African American Marriage Chapter 1 Summary

Journalist Don Lemon offers some tips for African Americans so they can prevent racial discrimination in “CNN 's Don Lemon: Bill O 'Reilly 's Criticism of Black Community "Doesn 't Go Far Enough".” Lemon, gives five ways to fix problems like crime, poverty, and absent fathers in the African American community. Within the article, his use of supporting evidence was included, but he should have added more. Lemon’s overall claim is reasonable, but not every part of it is expressed appropriately.

During their teenage years, white elite women focused on finding a suitable husband with wealth and status (Weiner, 1998). Unlike the white women, black marriages were not recognized. Nevertheless, it was acceptable and valid in the black community. Also, for white males they desired a white woman with an education. “An educated southern woman reflected well on her family name and social class” (McMillen, 2002, p. 91).

Blacks are not allowed to roam freely and do as they please due to what “rules” Whites have placed in society. In a speech made by a valedictorian at an free school in New York City. He starts his speech by explaining on how he works just as hard as any other man, regardless of color, yet feels insignificant. “Where are my prospects? To what shall I turn my hand?...

Staples further demonstrates understanding by recognizing the fact that many young black men are pulled into the ideal of being a

We, as human beings, must be willing to accept people who are different from ourselves”(Jordan Barbara). People are different in many obvious ways, including ethnicity, skin color, and language, Barbara vaguely covers this in her quote. People should be able to accept others, whether it’s a language barrier or having different religions of beliefs. No matter what species, skin color should not matter on whether there is acceptance between them. The text "The Wives Story” Her husband turns into a human, then turns on his previously close wolf family.

Tally’s Corner is the sociological interpretation of the culture of Negro streetcorner men. Elliot Liebow sets out to expose the hypocrisies that lead black men in this circumstance. The study is carried out in Washington D.C. The key argument posed by Liebow is that black males are incapable of attaining jobs because they lack education. He also argues that this is a cycle that inevitably results in a trans-generational marginalization of the black race.

It is evident that marriage is full of ups and downs, but the way couples manage these fluctuations in their relationship determines the strength of their connection. Both partners in a committed relationship must feel the same way and work equally as hard to push through potential obstacles. Being devoted to the relationship can ensure that the marriage will be able to survive the hardships and maintain a healthy, successful marriage. The emotional hardships and positives that a married couple endures on a daily basis are presented throughout the entirety of the poem, “Marriage”, by Gregory Corso. Corso’s poem explores the pressures and factors that influence marriage and sheds light on Updike’s short story about a couple facing divorce.

Interview Questions for African American Families Please find a person of African American descent to interview. The person needs to at least 21 years of age. Please inform the person that this interview is for an assignment in class (educational purposes only) and the information provided will remain confidential. Please try to obtain more than “sound bites” yes/no answers. Asked follow up questions if the interviewee’s answers are too brief (ex: Can you please provide an example or elaborate, tell me more etc..).

Slaves were views as property and in the Southern States property could not enter into a contract, and marriage is a well known contract. The fact that they could not legally marry meant that a permanent family could not be guaranteed under the American Slave life. Enslave black couples used old African traditions to unite the families. One of the most well known acts of pledging their love for one another was “Jumping the Broom”. (Braddy 1)

McBride begins his essay in high contrast to his intended purpose with an anecdotal discussion of his first encounters with Hip Hop music that inevitably represents black men as arrogant, aggressive, and poor. The introductory paragraph details McBride’s fear of his daughter marrying a black rapper that he describes as having “a mouthful of gold teeth, a do-rag on his head, muscles popping out of his arms, and a thug attitude” (McBride para. 1). This stereotypical description of a rapper, as well as the sense of fear McBride feels, contributes to his initial representation of black males as aggressive thugs that are unsuitable to become husbands.

Act II of the play "Our Town" by Thornton Wilder contrasts two perspectives on marriage. Wilder highlights diverse viewpoints on marriage, ranging from traditional and practical to idealistic and passionate, through the use of several people and their interactions. Emily Webb, George Gibbs, and their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Webb and Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs, serve as the main characters in Wilder's portrayal of the complexities and subtleties of marriage in a small town. The Webbs exhibit a more conventional and realistic perspective on marriage.

From her experiences she learns a lot of what African Americans do in order to secure their wellbeing since they live in poverty. Her observations shows how people are stuck in poverty due to the harsh treatment of others and these privileged members of the larger community treat in such a way because they are disadvantaged and have an upper hand among them. Stack concludes in her story that people can secure their mobility by following a nuclear family pattern and obtaining equity. In the end, Stack’s experiences helps give light to people in poverty, allowing people to become more aware of these

The excerpt I chose to reflect on is called “An End to the Neglect of the Problems of the Negro Woman!” by Claudia Jones (1949). Jones express the concerns that women of color in her time suffer from the neglect and degradation they receive throughout their lives. During this time, the reason many African American women go through the struggles in their community originated from the notion that the “bourgeoisie is fearful of the militancy of the Negro woman” (108). In my opinion, they have every right to be afraid of African American women. As Jones stated nicely "once Negro women undertake action, the militancy of the whole Negro people, and thus of the anti-imperialist coalition, is greatly enhanced" (108).

Judy Brady’s “I Want A Wife” is a revolutionary piece that attempted to reveal the unequal roles men and women held in society. She goes through her prose by listing all the responsibilities her wife must have and the ways to make her happy. Brady’s whole article is satirizing these roles and is, in general, very sarcastic in her tone. She mocks a society that has given women an impossible standard and she starts with the deprivation of her education then continues with the role her wife should play in domestic ways, and then finishes with the expectations the sexual aspects of their relationship. I believe that Brady’s underlying message was and still is important for the development of equality in our nation.

Is there really a need to be married anymore? Does marriage actually benefit your relationship, or is it an outdated institution that we’ll be better off without? In this speech, I’ll convince you that marriage is a thing of the past, and that society’s views on marriage have changed enough in the past decade that marriage really isn’t necessary anymore. One of the main purposes of marriage is to maintain a permanent relationship, but nowadays marriage doesn’t lead to a permanent relationship due to the increase of divorce rates.