African-American Studies papers

A discussion of how Alice Walker portrays social issues in the rural South during the first half of the 20th century in her book, "The Color Purple".

Critique of a speech made by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to the National Bar Association.

Study of the culture of African-Americans during the Progressive Era.

A review of the article, "The Economics of the Criminal Behavior of Young Adults", by Mark Gius.

Biography of the life and contributions of Marcus Garvey to the African-American work force.

Explores a range of aspects associated with hate crimes and the problem they pose to society.

An examination of three documents from the Antebellum era (1820 to the beginning of the Civil War in 1865), which present the social, as well as legal, perspective that slavery was beneficial.

An examination of the social impact of Lorraine Hansberry's "Raisin in the Sun".

Discusses the life of civil rights activist Anne Moody, as presented in her autobiography.

Discusses themes of education, migration, and the next generation in the African-American communities of "Youngblood" (Killens), "The Street" (Petry) and "The Piano Lesson" (Wilson).

A discussion of the history of racial segregation laws in the United States.

Studies the institution of slavery from the perspective of an historical process.

This paper discusses the roles of President Lincoln, President Andrew Johnson, and the radical Congressional Republicans in the reconstruction after the Civil War.

Examines the media's role in perpetuating racial and gender stereotypes.

Discusses the role of the character, Celie, in Alice Walker's "The Color Purple".

Review and critique of the fifth chapter of Jonathan Kozol's book, "Amazing Grace".

Discussion about political representation of African-Americans in the southern United States.

A brief look at slavery during the antebellum period of American history.

A discussion of the minstrel show, common in American culture just before the Civil War.

Summary and review of Harriet Jacob's autobiographical narrative, "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl".

An examination of the book, "Coming of Age in Mississippi", by Anne Moody.

Examines the career of this African-American, major league baseball player and issues of civil rights during his time.

A discussion of the pros and cons of interracial relationships.

Examines works by Percy A. Shaw and Theodore Rosengarten to show the class structure in the Southern states of America.

This paper discusses "de facto" versus "de jure" racism as related in Richard Wright's "The Library Card" and Brent Staples's "Black Men in Public Spaces".

Discusses the conflict between civil obedience and moral freedom (free will and personal conscience) in the discourses of Henry Thoreau, Martin Luther King, and Plato.

This paper discusses the police use of excessive force in African-American communities.

Summary and review of Carol Stack's book on the kinship network that exists within poor sections of African-American community.

Discusses civil rights legislation in the United States.

This paper discusses the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) suit against General Motors in 1973 and more current allegations.

An analysis of the concept of slavery in Daniel Defoe's novel, "Robinson Crusoe".

A brief biography of civil rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King.

Examines subconscious racism in American society and how it affects the integration of immigrants.

This paper discusses the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its effects on the civil rights movement and American history.

Review of the autobiography, "The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African".

This paper discusses and analyzes the essay, "Civil Disobedience," by Henry David Thoreau.

Looks at the concept of an African-centered education and some of the issues surrounding this approach.

This paper discusses the autobiography, "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave", written in 1845, which recounts the horrible conditions that led to Douglass's book about the contemptuous state of slavery.

An analysis of the article "Impact of Economic Hardship on Black Families and Children: Psychological Distress, Parenting, Socioemotional Development? by Vonnie C. McLoyd.

This paper discusses Lorraine Hansberry's ground-breaking play, "A Raisin in the Sun", one of the milestones in 20th century African-American drama.

A discussion of the contribution of racial discrimination to the wage gap phenomenon.

This paper discusses the ethically repugnant institution of slavery in pre-Civil War America and how it manifested itself in the cruel conditions of daily life for thousands of African-Americans.

This is a paper on African-American poetry and its impact on contemporary poets.

Examines these concepts in "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky and "Native Son" by Richard Wright.

This paper reviews Merline Pitre's "In Struggle against Jim Crow: Lulu B. White and the NAACP, 1900-1957" (1999) by discussing the history of Jim Crow laws.

Summary and analysis of Kate Chopin's short story, "Desiree's Baby".

Compares the themes in Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" and "The Diary of Anne Frank".

Compares the resistance movements of Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King.

Looks at some of the criticisms of affirmative action programs and argues that, in spite of the criticism, affirmative action is sound policy.

A discussion of racism from the turn of the century as the world developed to modern times.

This paper reviews three poems by Langston Hughes, an African-American poet writing in the first half of the twentieth century: ?Theme for English B,? "Negro", and "Harlem".

A discussion of the history of anti-Semitism and whether it is still around today.

Examines how post-colonial American history impacted the emancipation of African-Americans and Native Americans, or Indians.

This paper discusses the Rastafarian religion, its founders, roots, culture, doctrine, and how that doctrine conflicts with U.S. laws.

An opinion paper against the current policies of affirmative action.

A book review by Louis Harlan on the life and works of Booker T. Washington, an African-American personality.

A look at the impact of African-American fathers? absenteeism on their children.

A biography of civil rights activist, Martin Luther King, Jr.

A brief discussion of the issue of racism within the police force in the U.S.

Presents a history of these African kingdoms in relation to their systems of slavery.

Outlines James Oakes's theory regarding the motivations of slavery as put forth in his book, "The Ruling Race, A History of American Slaveholders".

An examination of Martin Luther King's ideology of nonviolent resistance in the quest for equal civil rights.

Examines the struggle for freedom by women in pre-Civil War American history.

Explores the life and poetry of Africa-American poet, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper.

This paper discusses the ways in which Jamaican music, especially reggae, has changed since the 1970s.

An analysis of ?Harlem,? a poem by Langston Hughes, and how it reflects the writer's personal experience.

This paper discusses that, throughout the 20th century, wars have had the most influential effect on how Americans define themselves and how they treated others.

Looks at the history and origins of eugenics.

Book review of a collection of essays on American cities in "The New American City Faces Its Regional Future: A Cleveland Perspective".

An analysis of the novel, "Invisible Man", by Ralph Ellison.

This paper discusses affirmative action programs, which were created to erase the differences in rights and opportunities for ethnic and gender minorities.

Discusses affirmative action from a historical, economic, and social perspective.

This paper discusses the patriarchy, religious, and economic forces that underlay the European colonization.

A look at issues of cultural misunderstandings and police misconduct.

A review of the book, "Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children", by Gloria Ladson Billings.

A discussion of the phenomenon of racial profiling in the law enforcement arena.

This paper discusses educational resilience of African-American students, the process that helps children to overcome challenging beginnings and move on to live successful lives.

This paper is a book review of Louis Harlan's edited edition of "Up From Slavery" by Booker T. Washington.

Provides biographical information about Herman Melville and an analysis of his novelette, "Benito Cereno".

This paper examines two scholarly articles examining the New Deal's effects on discrimination against black people.

Comparative analysis of the articles, "Racial Formations", by Michael Omi and Howard Winant, and "The Ethics of Living Jim Crow", by Richard Wright.

A look at the racial controversies within Richard Wright's story, "Big Black Good Man".

A look at the Harlem Renaissance and the resulting changes made to "black" society.

A look at how the "white race" viewed the "black race" over time in the United States.

The paper is a review of Du Bois's "On Being Crazy" and presents an espousal to Du Bois's observations.

An examination of "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" as told to Alex Haley.

Discusses the origins of the word "nigger".

Compares and contrasts "Uncle Tom's Cabin" with "The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass".

Compares the philosophies of two great leaders, Martin Luther King and Chinese Lao Tzu.

An analysis of the language and imagery of "The Souls of Black Folk" by W.E.B. Dubois.

Analysis of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and "All Quiet on the Western Front" as novels of social protest.

Reports on the history of jazz, what it is today, and who some of its key players were.

Presents an analysis of U.S. racial violence and lynching patterns.

Provides a critical review of Rebecca Walker's book on growing up with a multi-racial and multi-ethnic heritage.

Looks at at-large elections and other factors that could help boost minority representation in city government.

Discusses Jean Toomer's short stories on racial issues.

Analyzes the main themes in Nella Larsen's novel.

Compares two statements on the nature of justice and injustice.

Discusses the life and accomplishments of this African-American slave.