Preview

The Black Man

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
531 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Black Man
In Alabama, a black man was walking to his ride in a rather vacant parking lot, when he saw an older white gentleman just minding his own business near his car. When the young guy noticed what the seemingly stranded man was doing, he decided to insert himself in this stranger’s evening and seize the opportunity that presented itself.
Anthony was leaving a shopping center in Mobile, when he first noticed the elderly man right outside his white sedan. Seeing that the guy was alone, he made his way through the lot right up to this stranger, confronting him with a question. When he realized what was in the back of the man’s car, their “chance” meeting took an unusual turn. That’s when Kerri Watters entered the scene and snapped a photo.
The unnamed elderly man appeared a bit flustered. He was stuck with a flat tire and was a little on the weak side to be able to change the tire
…show more content…
The white man didn’t seem afraid of her husband, which she said she was expecting, since Anthony is a “young black man.”
In her post on Facebook, she showed what Anthony did for this man, as he helped get the spare tire out of the trunk, then got down on the pavement and replaced the flat. In stating a public thank you to this white gentleman for not being “cautious” of her black husband as he approached, she said that she assumed it would have been this man’s natural reaction, based on how people are “made to feel in mainstream media.”
“With the things that have been going on in America, Anthony has every right to feel like he shouldn’t help a white man and this man has every right to feel like he should be cautious of a young black man walking toward him,” Kerri explained in her post, before showing the refreshing reality that we’re all just humans, who can do kind things for each

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Brent Staples’s “Just walk on by” was written to clarify how African-Americans like Staples go through stereotypes when in actually reality, shouldn’t be prejudged in the first place. He reminisces being perceived as dangerous just because of his skin color, and how this situation puts himself in endangerment. Staples arguers that people shouldn’t be so judgmentally and should get to know the person by the actions. He not only makes statements all through the text, but gives incidents of how his color and the way he looks to others tend to play in the role. He stresses about the fact that African Americans, can’t all be the same with the same intentions and wants the readers to know that as well.…

    • 318 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In "Black Men and Public Spaces" Brent Staples writes about his experiences with racism and how it changes his life. He also helps people who have not been victims of racism understand the effects of their actions whether intentional or not.…

    • 280 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Understanding that a large portion of his audience would be African Americans, Williams establishes his authority to write about the topic of racial profiling. To do this, Williams describes an incident where he himself, as an African American man, experienced racial profiling. While picking up trash, a white gentleman offered him a job to clean up his property; Williams thanked him but then said he would be busy writing his…

    • 71 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    As much as people may want to avoid passing instant judgments on others, it seems to be a part of human nature to be critical. Stereotyping and making assumptions over a person due to the way they are casually dressed or by their race is a kind of safety utility one uses in order to be more aware of one’s surroundings and to avoid burglary or kidnappings. At first glance Brent Staples is someone a female would put on their radar to look out for. Even though he recognizes that he does seem to have that appearance he knows who he is and feels it to be unjust because passing judgments are made about him on a day to day basis. In his essay “Black Men and Public Spaces”, he writes about society’s perception of a black man.…

    • 576 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Brent Staples’ essay, “Just Walk on By” the author describes his experiences, feelings, and reactions towards the discrimination he has faced throughout his life as a black man. Staples describes several different personal experiences of when he felt that he had been judged or discriminated against by other people based on the color of his skin and how that contributed to his overall appearance. Staples has continuously been perceived as a danger or criminal simply because of his skin color, leading him to have to deal with many uncomfortable situations. The author has even gone so far as to take precautions when he is on the street just so that he will not be misjudged or thought of as dangerous by the people that surround him in these circumstances. Throughout Brent Staples’ essay, he illustrates how discrimination has affected him personally and uses various literary devices to elaborate on his points.…

    • 1318 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Glass Castle

    • 678 Words
    • 3 Pages

    | Jeannette confronted her grandmother about not being prejudice toward black people and calling them niggers. Then, Jeannette’s mom told Jeannette to forgive grandma, by telling her that she never tries to hate anyone and that no one is perfect and to try to find…

    • 678 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Brent Staples wrote this essay with the main theme dealing with fear of stereotypes particularly with African Americans. For example, when he wrote, “ I could cross in front of a car stopped at a traffic light and elicit thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk, of the driver – black, white, male, or female – hammering down the door locks.” The word thunk is used as onomatopoeia showing a harsh tone, this also shows the major prejudice even within his own race. Brent Staples said he enjoyed night walks but when a female would see him the women in fear would not make eye contact and clutch their purse like they are about to get plummeted by an avalanche. This is all done because of a stereotypical black male walking at night must mean he is up to no good. On the other hand women these days are getting mugged and raped more than ever so they have a right to be aware of their surroundings.…

    • 283 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Brent Staples essay “Just Walk on By: A Black Man Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space” is mostly about how being a black man in today’s society has caused people to stereotype him and misjudge him only because of his color of skin. Black men’s are seen as bad people when in reality, the black man who people judge are innocent civilians just like any other people with different race. Staples uses figurative language, writing techniques, and diction to tell his past experiences and the effect it has caused in his…

    • 832 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Staples has the ability to alter public space by his physical behavior, his dress and his verbal reaction. Black men have a reputation of being rapist, murders and gang members, therefore many people get worried when a young black man is around. So Staples has learned how to change his perception or level of threat to others. He accomplishes this by his physical behavior. The way he walks or acts around others can change there mood. Now Staples notices if people are frightened by him. Brent Staples attempts to introduce people to something most all are guilty of, but pay little attention to. Using accounts from his own and others’ experiences, Staples essay portrays the racist tendency of people to assume black men are potentially violent and dangerous.…

    • 395 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The term “The New Negro” was in my opinion spoke about almost the rebirth of the black man. This black man was proud of his identity, he was now very aware of what was going on around him. The New Negro was a man that was one who knew his rights and was willing to fight for it – education, the right to vote, to earn a decent wage, to own business and show the brilliance and power of the black man. This period established beginning of a period that would not only set the tone for other generation but show case the talent, grace and splendor of the black man. The New Negro was personified by various members of black society namely Marcus Garvey, Claude McKay, Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston.…

    • 929 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    An undetected virus surfaces everywhere, while leaders of society try desperately to find a cure, to stop this heinous virus named: racism *dramatic music*. The articles “Is Everyone a Little Bit Racist?” by Nicolas Kristof and “Black Men and Public Spaces” by Brent Staples are emphasised primarily on how society is racist against African Americans. These articles acknowledge that black men in America are victims of extensive racism, individuals that declare they believe in racial equality, but are covertly supremacists, and also that American culture that encourages that black men are omens of danger. With racism manifested and lodged in society, Blacks will be prevented from reaching their full potential.…

    • 670 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Being a colored man he had to go through his normal day life with people being scared and instantly coming to conclusion about who he was. He never got over it he just came to terms that people are always going to assume the worst if you are a black man. He tries to make himself seem less threatening to people around him. That would be the hardest thing to do. Imagine being a good person and instantly being judge by the color of your skin. He was a nice humble man from a small town now being characterized as a bad criminal.…

    • 590 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Black Like Me

    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Issues of race and racism have been a central concern for many decades. Racism, in this context can be understood as, the belief that one race is superior or more important than another. Racism then is when a person believes that they are of greater importance to those of a different race simply because of their skin colour. In the book, Black Like Me, Mr. Griffin who resides in the Deep South attempts to better understand such discrimination. His curiosity to experience life as a black man, led him to many undesired outcomes. This paper will aim to explore the issue of racial equality and justice in the Deep South over the past decades, Mr. Griffin’s growing desire to momentarily live life as a Black Man and the current status and acceptance of Blacks in the Deep South. More importantly, this paper will prove that there has been moderate improvement between races in the Deep South however there is a considerable amount of work that needs to be done.…

    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Angry Black Woman

    • 1318 Words
    • 6 Pages

    I am deeply interested in why Black women are received and portrayed as both “angry” and “strong” Black Women. It may seem inexplicable that a respected black woman educator would stamp her foot, jab her finger in someone’s face and scream while trying to make a point on national television, thereby reconfirming the notation that black women are irrationally angry. When confronted about race and gender, as a black woman I stand in a crooked room. I have to figure out which way is up. Bombarded with warping images of humanity, I sometimes tilt and bend to fit the distortion.…

    • 1318 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Black Men in America

    • 695 Words
    • 3 Pages

    I am writing about black men in America. Today's black men have a struggle. They are struggling with colored men and stereo-type. The one thing about black men in America is that they are fighters. They won't give up without a fight. They will try to prevail in anything that they want do.…

    • 695 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays