How Jimi Hendrix's Race Became His "Invisible Legacy"

Jimi Hendrix is one of the most influential musicians of all time blending his soulful deep sound with the clash and spirit of Rock N Roll. Living in a virtually white world, Hendrix became a black sex symbol in the 1960's while fighting racial discrimination. Hendrix threw himself into the spotlight and surrounded himself with white groupies, playing for almost all white crowds and white band mates. The black community looked at Hendrix as an "Uncle Tom" almost despising him for his attempt to blend in with white crowds.
Through out his career, Hendrix experienced criticism from both sides of the racial divide. In the end he was a troubled artist who focused on mastering his craft despite outside racial and cultural barriers. Decades after his death, Jimi Hendrix's music is still heavily appreciated. Seen as an artist whose music and vision was ahead of its time, Hendrix receives praise from former and present music figures. "Forty years after his death, it's still tempting to shed a tear listening to Hendrix -- not just because of what we hear, but for all the sounds we will never hear because he died so young."

Blake, J. (2014, October 18). How Jimi Hendrix stopped being black. Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/18/showbiz/jimi-hendrix-invisible-legacy/

White Privelege at Iowa State University

Timpf responds to a letter from a student group at the Iowa State University that reflects on their instution’s “white privilege”. The group compares white privilege to a virus that is easily spread through communication. This is somewhat true, however their analysis is criticized by Timpf as she disregards their comparison as white privilege being the equivalent to HIV or herpres. As white privilege is inherent advantages of being white, she concludes that it is more comparable to genetic diseases, as opposed to communicable diseases. This states that the concept of white privilege can be inherent in college, however it is more likely spread through previous personal thoughts and actions, not through current communication to others.


Timpf, Katherine. "Student Group's Letter: White Privilege Is a Communicable Disease." National Review Online. National Review, 13 Apr. 2016. Web. 13 Apr. 2016. <http://www.nationalreview.com/article/434008/iowa-state-university-white-privilege-student-group-disease>.

Racial Issue in the NCAA

This article focuses on the systemic racism that is conducive in the NCAA. This highlights the racial inequality that plagues Division I sports, most notably of black male student-athletes. Referring to an earlier report that was conducted, concluded that there was a separate and unequal educational experience available for these black male athletes. The normal concept of a university experience is obtaining a degree for future success, however, these marginalized athletes’ experience towards this degree, if achieved, “more often is an empty one.” (Grantham,6) These athletes are unable to experience these educational experiences as they are given a “second-tier” education. The NCAA’s exploitation of these athletes and the practices of schools’ institutional racism extends to the black communities. This is because the NCAA has increased the value of these athletes’ performances, while decreasing the value of their expected education.

Grantham, Charles. "Race an Unspoken Issue in the NCAA's Long List of Problems." Race Plays a Key Role in the Inequities in College Sports. Sports Illustrated, 29 May 2015. Web. 10 Apr. 2016.

Color Blindness and Perceptions of Racial Discrimination in the Workplace

This study examines individual color-blind attitudes and the perceptions of racial microagressions in the workplace, amongst a pool of college student.  The use of students in this case is significant, as it captures the views of the generation that is about to enter the work force.  They used measures such as percieved racial privilege, institutional discrimination, and blatant racial issues.  In the study, "participants were told that they would read a series of scenarios about White and Black interactions in the workplace and be asked for their impressions" (Offermann, pg. 1).  The results of the study showed significant differences between how racioethnic majority and minority group members percieve events int the workplace.  This discrepancy indicates just how necessary making efforts to eliminate discrimination in the workplace still is today.

Offermann, L. R., Basford, T. E., Graebner, R., Jaffer, S., De Graaf, S. B., & Kaminsky, S. E. (2014). See No Evil: Color Blindness and Perceptions of Subtle Racial Discrimination in the Workplace. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology, 20(4), 499-507. doi:10.1037/a0037237

Does Race of Gender Matter More to Your Paycheck?

This article brought to light many issues that face the workplace today. It primarily focused on the wage gap between men and women, but also between races. Through multiple studies, it backed up the claim that the work place benefits white men only. Overall, women make .86 cents for every dollar a man makes. It's a statistic I've heard time and time again. However, what I did not realize is this is just an average between races. Asian and American women make roughly the same amount. Black women make less than that by nine cents. Hispanic women, horrifyingly, only make .55 cents for every dollar a white male makes. What I found interesting was that this isn't only with salary jobs, hourly wage jobs also saw a large wage gap based on gender and race.

The article got more frustrating as I continued to read it. The wage gap widens with education levels. A white man with a PhD will make significantly more than a white women, Asian women, black women or Hispanic women with the same education. Looking at it through this angle, education has a lot higher value for white men than it does for anyone else. Clearly there needs to be a workplace wage reform. It isn't fair for men and women to make different amounts of money for the same positions. Especially for minority women! I feel terrible that they have to work so much more just to earn what a white man does. It's a way of asserting dominance over all these women and frankly, it's disgusting.

Ashton, Deborah. (2014, June 10). Does Race or Gender Matter More to Your Paycheck? Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2014/06/does-race-or-gender-matter-more-to-your-paycheck.

How Did Racism Get So Popular?

After reading this article, I think my perspective of what race actually is changed. Race, to me, is the child of racism. This is not a case of the chicken and the egg. Race was created as a justification to racism. Pop culture is a widely accepted form of perpetuating this racism and allowing the people at the top of the system (primarily white men) to continue holding all the cards. This article gave me a grim outlook on racism. It seems like every institutionalized practice in America (television, religion, etc.) is just a catalyst that allows racism to occur.

The main focus of this article is to show how so many aspects of our culture allow racism. There's a massive amount of misrepresentation in Hollywood films. They only retell the stories of the people who own the companies making those movies. And who are they? You guess it. White. Males. My favorite quote from this article was "the racist believes his hatred to be earned and that beauty and nobility and even love flower from it," (Marche). This shows how powerful the belief in racism can be. Overall this article is a great introduction to my studies in racism in pop culture.



Marche, Stephen. (2013, November 25). How Did Racism Get So Popular? Retrieved from http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a26162/how-did-racism-get-popular-1213/.

Crisis of Black Athletes on the Eve of the 21st Century

In this article, Edwards explains why African American families may be inclined to push their kids in sports and not other areas.  He attributes this to three major factors. 1) a widely accepted, racist belief, that African Americans are athletically superior, and academically inferior., 2) the way African Americans are portrayed in sports by the media, and 3) the lack of African American role models in other professions.  African American participation in sports,is highlighted by the media in a very visible way, to the point where sport has become an acknowledged method for upward mobility.

As new regulations, such as proposition 48, come into play, Edwards points out the associated drop in African American participation.  Attaching grade requirements to the pursuit of sports, has made the dream less attainable.  With a lack of visible African American role models in other professions, many youths struggle to see a clear path for themselves.  Edwards highlights how reinstating sports as an "attainable" means to move up in the world, would help keep youths off the streets through once again providing something constructive to aspire to.

Edwards, H. (2000). Crisis of Black Athletes on the Eve of the 21st Century. Society, 37(3), 9.

The Difference a Letter Makes

This article is a detailed account of an individual’s first-hand account of discrimination in the workplace. Every day, José Zamora applied to 50-100 open positions without a single response from recruiters. After a while, he wanted to see if the outcome would change if he had a ‘white’ sounding name. By assuming the identity of Joe Zamora, he began to receive e-mails and calls regarding the same positions he applied to as José. A study found that “applicants with white-sounding names received 50 percent more callbacks than applicants with black-sounding names” (Matthews, pg. 1). It is clear that systematic racism is apparent in the hiring process. Zamora is one of many individuals all over the country who are negatively impacted by systemic racism.

Matthews, C. (2014, November 3). He Dropped One Letter In His Name While Applying For Jobs, And The Responses Rolled In. Huffington Post.  Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/02/jose-joe-job-discrimination_n_5753880.html

Disparity in the Criminal Justice System Against African Americans

This article goes into detail about eight main assertions that African Americans are discriminated against in the criminal justice system. These assertions detail the increased likelihood of African Americans to have harsher penalties than Caucasians who committed the same offense.  One example is a study in 2012 which found that “black men’s sentences were, on average, 10 percent longer than those of their white peers” (Kahn pg. 1). This study as well as the other studies that support the assertions that this article makes were conducted all over the country, reinforcing that institutional racism is clearly apparent in the criminal justice system.

Kahn, A., & Kirk, C. (2015, August 9). What It's Like to Be Black in the Criminal Justice System. Slate. Retrieved from: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/crime/2015/08/racial_disparities_in_the_criminal_justice_system_eight_charts_illustrating.html

Beyond Ferguson: Pop Culture Through the Lens of Race

Over the last few years, there has been a stronger representation of some minority groups, including women, African-Americans, the LGBT community, in the onscreen depiction. However, other minority groups, such as Latinos and Asian-Americans, have yet to progress as far. On one hand, we have critics and other viewers celebrate these cultural advances and then on the other hand, we have the crisis in Ferguson increasing racial tension in America and serving as a grim reminder that culture is further ahead than politics. Here, film serves as a great example.

Gittell, Noah. (22 August 2014). Beyond Ferguson: Pop Culture Through the Lens of Race. Rogerebert. Ebert Digital. Retrieved from: http://www.rogerebert.com/balder-and-dash/beyond-ferguson-pop-culture-through-the-lens-of-race

The Case Against Racial Colorblindness in the Workplace

Experimental research by Michael I. Norton and his colleagues at Harvard Business School shows that ignoring race to overcome prejudice is an ineffective strategy that only helps perpetuate racial bias. Many companies adopt a "colorblindness" strategy, where they ignore racial differences when creating policies and making organizational decisions, to prevent discrimination and prejudice. However, many people do notice racial differences in each other. To test this phenomenon, Norton and several colleagues conducted an experiment to measure individuals' tendencies towards attempted racial colorblindness.

HBS Working Knowledge. (20 January 2013). The Case Against Racial Colorblindness in the Workplace. Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/hbsworkingknowledge/2013/01/20/the-case-against-racial-colorblindness-in-the-workplace/#583cfe4a1c20

Criminal (In)justice

In reseaching articles in regards to Criminal justice, i find that the real topic should be Criminal (in)justice.  Wikipedia gives the definition of Criminal justice as the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts.  

On the campaign trail, Hillary Clinton is trying to defend her husband in his efforts to uphold social control, mitigate crime that was high while he was in office, all things that is reason for the criminal justice system.  However, it seems that some of the policies put in place created consequences. an over-incarceration of people with drug problems instead sending them for treatment from the addiction.  So Clinton promises to fix by redirecting those who are being jailed, with no chance of healing.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criminal_justice

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/04/10/hillary-clinton-defends-bill-clinton-on-criminal-justice/?_r=0

CITATIONS:

Rappeport, A. (2016). Hillary Clinton Defends Bill Clinton on Criminal Justice. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/04/10/hillary-clinton-defends-bill-clinton-on-criminal-justice/?_r=0 

The Lessons of Baltimore

With a population of 63% African-American, a Black mayor, a Black commissioner, and majority of the city's police also being African-American, Baltimore still struggles with a troubled police department. Being one of the most dangerous cities in U.S., the murder rate was 37 per 100,000 in 2013. Back in 2005 a white mayor made a change urging the police to stop young males acting suspiciously and searching for guns or drugs. The article The Lessons of Baltimore describes the changed in the criminal justice system after the changes mayor Martin O'Malley made.

K., D. (2015, April 28). The lessons of Baltimore. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2015/04/race-and-criminal-justice 

Innocent While in Prison: Guilty Have a Better Chance

Through the advent of social media, more stories are being brought to light than ever before. Honesty takes courage and is often suppressed as the truth is covered up. Even so, such mistakes causes individuals to doubt the judicial system. It has been unanimously agree upon the reform is in order, and the topic is typically left out of political debate. More often than not, people of color are individuals that have been wrongfully convicted. Prosecutors hide behind guidelines and laws and appeal procedures to justify the cause. For these individuals, their lives have been stolen from them, and it will continue to do so until it is critically evaluated.

 Johnson, L. (2016, March 3). Stolen Lives: Oppressed, Exploited, and Innocent in Prison. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lorenzo-johnson/stolen-lives-oppressed-ex_b_9570150.html 

Employers Vs. Employees: The Aftermath of the Recession

When workers become less engaged, productivity slows, customers are disgruntled, slower response times,which all effect a company and its goals. Researchers conducted a survey over 900 organizations and the result was the same. The findings also highlight the increased strain between employers and employees, and the uncertainty ( as well as doubt) brought about by the recession. For those two have survived lay offs, they are finding that they are picking up the slack for those who are now gone. The article goes on to discuss the example of Jet Blue that now has busier flights, more security precautions, and wage concessions. Nonetheless, the responsibility to reengage employees falls on companies, and stressed out workers will only stay around for so long before they leave.

Schepp, D. (2010, August 16). People@Work: The Growing Strains Between Employees and Employers - DailyFinance. Retrieved April 10, 2016, from http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/08/16/people-work-the-growing-strains-between-employees-and-employers/ 

The 11 Most Racist Things That Happened In Pop Culture: 2014

Description:

The article that I chose talks about 11 of the most controversial racial issues that occurred in pop culture in 2014. It is a very interesting read, because I wasn't even aware of some of these major issues that took place. The article highlights many issues that are still apparent in society and reflects the ignorance of some people. It is a great read!

Click Here for Article

Here are few:

1. New York Times article that called Viola Davis "less classically beautiful"
2. An xoJane article about a white girl who felt bad for a black girl in her yoga class

3. The time Chelsea Handler mentioned she has some black friends 

4. On the Colbert Report when he was mocking Asians 

5. When an Arizona State University fraternity celebrated Martin Luther King Day in the worst possible way

6. The time Katy Perry lampooned black women like it's going out of style

7. When Klohe Kardasian made a KKK joke

Citation:

"The 11 Most Racist Things That Happened In Pop Culture This Year."TheGloss RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2016. <http://www.thegloss.com/2014/12/31/culture/most-racist-pop-culture-moments-of-2014/>.

Diversity Training Needed in Workplace

Description:
In a recent article by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) it was brought up that workplace racism still exists even in today's day and age. Because of this, companies are beginning to implement diversity training through the Human Resource department. "Covering the broad scope of a respectful environment that encourages diverse thinking and acceptance will increase the chances that these training sessions will strike a chord [in regards to diversity]" (Smith 1). The article reveals that racial discrimination is still a major issue in the workplace, and although this is true, many companies are trying their best to solve this issue. Although racial discrimination is occurring, it seems that none of these organizations want it to occur. Through the HR department & implementing training, I believe that these issues can be resolved. 


Click Here for Article


Citation:

Smith, Allen. "Workplace Racism Persists, Diversity Training Needed." SHRM. SHRM, 25 Aug. 2014. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.

Where Are All the Black NBA Coaches?

In the past three years, more black head coaches in the NBA have been fired than ever before. By the time all the vacancies were filled there were only seven left in the entire NBA. Out of the thirty teams, that's a huge decrease from the previous fourteen total black head coaches on opening night in 2012. From 2001 to 2014, the NBA has averaged about eleven black head coaches, marking the most diverse era in league history. So why all of a sudden are so many black head coaches being fired? And why has this decline gone literally unnoticed?

Beck, Howard. (2015). Where Are All the Black NBA Coaches? Examining a Sudden, Silent Disappearance. Bleacher Report.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2584463-where-are-all-the-black-nba-coaches-examining-a-sudden-silent-disappearance

Usher's Statement About Injustice in "Chains"

The music video,“Chains,” depicts the injustices that people of color face within the United States, which has been a topic of interest within the past few years, as more and more cases of discrimination appear in the news. The title indicates the intention of the video, because chains are associated with being restricted and imprisoned. Within the video are images of men and women who have fallen victim to racial discrimination and violence as a result of this. Names, faces, and a brief description are included with each image in the video. The interactive version of the video ensures that the viewer is engaged through access of the front facing camera. If the viewer is not looking at the video, it will pause until eye contact is made once again. This video demonstrates one of the many ways in which artists are beginning to take a stand against injustice through their work. Usher promoted the video along with the hashtag "Don't Look Away" in order to promote active engagement in these issues throughout the country.

McIntrye, H. (2015, October 20). Usher's Powerful New Music Video Literally Won't Allow You To Look Away. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2015/10/20/ushers-new-music-video-literally-wont-allow-you-to-look-away/#491f817614a3

https://chains.tidal.com/

When Whites Get a Free Pass

           Ian Ayres, an experienced writer on the topic of racial and ethnic inequalities, explores the idea of privilege and the deeper unconscious actions of discretionary benefits towards certain races. Based off of an Eddie Murphy skit on SNL called “White Like Me,” the author makes the connection of people giving things to each other for free, to a field experiment in Australia. Despite the geographic distance between Australia and the United States, the same issues and conclusions backed by research, can be seen in our country. This field study demonstrated another way researchers can exemplify racial privilege in today's society. The experiment included 29 young adults from various ethnic groups and both genders where they got on a bus and inserted a fare card that was empty. The point of the study was to see how many times the bus driver let that person go on for free. The results varied by driver, but all indicated some form of relative favoritism toward the tester that shares their race. Despite that result, black drivers still favored white testers. The study also tested different dress attires, such as army uniforms and business wear, which found that those variables also contribute to the favoritism. This field experiment shows that there are still racial biases and unconscious actions people do to solidify those preconceived notions. This experiment simply illustrated that discretionary benefits can be as commonplace as letting a person go on the bus for free.

Ayres, I. (2015, February 24). When Whites Get a Free Pass. Retrieved from                     http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/24/opinion/research-shows-white-privilege-is-real.html

Race and Beyond: The Intersection of Pop Culture and Race

            
 In an article written by Sam Fulfood III, he discusses the way popular culture is manifested through different races. The author uses a personal anecdote to illustrate the way pop culture flows into our everyday conversation and language. As described in the article, the author's friend, Ernie, is an African American that enjoyed listening to classical music at the Atlanta Symphony. Ernie has not gone to the symphony in many years and he received a call from a man trying to sell him a subscription to the Atlanta Symphony. The author points out various assumptions of the situation such as Ernie's last name being Holsendolph, which one may not recognize as being African American. Ernie assumed the man calling was white and was very surprised to hear him use the phrase, "in a minute." Ernie has heard that phrase from his younger son who is very involved in pop culture, especially the hip-hop industry. The author described how surprised Ernie was to hear a phrase known to be from the black culture used in a non-calculating manner. Through this example the author explored the notion of performers using work from black or white cultures. Phrases are created by an influential figure in pop culture and flow into the mainstream where kids from various races start adapting and changing them into their own vernacular.

            This article made me realize that pop culture can bring races together as well as put boundaries between them. In this particular article on the creation of phrases circulating into the mainstream, it is difficult to decipher where the phrase truly originated from, therefore making it hard for a certain race to claim its creation. Although those origins can be blurred at times, races may argue or fight over who created it and who was copying it. I thought this article brought up an interesting point in that phrases in the mainstream can be changed by people in different races to be used in things such as songs and social media posts.

Fulwood, S. (2012, May 1). The Intersection of Pop Culture and Race. Retrieved from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/news/2012/05/01/11510/race-and-beyond-the-intersection-of-pop-culture-and-race/

White Privilege Evident in the Workplace

This article discusses how almost twenty years after the US Department of Labor began auditing the racial hiring practices at Bank of America's offices in Charlotte, North Carolina, black candidates who did not receive equal opportunity in the workplace are finally receiving financial compensation. Bank of America was ordered to pay close to $2.2 million in back pay to African Americans who were denied entry level jobs at the offices in Charlotte with no reason. According to the Labor Department's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs' (OFCCP) review for the hiring periods of 1993 and between 2002 and 2005, Bank of America unfairly rejected 1,147 African Americans for jobs. According to a spokesperson from the OFCCP, the criteria used for hiring included credit checks and evaluations of compatibility of work hours used to judge black applicants' qualifications differently than those of white candidates. By using these categories, whites are given an advantage when applying for the job without realizing it because as studies have shown credit scores are often higher for whites than blacks. As a result of using this criteria for hiring, the percentage of applicants disqualified was "significantly higher" for African Americans than for whites. By auditing Bank of America, OFCCP was enforcing the priority of "[e]liminating the attitudinal and institutional barriers to the advancement of minorities and women in corporate management positions and executive careers" (Mock 10). The final settlement from the company is based off of the amount that the victims would have received in wages if working there.

Mock, B. (2013, September 25). Bank of America ordered to pay $2.2 million for racist hiring practices. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://www.southernstudies.org/2013/09/bank-of-america-ordered-to-pay-22-million-for-raci.html

When Addiction has a White Face

          The crack epidemic throughout the 1980s was met head-on by lawmakers and enforcers with what we refer to as the 'war on drugs'. During this time, inner city African-Americans were often viewed parallel with drugs, gangs, and violence. As the media began broadcasting terrifying images of violent, addicted black Americans, the race as a whole was engulfed by a nationwide stereotype which attributed nearly all black Americans with drugs and violence. The result of this was brutal and unjust treatment of African-Americans by the police and court systems. This discriminatory treatment stretched wide and far, even to those who were never involved with or had committed any crime. As the epidemic took hold of America, we saw black Americans beaten and incarcerated time and time and time again, while having little to no effect on crime or addiction which both continued to spread.

          Today, addiction has a new face, and it's white. Heroin is being shipped in from the Mountains of Mexico and white, suburban Americans are now the target market. "Deaths from heroin rose to 8,260 in 2013, quadrupling since 2000 and aggravating what some were already calling the worst drug overdose epidemic in United States history" (Seelye). As the tide of addiction and overdose shifted from Crack to Heroine, and from black, urban Americans to white, suburban Americans, a huge discrepancy in policy and enforcement became evident throughout the criminal justice system. "When the face of addiction had dark skin, this nation’s police did not see sons and daughters, sister and brothers. They saw 'brothas,' young thugs to be locked up, rather than 'people with a purpose in life'" (Yankah). As empowered whites saw friends, coworkers, and family start overdosing, it finally hit home. Rather than incarcerating the masses of heroin addicts, like we saw with crack addicts in the '80s, policymakers decided that treatment and harm reduction are the best policies. The U.S. could have saved thousands of lives and billions of dollars by attempting to introducing these policies during the 80s. Although it's altruistic to implement these policies now, it's a shame that it took so long to realize that this was the right path.

Seelye, Katharine Q., (2015). In Heroine Crisis, White Families Seek Gentler War on Drugs. The New York Times.

Yankah, Ekow N., (2016). When Addiction Has a White Face. The New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/09/opinion/when-addiction-has-a-white-face.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/31/us/heroin-war-on-drugs-parents.html

Jalen Rose: Review of Fav Five Documentary on ESPN

Race in the world of sports causes a significant issue. The increasing discussion of racism in sports dates back 20 years ago in the story of the Fab Five, a Cinderella team from Michigan who made a run during March Madness and who also had a starting five of African-Americans. They were a group of guys who bought in an era that exemplified the hip-hop revolution that was emerging in the early 90s. The Fab Five wore baggy shorts with tall black socks, tattoos, and headphones. They were changing the game of college basketball.

This article describes their journey throughout their experiences as student-athletes at Michigan and the hatred towards African-Americans from the mainstream media.

Rogers, D. (2011, March 18). Jalen Rose: Review of Fab Five Documentary on ESPN.
Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://bleacherreport.com/articles/639448-jalen-rose-fab- five-documentary-on-espn-a-job-well-done

Racism and White Privilege

Racism ranges from the individual to the institutional level and reflects a pervasive view, a view that says being of white race claims that you have power and higher privilege of those of a different race. Being white allows you to have privilege over others, privilege that is not earned and that you are born with. These privileges may be something very small or something with a lot more value. Either way, white privilege is something that will not disappear.

White privilege is not something that white people do or create themselves, it is something they are born with. Not only does it serve as perks for whites, but it also creates with a lot of advantages. Some of these small perks may include complimentary shampoo at hotels that works with the texture of your hair, flesh colored band aids, or nude pantyhose. Advantages may include not being harassed in a store or being pulled over because of my race. A lot of these perks or advantages are often over looked, or whites don’t realize the simplicity behind some of them. White privilege is a hidden and transparent preference that is over difficult to address and something that is inevitable.

Holladay, J. R. (n.d.). On Racism and White Privilege. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://www.tolerance.org/article/racism-and-white-privilege

No, Justice is Not Colorblind

The question of whether or not the criminal justice system is racist has been a continuous question for decades, and will continue on for a very long time. There has been many studies done in order to try and prove there is no racism involved in decisions in the criminal justice system, but there are many numbers that say otherwise. These numbers who there is a large difference in the way whites and blacks are treated.

The article “No, Justice is Not Colorblind’, looks at the data behind Americas prison justice system and how race may impact different peoples experience with it. For every statistic shown in this article, whites are always the favored race with lowers a lot lower than African Americans. Whether it’s the percentage of blacks and whites in prison, drug and marijuana arrests, encounters with police, or life sentences, the percentage for African Americans is never the lower number. These numbers also include police interactions, whether its field interrogations, observations, frisks, or even being pulled over. A recent study showed that blacks represent less than 1 in 4 residents in Boston, but from 2007 to 2010 they accounted for more than 3 of 5 police encounters. Although the criminal justice system continues to try and prove they are not colorblind, there are continuous articles and numbers like this that continue to prove opposite.

Cook, L. (2014, December 11). No, Justice is Not Colorblind. US News. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2014/12/11/no-justice-is-not-colorblind

What is "Flesh Colored?"

What is "Flesh Colored?"



In Chapter 5, Golash-Boza examines colorism and skin-color stratification.  We discussed a bit in class how shocking it was that there were cosmetic products on the market that actually lighten the pigmentation in the skin.  But why is this? Why is a lighter skin complexion desirable and more "beautiful"?  Take a look at some sociological images on the Society Pages and you may have found a possible answer.  Why do people say that skin has to be white?  Because it's been taught and advertised that way for centuries.

Some of the earliest plastic bandage advertisements in 1952 showed a white woman with a "flesh-colored" bandage on her arm as if to say the adhesive was barely there or noticeable because it blended so well.  The "flesh" color was a peachy pale, a subliminal message that flesh is the color of a white person's complexion.

Crayola used to market "flesh" colored crayons, ranging from a light ivory to a semi-yellow tan. The company just recently released their multicultural 8 pack of crayons that included deep blacks and light browns.

The actual definition of flesh is "the soft substance consisting of muscle and fat that is found between the skin and bones of an animal or a human," (Merriam-Webster) So when we point to the color of skin as our own "flesh" it is entirely incorrect.  The fact that our society has labeled "flesh" as the peachy white color that most Caucasians share is entirely inaccurate and a total misrepresentation of the word.

We have observed for centuries the harmful prejudice, stereotypes and insecurities that derive from the color of a person's skin.  Our advertisements and media need to celebrate beauty and all walks of life.  We simply can not identify and label one word with an entire human race.



Source: Wade, L. (2011, December 08). White Privilege: “Flesh-Colored” - Sociological Images. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from https://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2011/12/08/white-privilege/

Jackie Robinson: More Than Just a Baseball Player

Baseball has often been referred to as "America's favorite pastime," however, sport enthusiasts are so quick to forget the exclusive and outwardly racist regulations the league used to abide by.  Before 1946, there were no integrated professional baseball teams.  It was strictly the Major League, where only white athletes could participate in, and the Negro Leagues.  Breaking this racial caste system was Jackie Robinson, a southern elite athlete who would change the game of baseball forever.  

Many remember Robinson for his outstanding career with the Brooklyn Dodgers, in his first year alone hitting 12 home runs to help the Dodgers win the National League Pennant. Robinson also led the league in stolen bases to pick up the Rookie of the Year title.  However, how Jackie actually achieved his status and became the first man to integrate major league baseball is often left in the shadows.   

Before Branch Rickey signed Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers, Jackie was a four sport high school athlete and the youngest of five children.  Robinson lived his entire youth in poverty and worked extremely hard in the classroom to gain academic recognition.  He went on to be the first collegiate athlete at UCLA to letter in 4 sports.  After UCLA, Robinson served as second lieutenant in the U.S Army.  Though never seeing combat, he was honorably discharged and played 3 years in the Negro Leagues.  It was at this time that the Major League Baseball committee decided that they needed an "outstanding negro" to enter the all-white league.  The MLB was losing revenue and decided to integrate, and Jackie Robinson happened to fit this mold.  

While playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Jackie Robinson would receive death threats sent to his home, threatening his family if he did not quit the league.  Many athletes on his team signed petitions to keep him out of the league, and coaches and athletes for the opposing teams would chant racist cheers when Robinson was at bat.  None of this, deterred Robinson from chasing after his ultimate goal of becoming a civil rights activist, and one of the greatest legacies baseball has ever seen.  

Robinson served on the board of the NAACP and became the first African American to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.  While Jackie Robinson was an outstanding athlete, we should not forget as a society the hard work, dedication, intelligence, and willingness to serve our country that it took for this man to achieve his goal.  Jackie Robinson was not just a baseball player, he was a beneficial change to American society. 

Source:   Jackie Robinson. Biography – A&E Television Networks (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://www.biography.com/people/jackie-robinson-9460813#a-voice-for-african-american-athletes

Stereotypes and Labels in Professional Sports

Isiah Thomas was basketball player for the Detroit Pistons in the 1980s. Thomas started a conversation about racial labels in sports that continues today. Thomas argued that professional athletes were stereotyped. Thomas said that whites were stereotyped for their work ethic, and black athletes were stereotyped about their natural ability. Thomas felt that black athletes were not given credit for their hard work and instead their success was simply attributed to natural ability. This conversation continues today where black athletes are highlighted for their physical skills, and white athletes are continually praised for their character, their intellect, or their hard work. This can be exemplified by the way announcers describe Tom Brady versus Marshawn Lynch. Tom Brady is frequently described as the hardest working person in the locker room, or the best team leader the game has ever seen. Marshawn Lynch had a nick name when he played professional Football. It was Beast Mode. in something so simple as a nick name or the way Tom Brady is described comes years of stereotypes that continue to promote the idea that white athletes are hard working and highly intellectual while black athletes are good only because of their physical characteristics.

Johnson, R. (June 5, 1987). Thomas Explains Comments on Bird. Nytimes.com. Retrieved From http://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/05/sports/thomas-explains-comments-on-bird.html

Racial Disparity and Prison Sentences

There is an inherent difference in the way Whites and Blacks are punished in the United States Criminal Justice System. Black men are sentenced to nearly twenty percent longer prison terms than White men for similar crimes committed. This discrepancy in sentencing based on race has worsened since 2005 when the Supreme Court allowed judges to use their own discretion when sentencing. The 2005 Supreme Court case, US v. Booker, ruled federal district judges are not required to impose sentences within the Federal Sentencing guidelines. Since the Booker ruling, Black men are sentenced to more than fifteen percent longer prison terms than Whites in similar situations. In addition Black men were significantly less likely to receive sentences below the guidelines range than whites.

This means that Black men are consistently sentenced longer than whites for similar crimes, and they rarely receive lighter sentences than Federal guidelines suggest even though judges are not required to follow the guidelines. These trends combined with the increased likelihood for police to target black neighborhoods while looking for crime put 1 out of every 3 Black males, in the US, behind bars at some point in their life. This clearly becomes a systemic issue when those numbers are compared to the 1/17 white men going to jail in their lives. This is in addition the fact that black males make up significantly less of the overall US population numbers. Our criminal Justice System unfairly targets Black Americans, and comes down more harshly upon those targeted.




Palazzolo, J. (February, 14, 2013). Racial Gap in Men's Sentencing. WSJ.com. Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324432004578304463789858002

During this presidential campaign Clinton and Sanders talk about white privilege without "saying" the word. It proves that the privilege is there but we still dance around the topic because no one really wants to admit that in 2016 there still is racism.


http://www.inquisitr.com/2862659/bernie-sanders-and-hillary-clinton-talk-about-white-privilege-at-democratic-debate-but-fear-using-the-two-words/



CITATION

Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton Talk About ‘White Privilege’ At Democratic Debate But Fear Using The Two Words. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://www.inquisitr.com/2862659/bernie-sanders-and-hillary-clinton-talk-about-white-privilege-at-democratic-debate-but-fear-using-the-two-words/ 

Race in the Olympics

As a university student involved in athletics, in an increasingly diversifying world, it is important to understand the difference.  Race can be used as a catalyst to confinement; a way to create groupings of people based on certain physical characteristics, namely skin color and body type.  Ethnicity refers to the cultural normalities of a people-group including language, nationalities, customs/traditions, and beliefs.  Ethnicities are can be used to differentiate people by observing what makes them unique.

Sports can be the perfect platform where racial issues are challenged, and ethnic backgrounds put into the spotlight.  The Olympics is the perfect example.  By watching the Olympics, the entire world can experience the squashing of racial prejudices (Jesse Owens 1936 Olympics).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCmvDwDocrw

The Blues, Record Companies and Race

Race recording refers to the division of race by record companies. the different genres of music today suggest racial divide in rap, alternative, rock, etc. Dating back since the 1920's music has been racially divided. Contrary to popular belief, race records helped create popularity amongst black music. The blues took on a life and sound of its own expressing deep soulful melodies and strong lyrics.

Blues tell the stories of the troubles and triumphs of real life artists, as well as a chronicle for the rise of an industry. Although race music has come to an end, there are still barriers in the music industry and stereotyping of artists and genres.

Carpenter, F. C. (n.d.). Race Records: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly [Truths]. Retrieved April 10, 2016, from https://www.centerstage.org/marainey/DigitalDramaturgy/TheBlues/RaceRecords.aspx

Sport Exposure

Issues on race and ethnicity have been exposed by sports for many years now. African-Americans are seen as the great boxers, track and field athletes, and outstanding basketball players. Whites are seen to be dominant in sports such as golf, NASCAR, and ice hockey. However, people start to question when whites dominate in black dominated sports and vice versa. For example, when Tiger Woods began to blow up it caused speculation on what his race and ethnicity was. Society did not want to accept that an African-American was dominating a white sport. Woods was questioned not on his abilities but his skin color. 

Sport is useful in seeing the differences in race and ethnicity through the societal lens. Stereotypical ideas have been established in sports based on color and culture. If something indifferent in sport happens and it was not by the majority, outrage sparks. Society starts to question the persons race and ethnicity and not their character. For example, if an American-American ice hockey player fights a lot in the rink, he can be the target for black judgement. He can be seen as aggressive and unfit for a white dominated sport. As a result, the importance of sports have become vital in the exposure of race and ethnicity.

Fulwood, S., III. (2013, March 5). The Media's Stereotypical Portrayals of Race. Retrieved April 13, 2016, from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/news/2013/03/05/55599/the-medias-stereotypical-portrayals-of-race/

Film and Media: When Will it Stop?

Film and media have become a huge stage for the exposure of ethnic and racial injustice in the world we live in today. The whole world is watching and people are becoming blind to the acceptance of horrid stereotypes that have flooded the minds of unchanging perceptions. As film and media continue to advance, we continue to decline. It seems as race and ethnicity have been gaining more attention then ever. Police brutalities, stereotypical threat, and unfair perceptions have become to ambition of film making, today. 

Fruitvale Station is a true story film where a young African-American is killed "unarmed and lying face down on a subway platform in Oakland, California (Scott 1)." The film depicts a man who sells drugs, goes to prison, and unemployed. A powerful film, Fruitvale Station helps to depict an on-going issue where perceptions of white police officers have been misconstrued and led to unlawful activity. This film shows society the dangers of judgment where an African-American man in his early 20s was killed for an undefined cause. It ends up causing protests. And it should. This film illustrates the evolving police brutality cases that were a cause of racial discrimination. 

Similar cases have been recorded. There has been many links to police brutality and race in the world we live in today. In all, the power of film and media is beginning to characterize the need for change in societal judgement on race and ethnicity. 

Scott, A. O. (2013, July 11). A New Year, and a Last Day Alive. Retrieved April 13, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/12/movies/fruitvale-station-is-based-on-the-story-of-oscar-grant-iii.html