African Americans in Today’s Society

By: Amanda Scott

How do they feel?

• Strong kinship bonds, work orientation, and religious orientation.

• Adaptable family roles.• Most are assimilated with the Anglo-American

culture.• Lack of knowledge about available services and how

the system works.• Natural remedies used frequently.• Tend to keep things hidden within the family system.

Communication

• Prolonged eye contact may be perceived as staring-interpreted as confrontational.

• Do like to be asked questions about finances and past relationships.

• The decision-maker is usually the eldest child. • Like to have long talks with family members

and extended family members at social gatherings.

What do they value?

• There is a strong focus on “taking care of their own”.

• Typically, the eldest are highly respected.• Their pride is important to them. They don’t

always ask for help.• They are very involved in their religion and

being social in some kind of network. • They value expressing personal style.

Family Value

• Elders are respected!• They really love to be with their extended

families. • There is a no nonsense policy when it comes

discipline. • Family at church is important.• They love family reunions.

Work Ethic

• As stated in the article Work Ethic: Is it a Race or Ethnicity Issue?”, there are what they call the “haves” and “have-nots”.

• There is the successful worker who value hard work and dedication and then there are those who lack motivation and unwillingness to work hard.

Facts

• Of all racial groups, African Americans are most likely to attend a school that does not offer advance placement classes.

• In 2006-2007, 33 percent of African Americans attended high poverty schools.

• The rate at which African Americans are dropping out and being placed in special education classrooms far exceeds the rate at which they are graduating and receiving higher educations.

• Source: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

Common Stereotypes• Fried Chicken, Watermelon, and Grape Soda is their idea Meal.• Lazy and Uneducated.• You'll only fine them watching BET and reading Jet and Essence

Magazines.• Invented the fashion fad, "Sagging."• Only listen to Rap Music.• Blames all their failures on the so called, "White Man."• Collects Welfare for a living.• Lives only in poverty commonly referred to as ,"The Ghetto."• Are great runners because they are always running from the Law.• They make very good Basketball players.

Resources

• http://www.nj-ptc.org/training/materials/Rutgers/SSW_SchoolSocWkrs/CulturalImpact%20Synopsis.pdf

• http://www.usaonrace.com/cover-stories/1699/work-ethic-is-it-a-race-or-ethnicity-issue

• http://naacp.3cdn.net/e5524b7d7cf40a3578_2rm6bn7vr.pdf

• http://mzladyd.hubpages.com/hub/Top-10-African-American-Stereotypes