African American Studies Essay

One of the things that I personally found most fascinating about African-American Studies is the fact that despite hundreds of years of oppression, slavery, and racism is that Africans and people of African descent possesses a strong feeling of pride and are very in touch with their cultures. Why. The answer goes back muy centurie. The history of people of African descent, contrary to popular belief, does not begin with slavery. People of African descent have a deep history and a rich culture that was unfortunately taken away from them when there were enslaved. However, they were able to adapt and preserve their culture and history through their fierce resistance from oppression and white supremacy. This is why we are able to trace many cultures

These sources include, The Eloquence of Scribes: A Memoir on the Sources and Resources of African Literature by Ayi Kwei Armah, The Atlas of African-American History and Politics: From the Slave Trade to Modern Times by Arwin Smallwood and Jeffrey Elliot, and The Coming: A Novel by Daniel Black. With these materials, along with information provided by Dr. Carr in his weekly lectures, I will present, analyze, and answer this week’s framing question “How did Africans preserve and affirm their way of life and use their identities as a means to resist

In The Atlas of African American History and Political, Elliot writes, “[Africans] would outwit their overseers by escaping at their first opportunity…” (1998. pg.13). The act of escaping from slavery is often referred to as Marronage. Marronage is a term used to describe a method of escaping and resistance that was utilized by Africans that were taken from their countries and enslaved, who were called the Maroons. After the Maroon people successfully escaped they would form small communities in places that they knew where it would be difficult for their overseers find them. In this communities, Africans were now free again to continue their cultures and customs that they once did in their own