Racial Segregation

Soranis Phal


          If we predated race back to an earlier time in history, race is not determine biologically. There is no type of genetic materials that determines a person belonging to a certain race. Race is more towards a modern time in history to justify the reason why there are slaves in American history. In the film “Power of an illusion”, is a documentary of race in historical time during racial segregation among the blacks and whites. According to demographic studies there is the notion of the red and green line that divides the whites and blacks demographically. The whites would be demographically in one area and isolated from the blacks. The reason why is because the whites would be able to have more power and opportunities verses the blacks. This would also become harder for blacks to build their own adequate because banks would see that blacks would be a financial  risk compare to the white. This also leads to why whites would live together because they are afraid of losing their own wealth by living among the blacks.

           Therefore, racial segregation has been continuing even until this day. Public school are still  racially segregated where you could fine a majority of blacks attending only a specific school with no whites or vice versa there would be a majority of whites and fewer blacks in that one specific school. Although, it is consider illegal to stop a person from attending a school because of the brown vs board of education to stop segragation but it still exist in the segragated house patterns that still base on the race. Schools like the  inner city with public schools that have more blacks and little diversity is because demographically the blacks are the majority that lives in these inner city compare to the whites living in the suburb.  

           These racial segregated school can also impact on the economic wealth that is being funded to certain schools. Schools with majority of whites would have more funding compare to a public school with majority of blacks. Therefore,  this brings inequality in terms of the opportunities given to whites are better than black. Whites would have more opportunity in life compare to the blacks that would have less opportunities.

         Even though we try and stop racial segregation it still exist in our society. Although there are laws stating it is illegal to have a segragated school but the homes and demographics of our race are still segragated and so it leads to kids going to school being segragated with less opportunities.

A story about Race

Elena Lazarova



                           Race is defined by some of the dictionaries as a group of people related by common descent or heredity.  Surprisingly race is a new terminology in our vocabularies.  Years ago people were not divided based on their origin and skin color. However, in a certain period in history race became something that defined us as humans or less then humans. Before the creation of slavery, it was considered that all man were equal. In order to use people as slaves the white man invented the terminology," less than a human being" for the African descent people who were brought to the new land and forced to be slaves. Race then became power for some and misery for others. Race then was a factor that could determine people's life to the point where someone could decide who is human and who is not.
                    Unfortunately, discrimination based on race continued even after the Civil War, when slavery was officially banned. Racism still existed. In the beginning of the 20th century segregation was a huge part of people's everyday life.Blacks and Whites had to go to different restaurants, attend different schools and use different bathrooms. Mainly in the South part of the United States people organized strikes with slogans like, " Stop race mixing ! ".During the 1960's institutional discrimination took the lead. The system was build like that so loans were given mostly to white families.They could purchase houses in the rich Suburbia or the green lining area. While blacks were forced to settle down in the red lining area, where the region was poor, taxes were low and education system was not that developed. Back then race determined who could have the chance to live the American Dream, which during this time period meant living in the Suburbia, and who could not.

                                       Nowadays, race seems to be less meaningful than it used to be. However, the key word  is "seems". Racism is not directly shown but is existing under the radar. Some people are still part of anti-racial organizations that provoke only hatred and anger. Historian Robin Kelley said, " Racism is not about how you look;it is about how people assign meaning to how you look". The story of race is complex and may challenge how we think about race and humans. The main question is,"What is race" ? Are we really so different" ?  Race is just an illusion created by the human kind. People always wanted to be different, that is why people created race.So we can de different and unique. Unfortunately, that provoked moments in our history that we should be ashamed of. Race is something that define us, whether we like it or not. Race is an assigned status that nobody could change. All we could change is our own perception about race. "What is race" ?  Race is just one word that has no power, until the moment we decide to make it powerfull.

Race and inequality

Justin Sharpley

Race is, to say the least, a sensitive subject. I think the only way we are going to solve a lot of the problems we face in the issue of race is to approach them head on and discuss them.  In class we learned about some of the problems in the past, redlining, block busting, laws with segregation built into them, and  the lasting effects of such practices, the inability of a family to buy a home and build equity, the corner stone of building wealth and providing a future for your family and future generations.  This was without a doubt some of the worst things our country has done to its own people. I think for my blog post I’m going to concentrate more on inequalities and segregation.  Learning what we learned about the housing practices, the geographic segregation that we see today makes sense (not saying it’s right but saying, we can see where it came from and why it is the way it is)

 I think another issue this creates is a cultural segregation. I feel that African Americans’  culture is segregated from other cultures in  a lot of ways. One of which is advertising, and media in general. For instance McDonald's has a separate website for African Americans. 365black   there are numerous companies that advertise products that are general use and some of the ads feature strictly white people, then another ad for the same product featuring strictly black people.

Another way this type of thing is perpetuated is through the media most people consume, namely music. I love hip hop, but it seems strange to me that there are so many songs about money, about how you have to get money and get yours. It seems to be drilling this idea into the listener’s head that all they need to do is get money and everything will be great. So instead of trying to pursue a career or earn a savings, the more impressionable listeners are simply trying to get money. Ignoring the larger problems, and if you want to look at it deeper, look up the chain to see the person who ultimately decides which records to play and promote, on the radio or at the record label, you’ll see 90% of the time it’s someone who has wealth, and who has an interest in keeping the less wealth distracted from the real problems in their lives. 

This is pretty crazy considering the corner stone for the civil rights movement was equality for all and a desire to end segregation, yet it’s still happening on a pretty large scale and some of it is even supported by the African American community.  I feel like the different cultures in this country are moving further apart faster than they are coming together. If something isn’t done to change this I feel it may be an insurmountable problem before too long.

Ethnicity: We need a change !

Submitted : Yahne' Coleman


     Ethnicity plays a role in America this very day. Its in our housing , school education , prison system and even who we elect for President. Life for minorities has always been a struggle. Today many people walk around as if racism doesn't exist but it does. In our society people talk politically correct but all the hate and racism is engraved in our laws.

From years ago we as Black people was not allowed to live in certain neighborhoods , the nice ones. Caucasian people felt as though we were a hinder to society. There for when the Fair Housing Act was passed and we moved into those nice neighborhoods we always dreamed about , guess what. . .the Whites quickly ran. Anywhere Blacks were did not have value , consider to Whites. So the nice neighborhoods and houses that we longed for was considered trash within months. The taxes wasn't good which left low funds for our schools and hinder our children education as well.

Now in the present you see bad school systems and not enough resources in every Black community , it never changed or progressed.  We are affected by our past.  The fact that racism is living deep in our laws will only keep us at this low level. The results are bad education , bad jobs and just NO OPPORTUNITIES.Today there is literally millions of African Americans in prison and the numbers are just increasing. We are only repeating slave history.

                 Even though every Caucasian person isn't racist there are still more out there. I feel as though we need not to be ignorant and educate our self and our children. We need to come together and finally get the rights we deserve. On paper we are all the same , in God eyes we are all part of him and equal. Our ethnicity is clearly the reason we don't experience the things a White person that is just like us , same knowledge , same sex and same age experiences. We all need to love one another and teach love to our children because racism and not born its made. The fight for equality isn't over !

http://www.nber.org/digest/nov06/w12078.html

We Are What We Are,Because They Said That's What We Are!

Submitted by Cartier Anderson

The Topic of race has,and will probably always be a major problem in America. In class we watched a film called "The Power Of Illusion". The film showed how was "race was started and how the whole "All men are created equal" thing is some B.S. Thomas Jefferson wrote in " Notes of Virginia", that blacks were less than human and were inferior to whites.

While watching the film, we saw how "whiteness" and American citizenship was granted. A group of LAMES sat on a panel and discussed who were and weren't white. Supposedly they had scientific data that showed a "white" gene. An asian man by the name of Ozawa went to the panel in hopes of becoming an American citizen. He explained how his skin was just as or more white that those on the panel. He also argued that he had the beliefs of an American therefore, he was just as American as anyone else. He case was denied. Three months later, a Hindu man went to the panel with scientific proof of his "whiteness", but was still denied of American citizenship. Why? Because "THEY" said he wasn't white.

Below is a an a short film clip from "Power of Illusion" that I found interesting

                                                                         MY TAKE

Who the BLEEP did those weirdos think they were to say "Blacks" were less than human and more  like animals? What does that say about them when they were quick to get their LITTLE winkys wet by a black woman (or animal in their eyes)? To treat someone as though their life had no value is unbelieveable. What's so sad is this same thought process is still going on. African Americans are still given the short end of the stick. It's like we have to prove ourselves just to get our foot in the most doors and a little respect. We are negatively stigmatized by our unique names, our housing and financial situations, the type of education we recieve and worst of all.....What we look like. My is the ultimate melting pot. We range from all shades and "racial backgrounds".

Here are a few pics of my family:

I couldn't imagine someone telling me that my family was less than human or denying us citizenship because of what we look like. Everybody is mixed with something and should embrace who they are.
I'm going to tell ya'll this... I'm a fly ass Chocolate, Chunkybutt thick jawn with confidence through the roof. I'm proud of who I am and what I look like (minus my pouch). Yeah "white" people may have more advantages, but life is what you make it. If you want better, you have to do better.

We as African Americans sometimes give the LAMES who say we are nothing a reason to say that. Just because we are put at a disadvantage doesn't mean we have to accept it. If we instill positvity, determination, and most of all....LOVE in our children, maybe it will break the cylce of poverty and incarceration in our African American communities and other communities facing the same problem. Yeah those with the power play a role, but the only people really keeping us down is US! How? Because we accept the bullshit (please don't give me an F but this is how I really feel). We need to learn how to stick together and demand respect. On that note....I'm Done!
                                                              Signed.... Punky BaddAss #POW!!!

Race and Ethnicity in the United States

Submitted by: Jamila Ferguson

Race and ethnicity is huge in the united states. Sadly, race and ethnicity once determined who you could marry, where you could sit, where you could eat, whether or not you had the right to vote and even who you could look at, in some states. Still today, race and ethnicity determines the type of jobs available to you, the quality of schooling you may receive, the difference in the services you receive and the value of your home or property. Race and ethnicity establishs the amount of money you make. Race and ethinicity is also a factor in the type of sentencing or amount of time you will serve in jail. Race and ethnicity sometimes determines where you may end up in the next ten years of your life, whether you drive a 2011 mercedes benz or become an convicted felon without any rights to vote! Race and ethnicity determined how easy or difficult it was in the job of parenting or having to worry about the safety of your children and family. This is sad. Whatever happened to judging people by the content of there character and not by the color of their skin? There is a large disproportion in equality between the majority and minority. Who will step-up? Who will stand out against this epedimic? Something need to be done. Someone needs to address this problem or this condition will continue to become worse and worse.