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The Documentary Film, 2008.
This paper looks at the six different modes of documentary filmmaking, with a focus on the documentaries "Out of Control: AIDS in Black America" and "Other Faces of AIDs".
2,614 words (approx. 10.5 pages), 8 sources, MLA, $ 78.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses the documentary film's six primary modes of filmmaking and illustrates some of these modes with reference to different documentaries. The paper then applies the data to two specific documentaries; "Out of Control: AIDS in Black America" and "Other Faces of AIDs," which address the growing AIDs crisis in the African-American community. The paper shows how in both films the expository mode takes over, creating a sense that the white reporters and filmmakers are lecturing, which undercuts the effectiveness of the message and separates the black community.
Outline:
Introduction
Six Primary Modes of Documentary Filmmaking
Conclusion
From the Paper
"The classification of documentary films into six modes was proposed and explained by Bill Nichols. As Nichols describes these six modes, he suggests that each of the six corresponded to a particular period in documentary filmmaking when that mode prevailed, though all persist and may be found in some films at any given time. The observational mode is considered by some to be the truest form, given that it involves the least direct interference or interpretation by the filmmaker. As Nichols writes, these are films that "eschew commentary and reenactment [and] observe things as they happen" (Nichols, Representing Reality: Issues and Concepts in Documentary 138). This is considered by many to be the most "documentary-like" of all the documentary forms, and perhaps the best-known practitioner of this form is Frederick Wiseman."
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Toni Morrison as an Author, 2003.
A look at Toni Morrison's life, career and literary works.
1,420 words (approx. 5.7 pages), 9 sources, MLA, $ 47.95
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Abstract
This paper recounts Toni Morrison's acclaimed career as an author. It focuses particularly on how many of the characters, settings and themes in her narratives reflect her own background in particular and the African-American experience in general. The paper examines works such as "Beloved", "The Bluest Eye", and "Perfect Love". In conclusion, the paper claims that it is Morrison's combination of themes, her lifelike characters, and her settings that have made her a successful author.
Table of Contents:
Morrison's Background
Studying the Characters of Morrison's Books
Looking at the Settings Found in Morrison's Narratives
Themes in the Narratives Build Her Voice as an Author
From the Paper
"Reading any of Morrison's books will show how she used characters to portray the narrative she is telling. For instance, consider her short story of "Recitatif." Imagine a "white" little girl who rooms for the first time with an "African-American" little girl. Morrison does not tell which little girl is white or which one is black. She uses her characterization to emphasize her theme of racism in this story. Morrison has the ability to create characters that fit the story. "In her five subsequent novels, she established herself as one of America's leading fiction writers, a gifted, popular storyteller whose troubled characters and their struggles expose the fault lines of a society built on a racial prejudice" (Grimes). These characters touch the heart of the reader and the reader is able to see the imaginary characters as they turn page after page. Take the character of Pecola's in the novel, "The Bluest Eye," the way Morrison shows allows the readers to feel the sorrow she has (Caldwell). Or, perhaps consider the story of "Beloved." "Beloved is actually written about an African-American woman who escaped to Ohio, but when they were going to take her back as a slave she killed her child rather than let it suffer the tragedy of being a slave (Toni Morrison). Sethe believes it would be better for her baby to be dead rather than face the horrors involved in slavery. The story ends with Sethe realizing she has a future and that life can get better."
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"Life on the Color Line", 2008.
An analysis of "Life on the Color Line" by Gregory H. Williams
1,379 words (approx. 5.5 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 46.95
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Abstract
The paper looks at "Life on the Color Line" by Gregory H. Williams, which is an autobiographical story of a man who found himself trapped between two different racial worlds. The paper describes how Williams, a white man with one-quarter black heritage, decides to consciously attempt to embrace a black racial identity. The paper addresses the question of race construction, how certain people might live the life of one given race or another based upon different influencing factors. Finally, this analysis considers how Williams' life might have been different in sports and education had he been fully accepted as white.
From the Paper
"Growing up in suburban Virginia in the 1950s, Gregory and his brother Michael find themselves at the mercy of their troubled and abusive father, who despite having achieved a respectable amount of success as a businessman and owner of a roadside cafe, repeatedly sabotages his life and that of his family due to his alcoholism and related dysfunctional behavior. Though taken for a dark-skinned "Italian," by the time their father's businesses fail, Mike and Greg discover to their shock that their father has been deceiving them all their lives, and is in fact half-black: the product of a white Kentucky man and his black mistress. (Their mother, who was also white, obviously was in on the deception, but by the time of the move to Muncie, Indiana, she had already left.)"
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Martin Luther King's Leadership, 2008.
This paper discusses the charismatic leadership of Martin Luther King Jr.
1,097 words (approx. 4.4 pages), 3 sources, APA, $ 38.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses Martin Luther King's belief in freedom for his people, which affected the way he gave many of his speeches and the way he lived his life. The paper shows how his charismatic personality grabbed the attention of his audience and motivated them into making changes.
From the Paper
"Most people when they hear the name, Martin Luther King Jr., they immediately remember his persuasive speech called, "I Have a Dream." Yet, what made people stop and listen to Martin Luther King Jr. a leader that both whites and African Americans would listen to? Yes, he was a civil rights activist, but others stood behind the beliefs of civil rights and did not get the attention that King did. A study of Martin Luther King Jr. will show that he was a charismatic, persuasive leader with spiritual energy that grabbed the attention of his audience and his persuasion led people to make changes."
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Racism in the United States and Europe, 2008.
An analysis of racism in the United States and Europe and the legislation that is introduced in an effort to control it.
1,506 words (approx. 6.0 pages), 5 sources, APA, $ 49.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the similarities and differences between cultural racism in the United States and Europe. It discusses the strength of racism in both regions and the fact that in many cases it seems to be on the rise. The paper then looks at current efforts to control racism through legislation, but suggests that this will be ineffectual when there is a base cultural support for racisim.
From the Paper
"With such vigilance and fervor against racism, one must ask why it not only persists but seems to be thriving in Europe. In the United States, First Amendment protections allow citizens to organize and talk about nearly anything they'd like, including racist ideology. Combined with tensions over immigration, fear of people of Middle Eastern descent, and a standing racism with African Americans, it is little wonder that the United States not only has a history of racism but also a strong culture of racism. In Europe, however, many believe that legal prohibitions against racism and hate speech should be enough to protect ethnic minorities from racism and create a more egalitarian society. Unfortunately, Europe's record on racism is no better than the United States' (Kudnani, 1998). Tensions over immigration, rising populism, and antagonism toward Jews and Arabs all feed into a healthy subculture of racism. The conclusion we must draw from this is that racism cannot be dealt with on a political or legal level, but must be examined on a cultural level. Racism is rooted in a desire to protect members of one's own culture from outside threats. That this desire to protect manifests as racism is an unfortunate result."
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"White Over Black", 2008.
A review of "White Over Black: American Attitudes Toward the Negro, 1550-1812" by Winthrop D. Jordan.
1,075 words (approx. 4.3 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 37.95
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Abstract
The paper looks at "White Over Black: American Attitudes Toward the Negro, 1550-1812" by Winthrop D. Jordan where he discusses the history of relations between whites and blacks leading to the slave era. The paper looks at how Jordan identifies the institution of slavery and the development of its own rules and customs. The paper describes how Winthrop shows how attitudes changed over time and how slavery in particular altered relations between black and white. The paper notes that Jordan provides a list of resources for those who want to examine these issues in more detail.
From the Paper
"Europeans were seeking empire when they first arrived in West Africa, originally just to trade goods with the natives. English traders wrote accounts of their journeys and described the people they saw, people very different from themselves, with skin color the most obvious difference. Different terms were used to apply to natives from different parts of Africa, meaning natives of differing blackness. The idea of color itself became part of the vocabulary. English travelers eventually came to see blacks as not only different but as savage and so as uncivilized. This fact alone became a lure for travelers who wanted to see the savages up close. In time, the English started to project attitudes they did not want to admit in themselves onto the savages they saw as so different, and blackness became a metaphor for some of the darker aspects of human nature."
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Racism and African-Americans, 2008.
This paper examines the impact of the concept of race on the African-American people in the United States.
779 words (approx. 3.1 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 27.95
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Abstract
The paper explores how the concept of race has impacted the possibilities and realities of African-American peoples in the United States in countless negative ways. The paper discusses slavery, sharecropping and racial segregation and shows how to this day, African-Americans continue to suffer racial discrimination, with their socio-economic indices reflecting a people who are not yet equal.
From the Paper
"From the moment that African Americans first arrived in the USA, their lives were utterly circumscribed and dictated by the concept of race, in that they were initially bought "to the Americas against their will as commodities to be bought and sold." Clearly at this point, the concepts of difference and division embodied in the broader concept of race also implied gross inferiority. Whites were the "true" human beings and the masters; African Americans were merely possessions or things. Slavery was made an inherited condition, and African Americans had no human rights at all. This is surely racism at its most extreme, and it is the foundation of the African American experience in the USA. Thus, it is scarcely surprising that the concept of race has had profoundly negative impacts on the possibilities and realities of African Americans in the United States from that day forth."
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Diabetes and Culture, 2008.
This paper provides a review of the article: 'Living with Diabetes: Holistic Experiences of Nigerians and African Americans" by M. Popoola.
754 words (approx. 3.0 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 26.95
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Abstract
In this paper, the writer notes that the article 'Living with Diabetes: Holistic Experiences of Nigerians and African Americans" portrays diabetes as a cultural issue as well as a holistic issue. The writer maintains that confronting and coping with diabetes is a cultural matter. and not just a health issue. The writer presents a personal perspective and notes that the writer's own culture perceives diabetes in much the same way as Popoola's article presents it. The writer maintains that the most important point about diabetes is that it is a holistic experience that changes every aspect of the person's life. The writer concludes that because of the way it is dealt with, diabetes is first a very negative experience but is then changed into a positive force through spirituality.
From the Paper
"My personal perception of the cultural issue of diabetes is that such a disease is seen as occurring for several reasons. It may be God's will for the person, or sometimes it is viewed as a matter of bad luck. Medical approaches may be ignored and almost always are delayed because of fear of Western medicine. In any case, home remedies will be first attempted. Folk practitioners are common and their advice is very often sought. When medical care finally is sought, the home remedies will usually not be mentioned because people are afraid they will be criticized."
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Countee Cullen's Poetic Universality, 2008.
This paper analyzes the cultural universality in the poems of Countee Cullen.
1,058 words (approx. 4.2 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 37.95
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Abstract
The paper focuses on the diversity of cultural and race issues within the poetic works of Countee Cullen. The paper looks at the poems "Heritage" and "Yet Do I Marvel" and discusses how Cullen is able to convey a sense of awareness of his own cultural background without the monolithic view of race issues in his work. The paper highlights Cullen's broad sense of poetic universality across cultural and racial lines during the Harlem Renaissance.
From the Paper
"For Countee Cullen, poetry was often deemed "raceless" due to the way that he interpreted human relationships within the big city. New York City was a massive "melting pot" of immigrants and people of differing races, which became manifest during the Harlem Renaissance. Cullen lived in this section of the city where African Americans were indeed marginalized, yet they were able to have greater freedoms that what was allowed at the time in the South. Cullen is aware of cultural roots going back to Africa in this urban milieu, which helps to dictate his ideas about the limitations of African American identity in the poem "Heritage"."
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Gender and Social Changes, 2008.
A look at various issues concerning racial and gender inequality and stereotyping in American society.
1,687 words (approx. 6.7 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 54.95
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Abstract
The United States is one of the most racially and culturally diverse nations in the world. However, the road to equality has been wrought with many battles between those in power and those without. This paper examines multiple cases on the issue of gender, class and race, detailing theories and research that play a major role in developing new approaches to inequality.
Outline:
Attitudinal Structures: Gender, Class, Race
Stereotypes of Women, Race and Welfare
Social Mobility
The Invisible Latina
Standpoint Theory
From the Paper
"In essence, the African American woman had to fight a two pronged fight: equal rights for race and equal rights for black women. The study notes that while African American women participated in the feminist movement, they encountered numerous issues when participating in predominantly white female political groups. The political agenda of middle class white women did not parallel those of the black woman, and ultimately African American women discovered quickly that classism would play a pertinent role in delineating the 'feminist' movement from the African American Women movement. Within their own community, becoming active was also a burden, as organizations were patriarchal in nature, and women were not viewed as a vast political weapon and resource. "
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"There Are No Children Here", 2008.
A review of "There Are No Children Here" by Alex Kotlowitz.
995 words (approx. 4.0 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 35.95
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Abstract
The paper looks at how Alex Kotlowitz, in "There Are No Children Here", explores the inner-city decay and want which dooms many American children. The paper describes the experiences of the two African-American boys in the story who are forced to grow up in Chicago's notorious Henry Horner housing projects. The paper looks at how Kotlowitz portrays the violence and the drug and gang culture of the area. The paper discusses the relevance of this book to community health nursing.
From the Paper
"Having offered a broad overview of the text and a "run-down" of its main themes, the next thing which must be addressed is the issue of bias - often synonymous with "balance" - as it manifests itself in the work. Although it can be overdone, one is left with the distinct impression that Kotlowitz is a liberal at heart; perhaps never is this more apparent then when he discusses a 1955 visit by Soviet officials to the then-fledgling Henry Horner projects. One of the guests, I.V. Kozvilia, Minister of City and Urban Construction in the Soviet Union, denounced the decision of city officials to erect buildings which featured apartment walls of cinder block and not of plaster. The curt response of the Chicago Daily News to the Soviet critique of its low-cost housing was that there was "little use for luxury" in such matters in capitalist America (Kotlowitz, 1987, p.22). One page earlier, Kotlowitz is quite aggressive in chastising a number of 1950s-era aldermen who opposed public housing in Chicago and who orchestrated a number of ploys designed to frustrate the initiative."
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Females in American Slavery, 2008.
A discussion of "A'rn't I a Woman? Female Slaves in the Plantation South" by Deborah Gray White.
984 words (approx. 3.9 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 34.95
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Abstract
The paper examines "A'rn't I a Woman?" by Deborah Gray White, which focuses on the roles of females in the pre-Civil War American society.
The paper discusses White's belief that female slaves endured not only racism but sexism and how stereotypes of both black women and white mistresses were totally unfair and untrue. The paper looks at how White explains the black female slaves' cultural survival. The paper concludes that the metaphorical question, "Ar'n't I a Woman?" is answered by the historical record of courage, resistance, survival and female heroism that comprised the experience of black African-American women during this period.
From the Paper
"The historians of slavery of an earlier generation, as exemplified by Ulrich B. Phillips, painted a somewhat romanticized picture of slave life on the plantations that would be considered distorted and oversimplified by modern historical standards. This was in keeping with the ideology of "sectional healing" after the Civil War, in which whites in the North and South reunified under the infamous Tilden Hays Deal of 1877. That pact essentially sealed the fate of the political and economic reforms attempted under Reconstruction, completed the evacuation of the progressive Union Army from the South, and allowed white supremacy to return for many subsequent decades, until it was successfully challenged in the 1950s and 1960s by the modern Civil Rights Movement. Phillips distorted picture of the Old South featuring blissful student slaves on the plantation-as-school was challenged historians of the 1950s such as Kenneth Stampp and Stanley Elkins."
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"Georgia on My Mind", 2008.
A comprehensive analysis of the song "Georgia on My Mind" by Ray Charles.
2,500 words (approx. 10.0 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 75.95
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Abstract
The paper provides a musical, historical and emotive analysis of this famous 20th century musical masterpiece, "Georgia on My Mind" by Ray Charles. The paper shows how the social and cultural context of the song reveals the African-American experience of geography and the theme of "homecoming" for Charles within the Civil Rights era. The paper discusses how this song reveals Ray Charles' background and personality.
From the Paper
"Ray Charles Robinson was born on September 30, 1930 in Albany, Georgia. The details of his upbringing relates directly to the emotion and intensity of "Georgia on My Mind" reflect the tragedies he lived through as a child. His younger brother, George, died in a washtub when he was very young. After learning that he was going blind, Charles' parents both died within a year of two of each other when was studying at a school for the blind. When he was declared legally blind as a teenager, he continued to work on his piano skills and compose various songs through the musical training he received in his early education. His determination to overcome his disability and learn the piano played a major part in creating an outlet for the troubled young man who had learned music to alleviate his misery and suffering."
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Suffrage in the New World, 2008.
A literature review of the correlation between economic development and suffrage across North America.
1,118 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 38.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how the extension of suffrage affected long-term economic development in the America's vis-a-vis wealth distribution and political influence. It looks at the U.S. democratic model as a paradigm explaining why economic elite might choose to award universal suffrage. The paper concludes that the U.S. eventual granting of, what they deemed to be universal suffrage, was due to the machinations of the political elite and that universal suffrage never existed in any real sense until later in the 20th century, contrary to popular opinion.
Outline:
Article Summary
Literature Review
Analysis
From the Paper
"Even after universal suffrage for both women and blacks in America were granted, it was not until the mid 1960s that many legal and regulatory barriers that prevented many women and blacks from voting were struck down in the Supreme Court of that country (Perelman 149). The only conclusion that can be made regarding this development is that even in the U.S. the political elite did not freely choose to award universal suffrage in that country's beginning nor even in its later developmental stages. This seems to be a point that Engerman and Sokoloff completely overlook in their research regarding economic development through institutional control and granting of suffrage. "
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"Celia: A Slave", 2008.
An analysis of female strength and patriarchal resistance in "Celia: A Slave" by Melton A. McLaurin.
1,190 words (approx. 4.8 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 40.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses how the patriarchal institution of slavery is the central inspiration of resistance that Celia must confront to gain her humanity and feminine identity in "Celia: A Slave" by Melton A. McLaurin. It looks at how Celia provides a heroic example of a woman that found a source of strength in her humanity and female identity to fight against her owner and rapist. By comparing Celia to other literary African-American heroines such as Harriet Jacobs and Eliza Harris, the paper attempts to shed some light on the ideology of resistance to the violent patriarchy of slavery.
From the Paper
"The ramifications of Celia's role as a slave woman are defined early in the story, as Celia is raped by her master, John Newsom, after her initial purchase. Celia was essentially attacked and forced to fight for her life when this violent and deranged individual disavowed her rights, even under local law. However, many of the town's people did next to nothing to prevent these rapes against Celia, providing the source of resistance for her inevitable legal struggles to regain her feminine dignity and sovereignty in this patriarchal court system. "
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Beauty Contests, 2008.
This paper explores the cultural practice known as the "beauty pageant".
1,543 words (approx. 6.2 pages), 7 sources, MLA, $ 50.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses the importance of the cultural practice of the beauty pageant, in particular the Miss America beauty contest. The paper discusses how although there has been scholarly aversion to studying the phenomenon, it is clear that this apparently frivolous cultural practice is enormously significant in shaping how sexuality, gender and race are shaped within the broader fabric of power relationships in our society. The paper also demonstrates how this cultural practice has spread across the world during the twentieth century to become a global phenomenon.
From the Paper
"The topic of "beauty" and, in particular, "beauty pageants" is a highly controversial one in contemporary academia. In the wake of late twentieth century feminism, scholars in the fields of sociology and anthropology "often see beauty contests as somehow trivial, frivolous, or vulgar" (Cohen 5). In large measure, this scholarly response reflects the widespread controversy over addressing the cultural construction of "beauty" in the modern context. While feminist critics have led the debate over the scholarly analysis of the construction of beauty, scholars in other fields have tended to avoid discussion of the issue and the cultural practice of beauty contests. As one critic observes of this scholarly aversion: "The failure to grant beauty pageants serious attention may reflect a reluctance to deal with beauty itself as a serious matter" (Cohen 6)."
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"Their Eyes Were Watching God", 2008.
This paper analyzes "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston.
1,210 words (approx. 4.8 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 41.95
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Abstract
The paper examines the novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston, which portrays the prejudices faced by African-American women. The paper describes how Hurston paints a verbal picture of Janie, the African-American woman and explains how through her relationships with different men, she finally finds her true identity.
From the Paper
"The life of Janie in the novel, "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston and published originally in 1937, was written during a period of time when there were few African American women writers. It is a story of the life of an African American woman who is telling her story to a friend and how she did not even know who she was until she met Tea Cake. It is an emotionally charged book that tells how life was for women and men back in the days where whites mistreated them due to their skin color. Hurston paints a verbal picture of Janie, an African American woman, who begins the story of how she had no identity, but through her relationships with different men, finally, finds herself."
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Gillo Pontecorvo's film "Burn"., 2008.
A review and discussion of of director Gillo Pontecorvo's film "Burn".
704 words (approx. 2.8 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 25.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses how the movie "Burn!" presents a dark look at the nature of colonialism as well as humanity. The paper describes the society radically segregated on racial and economic lines; the slaves are perpetually trapped in a cycle of poverty and oppression and even after finding their "freedom", they are little better off. The paper looks at the character of Jose Delores and his independence that led not to freedom, but to further repression and the collapse of his dream and hopes.
From the Paper
"The first part of the movie sets the stage for this philosophy. The island of Queimada has long sought freedom, for it has a history of colonialism as well as a history of revolt. The movie develops in the slave revolt that England seeks to capitalize on and wrest control from Portugal. As the slaves rise victorious from the bloody revolution, Walker, convinces Jose Delores that the slaves can go no further in self-government, or succeed in trading with the world. "Who will buy your sugar, Jose?" Walker asks, yet the British have imposed a boycott on the island (Burn!). In exchange for promised schools, hospitals, financial prosperity, the newly liberated slaves agree to set down their weapons and return to the sugar cane fields. Thus, they are promised success, but are stripped of their independence and freedom. They are trapped, given the ability to "know how to go", but no escape from their situation."
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Colonization of the Southern Colonies, 2007.
An examination of the colonization of the Southern United States and the development of agriculture in the southern colonies.
1,144 words (approx. 4.6 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 39.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at the various European countries that began exploring the southern colonies and their influence on these colonies. The paper explains the difference between the Southern colonies and New England.
The writer discusses the important role African Americans played in the history of the thirteen colonies and especially for plantation owners in the southern colonies.
From the Paper
"After Christopher Columbus came to the new world, Spain and France made several explorations. Spain sent explorers hoping to find gold and eventually colonized what is known today as Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. French fur traders traveled down the Mississippi River hunting different animals and eventually they claimed this area for themselves beginning colonies in Louisiana. It is important to recognize the part that Spain and France had in exploring these areas because these countries continue to affect these states today."
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