While reading The
Souls of Black Folk by W.E B. Du Bois, the thought of double-consciousness
resonated with one. The dichotomy of being black and American is a social topic
that had always fascinated me, so to see it written out through the experiences
and wisdom of Du Bois in such an introspective and scholarly manner further
intrigued me. Questions arose in conclusion to the reading: Did any of the
writers of the constitution consider African Americans in 1787? Also, is
double-consciousness as relevant in a modern society where racism isn’t as
publically displayed- or on the contrary, does that make double-consciousness
even more relevant?
In Article IV, section 2 of the
constitution, it states: the Citizens of
each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in
the several States. Given the time that the constitution was written,
slavery was still intact. Many African Americans weren’t regarded as citizens.
In fact, it could be interpreted that some of the privileges that citizens
shall be entitled to were owning an equal amount of slaves. Slavery is undoubtingly
a major contribution to the concept of double-consciousness in African
Americans. One would imagine it to be near impossible for a black slave to
consider themselves as an American when their “fellow” American citizens
scrutinized and oppressed them based off of their origins and race.
The
self-imposed question that fascinated me the most was the relevancy of double-consciousness
in modern society. Du Bois writes about the high sense of pride he felt when he
was able to outperform his white peers during mental examinations and feats of physicality.
This would have taken place circa 1870’s when Du Bois was a child and racism
was more publically acceptable. To out preform a fellow white citizen- particularly
ones that ostracized him due to his race- gave Du Bois a window to see that he
would be capable of achieving great accolades in America.
In 2014, the lines of race have been blurred.
Cities that were once occupied by racial segregations are now host to a melting
pot of ethnicities with more ethnic backgrounds on the upper-terriers of the
socioeconomic ladder. Does this mean that African Americans are less conscious
of the idea of being both black and American? Although racial discrimination is
largely frowned upon in today’s world, one would argue that double-consciousness
is just as relevant as it was in 1903. Although it is easier to attain equality,
there are still racial barriers that are prevalent in both a social and
professional sense. Some may say that African Americans should be even more conscious
of their race and where they stand as an American given that the racial barricades
of society are not as visible as they once were. To dismiss the concept of
double-consciousness is to dismiss the concept of affirmative action in work
place environments; high arrest rates for the black youth; and media and entertainment
coverage of black culture.
One would say that being black and
American are not mutually exclusive social standpoints; however, it’s
undeniable that being black in today’s (and yesterday’s) world can often give
off the feeling of being sub-American.
*It is also important to
note that double-consciousness is not exclusive to African Americans. Other ethnicities,
such as Hispanics and Native Americans can also face similar struggles while living in America*
As you remember from our studies, the question of slavery was one of the hotly contested issues - with a number of delegates ultimately refusing to sign because the Constitution did NOT end slavery in this country. But, as is the case with controversy, a compromise was reached to assure passage. DuBois grew up free, and in the more-liberal context of MA, and so as a result, his perspective could never accept the premise that whites and blacks were different because of their skin color - but only because of their individual capacities. He urged his fellow African-Americans to choose to conceive of themselves as individuals who have much to offer; not as "freed slaves" who deserve compensation for the horrors they had been subjected to - a difficult, but brave and ultimately productive, position to take.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the thoughtful approach to this post. Below is a link to an article written by the nominee for Lt. Governor in VA, who is also African-American. When you point out how the "double-consciousness" might still exist today, perhaps you might think of the phenomenon identified by Mr. Jackson:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2014/04/16/the_new_liberal_racism_330089.html
Today's politics are rife with accusations of racism, which, given the terrible horrors that racism actually creates, seems a bit overblown. Does racism exist? Absolutely. But are there politicians who are actively seeking to push racism-motivated policies in our country? There is where you would need a closer examination of the merits and motives of the policy. The charge "racist" is very much like the charge "Nazi" in the sense that everyone knows it is bad, and thus to be labelled as such can be politically devastating. Ad hominem can be a sharp tactic, difficult to defend.
Great work here - and all semester. Let me know if I can help as you compose your final presentation and paper.