Jamal McDonald:
http://thetransitionfromhighschooltocollege.blogspot.com/2011/02/stoping-violence-in-predominantly-black.html?showComment=1303688190930#c5799964340376604180
Evora Mcglone:
http://chericemcglone.blogspot.com/2011/01/starbucks-going-mobile.html?showComment=1303688628555#c6205339430181610865
Naari Jacobs:
http://naarai-whataboutthechildren.blogspot.com/2011/04/discrimination-holds-back-prospective.html?showComment=1303688983829#c6996029937361718400
Janee Jones:
http://janeejones09.blogspot.com/2011/02/different-types-of-human-trafficking.html?showComment=1303689515629#c7503206564865379199
Jessica Rose-Morgan
http://howard.blackboard.com/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_7_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_982789_1%26url%3D
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Lost Identity (Home-made video)
This video is simple video that I made at home to help add to my overall argument. The video consists of the results of an interview I held to a group of eight 18-year old African American females about their views on African American beauty. Each girl was asked a total of four questions (all the same) in which they answered in front of a recording camera. The point was not only to hear viewpoints from African American females but African American females of all shades and personalities. No one mind is the same so I wanted to hear the views of various. Each girl was more than willing to answer the questions and a lot of them actually enjoyed doing it. They wanted their voices to be heard and their opinions to be spread. I hope you enjoy.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Shades of Black America
This video is simply a more popular video related to the issue of black color identity from the viewpoints of college students. Filmed on a more professional level, this video simply involves an announcer asking multiple questions to its participants. Each participant was an African American Student at Hampton University in Virginia. With male and female, light and dark, gay or straight participants, this video provides opinions from a wide variety of viewpoints.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Don't Walk Into the Light
In the world today, beauty tends to be limitless and extremely different among various cultures, countries, and races. For example, in certain tribes in Africa, beauty among women is heavily determined by the weight of the woman. The bigger you are, the more beautiful you are. In a certain tribe in Malaysia, the native women place rings around their necks causing them to extend in length over time. The longer your neck is, the more beautiful you are. Along with those, come many others, beauty is measured so differently worldwide. In my opinion, however, the dominant measure of beauty among women within the United States is very degrading and sad. Women in the United States measure their place of beauty heavily on the skinnier they are and the lighter they are. Many women in the US have subjected themselves to binging, starvation, and anorexia all causing huge health and safety issues all to just stay thin. This is more than likely because many of the models and women featured in magazines and the entertainment industry are strikingly thin and beautiful. Being that these women are being featured in magazines and among the eyes of million of men, thousands of women have dedicated their lives to fitting this "desire".
Among African Americans, usually lighter skin is a huge factor in what makes a woman more desirable. This is because lighter African American women usually possess the "whiter" and more innocent looking features. Many times you will see problems arise among light and dark skins black women because of mere jealously. Usually darker skinned women hang together while lighter skins do the same among themselves. When featured in magazines, African American women are usually lightened and seen as close to being "white" as possible. Not necessarily because they want this but because this is what American society desires. Blacks are being enhanced and depicted as something that they are not. The idea of dark skin is losing is value which is becoming a huge issue among the African American community. If their real skin color is not being shown in these magazines, these black women should not be featured as something that they are not. It is cruel and degrading.
Among African Americans, usually lighter skin is a huge factor in what makes a woman more desirable. This is because lighter African American women usually possess the "whiter" and more innocent looking features. Many times you will see problems arise among light and dark skins black women because of mere jealously. Usually darker skinned women hang together while lighter skins do the same among themselves. When featured in magazines, African American women are usually lightened and seen as close to being "white" as possible. Not necessarily because they want this but because this is what American society desires. Blacks are being enhanced and depicted as something that they are not. The idea of dark skin is losing is value which is becoming a huge issue among the African American community. If their real skin color is not being shown in these magazines, these black women should not be featured as something that they are not. It is cruel and degrading.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Self Assessment
In regards to my blog, I believe I have done a very good job of making it as consistent and informative as possible. The issue of African Americans losing their natural identities and falling into the stereotypical mold of what society has deemed as "beautiful" has become more and more abundant with each on coming year. African Americans are either trying to be something they are not, or simply boxing themselves into stereotypes of what society has built for them. Many of us have begun to lose our sense of beauty from what our ancestors had cherished. By making this blog, I believe I have opened the opportunity for African Americans to become aware of an issue that has commonly been unnoticed or simply ignored for years. With the research I have found, along with my added opinion, I strongly believe my point is strongly affective into finding a solution. But rather than a solution, I simply just want the majority of African Americans to become aware and educated on this issue. With the videos, pictures, and links I have posted on the blog, I can honestly say that new media has been a very beneficial source in the fulfillment of my goal. Alot of times, people would rather watch videos or look at pictures rather than read texts which is what I have provided and available. In terms of improvement to my blog, I can probably add more personal references to help support my claim. Showing people's personal experiences about issues to others makes the problem seem much more real and attracts people simply through emotions. I want my blog viewers to have a sense of emotional attachment to my blog and the issue it presents to others about African Americans. My notable strengths would be that, me being an African American, I can better relate to my blog posts and theme helping make the issue even more believable. I want my readers to have the same attachment as I do. My only weakness may be my lack of substances and emotional connection between blog and readers. I need to appeal more to the emotions. However, I am very proud of what I have come up with so far, in terms of my blog, and am excited to see the end result.
A Girl Like Me
This video is simply a small reminder and reality check of how our race has managed to deteriorate and belittle ourselves over simple appearances.
Friday, March 4, 2011
I Am Not My Hair
Hair for an African American women can arguably be her most cared-about feature. Let's take a look at how is has changed through the years...
African American slave women probably had the most less-desirable and mismanaged hair off all time. Working 18-hour shifts in hot fields will do that to a women. When looking at photos, you will probably see slave women's hair being wrapped up or very short. This is probably because hair was such a small concern and matter of importance in relation to work that needed to get done on a daily basis. Alot of times hair was simply cornrowed. The desire to appear attractive or desirable was a small matter to African American back then given that most did not have much of a social life. Link
The period of the 1920's was a time in which the true beauty of African American Women started to emerge and become recognized by the rest of society. The creation of relaxers and certain hair products began to emerged making hair much more manageable and appealing. Women began to style their hair much more elegantly in pin-up fashions in relation to the white women of the time. The "whiter" the hair, the better. Link
Through the years of the 1930-50's much of the hair styles stayed in much of close relation to that of white women. Anytime white women would create a new hair style, black women would follow in pursuit. During this time also, the creation of wigs was introduced the the world. Because African American women were never known to hair long and silky hair like the white women, wigs were the closest thing they had and they became extremely desirable. Though they were not the exact same as the white women, they were the closet thing they had. Link
During this time, the forever famous afro was introduces into popular society. Though many other hairstyles were worn at the time, the afro-puff surged throughout the United States. Almost everywhere you went you would see African Americans rocking their afros. The bigger the fro, the more attractive. During this time, dreads also began to gain their popularity.
This is the time when African American hair began to expand and become extremely versatile. At the start of the 80's the Jheri Curl was a very popular popular hair style making hair appear to have a natural seek and silky curl. However, this ended quickly as women began to color their hair and use better quality relaxers. Black women began to get their hair bone straight just like white women. The straighter the hair the better. Weaves were also introduced around this time which began a worldwide epidemic over night. African American flocked to the idea of being able to make their hair inches longer over night (though it wasn't actually theirs). Braids also were given a much more fashionable and desire appeal during this time.
Today
In today's society, the fashion of hair really has no limits. Whether hair is long, short, curly, straight, colored, highlighted, real, fake, natural, relaxed, it is all fashionable. As long as your hair looks good on you, it will always be complimented. Hair in today's world has no restrictions.
 |
| 1619-1863 |
African American slave women probably had the most less-desirable and mismanaged hair off all time. Working 18-hour shifts in hot fields will do that to a women. When looking at photos, you will probably see slave women's hair being wrapped up or very short. This is probably because hair was such a small concern and matter of importance in relation to work that needed to get done on a daily basis. Alot of times hair was simply cornrowed. The desire to appear attractive or desirable was a small matter to African American back then given that most did not have much of a social life. Link
 |
| 1920's |
The period of the 1920's was a time in which the true beauty of African American Women started to emerge and become recognized by the rest of society. The creation of relaxers and certain hair products began to emerged making hair much more manageable and appealing. Women began to style their hair much more elegantly in pin-up fashions in relation to the white women of the time. The "whiter" the hair, the better. Link
 |
| 1930's-50's |
Through the years of the 1930-50's much of the hair styles stayed in much of close relation to that of white women. Anytime white women would create a new hair style, black women would follow in pursuit. During this time also, the creation of wigs was introduced the the world. Because African American women were never known to hair long and silky hair like the white women, wigs were the closest thing they had and they became extremely desirable. Though they were not the exact same as the white women, they were the closet thing they had. Link
 |
| 1960's - 70's |
During this time, the forever famous afro was introduces into popular society. Though many other hairstyles were worn at the time, the afro-puff surged throughout the United States. Almost everywhere you went you would see African Americans rocking their afros. The bigger the fro, the more attractive. During this time, dreads also began to gain their popularity.
 |
| 1980's -90's |
This is the time when African American hair began to expand and become extremely versatile. At the start of the 80's the Jheri Curl was a very popular popular hair style making hair appear to have a natural seek and silky curl. However, this ended quickly as women began to color their hair and use better quality relaxers. Black women began to get their hair bone straight just like white women. The straighter the hair the better. Weaves were also introduced around this time which began a worldwide epidemic over night. African American flocked to the idea of being able to make their hair inches longer over night (though it wasn't actually theirs). Braids also were given a much more fashionable and desire appeal during this time.
TodayIn today's society, the fashion of hair really has no limits. Whether hair is long, short, curly, straight, colored, highlighted, real, fake, natural, relaxed, it is all fashionable. As long as your hair looks good on you, it will always be complimented. Hair in today's world has no restrictions.
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