Freely Discriminated

 Edward Williams

ENGL 2016

Dr. Harris

28 November 2023

Freely Discriminated

Traditionally, Black studies have been narrowed down to primary slavery and its mechanisms—morally discussing a few names who were able to escape slavery and other names who were able to advocate for Blacks' “freedom”. It was confined in secondary education. To discuss Black studies, I feel it should start with things that happened during slavery and the afterlife effects on Blacks. Generally, most Blacks are affected by the afterlife of slavery with topics like incarceration rate, education, civil rights, interracial couples, and mental health. Most African Americans don’t know that slavery still impacts them in today’s era and I feel it should be talked about or taught to have a better understanding of the world.

Incarceration is one of the main things that Blacks are impacted by in the United States—a question presented as “a racist policy?” (Gilmore 87, 26). That question is brought up because they have six times more Black people incarcerated than any other race in the United States. (Wang 27) This is why Blacks are negatively stereotyped as “bad” or even dangerous people. It holds a negative statistic over a specific community. Morally knowing that policing was developed because of slavery and preventing slaves from escaping.

Along with the high incarceration rate, health care plays another major role when considering predetermined death and mental health. When the effects of slavery were also in the conversation, white superiority continued, and the lack of healthcare to maintain the higher population (Miles 2), resulted in premature death. Even 400 years later it’s still influenced to continue the systematic racism. Saidiya Hartman feels as the devaluation of Blacks' lives remains in the afterlife, it presents “skewed life choices and impoverishment”. When considering those two factors, they’re layouts for mental health. Mental health usually develops from adolescence, about the age of 14. With Blacks having the highest poverty rate, sitting at 19.5 percent as of 2022, growing up poorly opens the door to self-doubt and low self-esteem. These are ways that the afterlife of slavery still has an effect on Blacks of all ages and should be taught.

Altogether, my intro to Black Studies would consider the facts and obstacles that still hold up in effect to slavery. When considering that they affect all ages, Intro to Black Studies should be taught in secondary education, teaching them the facts of mental health and how it plays a role in their lives. This is a way to stop the continuous statistic of Blacks having the highest suicide rate, poverty rate, and premature deaths. I would use Black studies to educate youth on white superiority and the expectancy they have for Blacks.

References

Initiative, Prison Policy. “Updated Data and Charts: Incarceration Stats by Race, Ethnicity, and Gender for All 50 States and D.C.” Prison Policy Initiative, www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2023/09/27/updated_race_data/. Accessed 23 Nov. 2023. 

Miles, Lewis. “The Afterlife of Slavery: How Racial Logics Maintain Racial Health Disparities.” IAPHS, 16 Dec. 2019, iaphs.org/the-afterlife-of-slavery-how-racial-logics-maintain-racial-health-disparties/. 

Hartman, Saidiya. “Saidiya v Hartman.” Saidiya V Hartman | The Department of English and Comparative Literature, english.columbia.edu/content/saidiya-v-Hartman. Accessed 23 Nov. 2023. 

Shrider, Emily A. “Income and Poverty in the United States: 2020.” Census.Gov, 9 June 2022, www.census.gov/library/publications/2021/demo/p60-273.html. 

Full Fact. “What Age Do Mental Health Conditions Develop At?” Full Fact, 7 Aug. 2018, fullfact.org/health/what-age-do-mental-health-conditions-develop/.