Just Walking On By Summary

For centuries, the United State is one of the biggest country of racial and ethnic diversities but being in a country of tremendous diversities comes with many racial stereotype about a person appearances. In “Just Walking on By,” Brent Staples, explains his experiences on the issue surrounding racial profiling being a black African American male. Staples first encounter was a white women that had mistaken him as a criminal because of his appearances. “It was clear that she thought herself the quarry of a mugger, rapist, or worse.” (239). This was only the beginning of Staples journey of being racially stereotyped as numerous encounter soon follows in his daily life. One such as, Staples entering a jewelry store to only be later greeted by

It was late in the afternoon and I knew I had to get home soon before it gets dark but I was nowhere near getting home yet. That's when I encounter two black African male walking toward me in the far distances. I then look around and notice I was alone with two tall African male walking in my direction. Fearing for the worse, I quickly took a sharp turn into a different street to avoid walking past them. Just as Staples said, “Its was in the echo of that terrified woman’s footfalls that I first began to know the the unwieldy inheritance I’d come to into -- the ability to alter public space in ugly way.” (239). It soon dawn upon me that although I may not know them, I had made a firm decision to avoid walking past them because I had judge them based on their race and appearances. Similarly to the woman that ran away from Staples because he was a tall black African male and the women had felt his presences to be threatening. In recent histories, the majority of African American are generally involved in gangs and crime, which is another common reason why numerous black African are being stereotype and misunderstanding in case similar to Staples. “Such episode are uncommon. Black men trades tales like this all the time.” (241). Although racial profiling happens to everyone on daily bases and has repeatedly cause misunderstanding about a person race, especially toward