Introduction to African American Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction to African American Studies - Essay ExampleIn the movie American History X, the expression Danny makes at the endin which he quotes Abraham Lincolnis significant for several reasons. Derek and Danny were both members of Aryan white supremacy groups Derek suffered violence at the hands of early(a) prisoners due to his friendship with a Black inmate and Danny was killed by a student like himself, a Black young man with whom he had had an fray the day before. Derek had not wanted his younger brother Danny to engage in the same kind of senseless violence which characterized the very reason Derek was in prison. When cardinal Black men vandalized Dereks truckthe only possession left to Derek by his father, who was also a target of Black-on-white crimeDerek killed one man and in earnest injured the other. That notwithstanding, Derek was sentenced to be incarcerated for a period of a few years and came out of jail wanting his younger brother not to follow in his footsteps. Derek and Danny, at this stage of the movie, definitely do not consider Black people to be their friends in any respect. Nay, they are enemiespeople who are to be feared and regarded in low esteem based solely on the fact that one side is white and the other Blacka most calumniatory feeling perpetuated by these two brothers. In jail, Dereks friend Lamontwho happened to be Blackbecame Dereks best friend while in jail. ... This helps Derek realize that it is not the color of ones skin, but the content of ones character, that makes a person what he or she is. Once he realizes this, he fears it whitethorn be all but too little too late for his dear brother Danny, who takes a similar road he did. The question is,will Derek be able to save his brother the same or similar fate he arrived? Derek now realizes that, since his prior thinking was wrong, he must do something to set things aright now that he is getting paroled from prison. Meanwhile, Danny takes a personalized, private history coursean idea of Dr. Sweeneys after Danny does a paper on Hitlers Mein Kampf as an apologetical workAmerican History X being the name of the stratum, which is supposed to be a substitute for the other history class in which he was doing very poorly. Unfortunately, just as Derek himself did, Danny found himself in a confrontation with a young Black man over a prior argument or beef. This young man proves to be Dannys enemyand his realization of his morally reprehensible, wrong, racist attitudes of the past are ones which he no longer agrees withunfortunately, too late. The idea that both Blacks and whites should be friends, not enemies, is the point that Lincoln the abolitionist, our 16th President, was trying to drive home. Lincolns ideology flew in the face of the white supremacy that devoured Derek and Dannys lives Lincoln saw the potential for friendships containing individuals of both races and Lincoln knew the destructive ends of hate, which no one should hopefully have to exp erience in ones lifetime. 5) In the essay, Toward a Theory of Popular