Peace to W E B Dubois + Ibram X Kendi

Ken Camell  ll

June 22 2019
Ethnic Studies 1
HW 1

2. Why is it important to clarify that the idea of race is a modern invention? (Chapter 1, Race and Racism)
3. How does the existence of "double consciousness" and "the veil" affect W.E.B. Du Bois' own experience as an African-American?
4. How can The Souls of Black Folk be used to examine race relations in the 21st Century?

Ibram X Kendi’s book “Stamped From the Beginning” addresses the origins of racist ideas ,theories and practices. The title of Kendi’s book is inspired by a quote from former Mississippi Senator (Jefferson Davis) who stated “ Black people being inferior (to White people) was stamped from the beginning”. Kendi conveys a racist concept is any idea of one race being superior or inferior to another.  Throughout the first 2 chapters of Stamped From the Beginning Kendi analyzes the history of racsim and slavery plus its influences such as ; Aristotle’s “Climate Theory" and Prince Harry of Portugal industrialized African slave trading practices. Kendi provides a timeline to clearly demonstrate racism is relatively modern dating back to the 15th century.  According to the documentary Race : Power of Illusion race is based on an external observation and ultimately a social construct lacking genetic basis. The narrator mentioned there are no genetic markers to determine or define race.

In the book “The Souls of Black Folks” W.E.B Dubois acknowledges “the despair and self doubt of African American struggling to be treated with dignity and respect “(Souls of Black Folks pg 37). Dubois succinctly summerized the U.S transition fron chattel slavery to amancipation as “ the bewildeted serf gives way to youth with dawning self consciousness,  self realization and self respect” (Souls of Black Folks pg 195). Despite Dubois academic achievements (author, sociologist,professor,civil rights activist etc) he was still affected by “The Veil" which is symbolic to the U.S racial color line restricting the upward mobility of Black(Melanated) Americans. The veil can also be interpreted as a shade which prevents White Americans from seeing Black people as humans let alone as American citizens (The 3/5 compromise) . One example inhumanity of the veil occurred in 1899 when W.E B Dubois infant son Burgherdt died because no White doctor would assist him with his illness (Diplitheria). W E B Dubois mentioned a twoness (double consciousness) meaning two souls conflicted within one dark body as opposed to the oneness which White Americans enjoy including the perks of civil rights, life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This sense of a double consciousness forces Black Americans to see themselves in the lense of White America (white supremacy) and is still prevalent in the 21st century i.e Mike Vik (Black/Melanated man) serves 21 months in prison for killing a dog and Johannes Mehserle (non Melanated man) serves 11 months in jail for killing a Melanated man.

Du Bois, W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt), 1868-1963. The Souls of Black Folk; Essays and Sketches. Chicago, A. G. McClurg, 1903. New York :Johnson Reprint Corp., 1968.

Kendi, Ibram X. Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. , 2017. Print.

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