Malcolm X escape his drug addiction and keep him abstinent for 12 years (from the time of his prison sentence to his marriage). Thus, when it became obvious that Muhammad had engaged in immoral behavior, including fathering four illegitimate children, Malcolm X was devastated by his mentors deception. Things Get Worse After President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, Malcolm X, never one to shy away from conflict, publicly interpreted the event as the chickens coming home to roost. Malcolm X claimed that he meant the feelings of hate within America were so great that they had spilled over from the conflict between black and white and ended up causing the killing of the president. However, his comments were interpreted as support for the death of the  beloved Kennedy, a Democrat from Massachusetts. Muhammad, who had specifically ordered all his ministers to remain silent regarding Kennedy’s assassination, was very unhappy over the negative publicity. As punishment, Muhammad ordered Malcolm X to be â€Å"silenced† for 90 days. Malcolm X accepted this punishment, but he soon discovered that Muhammad intended to push him out of the NOI. In March 1964, the internal and external pressure became too much and Malcolm X announced that he was leaving the Nation of Islam, an organization he had worked so hard to grow. Returning to Islam After leaving the NOI in 1964, Malcolm decided to found his own religious organization, Muslim Mosque, Inc. (MMI), which catered to former NOI members. Malcolm X turned to traditional Islam to inform his path. In April 1964, he began a pilgrimage (or hajj) to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. While in the Middle East, Malcolm X was amazed by the diversity of complexions represented there. Even before returning home, he began to rethink his earlier divisive positions and decided to prioritize faith over skin color. Malcolm X symbolized this shift by changing his name once again, becoming El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. Malcolm X then toured Africa, where the early influence of Marcus Garvey reemerged. In May 1964, Malcolm X began his own pan-African movement with the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU), a secular organization that advocated for human rights for all those of African descent. As head of the OAAU, Malcolm X met with world leaders to forward this mission, generating a far more diverse following than the NOI. Whereas once he had shunned all of white society, he now encouraged interested whites to teach about oppression. Running both the MMI and the OAAU exhausted Malcolm, but both spoke to passions that defined him- faith and advocacy. Death Malcolm Xs philosophies had changed dramatically, bringing him more in line with the mainstream Civil Rights movement. However, he still had enemies. Many in the NOI felt he had betrayed the movement when he publicly discussed Muhammads adultery. On February 14, 1965, Malcolm Xs New York home was firebombed. He believed the NOI was responsible. Still ever defiant, Malcolm X did not let this attack interrupt his schedule. He traveled to Selma, Alabama and returned to New York for a speaking engagement at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem on February 21, 1965. This was Malcolm Xs last speech. Once Malcolm was at the podium, a commotion in the middle of the crowd drew attention. While everyone was focused on the commotion, Talmadge Hayer and two other NOI members stood up and shot Malcolm X. Fifteen bullets hit their target, killing Malcolm X. He was dead before he reached the hospital. The chaos that broke out at the scene spilled into the streets of Harlem as mob violence and the firebombing of a Black Muslim mosque followed. Malcolms critics, including Elijah Muhammad, maintained that he died by the very violence he defended in his early career. Talmadge Hayer was arrested at the scene and two other men were taken into custody shortly after. All three would be convicted of the murder; however, many believe the other two men were not guilty. Many questions remain about the assassination; specifically, who really carried out the shooting and who ordered the assassination in the first place? Legacy In the month prior to his death, Malcolm X had been dictating his biography to noted African-American author Alex Haley. The Autobiography of Malcolm X was published in 1965, just months after Malcolm Xs murder. Through his autobiography, Malcolm X’s powerful voice continued to inspire the black community to advocate for their rights. The Black Panthers, for example, used Malcolm X’s teachings to found their own organization in 1966. Today, Malcolm X remains one of the more controversial figures of the Civil Rights era. He is generally respected for his passionate demand for change in one of historys most trying (and deadly) times for black leaders. Sources The Autobiography of Malcolm  X. With the assistance of Alex Haley. New York: Grove Press, 1965. Mamiya, Lawrence. XMalcom. Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, 1 February 2019. Remnick, David. â€Å"This American Life: The making and remaking of Malcolm X.† The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 19 June 2017.

Minimize vs. Reduce

Minimize vs. Reduce Minimize vs. Reduce Minimize vs. Reduce By Maeve Maddox A reader feels there’s a difference between the words minimize and reduce: Writers often use minimize to mean reduce. To minimize something is to reduce it to the smallest amount or degree. To reduce something is simply to make it smaller. He offers two examples of perceived misuse of the word minimize and draws a distinction: This tactic could minimize in-study deaths and, if ineffective, clear the path for more rapid investigation of other interventions. (NY Times).† â€Å"[Y]ou can actually boost your returns while at the same time minimize your risk by incorporating some simple option strategies. (NASDAQ site.)† In each example, the recommendation reduces a negative consequence, but it doesnt necessarily minimize it, because other negative consequences might exist. This may seem like a nuanced distinction, but it makes a degree of difference! My two main dictionaries give these definitions: OED minimize verb: To reduce (especially, something unwanted or unpleasant) to the smallest possible amount, extent, or degree. reduce verb: to make smaller, diminish. Merriam-Webster minimize verb: to reduce to the smallest possible number, degree, or extent. reduce verb: to diminish in size, amount, extent, or number; make smaller. In certain contexts, such as losing weight, lowering a price, or bringing a liquid to a smaller volume, reduce is the only choice. In other contexts, however, minimize and reduce are synonymous. The Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus lists reduce among synonyms for minimize and minimize among those for reduce. The use of both words is tracked from 1800 on the Ngram Viewer, but minimize is rare until the beginning of the twentieth century. Reduce remains the more common word on the Viewer and in a Google search. Here are some other words and phrases that express degrees of diminishment: bring down contract [kon-TRACT] curtail cut, cut back decrease diminish keep down keep to a minimum lower make smaller narrow prune shrink shorten slim, slim down trim Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Passed vs PastThe Letter "Z" Will Be Removed from the English AlphabetCharles's Pen and Jesus' Name

Role of land use planning in judicious distribution of population, Essay

Role of land use planning in judicious distribution of population, housing, and infrastructure and orderly development of the built environment - Essay Example nd efficient development of the built environment, as well as resolving adverse consequences of development such as; urban traffic congestion, quality of life, housing, protection of environment and security among others. It assesses the structure of cities, towns and rural landscapes and how land use planning influences them. It also highlights differences in;  built form, mix of land uses, density, and size of property / land parcels, street layout and neighborhood pattern, treatment of the public realm as well as public and private transportation.   Land-use planning can be defined as the organized evaluation of geographical, social and economic aspects with the aim of supporting and empowering land users in identifying sustainable alternatives that enhance their output and also facilitate accomplishment of societal needs (FAO, 1993). The idea of land use planning should not only be conceptualized in terms of production. Rather, many other aspects such as land utility for example protected areas, leisure neighborhoods, transport, water catchments and dumping sites among others. Berke & Godschalk (2006) observed that land use planning is practiced in all societies although some do not apply the phrase. Failure in land use planning leads to degradation and depletion of land resources as well as conflicts in the use of common resources. In rural landscapes, lack of land use planning leads to poor productivity of land. The built-up area significantly affects the functioning of cities. This is the area that comprises human activities except the open areas that extend to more than four hectares, land that is under cultivation, forest land, water bodies and other parcels of land that are under no productive use. Airfields and highways that are not adjoining the urban used land are not classified among the built-up land (Honachefsky, 1999). There are differences in the built form of different cities, towns and rural landscapes. Most cities’ built form is

Fear Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Fear - Essay Example Or indeed, if I have wronged anyone, I want to make it right. This shows me to have strong moral and ethical beliefs. It is possibly this which makes me unafraid of punishment after death. My choices also show that I have trust, hope and faith. These are evidenced in my not fearing death to be the end of feeling and thinking, nor of taking a long time to die or of losing control of what is being done to my body. I trust those who would be caring for me, be they loved ones or medical professionals to do the best for me. I have hope that something might turn up. I recognize that some answers show a cluster of fear of the unknown, being afraid of nothingness, the end of everything, and of dying because I do not know what happens next. My fear of pain also emerges via the responses to pain of dying or dying suddenly and violently. Finally, I fear to die alone. Contributions from Upbringing: These results highlight the love, care and attention I received in my upbringing. That though there may not have been overtly religious influences, a strong moral and ethical code has been instilled, more humanist in belief than religion-driven. I was taught to care about other people, not to let them down and to expect the same in return. In fearing the unknown, the possible end to everything, suggests that Heaven and Hell were not concepts that figured largely in my childhood. Love, loyalty and kindness are the prime factors which have helped to form my adult views and values. Pain is something I must have experienced either in myself or a loved one, as the results suggest I really fear it. Overall, I am more optimistic than pessimistic, positive rather than negative. Contribution from Personal Culture: With regard to this, although I believe myself to be well-equipped to handle life, I perceive that today the human being is driven to find out more, to own all the knowledge available out there. It is as if the idea of 'anybody can do/be/have/ anything' is the leading factor of living. Fear and frustration emerge when that which cannot be known is presented to me. Then, I am afraid of being powerless in the face of that unknowable, the nothingness which might exist. Also, we have such faith in science, that it will prolong life and provide all the answers, help to take away the pain of living and dying. There seems to me to be a sort of odd contradiction here, being both hope and fear together. Personal Beliefs and Attitudes: Carrying out the survey and analysis has been valuable and 3 enlightening for me.

Margaret Sanger and the Fight for Birth Control Essay -- Contraceptives

Margaret's quest began long before she was known by the public. It started when she was just a young girl. As with most children, her parents were a large influence on her life, but in a way different than perhaps many others. Margaret's father provided her with all the mental tools she would need to succeed. A free thinker and outspoken radical, her father, Michael Higgins, influenced his young daughter to act the same way; to question everything and to stand up for what she believed in. Though Margaret loved her mother, she conceded that definetly her father was the major influence in her early life. Her mother however also had a large influence, yet not in quite the same way. Anna Sanger bore ten children other than Margaret, causing her to be both constantly pregnant and constantly sick, leaving little time for her children. Thus Margaret and her siblings were constantly forced to care for themselves. Anna died at an early age to TB which Margaret attributed to her multiple pregn ancies. It was then that she decided to become a nurse and start helping pregnant women. Working as a nurse in the ghettos of New York, Sanger became all too familiar with some horrible sights. She saw many women die of very preventable deaths due to child labor, and horrible methods of self-induced abortion. After seeing one woman die from a horrific attempt to give herself an abortion Sanger had decided that she had seen enough. It was too late for her to help these women when they came to her as a nurse. She felt she must attack the source of the problem, birth control. She stated, "I went to bed, knowing that no matter what it might cost, I was finished with palliatives and superficial cures; I was resolved to seek out the root of evil, to do s... ...re apt to accept the concept of birth control, if not completely embracing the idea. Her actions challenged the traditional way of thought and introduced concepts that shifted the course of American society. Works Cited 1. Coigney, Virginia. Margaret Sanger New York: Doubleday, 1969. 2. Gray, Madeline. Margaret Sanger: A Biography Of The Champion of Birth Control. New York: Richard Marek Publishers, 1979. 3. Kennedy, David. Birth Control in America : The Career of Margaret Sanger Boston: Yale Universtiy Press, 1970. 4. Marshall, John M.D. Catholics, Marriage and Contraceptions New York: Heligon Press 1965. 5. Parrish, Michael. Anxious Decades. W. W. Norton: New York, 1992. 6. Sanger, Margaret. Margaret Sanger, An Auto-Biography New York: Dover Publications, 1971. 7. Sanger, Margaret. My Fight For Birth Control. Farrar & RineHart: New York, 1931.

Managers Can Create Satisfied Employees

Employee satisfaction is the key to the economic success of any company. Research has shown that a satisfied employee does his job well and in return the company’s performance is greatly improved. Employer and employee relations are very important in ensuring that a company realizes its mission. In fact, it has been researched and found out satisfied employees usually translate to satisfied customers. Hence, with proper policies and administrative skills, managers can create satisfied employees. The following tips help to illustrate the various methods and ways by which employers can achieve this. These are; Job security The primary driving force an individual centers on while working, is the ability to retain the job for as many years as possible. Personal organization and family budget go in line with job security concerns. When an employee is confident of his or her job security at the workplace, his performance is far much better than a case where he or she is not sure of being retained in the next year. Pay satisfaction People don’t work unless they receive pay work done. It is therefore the key to employee satisfaction. Managers normally use financial rewards to improve their worker’s performance. Good salaries equally translate to better work. Every worker would want to continue working for an organization which pays him or her well. [1] Language and communication Communication is notably the most important factor and step required for the achievement of improved degree of satisfaction among various groups of employees. Managers who use simple but powerful words usually win the hearths of most employees. How a manager expresses himself while communicating the company’s principles determines the mode of reception from the e employees themselves. Words such as ‘please’, ‘you are doing a good job’ and ‘thank you’ demonstrates that a manager values the employees. It is also a sign of respect directed to the junior workers. Benefits Certain benefits help motivate workers. Such benefits include; Provision of insurance cover not only to the employees but also to their families as well. Allocation adequate time for one to be with his or her family. This can be provided in terms of structured leave periods, off-work times, weekends and time schedules for leaving work places daily Promotion and career advancement Departments such as the military have a well organized promotion channels that go in line with the performance of an individual. Promotion is usually proportional to the amount of money and benefits that one receives. House allowances for example are given according to ones job scale in many countries. To be promoted from a deputy supervisor to a full supervisor indicates that the administration of a particular company is appreciating an individual’s effort. This will lead to the development of self confidence and hard work among all the employees so that one could be promoted. [2] Safety in the work environment People who feel safe in their working environment tend to perform better than those who don’t. Safety can be in the form of human-machine relations and human-human relations. Military personnel working in war thorn countries like Iraq, Somalia and Afghanistan work in fear and this greatly affects their overall performance at work. Flexibility to balance life and work issue Proper coordination between the work issues and personal life is necessary to balance both. Overworking and work stress usually affect human healthy both in social, mental and physical terms. Rewards and gifts Rewards should not be very big inducements but the small gifts given to anybody is well appreciated. A handwritten thank you note is normally appreciated and cherished. Everybody loves chocolate, and provision of such kind of rewards especially at the weekends and special days like Christmas and Valentine days, helps to build positive relationships between the company and the employees. Gift certificates such as birthday wishes are a morale booster to self-confidence of the employees. Some companies offer their logo merchandizes in form of t-shirts, caps, mugs, pens, jackets and computer mouse pads. In addition, motivational posters could be strategically drafted for individual recognition for job well done. In most cases, people would want to know if their work has made some difference. Provision of such rewards is encouraged. [3] Conclusion As a manager, your impact on employee satisfaction is great and immeasurable.   It is therefore important that managers look for convenient, cost-conscious and appreciated ways of motivation in order to build a dynamic, committed and workforce that will result in better productivity and profitability of the organization. References Dale, M. (2001): The Art of HRD: Developing Management Skills  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   , Vol. 3, Crest Publishing House, New Delhi Maund, L. (2001): An Introduction to Human to Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice: Macmillan, Palgrave Sparrow, P. and Hilltop, J. (1994): European Human Resource Management in Transition: Prentice Hall, New York Thomson, C. and Rampton, L. (2003): Human Resource Management. Melbourne press, New York [1] Sparrow, P. and Hilltop, J. (1994): European Human Resource Management in Transition: Prentice Hall, New York [2] Dale, M. (2001): The Art of HRD: Developing Management Skills, Vol. 3, Crest Publishing House, New Delhi [3] Thomson, C. and Rampton, L. (2003): Human Resource Management. Melbourne press, New York   

The Representation of Race in Mass-Media - 2761 Words

Race as a discourse, has emerged from society romanticizing the idea of biological and psychological differences existing between various ethnic groups. To comprehend and analyze the phenomenon of this racial dilemma, one must have a complete understanding of how culture and identity work hand-in-hand within our society. By controlling most of the social institutions, such as mass communication, politics and corporations; the dominant culture methodically overpowers and exploits the ethnic minority groups, in order to establish its own cultural identity. One such institution is mass media- an industry that not only historically oppresses ethnic minority groups such as African-Americans, but also diminishes their societal status to that of†¦show more content†¦Coons- a black child who was â€Å"unreliable, crazy, lazy, subhuman creatures good for nothing than eating watermelons, stealing chickens, shooting crap, or butchering the English language† (Bogle 7). The Tragic Mulatto- a fair skinned, mixed-race woman, with whom the viewers sympathized, because she was refused entry into the white community because of her â€Å"tainted† blood (Bogle 9). Mammies- the predominant black female servant who was big, loud, bossy, obese and self-sufficient (Bogle 9). Finally the Bad Bucks- physically strong characters, who were always â€Å"big, badddd niggers, over-sexed and savage, violent and frenzied as they lust for white flesh† (Bogle 10). According to Hall, the feature-length film that gave birth to such African-American characteristics was David Llewelyn Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation, released in 1915 (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 271). The silent film provoked great controversy, because not only did it promote white supremacy, but also depict the Ku Klux Klan positively as heroes- a secret white society that was destined to lead humanity to salvation. Griffith, a firm believer in anti-miscegenation laws and white supremacy , portrayed the African-Americans as negative characters who were a threat to white integrity; hence they had to be eliminated. Therefore, as the film demonstrates, white supremacy is upheld, and the good (whites) triumphs over evil (blacks) whenShow MoreRelatedSocial Construction And Its Impact On Society Essay1323 Words   |  6 Pagesdigital media is one of the primary sources for the creation of social constructions and is now considered the primary account regarding matters connected to mass media. However, it is essential to comprehend that, throughout mass media, individuals commonly referred to as â€Å"media gatekeepers† now present the collective societal groups in an inaccurate depiction. 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Among various sorts of mass media, film industry contributes to generate racial and national contents as an association to carry out an ideological function. According to a cultural theorist and sociologist, Stuart Hall, he declares that the media provides racial ideology inRead MoreMedia s Portrayal Of The Black Age Of Media Essay1393 Words   |  6 Pagesportrayal of the class system has always been underrepresented or over represented since the golden age of media. The question arises what kind of ideas it puts in the minds of viewers about their society? Media plays an important role in developing an image of people from other countries or communities because many people have no personal contact with people from other countries and rely mainly on media for information about them (Harris). Unfortunately, media’s portrayal of different minorities is usuallyRead MoreMedia s Influence On Perceptions Of Self1563 Words   |  7 Pages The media plays a significant role in influencing and shaping individuals’ perceptions of self in American society. Additionally, the media plays a key role in how it portrays people of color (POC) and, therefore, in how it affects their perceptions of self and others. It is the way the predominantly white media interacts with POC that reinforces racial stereotypes and systematic oppression that affect their daily lives. In the past two decades, research on media has supported the â€Å"media’s ideologicalRead MoreAfrican American Stereotypes Reality Television1531 Words   |  7 Pagesrevenge, competition, and achieving status and prestige (Mendible, 2004, p. 336). Mendible further discussed reality television’s strategic use of humiliation as a form of entertainment to draw in viewers (Mendible, 2004). With constant exposure to media images, audiences may be influenced by the television show’s values and subliminal messages. People use reality television as an informational tool to â€Å"people watch† and observe what is socially acceptable or not (Tyree, 2011, p. 397). The problemRead MoreRacial Bias And Racial Stereotypes Essay1127 Words   |  5 PagesThe issue of race representation which becomes even more serious and cause for concern at the moment existed in the past until now, specifically the problem of racial bias and racial stereotypes. Well development of the media is one of the significant factors which influences the issue, especially in the medium of news reporting, for example, the newspaper, network and television news, etc. News contributes to transmitting incident information, but the appearance of news misrepresentation and the