Journal Entry of a Subordinate Group Member
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Running head: JOURNAL ENTRY OF A SUBORDINATE GROUP MEMBER
Journal Entry of a Subordinate Group Member
************
Axia College
**********
ETH 125
November 7, 2009
Journal Entry of a Subordinate Group Member
Today at work, I overheard some of my co-workers telling “nigger jokes.” I can’t believe that the people I talk, work, and laugh with every day have that kind of prejudice in their hearts. Considering the history of my people in this country, however, I really shouldn’t be surprised. Black people have always had a hard time in America; today was just another demonstration of that fact.
In the early 1600s, African slaves began being transported to America by Europeans. “According to Du Bois, the number of men and women seized from the African continent approximates 15 million, while De la Roncière puts it at 20 million; if, however, to these numbers are added those who died in the slave ships during the voyage (35 percent), in the slave pens on the African coast (25 percent), or on the journey from the interior of the continent to the 166 ports (50 percent), as well as the victims of the manhunt (50 percent), a more precise idea of the number sacrificed can be had.” (Montiel, 1997) Just thinking of the millions of people taken from everything that they’ve ever known in chains almost makes me want to cry as I write this.
This forced migration of Africans continued for another 200 years, and these slaves were assimilated into America’s Eurocentric culture. Even after the international slave trade ended, slavery in America continued until 1865 when the Thirteenth Amendment was passed. Just because Black people were no longer slaves doesn’t mean that our story had a happy ending, however. The mental and emotional damage was already done to our race as a whole. As Dr. Khalid Muhammad said, “"Have you forgotten that when we were brought here, we were robbed of our names, robbed of our language. We lost our religion, our culture, our God, and...
Journal Entry of a Subordinate Group Member
************
Axia College
**********
ETH 125
November 7, 2009
Journal Entry of a Subordinate Group Member
Today at work, I overheard some of my co-workers telling “nigger jokes.” I can’t believe that the people I talk, work, and laugh with every day have that kind of prejudice in their hearts. Considering the history of my people in this country, however, I really shouldn’t be surprised. Black people have always had a hard time in America; today was just another demonstration of that fact.
In the early 1600s, African slaves began being transported to America by Europeans. “According to Du Bois, the number of men and women seized from the African continent approximates 15 million, while De la Roncière puts it at 20 million; if, however, to these numbers are added those who died in the slave ships during the voyage (35 percent), in the slave pens on the African coast (25 percent), or on the journey from the interior of the continent to the 166 ports (50 percent), as well as the victims of the manhunt (50 percent), a more precise idea of the number sacrificed can be had.” (Montiel, 1997) Just thinking of the millions of people taken from everything that they’ve ever known in chains almost makes me want to cry as I write this.
This forced migration of Africans continued for another 200 years, and these slaves were assimilated into America’s Eurocentric culture. Even after the international slave trade ended, slavery in America continued until 1865 when the Thirteenth Amendment was passed. Just because Black people were no longer slaves doesn’t mean that our story had a happy ending, however. The mental and emotional damage was already done to our race as a whole. As Dr. Khalid Muhammad said, “"Have you forgotten that when we were brought here, we were robbed of our names, robbed of our language. We lost our religion, our culture, our God, and...