Afrocentrism Essays

The Afrocentric Perspective is a method used in social work practice that utilizes various philosophical assumptions to explain and solve African American problems. Thabede (2014, as cited in Mekada 1999), describes the Afrocentric Perspective as a conceptual framework that acknowledges the cultural image and interests of African Americans by reflecting on their life experiences, history, and traditions. The Afrocentric paradigm was created to shift the faulty views of African Americans under the

Socially constructed identities are utilized to identify who we are and to oppress individuals, especially if they do not conform to those identities or are coming from an intersecting identity. Sometimes on the journey to establish identity and sense of self battles are faced in terms of oppression, acceptance, and silence. All of these variables, in accordance with intersectionality, can make it very difficult for someone to identify themselves or for others to identify them. When an individual

the United States. Within the readings, we explore the different movements throughout history and how they have created the categories many African Americans find themselves contributing to today. These categories are known as Pan-africanism and Afrocentrism. Both movements challenged the way America was being taught and what traditions they were taught to value. Later, we come across another aspect known as ethno-racial mixture, and are conflicted in whether to include this area into the past two

agency as it pertains to African American women, black beauty standards, white beauty standards, and hair. The anthropological concept acculturalization, cultural groups adapting to another culture and taking on traits of that culture, works with Afrocentrism to explain the influence of Eurocentric standards of beauty on African American female hair styles (via straightening practices and relaxing hair), while not invalidating the African American specific hairstyles that preserve black

1986), and seeks to better the lives of African Americans. African American studies focuses on concepts such as black consciousness and cultural self-definition, and knowledge production in addition to theories such as the race identity stages and Afrocentrism. Black consciousness is the awareness of one’s identity as a black person. According to Bantu Stephen Biko, being black is not just skin color it is also a “reflection of mental attitude” (Biko 1971. Biko argues that choosing to describe oneself

In the 1934 depiction of Cleopatra, Claudette Colbert plays Cleopatra as coquettish seen, “on the films bill board Image with her flighty gaze across at the stiff and pompous looking figure of Caesar” (in-text citation). Colbert’s Cleopatra is light-hearted, glossing over the tensions between Egypt and Rome; focussing instead on the romances with Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony. The following quote shows Colbert’s Cleopatra lovelorn over Caesar, ”MAN It wasn’t in his arms he wanted to hold Egypt,

In Mary Lefkowitz's Not Out of Africa: How Afrocentrism Became an Excuse to Teach Myth as History, the author argues against the claim that Greek culture and philosophy was stolen from Ancient Egyptians. She also targets the views of Afrocentric historians such as George G. M. James and Dr. ben-Jochannan. In response to Dr. ben-Jochannan specifically, Lefkowitz refutes his claim that the Greek philosopher Aristotle had forged his philosophies by stealing Egyptian knowledge from the Library of Alexandria

Introduction This report will identify and explain the following cultural backgrounds: African Americans, Asian Americans-Pacific Islanders, Hispanics-Latinos/Latinas and Native Americans-Alaska Natives with the purpose of connecting how cultural backgrounds correlate to alcohol and drug treatment. It is in the hopes that this research will allow for the growth of rehabilitation facilities with regard to how they approach treatment for clients with different cultural backgrounds. It’s also hoped

Sun, a character by the name of Joseph Asagai, takes an African American family back to their African roots during a time of American history where true African culture was not favored. Joseph’s character is extremely nationalistic and embraces Afrocentrism. He defies the assimilation and Americanization within the story, and also shows a main character, Beneatha, that there are more paths in life than the one she is choosing. Joseph Asagai plays a key role in A Raisin in the Sun by taking the family

Nearly a century after the abolition of slavery in America, the discrimination and prejudice behavior conducted by caucasians was still prevalent in the lives of African Americans. Certain racial laws that contradicted the human rights set in the Constitution prohibited blacks from living regular lives along-side white Americans. Several iconic individuals within the black community, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X, have left behind legacies and ideologies that have impacted and

The passion of writing the truth, a message that must be written for those who don’t understand the situation of the flow of words in poetry, and reading between the lines can very much be controversial, especially with two sides to the author's persona. The reality of being a young black man from the “ghetto” who lives in America, he tries to strive and achieve much more than the reality around him, with his dream and passion for trying and achieving greatness. However, being born Black doesn’t

Anwar Aliy Essay #3 According to Gary Gerstle, Theodore Roosevelt was probably the most decisive historical figure of early 20th century America and its later developments. Throughout the book Gerstle brought up the importance of Rooseveltian Nation and its legacy in the shaping of American 20th century nation building and nationalist discourse. The Rooseveltian Nation, which paradoxically combines racial and civic nationalism together

networks dedicated to black programming. Black sitcoms were largely undeveloped until the '70s, then finally hitting a stride in the '80s. In the '90s, that stride became a sprint, with networks scrambling to reach black audiences (Kimble 2013). Afrocentrism was encompassed by hip-hop and it became the norm to see Malcolm X hats and Howard University sweatshirts in music videos and in the streets. However, the number of black sitcoms has declined since

To discuss the effects of latest Marvel Movie ‘Black Panther’, it is important to take a look at the history of Black Panther comic series and its evolution with time. If someone is aware of African-American Civil Rights Movements, it is impossible to miss Black Panther comic series connotations with the famous ‘Black Panther Movement’. The two seemly separate things have much more in common than it seems. The introduction of Black Panther happened in the midst of American civil right movement that

In the above poem Ayim tries to fit in her hyphenated/two part identity into one inseparable whole. Although she states that: “[her] fatherland is Ghana, [her] mother tongue is German” (Ayim, Blues in Black and White 46), her Afro-German identity is adaptive to and inclusive in her surroundings: “I have been living and working in West Berlin and feel more at home in this city than anywhere else” (Blues in Black and White 47). However, racism causes her to feel estranged even after the unity of the

The popular genre of hip-hop actually has a rather interesting history. Hip-hop music also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, a genre that consist of stylistic rhythmic music that has rhyming speeches. This culture has a subculture known by five key elements. Mcing, rapping, scratching, breakdancing and graffiti writing. Other elements are sampling and beat boxing. A lot of people refer to rapping. Hip-hop properly breaks down the practice of the entire subculture (Toop). Keith Cowboy,

Throughout the 70s, innovative and impactful movies featuring heavy African-American involvement hit the scene of thousands of theaters across the United States. The overall positive perception of Blaxploitation films provided many opportunities for black involvement in America’s entertainment industry that Hollywood failed to provide. Audiences positively perceived things that were not brought to light in the white dominated entertainment industry such as, new stereotype defying roles, uplifting