African American Criticism

1. Nowadays, is African-American people free from oppression?

2. Discrimination toward African-American people is the same type as discrimination toward

moslem who are treated like terrorist?

3. How white author gives positive portrayal toward African-American in their work?

4. At the time, Is racial politics that happen to African-American people?

5. How we can combat racism to ensure that all member of African-American get equal rights?

6. What is the cultural / movement from Harlem Renaissance that is becoming a world wide pop
culture ?

Group one asking if the African-American people has freed from oppression. In this
modern era, African-American people still minority in United States, which means they are still
experiencing oppression even though not as brutal as 1960's. Not only oppression, even racial
treatment and discrimination is remaining in the U.S. mainland.

In 1940, 60 percent of employed black women worked as domestics servants, today the
number is down to 2.2 percent, while 60 percent hold white collar jobs. In 1958, 44 percent of
whites said they would move if a black family became their next door neighbour, today the
figure is 1 percent. In 1964, the year the gereat Civil Rights Act was passed, only 18 percent of
whites clalimed to have a friend who was black, today 86 percent say they do, while 87 percent
of blacks assert they have white friends.

Question from group two is if there any differences between the discrimination towards
African-American people and discrimination towards moslem who is treated like a terrorist. The
problem is that the discrimination that experienced by African-American people is felt by the
entire member of the race. So, it is different from discrimination towards moslem. It is because
not all moslem experience being treated like terrorist, not all moslem show their moslem identity.
Only those who wears hijab, burqa, and man with long beard.
 Next question is coming from group three, asking how white author gives positive
portrayal toward African-American character in their work. Mostly, the African-American
character in white author's work is somehow a bit minor and underrated. They are mostly
described as the clumsy, stupid, rebellious people. But in Hollywood movie industry after 90's,
movies with black actors as the main cast are increasing and they are portrayed as the hero. Bad
boys, Hancock, and Rush Hour franchises, the three action genre movies have Black actor as the
main lead and the character is well-portrayed as true warrior. In 2012 movie, the black actors are
portrayed as genius, wise, and generous man.

The answer of group fours question is there was African American people have racial
politics at the time. They (Black Native) dont have a change to be a politics, activist, and they
never allowed to comment or ask their opinion because American people think that African
Native should innappropriate to be treated humantly.

How we can combat racism so that the entire race of African-American people get equal
rights coming from group five. The answer is we cannot. Because it is in society stigma that they
are the minor. Minor will never win against the majority. Even though with Harlem Renaissance
and Black Arts Movement the Blacks has their freedom from physical oppression, but racial
treatment still remains. It can be seen how some Blacks died in several gunshots cases in some
countries in United States. Also when Oscar 2014 was criticized for being 'so white' because
there's no black actors nominated in that event. This kind of discrimination is the new form of
racial treatment experienced by African-American people. Therefore, how hard activists fight for
Blacks rights, there will be one or another way to treat them unfairly.

The last but not least, the lecturer gives question about which cultural movement of
Harlem Renaissance which becomes the pop culture. We predicted whether it is reggae or jazz,
but it turns out to be rap. Rap is the only original culture that belongs to Black people and it
becomes their identity.

Name : Nadiah Nikmah

NIM / Class : 2014610054 / VI B