ipl-logo

Summary Of The Sky Didn T Fall

624 Words3 Pages

“The Sky Didn’t Fall” is Susan Naimark’s metaphor used as she explains her feelings towards calling out and dealing with racism. Explaining her story of how she overcame her struggle of confronting the issues centered around race, Susan tracks her accounts associated with racism that lead to her growth and development. Susan grew up in a Jewish family that never discussed race and remembered traveling to her all-white suburban neighborhood in her family vehicle as the 1967 Detroit Race riots elevated in the city. As she got older, Susan became more and more curious about race and moved into a more racially diverse neighborhood. Her children attended a school in Boston, where white students were the minority and noticed that the white students …show more content…

Due to her preconceived thoughts about racism, she felt that if she called out the issues she saw, she would be seen as racist. She mentioned that she did not want to say anything wrong around people of color, but wanted to “get it right.” Many white people, in my opinion, feel that when there are African Americans around, they cannot talk freely or ask thought provoking questions for fear of sounding racist. This initial mindset that was displayed by Susan showed the self-negation Weber refers to because she automatically assumed that her questions would cause the “subordinate” group to get upset. Lacking confidence in herself, Susan fell into the mindset that all African Americans think that white people are racist. Susan worked for a nonprofit group that worked specifically with issues centered around race where she collaborated with many African Americans. During her time there, she shared her desire to not say anything wrong to her colleagues. She mentioned in her talk that she would often say during her meetings “I’m not going to get defensive” when her colleagues expressed how controlling she was being. This additional example of self-negation displayed by Susan when the “subordinate” group called her out caused her to immediately become defensive instead of analyzing the cause of their

Show More
Related

  • Court Case Of Linda Brown Essay

    793 Words  | 4 Pages

    Linda Brown was 7 years old when her father and 12 other families tried to enroll their children in the all white public school in their neighborhoods. Linda had to walk seven blocks in freezing weather and then take a bus for another two miles. Her trip to school took two hours even though there was a school only three blocks from her home. She was sad and confused that she couldn't go to school with the other kids in her predominantly white neighborhood. Linda's father was a minister and leader in his community.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Melba Beals 'Warriors Don' T Cry

    1083 Words  | 5 Pages

    When somebody does something bad or illegal, there are consequences; Whether it results in karma, punishments, or even a jail sentence, these consequences are solely based upon our actions, or, at least we would hope. In the book Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals, we learn that our actions do have repercussions, but we also learn that those of which we receive can be unjust and biased. The memoir follows the true story of Pattillo Beals, one of the nine original black students to integrate into Little Rock Central High School, in 1957 Arkansas. Throughout her journey, she and her fellow colored peers receive relentless hate and unjust treatment from both students and school staff. Minnijean is Melba's closest friend in the group.

    Read More

  • Part Two Of Angela Davis Sparknotes

    746 Words  | 3 Pages

    The shock of the explosion becomes the first of many incidents against the black community that Davis experiences, impacting her own prejudices against white people, “White people’s hatred of us was neither natural nor eternal. She knew that whenever I answered the telephone and called to her, ‘Mommy, a white lady wants to talk to you,’ I was doing more than describing than the curious drawl. Every time I said ‘white lady’ or ‘white man’ anger clung to my words” (Davis 79). Davis’ experiences with the bombing of a member of her local community changed her view of white people and moved her towards her eventual activism and work to help other black people in her community. Anger clings to Davis as she continues to see how the world seems to be stacked against her, just because of the color of her skin, and the institutions she once followed seem to be doing less to protect her rights, naturally leading to the exploration of new ideas and movements to find community and

    Read More

  • Theme Of Revelation By Flannery O Connor

    859 Words  | 4 Pages

    An Examination of Theme in the Short Story “Revelation” Flannery O’Connor’s short story “Revelation” explores the issue of racism and class dynamics in the southern United States during the 1960’s, the time period that O’Connor wrote this story. The main character, Mrs. Ruby Turpin, is a privileged white land-owning wife. While she is somewhat sympathetic of people of lower class, she is also quick to categorize and judge people by their rank in society. However, a young girl’s unpredictable outburst and Mrs. Turpin’s own obsessive self-consciousness eventually lead her to the revelation that regardless of class, all people are equal in the eyes of God.

    Read More

  • Racism And Prejudice In Gibbs's 'The Test'

    1586 Words  | 7 Pages

    Many people today seem to live life just as the instructor does, and they don't allow themselves to see people past their skin color. Others take up the traits of Mrs. Ericson as they simply watch racism and discrimination unfolding, only to do nothing to stop it. This short story is a reminder that to live a life of hatred is to live a life of blindness. The only way that racism can truly come to an end is if everyone does their part to stop it. If someone sees or hears something meant to demean a race or culture, then it is their duty to take action against it.

    Read More

  • Power And Privilege By John Spencer Summary

    1014 Words  | 5 Pages

    Like Spencer illustrated, as a woman, I am disadvantaged at walking through an alley at night- it is never safe for a woman. Spencer’s article made me aware of certain privileges I have because of the color of my skin. However, I felt such privileges taken away once I spoke in my mother’s native tongue or when I am seen walking to shul (synagogue). Due to past oppression, dating back generations in my family because we are Hispanic and Jewish, privilege is often taken for granted because oppression has had no effect in other people’s lives. Therefore, with the power of education, I can be the voice for the oppressed and disadvantage.

    Read More

  • Common Sense: An Institutional Racism In A Toy Store

    348 Words  | 2 Pages

    white dominance. That first step the children took into the store was a challenge, albeit unwilling and unknowing, to the structure hegemony set up. That step into a toy store may seem overanalyzed, but for children that have remained complacent in their neighborhood, it was their greatest protest to institutional racism yet. As Omi and Winant said, “nowhere is this refusal of ‘common sense’ more needed, or more imperilled, than in our understanding of racism.” (69).

    Read More

  • Prejudice And Discrimination In Ralph Ellison's Story

    129 Words  | 1 Pages

    Combining all the arguments together, Ellison’s narrative is a personal illustration of the many negative effects discrimination and racism has on the African American youth that may lead to a worse off society, but a stasis of status quo eliminates any chance for change. He establishes discrimination to primarily at fault of adults both White and Black, and, due to the lack of change, it is better off to ignore the suffering. However, he fails to acknowledge the consequences produced from ignoring a problem, and, should tackling discrimination and racism be taken actively, then the issues he had argued previously, such as how discrimination forced Black children into ill-labor, may be dissolved. In the end, nevertheless, the narrative conveys

    Read More

  • Glory Be By Augusta Scattergood: Book Summary

    639 Words  | 3 Pages

    In this book Glory is overwhelmed with how her town is handling people who are different than they are. She realizes that her favorite local pool is closing down so colored people can’t swim with the whites. Glory becomes an activist herself and writes a letter to the newspaper lining which makes her preacher father proud. Therefore, the theme of this book is to treat everyone equally, such as when Glory’s friend Frankie from Ohio drinks out of the “colored fountain”. Also, when Glory’s sisters boyfriend that he was arrested for sitting with a “colored friend” at the white table.

    Read More

  • Race, Religion, And Education In The Color Of Water By James Mcbride

    1072 Words  | 5 Pages

    Have you ever experienced personal conflict with racial identity, education, or religion? In 2014, 46% of adults thought our country needed to continue making black rights equal to white rights, while 49% of the country had already made their necessary changes for blacks and whites to have equal standards. This statistic on the contrast between white and black privileges incessantly relates to the novel, The Color of Water, by James McBride. This book expands the truth of white and black lives in perspective of the main characters: Ruth, a white Jewish woman, and James, a black, growing adolescent boy. James and his mother, Ruth, are constantly battling the hardships of race, religion, and education throughout their journey to inner success

    Read More

  • Summary Of Natasha Trethewey History Lesson

    1215 Words  | 5 Pages

    In order to change history, people must learn from their mistakes. Segregation in North America has been a big issue in North America that unfortunately still happens in the world today, however, it is not as bad as it once was. In the poem “History Lesson” by Natasha Trethewey, the author uses mood, symbolism and imagery to describe the racial segregation coloured people faced in the past compared to more recent times, where equality is improved and celebrated. The author uses language and setting to influence the mood and meaning of the poem.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Critical Race Theory

    1747 Words  | 7 Pages

    Race has always been a problem in America and other countries. But developments such as Critical Race Theory (CRT) has helped challenge race and racial power and its representation in American society. Articles such as Critical Race Theory: An Introduction by Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic; White Privilege, Color, and Crime: A Personal Account by Peggy McIntosh have helped CRT develop further. Along with the documentary White Like Me by filmmaker Tim Wise. These articles and film explore the race and racism in the United States, along with critical race theory.

    Read More

  • Mirrors And Windows By Patricia Williams Summary

    578 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mirrors and Windows is an essay by Patricia J. Williams, whom speaks about society’s views of racism towards African-Americans in the mid-1990s. She starts off by describing how people overlook and deal the idea of racism by providing several examples of real occurrences in the United States. Williams discusses the events of officers luring a hundred African Americans to a fancy event, a teenager’s rape case, and Mike Tyson’s domestic violence case. Her examples enable the readers to see what society is doing wrong. People simply do not want to get involved, and if they do, they will cause distress to the victims.

    Read More

  • Themes In Diana Adesola Mafe's Knowing Your Place

    1085 Words  | 5 Pages

    For this project, our group decided to make a powerpoint to explore themes and connections to other novels, from the short story, Knowing Your Place, by Diana Adesola Mafe. The story presented several important motifs for in depth analysis. The two major themes we explored were identity and stereotype driven bias. Furthermore, we went on to connect the protagonist of the story to the protagonist of Han Kang’s

    Read More

  • The Role Of Racism In The Media

    1514 Words  | 7 Pages

    Racism and Media Relations Racism consists of several different and often related ideologies around the concept of race centered. Modern versions are often in social perception of biological differences between peoples based. This may take the form of social measures, practices or beliefs or political systems, look at the different breeds as inherently superior or inferior to one another will be ranked, based on common suspects to take inheritable characteristics, abilities, or qualities. It can also be said that the members of different races should be treated differently. Among the questions, how to define racism whether to forms of discrimination that are unintended, such as assumptions about preferences and capabilities of the other

    Read More

More about Summary Of The Sky Didn T Fall

Open Document