Racial Discrimination in America

Tamika N Taft
Hampton University

Abstract

Racial Discrimination
The negative effect of stereotypes on African American men and women has put
a strain on how they are viewed in America. African Americans are always viewed as
Thuggish or unruly in certain cases compared to other races. Even though all those
stereotypes are still floating over a race as a whole you have to understand that there is
still Discrimination in America today. As we look from where African Americans began in
the United States they were treated less than human, let alone but in the 21st century
there should be a change in how African Americans are treated.
Racial Discrimination can be defined as when a person is treated less equal than
another person usually because race or ethnic origin from where a person is from. In
todays society, racial discrimination towards blacks is much more prominent than it
should be. The stereotypes and hate towards African Americans are more visible now
because of social media which then allows the judgment of race to come out in a
courtroom.
From the information found about the racial discrimination it helped to create four
based research questions that will be answered about racial discrimination in the US
today. Also with these four based research questions there was also an internet survey
that people filled out to see how people really feel about racial discrimination in the
United States. This information was collected from a survey built to design to see how
people from the age range of 17-55 feel about this crisis that we have in America on
discrimination.

One of the 1 research based question would be, what are some of the negative
st

effects that young black males face growing up compared to other races with
stereotypes and they way they carry themselves? An example of negative effects that
young black males face in America could be the terms people call young black males.
Thugs Beasts Gang members and the stereotypes associated with sagging of
pants and hoodies makes you think black males are always up to no good. However, in
comparison with other races you would rarely hear that a young Caucasian male in
skinny jeans is a threat in the community compared to a young black male. The
discrimination towards people can start with just the simplest of things with the way
people judge you and also the stereotypes people place over a race as a whole. A
stereotype is something that is hard to overcome when people start to believe and
assume stereotypes are true. An example of negative effects of stereotypes leading into
act of racial Discrimination would be the case of Trayvon Martin in 2012. The teen was
shot and killed in his Florida neighborhood by a bystander George Zimmerman.
Neighborhood watch volunteer captain. George Zimmerman was told on the night of the
Killing not to advance or confront Trayvon, but due to his suspicion and the picture
society has painted for young black males, Zimmerman felt he was obligated to protect
his neighborhood from a boy armed with skittles.
Secondly, when it comes to raising a young black teen in America and a young
white teen in America is it different? Well, the experiences of a white teen versus a black
teen will always differ, and not necessarily for the better. The moment a black child
comes of age, he or she is taught about the dangers and injustices that come along with

their race. It starts with talks of having to be incredibly docile and receptive when an
officer or any authority figure approaches you, which then black parents begin to explain
that they have to be Two times better to be half as good. White teens, however, arent
taught these rules of the world. If anything, the biggest talk they would receive from their
parents would be about The birds and the bees or sitting down to start planning for
their future. Theres no question about it that white teens are far more privileged than
black teens, even in this day and age.
As annoying as the stereotype is, its an unfortunate and actual fact that as of
2014, 66% of African-Americans children lived in single-parent households. This by
itself causes a rift in the life of a black youth because they are being raised without their
father or a father figure. Meanwhile theres only 25% of the white youth are being raised
in single-parent households.
When it comes to the Black Community should we be able to have trust in our
Law enforcement and police, even though the amount of crimes are mainly black males
dying from white cops? If so why?
Trust is an incredibly hard thing to have with an officer, especially if youre a black male.
As an American, we are supposed to have faith that our law enforcement will serve and
protect us just as they are pledged to do, but as of late that trust has been broken.
There is an undeniable sense of wariness and unease between police and minorities,
but that doesnt mean that the trust should be withdrawn entirely. The cases that have
been broadcasted on national television, only causes a bigger rift in the relationship
between the two forces and as the rift grows, so does the tension. The greater the

tension is with law enforcers and African Americans; the more discourse it will
eventually cause. It isnt all cops that target and go to the extremes with reprimanding
African Americans, just like it isnt all African Americans that commit crimes. But in this
society, there is no way of knowing which cop will take your life and which felon will be
threatening you.
If there was a way for trust to be established and regained between black males
and white cops, then both parties should be doing the absolute most to get back to that
point. The only other option there is, is if black America were to live the same life as
every citizen in Ferguson, and thats not an experience to be repeated. When it comes
to cases with Black children in America compared to white cases why is are Black cases
so overlooked?
Cases that have to do with black children rarely receive the justice they deserve
mainly because most of America still dont receive Black Americans as actual
Americans. As much as people will deny it, the American society has dehumanized
Blacks. There is an entire study of this in the Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, "Children in most societies are considered to be in a distinct group with
characteristics such as innocence and the need for protection," says author Phillip Atiba
Goff of UCLA. "Our research found that black boys can be seen as responsible for their
actions at an age when white boys still benefit from the assumption that children are
essentially innocent." One example of this would be the murder of 12-year-old Tamir
Rice, who was gunned down by a police officer in November 2014. 9-1-1 reports called
in saying that a man was in the park with a Probably fake gun. In one and a half
seconds after arriving, Police officer shot and killed Tamir without warning. Another

incident on June 5, 2015, a 15-year old, Dajerria Becton was violently thrown and
pinned to the ground in her bikini by Officer Casebolt. These cases of unnecessary
killings and brutal harassments on young, black children have been going on since
before the days of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old killed for whistling at white women in 1955.

Citations
Race/Color Discrimination. (n.d.). Retrieved April 01, 2016, from
http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/race_color.cfm
Trayvon Martin Shooting Fast Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved April 01, 2016, from
http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/05/us/trayvon-martin-shooting-fast-facts/
http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/psp-a0035663.pdf
http://www.thewire.com/politics/2014/03/people-including-cops-view-black-kids-lessinnocent-and-less-young-white-kids/359026/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alexandros-orphanides/the-dehumanization-of-blackchildren_b_7581404.html
http://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/107-children-in-single-parent-familiesby#detailed/1/any/false/869,36,868,867,133/10,11,9,12,1,185,13/432,431