During 16th-17th centuries, many Africans were colonized and transported via slave ships to America (Taylor 1998). At the beginning of the 21st century, they still experience prejudices, segregation and racism because of their ancestry and historical development of the ethic group.Thesis Color of skin and ancestry are the main factors which lead to segregation, prejudices, stereotyping and racism affected African-Americans today.
In modern America, individuals perceived as "black" based on skin color and African ancestry are subject to discrimination. Discrimination and an increase in out-migration of whites from neighborhoods as larger numbers of blacks arrive are the major explanations for black-white segregation.Prejudices and discrimination is due to misunderstandings about the significance of a biological sense of "race" and racist ideas transmitted across generations and based on ‘lower biological quality’ of African populations. The main cause of segregation and racism is the cultural superiority of "whites" based on their cultural heritage and absence of ‘white’ slavery.
Most Africa-Americans are seen as “lower” class people in contras to “elite” class of whites (Taylor 1998). Racism becomes apparent in negative attitudes towards black communities based on language, facial features and religion differences. Since colonization period, racism has been developed in hatred and stereotypes of one ethical group against the other.Discrimination is one of the most popular forms of racism which result in residential segregation and ‘reservations” for black communities, negative attitudes towards interracial marriage, education, employment opportunities and promotion.
Segregation has a great impact on housing, healthcare services, pension funds and social support (Ayanian 1994).Critics (Rank 1994) explain that this attitude (perception of African-Americans as ‘lower class people’) is caused by historical misconceptions which describe African people as "primitive" populations that developed during the period of colonialism.In sum, color of skin affect educational and residential issues and contribute to racial prejudice based on black-white "biological" and genetic differences in explaining disease patterns and cultural values. In attacking social inequalities, critics show that prejudices and segregation are deep-seated to be addressed successfully.ReferencesAyanian J.Z.
(1994). "Race, class, and the quality of medical care". JAMA. 271:1207-1208.
Rank M.R. (1994). Living on the Edge: The Realities of Welfare in America. New York: Columbia University Press.
Taylor, J. (1998). The Real American Dilemma: Race, Immigration and the Future of America. New Century Foundation.
