Reading Primary Texts: Black Like Me

Many of us may wonder, “Why we are reading primary texts rather than reading about these stories in a textbook or a journal?” A reader cannot get the whole story from just reading the story from a textbook or journal. In order to really get all of the details and first person perspective, it is nice to be able to read the primary texts. While reading primary texts we find many examples that show personal experience, give more details that are relevant to current events are explained, and explain how complex ideas can apply to different groups. When we read the primary texts, we can get the feel of personal experience and are able to read the story from the first person perspective. In Black Like Me, we read a lot about the experiences of the

For example, this man went to cash a check at many different stores that him as a white man would normally cash a check, but him being a black individual, the service was refused. He was eventually able to cash the check at a Catholic Book Store. We do not see this much now, but we heard about a lot of this back in the day. He was also treated very harshly when he went to buy the bus ticket. He had a larger bill than what the ticket actually costs so the lady gave him a lot of attitude when he went to buy a ticket. . JHG states, “I wonder how she would feel if she learned that the Negro before whom she has behaved in such an unladylike manner was habitually a white man” (51). This is not how any human being should ever have to be treated. No matter who you are or what you do, everyone should be treated as equal persons. In the story Blink, a police shooting is told in much detail, whether than how it is told by media. Police shootings have been a big conflict in the media within the last few years, definitely shootings involving a white citizen and a black police officer. What most people do not know, is that there is much more that happens with these shootings than what we, as citizens, hear of in the media. We may hear many rumors and what may have happen, but do we know the real story if the victim was killed in the

Well, when you think about it, were the police officers really thinking about the logical things to do at this point? In these types of situations, there is so much adrenaline pumping that people are not really thinking logically, they are just doing what they think they need to do to keep themselves safe. There is so much going on through people’s heads when they are in situations, such as, a shooting that they do not know exactly what to do. In this situation, the black male was not pulling a gun on them, it was just a wallet, but the police officers were not even considering that it was anything but a gun.

Primary texts can be helpful in explaining complex ideas. For example, placing stigmas on people. The police shootings between white police officers and black individuals have led to stigmas being placed onto the individuals involved. A stigma is a negative connotation or opinion associated with a certain thing, for example, stereotypes. Just about anyone and any groups can be stigmatized in today’s