African American Cultural Groups Attributes

Table of Contents

Introduction
The population of African American
Characteristics of African American Culture
Religion Features
The Language
Cultural Oppression
Privileges and Media Image
Conclusion
References

Introduction

In the US, various cultural groups make up the population. African Americans are one of the major ethnic communities well-represented in the nation. The peoples norms and beliefs blend the West African and European cultures. The origin of the individuals is linked to the ancient enslaved people that came from Africa. The presentation will explore the nature and attributes of African American culture. Furthermore, it will examine the types of oppression and privileges the community has ever encountered in the US.

The population of African American

Based on the recent statistic on demographic distribution in the country, the African American group is well represented amongst other cultural communities. The overall population of black people in the US is estimated to be over 41 million (Keum et al., 2018). The ethnic group is distributed across several states in the country. Texas hosts the highest number of African Americans, whereby they are 14% of the regions total population (Keum et al., 2018). In New York City the overall number of black Americans is about 2 million.

Characteristics of African American Culture

In the African American cultural group, the community practices arrays of norms and standards that make it somehow different from other ethnic classes. For instance, black Americans believe in the family bonding and closeness. They value honesty and integrity when dealing with fellow humans. The children are taught to respect their elders, and the parents are more aggressive toward ensuring the young ones follow the given directives (Johnson & Carter, 2020). Within the family units, men are regarded as the head of the household, and they are responsible for making sensitive decisions concerning family issues.

Religion Features

The African American group is known for practicing religion in their culture. The community believes in the existence of God as their savior and protector. Some are majorly Christians, while others are Muslims. Black Americans value Bible, and they read and maintain its teaching to support their faith. Amongst the back community, over 79% are Christians who value the word of God. The people believe through prayers, their miseries and evil spirits cannot harm them. In general, the ethnic group practice and embraces spiritual well-being for their survival.

The Language

The African American community is well known for its Ebonics language. The dialect is called African American Vernacular English (AAVE), which is spoken by the vast majority of the ethnic community. In the black American language, their pronunciation exhibits the omission of the last consonant in the word. For instance, past is pronounced as [pas]. Furthermore, the copula and auxiliary are missing from the African American dialects. The AAVE is commonly used for informal social interactions. In cases of formality, the group uses the standard English language.

Cultural Oppression

In the history of the US, African Americans have encountered countless cases of racial oppression. Skin color has made a good number of innocent individuals convicted for crimes they rarely knew about. Some found guilty of criminal activities have served their jail terms without going through court trials. These practices deny them their rights; hence they remain vulnerable to the law (Anderson, 2019). Similarly, because of their status in society, Black Americans are demeaned by law enforcement officials, and in most cases, they face unbearable police brutality leading to the death of innocent people.

Privileges and Media Image

The African American ethnic group has received several privileges that changed their lives. For instance, in 1875, a law was passed that ban brutal slavery that subjected the majority of the people to a painful work environment. Currently, the world embraces the fight against racial discrimination, which is essential for the community. Furthermore, the group can contest in political arenas that make them well-represented. The media, too, has portrayed the right image of the community highlighting the challenges they are facing.

Conclusion

The African American cultural group has significant beliefs, customs, and values. As a community, the people have faced various forms of prejudice following the nature of their skin color. The level of oppression, ranging from political-economic to social, has impacted the well-being of the social class negatively. By learning about the cultural perspective of Black Americans, I have gained deep insight into the beliefs and values that makes them unique. Furthermore, the knowledge has made me understand the challenges of people. To be an ally of the community, it is essential to respect their practices as well as value their beliefs.