The African-American Landscape

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that African-Americans have gained many achievements over the last thirty years; however, as a whole, they lag behind the white community in education, continue to struggle economically and continue to be stereotyped by the mainstream society. The author points out that, although there has been a striking growth in opportunities for black athletes and entertainers, they are marked by stereotyping and limitations. The paper relates that, although the number of blacks who are affluent, college educated, business-owners, corporate executives or elected officials has grown considerably, there are many other African-Americans who are stuck in areas of concentrated poverty, joblessness and without the means to form and maintain stable families and provide for their children.

From the Paper:

"Although blacks have fared better on television and in films than before the Civil Rights Movement, there are still few parts that are written specifically for African Americans, and most leading roles are usually confined to escapist "situation comedies" that many critics claim simply affirm their right to be caricatured as sharply as whites. Performer Ben Vereen complained that casting directors were too eager to cast him in the role of janitor. One Hollywood agent claimed that most directors tend to cast African American actors in roles of "druggies, athletes or men struggling out of the ghetto...""

Sample of Sources Used:

• Chollette, Shawn. (2006 April 01). Today's black collegians. The Black Collegian. Retrieved June 29 2006 from HighBeam Research Library.
• Hayes, Cassandra. (2006 February 01). African American-still chipping away at the concrete ceiling. Black Enterprise. Retrieved June 25 2006 from HighBeam Research Library.
• Mann, Taynia. (1996 April 01). Profile of African-Americans 1970-1995. The Black Collegian. Retrieved June 25 2006 from HighBeam Research Library.
• Overview: Critical Resistance to the Prison-Industrial Complex. (2000 September 22). Social Justice. Retrieved June 26 2006 from HighBeam Research Library.
• Study compares number of Blacks in prisons, higher education. (2002 September 26). Black Issues in Higher Education. Retrieved June 26 2006 from HighBeam Research Library.

More papers on The African-American Landscape:

• Term Paper # 69131 : "Contemporary American Artists"
• Book Review # 91772 : "Monuments to the Lost Cause"
• Analytical Essay # 5099 : "A Nation of Narrow Vision"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: