My artifact is the music video for “I’m Not Racist." “I'm Not Racist” was released on November 28th, 2017, and this song touches on the topic of racism and Black Lives Matter. I chose this as one of my artifacts because it was written by a now very famous artist who is originally from Worcester Massachusetts, about ten minutes from me.
Joyner Lucas is an artist who focuses on addressing topics that nobody else is comfortable discussing, and the issues that he addresses such as the Black Lives Matter movement grabs the attention of many people. He discusses closeted racism and how the progression of the overuse and emphasis of the word "n*****" in the song represents how people are becoming too comfortable with their use of that word. He first mentions that “there is no resolution, it is just f*** you, f*** me, aight,” saying that is what is wrong with the world and rather than trying to find that resolution we simply accept the negativity and hatred towards one another.
His music video for “I’m Not Racist” received twelve million views in its first week of release, and today it currently has 145 million views due to its real and raw talk regarding systematic racism and stereotypes as well as the use of offensive language.
The music video displays a white man and a black man lip syncing in a heated argument about race and stereotypes, but both the white man and the black man’s side of the argument is voiced by Joyner Lucas. Personally, I am not sure if that was the intention of Joyner Lucas, but I think that alone displays a huge message in itself. We need to stop picking sides and stop allowing this divide between races. When you consider the lyrics of this song “Quit the pitiful stuff and then maybe the police would stop killin' you f***s,” you can see how much Joyner really addresses the issues and problems with racism and also the topic of police brutality. Many stereotypes are brought up in this, such as the one regarding a Black father’s presence in his child’s upbringing when Joyner states, “I see a black man aimin' his gun, But I'd rather see a black man claimin' his son." When the conversation shifts over the Black man's perspective one of the first lyrics is" “The power in the word "N****" is a different sin/ We shouldn't say it but we do, and that just what it is/ But that don't mean that you can/ Say it just cause you got nigga friends." This is around the time when Joyner Lucas gets into the discussion about the word “N****” and how abused and effective this word really can be. When you look at the white man perspective of the song and you observe the lyrics “Call everybody "N****" and get a n**** mad, As soon as I say "N****" then everyone react.” In his lyrics and meaning video he explains how people say their favorite rappers are saying the N word left and right so what makes it wrong for them to use the word themselves? Why is it not acceptable? The lyrics dive deep into the stereotypes of Black people and how they are over-associated with gangs and violence as well as drugs and how that image is beginning to be associated with being something cool and hip, when in reality it is very dangerous.
When you listen to the lyrics he also mentions Tupac, whom Joyner Lucas describes as somebody he as well as many other people really looked up to because he openly made mistakes and how he was conscious and learned from his mistakes, and I think he put this reference in the song to educate our youth not only about the issues of racism but also the fact that we need to have more of this kind of attitude, admit to our wrongs and learn from our mistakes. The concluding lyric for the white man perspective when he says, “there's two sides to every story, I wish I knew yours,” also ties into this idea of being open minded. Joyner says the meaning behind this was to show that “hey, I am not gonna say all of this racist and messed up stuff and leave it at that, I wanna know what you think about me and hear your thoughts” (Lucas), which is where it shifts into the Black man's perspective.
I think this is so representative of the Black Lives Matter movement because although nobody wants to admit there are probably people advocating for the BLM movement who are closeted racists and the fact that the white man says all of those racist things during the heated discussion and then just says I wish I knew your side of the story is so contradicting, but it makes not only the video but the lyrics so much more powerful. This thought raises so many questions for me: why do we think it is okay to say some of things we say knowing it is wrong, and then try to make them okay like it does not leave a permanent mark on the person we are offending? What caused our nation to be so divided and why is none of the efforts we are making to fix it working? And I think the answer to this is simply because we are part of the problem trying to fix the problem at the same time.
Lucas, Joyner. "I'm Not Racist" Official Lyrics & Meaning | Verified.” Genius, Dec.15, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqhjpQxfq4Q.
In this world, we all want most of the same things. One of the main things would be respect. I feel like it's a very important quality to have in a person. One of my artifacts that I have included in this essay is a picture from one of my sources. I would personally like to call this artifact “We Are One.” This picture really caught my attention and caught my eyes. Out of everything I read out of that article, This picture really tied up everything I would like to say in one. This picture shows from long ago how people were marching for black lives matter. This picture doesn't just symbolize black lives matter, this picture symbolizes A nation, the United. If you're really content with the picture you can see a bunch of people holding up the American flag. When you think of the American flag, what protection really comes up in your head? I think of freedom. But do we really have freedom in America? No. I say no because I don't see freedom. If there was freedom in America there wouldn't be riots, protests, divides in the world. A lot of people say America is a free country, freedom of speech, you're able to do what you certainly want. Is that true for everyone? No. Who is that mostly true to? Non colored people. I'm not calling non colored people out. I'm just trying to make it a better understanding for people who don't really understand. If you see closely in the picture, there are white people there. They are there to prove a point, to protect, to use their white privilege for good.
How “often acts of racism and xenophobia are perpetuated and overlooked today” (Suciu). I really liked the way this sentence was phrased, especially how racism is overlooked today. It has now been an eye-opener for people who didn't see racism in the past but one main thing that is overlooked is white privilege. White Privilege is something that a lot of people get confused about. The meaning of white privilege isn't the privilege that you had growing up getting nice things, having a good life. you could have grown up having an awful life but when someone says you have privilege they are not targeting that. They are targeting the color of your skin. You are not a threat to people. You are socially acceptable. You don't need to worry about losing your life to a cop if you get pulled over. You don't need to worry about getting mugged or shot if you're walking alone at night based on the color of your skin. There might be other things that you have done to get yourself in that position but the color of your skin isn't the target. Privilege gets very mixed up sometimes. I personally could say that I have privilege. I grew up in a predominantly white school, Nice neighborhood, and got things that I wanted. I personally don't fear for my life every time I walk out that door. To me that is my privilege. The privilege that I don't have is getting made fun of for the way I look and the color of my skin. Because I have “white friends”, Means I'm white washed or I'm a white girl wannabe. Why can't I just have friends? Why if you see me with other white people you automatically assume that I'm trying to be like them.
That is the problem I have in this day in age everyone stereotypes, everyone judges, no matter what you are and who you are. My “greatest advice would be to pay close attention to differing views among African Americans on topics with regard to race and racism” (Rambsy).
A lot of white people try to tell black people or other people of color what they can and cannot feel about something. How are you supposed to know what a black person feels if you are not a black person? You can Try to get a sense of understanding but you will never understand. Sometimes it's as if “you're being so dramatic”, “that was a joke you're being a snowflake”, “I get made fun of because you're not the only one”. Those are comments that I have gotten in the past by white people. If something genuinely offends me and you tell me that I have no right to be offended, who are you to say that? You don't know what it's like to be judged by everything you do based on A different race.There have been comments about the way I speak. Based on the way I speak, “I am not black.” What's that supposed to mean? Because I talk properly, and I'm respectful, and I have manners, I am not black? This is where stereotyping comes into play, because I'm not ghetto, I don't speak like a thug, I don't want to fight everyone, I'm automatically assumed as “trying to be white”. What's the point of it all? I really just want people who don't understand to take a step back and maybe get in their heads of how you would feel if you were in a person of color shoes. That is why I feel like both of my sources kind of tie into everything I want to say. The significance of my artifacts are to show that there are people that are united, there are people that want to stand up for each other and help each other.
Rambsy, Howard. “Dr. Howard Rambsy on Black Authors, Jay-Z, and New Perspectives on Race.” “It’s important for people to immerse themselves into a space where they’re discussing race and racism from others’ perspectives.”, 22 July 2020
Suciu, Courtney. “How Do We Talk to Students About Racism?” Teaching students the hard history of slavery and race relations in the U.S. to better understand the present and prepare for the future, 09 September 2020.
The artifact above is from a protest that occurred on May 31st in Boston, Massachusetts. Carrie Mays (pictured in the artifact) is a youth activist and a sophomore at UMass Boston. She “has facilitated community events such as dialogues about racism and spoken at national conferences. Change, she said, needs to begin when we uplift the voices of young people of color” (Laucharoen). Mays helped spread awareness of the protest occurring in Boston by creating a video to tell people that it would be a powerful movement as well as peaceful: “The march began at Nubian Square and drew together what Mays called a rainbow of people, individuals of different races chanting together in solidarity” (Laucharoen). Mays helped start this protest in the fight for George Floyd. George Floyd was an African-American man who was killed during an arrest after a store clerk alleged he had passed a counterfeit $20 bill in Minneapolis. Derek Chauvin, one of four police officers who arrived on the scene, knelt on Floyd's neck for a period initially reported to be 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Floyd continually repeated, “I can’t breathe,” however the officers there paid no attention and continued to kneel on his neck, which eventually killed him. This is where the quote “I can’t breathe” came from.
Starting in May, several protests occurred in Minneapolis, where George Floyd died. In fact, on May 5, 2020, Floyd died, and just one day after, May 26th, as well as May 27th, protests had spread from Minneapolis all the way around the country. Soon after it spread to different countries as well. This includes: “In Australia, there were major protests in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane that focused on the treatment of indigenous Australians. There were also demonstrations in France, Germany, Spain, and the UK. In Bristol, protesters tore down the statue of a 17th century slave trader and threw it into the harbor” (“George Floyd Death: US Protests Timeline”). Every state in the United States took part in these protests.
I think that this artifact is a great example because it symbolizes what everyone was thinking. People and communities were able to take part in something that will forever go into history. It is unfortunate that people do not realize that discrimination, racism, and police brutality had occurred long before this. They at least may have not realized that it was so relevant. I think by bringing light to the situation that this has happened in the past goes to prove that it is part of cultural heritage because the impact from history continues until present day. So many more individuals who were not educated on the topic of police brutality as well as racism have been taught and now have a better understanding of it.
I chose this artifact specifically because it brings a back story as well as present-day issues up front. I mainly wanted to talk about George Floyd, however this picture not only represents him but his family and a new world understanding by others. This tragic event had a big impact on his family as well as the world. You can see Carrie Mays hold up a sign that says “Daddy Changed the World,” which was said by Gianna Floyd. Gianna is George Floyd's 6-year-old daughter.
I think that our generation has helped tremendously to bring awareness to this situation mainly because we have seen it happen and grew up talking and learning a lot about it in school. However, even though we have learned so much in school there is still so much information that we missed. Especially being someone who is white, I did not grow up experiencing racism and discrimination. I did not grow up having to be afraid of cops or having to be worried that someone would come up to me and discriminate against me just because of my skin color. I am happy to see that so many other people who are white as well, or anyone who simply just has not dealt with this horrible situation, have started to bring their attention to it all. Our generation wants to make a difference and by using social media to spread the word, and to tell when protests were, or just fight back and stand up to racists, we now have a whole new understanding of what minority races go through every day. Now, newer and younger generations are able to grow up with the Black Lives Matter movement, which will hopefully lead them to change the world in a better way for minorities that unfortunately still deal with discrimination, police brutality, and racism.
This tragic event of course brought a lot of attention and controversy, which is why the protests and backlash has been so intense within 2020 and even in 2021. As this topic of Black Lives Matter occurred around the world, and was brought attention to myself and others, I had several questions. The questions that were raised were not technically ones that I would ask anyone. They are more of ones that I let myself think about because it is not common sense that anyone would be able to answer on the spot. I always want to know: why have we as a country and people in general let this discrimination of other races get to this point? Why did we let this happen in the first place? I always ask myself why anyone would see other people as different just because of their skin color, and why do people think its okay to be racist? What makes Black people and minorities not like white people? We are all the same on the inside, and I think that 2020 was not only a year of disasters, but also a year where people became more educated and willing to stand up for what is right when it comes to these topics.
“George Floyd Death: US Protests Timeline.” BBC News, 4 June 2020, www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52921418.
Laucharoen, Shira. “Youth Organizers Experiences Tear Gas, Solidarity on Front Lines of Protest.” Dig Bos, 11 June 2020, https://digboston.com/youth-organizers-experience-tear-gas-solidarity-on-front-lines-of-protests/.
African Americans experienced discrimination in so many aspects of their lives. They were not only discriminated against socially and economically but also religiously. Before 1805, Black Americans experienced discrimination even at worship places. As much as they could attend the same churches as the whites, African Americans were not allowed to share sitting places with the whites (Landon and Teresa 120). They had sitting areas assigned only at the balconies and were not allowed anywhere near the whites. In those churches, African Americans could not enjoy similar voting rights like the whites. They were denied the opportunity to vote in any church related matters. Black Americans were forced to convert different venues other than the churches in order to conduct their prayers. They had no official designated churches until the construction of the first church commonly referred to as the African Meeting House. The construction of this church was to give African Americans a place they could conduct their prayers without feeling discriminated against or facing outright segregation. Other than offering a place for the black community to have spiritual and religious fellowship, the building also acted as a venue for the black community in the area to meet and discuss the cultural, political and educational aspects of their lives (Landon and Teresa 125). It also offered space to conduct school activities for the black children, adult education and also lectures. Basically, the building served the social needs of the African American community.
History of the monument
Paul Thomas, an African American preacher had a congregation of twenty members who attended church meetings held at the Faneuil Hall. He and his congregants formed the first African Baptist church in the year 1805. On formation of the church, land was purchased for construction of a building which was completed the next year. A fundraising was conducted to secure funds for the construction of the church. The amount secured was insufficient and thus the committee responsible for construction sought for more funds to complete construction from the Massachusetts legislation. It was dedicated in December 1806 and is considered the oldest black church building (Danker and Anita 16). In 1806, Primus Hall, who had an established school in his home premise moved his school to the African meeting House. He received assistance from members of the African-American community including sailors in order to cater for the school expenses. Before moving the school, Primus had tried to have a public school established through the city of Boston but was unsuccessful. The school was thus moved to the meeting house. The school still needed assistance and so he continued to conduct fundraisings for the running of the school. The building was used to conduct civic movements and champion for a variety of civil rights including the end of slavery in the United States (Landon and Teresa 125). This inspired the name the Black Faneuil Hall. In 1832, the New England Anti-Slavery Society was founded in the Meeting House by William Lloyd Garrison (Danker and Anita 16). Soldiers were recruited in the house during the civil war. The building was later sold to a Jewish congregation at the end of the 19th century, following the migration of the blacks who were the new immigrants. It was used as a synagogue until 1972 when it became a Museum of African American History to date. The building has since been refurbished to look exactly the same way it did in 1855.
Significance to the mini-exhibition
The mini-exhibit focuses on the experiences the African Americans had during and after slavery. The meeting house firstly served as a place for the black community to meet and engage freely as a community. They did not have to withstand racial discrimination while at the meeting house as they were all equal in the premise.
Secondly, the building offered social amenities that they were denied during the slavery age. They were denied schools, they had no churches or any community gathering halls for them to conduct community meetings. The hall helped to bridge the gap that was existing during the slavery era.
The house was significant during the abolitionist movement. The New England Anti-Slavery Society was founded in the house. This means that the house played a significant role in the fight against slavery.
The African meeting house had a major impact for Black Americans during the slavery times. It gave them a glimmer of hope. They could now enjoy social amenities without feeling racially segregated. They were also able to engage directly and indirectly in the fight against slavery with the help of the African Meeting House.
Significance of the monument
The African Meeting House firstly is evidence of how the African American communities fought to overcome racial injustices. It signifies persistence, resilience and hope that the black communities had during the slavery times. It shows how the blacks were determined to rise above the discriminations they were facing.
The building is of great significance with regards to the war against slavery. Anti-slavery meetings and recruitments were conducted here. Soldiers were recruited in the premises and meetings conducted. It is therefore very significant in this aspect.
Thirdly, the monument has been used for the purpose of preserving African American history. Since the house was acquired by the Museum of African American History, it has been used for purposes of keeping any information relevant to the history of African Americans as a museum.
What are the questions asked?
Through the monument, these are the relevant questions that could arise.
Danker, Anita C. "African American heritage trails: from Boston to the Berkshires." Historical Journal of Massachusetts 37.2 (2009): 16.
Landon, David B., and Teresa D. Bulger. "Constructing community: Experiences of identity, economic opportunity, and institution building at Boston’s African meeting house." International Journal of Historical Archaeology 17.1 (2013): 119-142.As almost everyone is aware from recent and past events during the last year and this present year of 2021, the Black Lives Matter movement has swept all across the nation. It started off in just Minneapolis, Minnesota, and before we knew it, the movement had spread all over the to different states and countries within just a few weeks. However, as much as the movement has done its job at creating a continuing change in the world, there have been a few events that had taken place based off of getting justice and standing up for what is right.
In the artifact that is above, I chose a picture of a statue of Christopher Columbus. However, you would not know it was him because his stone head was broken off by civilians throughout the community of Boston, MA. This action did not happen in just one state: “protesters in Massachusetts, Minnesota and Virginia have targeted statues of Christopher Columbus, damaging or pulling down three in a matter of days” (Machemer). This specific incident took place in the “North End’s waterfront around 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday” (Dwyer).
Some people may ask: why was the statue of Christopher Columbus taken down? Well, my answer to that is because, to several people out there in the world, Christopher Columbus is considered a “representative of slavery or colonial oppression” (Dwyer), causing people to want to tear down the statues. With the Black Lives Matter movement going on, the toppling of these statues was seen as a move to make a change in the world to lead in the correction of a figure who was taught to generations that he was good for our country. People wanted to prove a point that Christopher Columbus actually was not. In the United States school system, it is taught to children that Columbus discovered America, however there are some facts that were left out of the lesson that people now want to bring attention to. Charlie Duffield stated that “the Italian explorer is responsible for the genocide and exploitation of native peoples in the Americas," as well as that Christopher Columbus “was a murderer of indigenous people, mainstreaming the genocidal culture against indigenous people." A reaction to this was hatred and disrespect from communities of all kinds, including those who are Indigenous. As a result, from this research and new understanding that Christopher Columbus was racist and more than just a figure of history who “discovered America,” Columbus Day which is typically celebrated on the second Monday of October each year, is now being called by some people “Indigenous Day.” I support this decision in calling it Indigenous Day because why would I want to celebrate someone who was cruel and racist?
I specifically chose this picture to use as my artifact simply because I think it brings a good closing to my exhibition theme. I chose Black Lives Matter because it is an important movement to me, and I have learned so much about it, and the reasons behind the movement. My knowledge has grown immensely on this topic. The Black Lives Matter movement has been broadcasted by many around the world, and the situation of the statues being torn down, I think, has been an eye-opening ordeal to many people. I had not known about Columbus and his racist past and what he had done to Indigenous people. I think that bringing attention to who he was and tearing down his head off the statue will help to publicize this new idea of him.
Black Lives Matter includes people of all types of races that support the movement. The whole point of this movement is to bring an awareness and change to how people of color and of other races are treated. The only way things will change is by communities making that change themselves. Being silent is not an option when it comes to broadcasting a movement. By tearing off Christopher Columbus’s head, people will want to know why and learn what he did. Standing up to racist people is a big part of the movement, so if that means making a change to previous history landmarks that are honoring racism, then so be it.
As mentioned before, I do not care to support a holiday that honors someone who was racist. This opinion, I am sure, can cause a lot of backlash from the public, especially from older white generations. This is a topic I want to touch on because I think bringing attention to it can teach a lot of people who do not have the knowledge that others do. As someone who is white, I did not know anything about Columbus, other than that he had “discovered America.” Why would I know anything else about him, especially if that is all we were taught about as kids in school? Someone who is Indigenous though may know more about it because Columbus targeted their race and culture. The main point I am trying to make is that I have noticed that people do not pay attention or care about an issue until it really affects them or someone they love.
Although I grew up where there was a decent amount of diversity, I had not been close to anyone who went through discrimination or racism, so to me as a younger kid it was as if it did not exist. After growing up and meeting new people and befriending people of all races and living through 2020 with the protests and Black Lives Matter movement, I have been made more aware of it. I think that school systems should start teaching more about racism and discrimination when it comes to the past because what is happening in the present day right now is just as important as what happened in the past and was caused by it. By not teaching new generations about racism and racist figures, it goes against support of Black Lives Matter. The whole movement is trying to bring attention to the subject of police brutality, discrimination, and racism against people of the African-American race, and I think that by teaching all kids about it, no matter what their race is, then they will grow up to know what is right and what is wrong. This goes especially when it comes to racism and discrimination. Kids will be able to point it out and hopefully stand up to wrongful acts.
Duffield, Charlie. “Here's Why Statues of Christopher Columbus Are Being Pulled Down.” Inews, 12 July 2020, https://inews.co.uk/news/christopher-columbus-racist-statues-pulled-down-us-prorests-explorer-443647.
Dwyer, Dialynn. “Head Removed from Christopher Columbus Statue in Boston.” Boston.com, 10 June 2020, https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2020/06/10/christopher-columbus-statue-beheaded-boston.
Machemer, Theresa. “Christopher Columbus Statues Beheaded, Pulled Down Across America.” Smithsonian Magazine, 12 June 2020, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/christopher-columbus-statues-beheaded-torn-down-180975079/.
Tawa, John, Ruqian Ma, and Shinji Katsumoto. ""all Lives Matter": The Cost of Colorblind Racial Attitudes in Diverse Social Networks." Race and Social Problems, vol. 8, no. 2, 2016, pp. 196-208. ProQuest, https://fitchburgstate.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.fitchburgstate.idm.oclc.org/scholarly-journals/all-lives-matter-cost-colorblind-racial-attitudes/docview/1787037480/se-2?accountid=10896, doi:http://dx.doi.org.fitchburgstate.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s12552-016-9171-z.
Mudallal, Zainab. 'Black Lives Don't Matter' Graffiti among Hate Acts Around U.S. After Trump Win: Reports of Vandalism and Harassment Across the Country Appear to be Inspired by the Election. WP Company LLC d/b/a The Washington Post, Washington, 2016. ProQuest, https://fitchburgstate.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.fitchburgstate.idm.oclc.org/blogs-podcasts-websites/black-lives-dont-matter-graffiti-among-hate-acts/docview/1837878605/se-2?accountid=10896.
mhanson@masslive.com, Melissa Hanson |. “As Black Lives Matter Mural Is Painted in Worcester, Community Hopes Art Will Help Spur Conversations.” Masslive, 15 July 2020, www.masslive.com/worcester/2020/07/as-black-lives-matter-mural-is-painted-in-worcester-community-hopes-art-will-help-spur-conversations-and-change.html.
Barnes, George. “Black Lives Matter Mural Painted on Worcester Street.” Worcester Telegram, Telegram & Gazette, 15 July 2020, www.telegram.com/story/news/2020/07/15/black-lives-matter-mural-painted-on-worcesterstreet/113738294/.
Craig S. Semon, Worcester Telegram. “'Beyond the Paint' Spotlights Artists behind Black Lives Matter Mural.” Telegram & Gazette, Worcester Telegram, 13 Aug. 2020, https://amp.telegram.com/amp/113861886
Barnes, George. “Black Lives Matter Mural in Worcester Damaged.” Worcester Telegram, Telegram & Gazette, 24 July 2020, www.telegram.com/story/news/2020/07/24/black-lives-matter-mural-in-worcester-damaged/113761386/.
The creation of Black Lives Matter started with three female Black organizers. Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi. They created this movement to help raise awareness for what is happening in the world by the number of deaths of Black people by law enforcement. Black Lives Matter. They will and always will matter. When we say ‘BLM’, it’s not to overrule everyone. Just because that is said, doesn’t mean that all lives don’t matter because they do. Soon after the “inception of the BLM movement, it was itself thwarted by baffling accusations of racism, often accompanied with the rejoinder: ‘All Lives Matter.’”(Shahvisi). In my opinion, I feel as if ‘ALM’ was created to overpower “BLM” as a form of “my life matters too.” Of course your life matters as well as everyone else's. The reason being is Black people and other people of color's lives need more attention because of what has happened to them. The police brutality, the racism as well as the murder of George Floyd, Trayvion Martin, and many others. It needs to be stopped. We are tired. I am tired of seeing my people being falsely accused and shot for no reason. Trayvion Martin was a 17 year old boy who was fatally shot by a neighborhood watchman named George Zimmerman. He was unarmed and Zimmermam claimed they had a physical altercation and used shooting Martin as self defense (Florida teen). How are you going to tell me you had physical contact with an unarmed boy and the first thing you do is whip out your weapon and fire as self defense. Self defense? No. He was 17. Do better.
I personally feel like a lot of people don't really look into or understand sensitive topics like this because of how they were raised in school as well as by their parents. Opinions come in different forms and different perspectives. In history, most has been brainwashed to show people how things are supposed to be when they aren't. For example, there have been many things to symbolize America. Statues, memorials, museums. Those are used to remember people who did good for us and to remember things that have happened in the country to remember what they did. Now ask yourself this question. Why would people tear down statues of people that are for historic reasoning? Even though it's a materialistic “thing”, it symbolizes hatred. Edward Ward was a man of hatred. The statue was first put up by the work of American sculptor Nancy Cox-McCormack. Carmack was an opponent of Ida B. Wells encouraged retaliation for her support of the civil rights movement. He was in support of lynching Black people, people took it perosnal and as Black Lives Matter started coming towards the light, they decided to tear it down. The statue has long caused tension in Nashville. Why tear it down? Why bring this statue down if it’s just a statue? There have been many saying that ‘BLM’ is a terrorist organization group. That this group is angry and disrespectful (RYAN).Why do you think that is? They are tired and tired of their voices not being heard.
Standing up for a man who murdered black men out of his free will is sick. There are many statues that are like this as well.
Take Christopher Columbus. Christopher Columbus relates to Edward Ward in the sense of keeping things to themselves to help their reputation. No one knew Edward Wards support to lynching, only that he was the face of civil rights. Christopher Columbus attempted to make a discovery that wasn't his, his own. When we were younger, what did teachers tell us that he did? Discovered America. All of us believed that it was true and he gained the power he wanted. It was all wrong. He stole the land from Native Americans. His voyages across the Atlantic paved the way for European colonization and exploitation of the Americas. This is another form of “white washed history”. Why are people so upset? People get credit for discoveries that they don't deserve credit for. It gets left in the dust and people praise others who are not supposed to be praised.
Rosa Parks. She was the first black woman to fight to not give up her seat to a white man. That is what teachers taught you, correct? Wrong, she wasn't the first Black woman to give up her seat. It was 15 year old Claudette Colvin. The difference Between her and Rosa Parks is that Parks wasn't a 15 year old pregnant woman. She was deemed “inappropriate.” Rosa Parks was a better candidate because she wasn't a threat to younger people about how teen pregnancy was okay. This is what I mean when I say social media takes power over everything. How does that all make sense? So they gave it all to Rosa Parks. I didn't know that up until high school. I have never heard her story talked about personally. This can't just be left in the dust because it doesn't look good for the media. It needs to be out and open to the public to help and show people how realities like this don't just happen to one person.
This is why people have issues, this is why people are too afraid to stand up and talk about problems because they feel as if it wouldn't be as important if someone else does it. Black history is “American history.” But it’s saved for “Black History Month”. kids don’t receive the best possible education because we don’t always get the best books and curriculum. White women and men have done their Whitest duties to ensure they are in charge of what we all learn for better or for worse since always. Growing up, I've always had white teachers. Going to a predominantly white school was the case. I'm not saying for all but in my case it was. In history we learned about people, cultures, why people did what they did and how people have helped this country. But when are Black people mostly talked about? “Black History Month''. It's really just been throughout history class, but only in february. So that is why I feel when they talk about Black people it's usually because they need to be talked about and not because they want to talk about it.
So when people of color, like myself get offended by certain statues or certain stories by people there is a reason. It's the history behind it. It's the significance that others feel pain while others see freedom that is just not there. People are supposed to feel united, not threatened.
The Boston Red Sox dealt with backlash and addressed it, but their fans are a part of the problem. They wanted to do a good deed and stand with those whose voices are not being heard. They also want to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement throughout their baseball season. A fan tweeted “BLM vision is not about black lives, it’s about tearing down the country to replace it with some gobblygook ideas,”. There is always going to be different opinions all around, but the Boston Red Sox did what they thought was right in support of the Black Lives Matter Movement.
"The George Floyd effect; Black Lives Matter." The Economist, 12 Dec. 2020, p. 29(US). Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A644479772/ITOF?u=mlin_c_fitchcol&sid=ITOF&xid=0d023984.
Simkins, Chris. 'Black Lives Matter' Movement Seeks Reforms to End Police Brutality. Federal Information & News Dispatch, LLC, Washington, 2015. ProQuest,https://fitchburgstate.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.fitchburgstate.idm.oclc.org/reports/black-lives-matter-movement-seeks-reforms-end/docview/1752211437/se-2?accountid=10896.
Smith, Deyscha. Sam Kennedy Explained the 'Black Lives Matter' Billboard Outside Fenway Park. 23 July 2020,www.boston.com/sports/boston-red-sox/2020/07/23/sam-kennedy-response-black-lives-matter-billboard-fenway-park.
Asmelash, L. (2020, July 23). The Boston Red SOX put up a Black Lives matter billboard over the Massachusetts Turnpike. Retrieved April 02, 2021, from https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/22/us/boston-red-sox-black-lives-matter-trnd/index.html
Rose, Jordan. “Boston Fans Called Out Over Racist Comments Following Red Sox Black Lives Matter Banner.” Complex, Complex, 23 July 2020, www.complex.com/sports/2020/07/boston-fans-called-out-over-racist-comments-red-sox-black-lives-matter-banner.
The first LGBT artifact that I would like to talk about is a signed 2014 Brooklyn Nets Jason Collins Jersey. The material of this jersey is polyester and ink. The jersey appears to be in good condition and there are very few distinguishing marks or blemishes. It is signed by Jason Collins and his teammates; Alan Anderson, Andray Blatche, Kevin Garnett, Jorge Gutierrez, Joe Johnson, Andrei Kirilenko, Shaun Livingston, Brook Lopez, Paul Pierce, Mason Plumlee, Marquis Teague, Mirza Teletovic, Marcus Thornton and Deron Williams. The jersey is currently located at the National Museum of African American History & Culture. What makes this jersey so significant is that it belonged to the first openly gay athete in the NBA, Jason Collins. Following the 2012-13 season, Collins came out as gay in a Sports Illustrated article from April of 2013. He then became a free agent and signed with the Brooklyn Nets in 2014. Coming out made Collins the first openly gay athlete to play in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues, (NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL). Jason Collins has set the stage for every LGBT athlete to come after him. This jersey represents Jason Collins paving the way for LGBT athletes and becoming more accepted in the professional sports community. In an article called “‘I am happy to start the conversation’: Examining sport media framing of Jason Collins’ coming out and playing in the NBA,” by Edward M Kian and Danny Shipka from Oklahoma State University, and Eric Anderson from the University of Winchester, UK, it provides “A textual analysis examined US media framing of National Basketball Association (NBA) player Jason Collins’ coming out as the first ‘active’ gay athlete in one of the four most popular US professional men’s team sport leagues.” The article states that “matters have been slower to evolve within one major American cultural / entertainment institution – sport, particularly the four most popular men’s professional team sports. That appeared to change in April 2013 when basketball player Jason Collins became the first openly gay active athlete in any of the four major USA-based professional male team sport leagues: Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), and National Hockey League (NHL).” Even knowing that he would be judged, ridiculed and threatened, Jason Collins knew that he had to be the first one to take the step. He had to work up the courage to give LGBT athletes a more welcoming and accepting future in sports. The article also states, “Only seven previous professional athletes from these leagues had announced they were gay. None were well known to American sports fans and all came out publicly well after finishing their careers (Kian et al., 2011).” Professional athletes only came out after being retired because they knew there were so many negative things they would have to deal with. They feared their coach and team mates not being accepting, getting kicked off the team, being physically attacked, fans not being accepting or being protested. Even though things are not as bad today, these are still things that athletes fear. Jason Collins only came out in 2013, that was only eight years ago. It took a long time for a professional athlete to stand up and finally speak their truth. In another part of the article the authors also state, “Collins’ coming out and later suiting up for the Nets provided a long-awaited opportunity to analyze media reaction to a gay athlete in one of the ‘Big 4’ professional American team sports. How media framed the meanings, significance, and ramifications of Collins’ self-outing and his actually competing as an openly gay athlete in one of America’s popular men’s team sports are important to examine for future coverage of openly gay athletes and the overall place of homosexuality in sport.” As expected by Collins or literally any LGBT individual, the media jumps right on a big name coming out. Although it is important to cover and share an important moment like this in history, negative media coverage is incredibly harmful. False stories, rumors and disapproval online hurt a person’s image and are online forever. In another article called “The Art of Coming Out: Traditional and Social Media Frames Surrounding the NBA’s Jason Collins,” by Andrew C. Billings , Leigh M. Moscowitz, Coral Rae1, and Natalie Brown-Devlin, the authors talk about the aftermath of Collins’ coming out on social media. The authors bring up the point that, “Consumerist media representations have perpetuated only particular categories of gay men and lesbian women, relegating many other gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and queer identities to the margins.24 To be gay in the media has meant you are young, white, wealthy, oftentimes male, physically anchored to dominant notions of masculinity, severed from the larger LGBTQ community, and removed from queer politics.” The media tries to shape LGBT individuals into what they want them to look like and do not allow diversity. This is another big problem related to why social media can be harmful to the LGBT community. The last thing that I would like to discuss is a statement from “‘I am happy to start the conversation’: Examining sport media framing of Jason Collins’ coming out and playing in the NBA” saying, “competitive sport has served as a social institution principally organized around the political project of defining certain forms of masculinity as acceptable, while denigrating other forms of masculinity (Crossett, 1990).” People have a set idea in their minds about what a professional athlete is supposed to look like, act like and think like. When an athlete steps out of that box people have a lot to say about it, both positive and negative. Jason Collins was the first one to take that risk. All of these contingencies are what the jersey represents. It is an embodiment of the trials and tribulations of what Jason Collins had to go through when coming out.
Kian EM, Anderson E, Shipka D. ‘I am happy to start the conversation’: Examining sport media framing of Jason Collins’ coming out and playing in the NBA. Sexualities. 2015;18(5-6):618-640.
Billings AC, Moscowitz LM, Rae C, Brown-Devlin N. The Art of Coming Out: Traditional and Social Media Frames Surrounding the NBA’s Jason Collins. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly. 2015;92(1):142-160.