Race and Identity
Coincidentally enough, as we are reading and discussing a novel about the problems of being “neither black nor white, yet both,” I ran across an interesting article in the New York Times on this issue, and how it has been elevated in the public consciousness by the candidacy of Barack Obama. There seem to be some connections between this discussion and the issues that Nella Larsen raised in 1928. 80 years later, it’s interesting that this is presented as a “new dialogue” on the question of racial identity.
March 31, 2008 at 7:20 am
It is quite interesting indeed that this subject is being deemed a “new dialogue.” I still remember back in gradeschool where the standardized tests asked students to “check one.”
From a literary perspective, the fact that such an issue has survived (meaning it is still rigorously discussed) 80-some years later speaks to its universality as a theme (i.e. personal identity and public perceptions) and subsequent literary endurance. I notice this same trend in American Indian Literature. Novels such as Sherman Alexie’s 1996 “Reservation Blues” narrowly address what it means to be a half-blood versus full-blood Indian, with the latter trumping the former.
As Dr. Dudley’s article can attest, this theme of being neither black nor white (or half-blood versus full-blood) continues to circulate in literary as well as political circles. Nevertheless, it poses the question as to why (given that it has been discussed for some 80 years) such a theme does not have a (more prominent) place in the American Literature canon. In this melting pot nation, shouldn’t themes of mixed race be more customary versus a “new dialogue?” For that matter, with respect to the British Literature canon, some scholars have interpreted the character of Ariel in Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” to possibly be mixed-race. However, one will notice that this is not nearly as articulate as, for example, Shakespeare’s “Othello” which deals with racism in general.
March 31, 2008 at 10:14 pm
I find it interesting that race remains such a prominent issue in the United States given the number of ethnicities as well as racial blending that is present in this country. I believe that too often individuals are forced to identify with one race. A large number of people are of mixed race, yet they gravitate or are expected to gravitate towards one specific race. An individual who has an equal mixture of two races should be able to identify himself/herself as he or she chooses. My great grandmother was full-blooded Lakota yet I check the box which reads “white/caucasian” when asked to do so. I truly believe that you cannot tell the exact racial composition of a person simply by looking at them. Will there ever be a box that reads ” black and white”? I enjoy the works that we have read from Langston Hughes. I feel that while he could have easily produced poetry full of sophisticated diction he remained true to his roots by utilizing and championing for the vernacular of his ancestors. Hughes wrote in a time when half of his race had a great deal of hate and contempt for the other half. I cannot imagine trying to cling to both races during that period in history. I feel that Hughes utilization of poetry allowed him to identify with both whites and blacks. Hughes was extremely talented, yet he simplified his work so that it might be enjoyable to all. His message is easily understood by most readers. He could have easily championed for black people by writing as DuBois and Washington did. I feel that while these authors wrote with conviction, Hughes has the ability to capture readers in a unique way. Sadly, a majority of the issues that Hughes wrote about are still prevalent today. I believe that Langston Hughes would be disappointed and saddened by this country’s lack of progress. With any race there is “beauty and ugliness”. I think that embracing this concept and accepting both of these qualities in others would allow a bit of racial consciousness and compassion for races that diverge from our own-whatever combination that may be.
April 1, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Today, race is still regarded as a very important identification factor. For example, Obama is running for President of the United States as a African American (black) candidate. However, Obama’s mother was a white woman born and raised in Kansas. With a 100% “white” mother, why is Obama a “black” candidate? Does the one drop of blood rule still apply today? It seems that we have come a long way from issues such as Nella Larsen writes about, yet sadly, it may not be so different.
April 1, 2008 at 8:07 pm
I would also like to make the connection between “The Awakening” and “Quicksand”. These two stories are similar in many ways. Both are about women confined by society. Neither woman can break free of the stereotypes of society and thus eventually give up on life. Although, in “The Awakening,” Edna does not deal with racism, she struggles with the ideals of being a woman. In “Quicksand,” Helga deals with both her female identity and her mixed race (black) identity. It is interesting that Helga doesn’t commit suicide in the end whereas Edna does. It seems to me that Helga’s circumstances are far worse than Edna’s. The parallels of these two stories are very interesting and speak to the severity of circumstances a mixed race woman such as Helga would have had to put up with.
April 6, 2008 at 9:44 pm
I think race and identity are issues that are kind of cool, in a way. People have different experiences because of their race. Though I would be preaching to the choir to suggest that everyone should be treated equal, I think there is value in differing experiences. The experience at USD has changed a lot regarding race and identity. Even in South Dakota we are surrounded by peers and friends of different backgrounds. However, I came across an article in the Volante in 1965 talking about what a big deal it was that 8 Japanese students were comming to visit the University of South Dakota. Now we have hundreds of students from abroad. Imagine reading literature about race and identity if we were in a much more homogenious environment all the time. Also, imagine a black canditate as a serious contender for president back in 1965.
April 8, 2008 at 7:12 pm
The issue of mixed race is very interesitng when you consider the canidacy of Barak Obama. It is a narrow line that he has to walk in terms of acceptance by both the white and black community. On one hand he has to show a strong identification with the african american comminity in order to maintain their support. He has done this by confirming his support for his pastor after the bad publicity about anti american sentiments given in sermons. On the other hand a large part of white America still feels threatened by any show of aggresion in the african amercican community. By supporting a black sepratist Obama takes the chance of loosing some of his white voters which in such a close race could cost him the nomination.
April 8, 2008 at 10:01 pm
I think the emphasis on race is unnecessary in the modern world. I am not saying that it wasn’t very significant in the past but today race SHOULD not be the most important thing. A person who is African descended should be proud of having African ancestors. A person Greek descended should be proud of having Greek ancestors. People who are both should get to be proud of who their family has been, but it shouldn’t define who they are today.
I am descended from Russian Germans. I am not French or Irish. So being clumped into a “white” category does a disservice to my family history. It’s the same for any ethnicity. We should be proud of the cultural accomplishments of our ancestors not obsessed with the color of skin they gave us.
April 8, 2008 at 10:08 pm
I actually saw the little clip that they included and thought of our discussion in class. I think it’s interesting to see how history repeats itself…or perhaps the incidents just never end. In South Dakota, we are a bit more sheltered from some of the race issues that plague other areas. I think most people here are accepting of any race, although that is not to say we do not have issues here. Traveling has shown me how communities can have a long way to go before they will be in the “21st Century” as far as race relations. Other times, I see how reletively easy (this doesn’t seem like the appropriate word) it is to embrace any one.
For spring break, I went to Washington, DC for a service learning trip and I saw true disparities between races. DC has so much poverty and the majority of the people I saw were minorites. At the same time, with one organizaiton that provided after school and weekend mentoring and opportunities, the majority of the mentors were white. There didn’t seem to be any antagonistic feelings though between them. The students got along great with their mentors and the mentors seemed greatful to have an opportunity to have some fun with the children. In many ways, multiculturalism and race relations is the same as it was 80 years go. At the same time, so much has come so far.
April 13, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Considering the root of society’s problem with ‘mixed races,’ I wonder if it is not because of society’s inherent way of labelling people as ’self’ or ‘other.’ Furthermore, this creates a distinct dichotomy between two things and, consequently, fails to provide for more than two. As societies have grown and interacted over time, there have grown to be more than two entities. Self identities have become much more complex (with ancestors of multiple lineages), and there have become far more ‘others’–with many other identities. Yet, society still seems to neglect the variety of identities and clings to the idea of two in opposition to each other. In America, it has primarily been black and white. The Native American and Asian American populations, which undoubtedly exist in American culture, are hidden in the black and white image of America. I believe that if a multitude of cultures and identities were acknowledged as part of America’s identity, a mix between two (or more) of them would not be near as shocking or even an issue in the first place. Thus, if Americans were not so narrow-minded as to see only ‘black and white,’ they might see all of the different (mixed) colors and respect them for who and what they are–humans, like those of every other color and culture. Their mixed color would not be something to call attention to but, rather, another color on the great palate of human colors.
April 24, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Watching someone on the news during a caucus a black woman was talking about how she wasn’t sure who she was going to vote for for presidency. She said something along the lines of “it’s tough, I mean am I a woman first or black first?” As a white woman, I’m not sure if that makes my opinion irrelevant, but it seems a little trivial that this woman is encapsulating her whole identity into two very broad categories that couldn’t possibly define her entire being. Stereotypes and labels come from people who have to be either “this or that” instead of just being who they are. It’s ridiculous how people have to label others as being “not black enough” or “too white”, the technicalities of our cultures nationalities are impertinent as long as we are accepting.
April 25, 2008 at 12:21 am
I think the comments about Senator Obama are very interesting, especially when you consider how far we have come in only fifty years or so. Who would have thought during all the racial discrimination and oppression in the middle of the century that the president in 2008 could very likely be a black man? Yet we still have a far way to go, because the fact that we even are talking about race as an issue means our old prejudices still have to completely go away. It shouldn’t be a big deal that we could have a black president, and to many of us in the younger generation, I don’t think it is, but to a lot of people that’s a huge deal.
April 29, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Personally, I believe that the whole racial issue is complete BS and the fact that it still plagues America today seems to make the matter even more stinky. However, the concept of racial identity is very important in that a person’s heritage tells him or her who they are, and what cultures they developed from. I believe that culture is very important in the United States, because America itself is a melting pot of various cultures; and to expect a race to reject their cultural values and accept the overly-common American culture is demeaning in nature. In the case of Barack O’Bama, I think it is very monumental that he has come this far and personally, I will be voting for him because he seems to be very rational and concise with his decisions. I also think that electing a black president will also state to the world how far we’ve come since our days of the Civil War era.
April 29, 2008 at 9:24 pm
One might believe, without thinking much about it, that race was a much bigger controversy back in the days of these author’s writings, but it has not changed very much to this day. It is still just as important an issue in this day and age, and still brings up much controversy in everyday life. We have come a long way in some areas, and it others not so much. Obviously one of the first examples we all think of is that of Obama, which definitely proves that many people have become more open-minded throughout the years, but sadly there are just as many who are still in the same mindset as back then. I think you should get credit, no matter what race you are, to fight for what you believe in and stand behind it no matter what. To find your true identity is what really matters in life.
May 1, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Unfortunately race still remains a major form of identification in America. It is sad to think that the Civil Rights riots were occurring barely over half a century ago. The country has a long way to go to overcome some of the racial problems it created for itself hundreds of years ago. Obviously looking at Obama it is evident he is of African-American descent, but I am glad this is a topic he has absolutely no fear in addressing. He doesn’t use it as an excuse, while at the same time does not constantly throw it in people’s faces. The way he approaches racial problems is the way we all should hope to someday.
May 2, 2008 at 12:09 am
There will always be racial tensions in the world. How can individuals beliefs be haulted. It is sad to think that the world will always have this conflict between individuals, considering we are all equal. Yes racial tensions have declined through the Civil Rights Movement. If Obama were to be elected President, I feel that the country is moving in a positive direction regarding race relations. Yes, skin color should not play a factor when voting for anyone. I feel that Obama has done a great job throughout his campaigning to not ride on the issue of his race, but rather his views. I believe that the effort that Obama is making is opening the door to help the racial tensions not so much of a factor in society today.
May 2, 2008 at 12:25 am
not too long ago in my soc class my professor talked about mixed race marriages and how they were highly socially discouraged up until very recently and they are still looked down upon a little. So really this idea of being of mixed race causing conflict really does not surprise me. While it is becoming more common than it was in the past people will really never get used to it because there will always be feelings of one race being better than the other. I really don’t think people should define themselves entirely on their race, they should embrace it yes, but not use it as a crutch or platform.
May 2, 2008 at 1:03 pm
I find the idea of Race and Identity very prevelent, mainly because its something that comes up within my own family. My sister married a man and share to beautiful boys and a girl from a previous marriage. My sister is white and my brother in-law is black. Both boys look white so it is constant struggle when going out in public and people don’t know them, they have a hard time believing that theyare both really his sons.
May 2, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Our country has come a long way in the past 50 years with its racial views, but sadly there are still alot of people out there who still judge people on their race. I sincerely hope that someday our country can get to a point where everybody realizes that the color of someones skin has absolutely no impact on what kind of a person they are. I think its great that we have a black man running for president and that there is a likely chance that he could win the 2008 presidential election, it shows that our country is growing as a whole towards the idea that race is no longer an issue.
May 2, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Its hard to look back on history and feel like we have learned nothing. For me it’s very difficult to understand why race makes a difference. I think Obama is just a good as a candidiate (if not better) than the rest of them. I agree that he hasn’t used it to throw in people’s faces as a way to get some sort of sympathy. On the other hand, he hasn’t avoided it. I’m sure by now unfortunately, he is use to the idea of defending himself in regards to his race. Maybe that has made him want to try harder. It is still crazy that it has taken our country this long to just get use to the idea of having a black man or woman as president!
May 2, 2008 at 3:19 pm
I find it hard to believe that with all of the progress that has been made in the past 40 years regarding race, that it is still a defining factor in today’s society. In another class, I had a discussion with other students about racism. Some students thought that it would be impossible to completely be rid of racism. Others thought that it would disappear over time. But we all agreed that race is just an adjective, a way to describe someone; not who they are. I don’t believe that identity relies on race, but please stop me if I’m wrong. Especially in the case of Senator Obama, people say “he isn’t black enough”. What does that even mean? I find it ridiculous that people are willing to relinquish their chance to vote based primarily on the fact that the candidate has black skin or that one of them is a woman. I just hope that I will live to see the day that race is not a deciding factor of a person’s identity.
May 2, 2008 at 9:47 pm
I think this post goes back to the core issue of what it means to be a “minority” or a person who is not phenotypically white in America and the struggles a person had and has to go through to succeed in our society. I once read that there is a socail heirachry represented in a triangle. With colored women on the bottom, white women on the next level, colored men on the next with white men at the top. I think our society still holds onto a “hierarchy” somewhat like this, and I think the only way to improve race-relations is better education. Now I’m not talking about assimilating everyone into carbon copied Americans, but people who know the past. Yes that does mean the racist and violent past of the American Government. I still like to think that race-relations have gotten better, but that’s really not saying much because hate crimes are still a constant.
May 3, 2008 at 3:36 am
I believe that though race is a very important topic today as it was eighty years ago, however, when it comes to your campaign, I feel that the color of your skin has nothing to do with what type of leader you’ll be. I believe that in today’s society, too much emphasis is put on Obama’s race. The American people should be more worried about the type of leader that he is, and if he would make America a better place to live in. I know that race relations have come an tremendously long way from what it used to be and that I hope that race issues will continue to improve in the future.
May 3, 2008 at 12:27 pm
I find that “neither black nor white yet both” should not be a problem, as many would probably agree. However, it seems to be extremely interesting to me that this problem is being considered a new one. Somehow, I believe that in this day and age literature has a slightly more open mind than the rest of the world because in literature we focus more upon the content of the novel rather than the pigment of the author’s skin, whereas in the real world a large amount of racial discrimination still exists. Yet to be both is an anomaly that still baffles many and makes them feel uneasy, which in turn one may only slightly scoff at as it is an anomaly which has existed for hundreds of years.