Race is an unnatural social construct for classifying groups of people based on “skin color, hair texture, nose and eye shapes, and thinness of lips”  according to Herman Gray’s Race. Race is created through legal, social, and cultural invention to enable power dynamics. It has also been portrayed poorly in television shows, movies, plays, and literature.  Leading up to the 2000s, there was outrage over how little and poor the representation media would have for people of color. Once viewed as classics, books like Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and plays like Uncle Tom’s Cabin are now seen as extremely offensive through the lens of contemporary consumers because of the reinforcement of racist stereotypes.  However, media also has provided a way for race to be expressed through showcasing cultural roots with these different storytelling techniques. Performances can express feelings of injustice against race or encourage people to be proud of their culture and want to learn more about other cultures as well.

Race is defined so simply as the grouping of individuals based on their physical traits. However, when most people think of the word “race” they think of racial oppression in society. I definitely agree with the statement that racism is taught. Whether one is aware of it or not, everyone has an implicit bias. Institutions surround and control us, and many big American institutions were initially formed with racist ideals. I have noticed that kids tend to have the same ideals as their parents, especially when they are not knowledgeable about a certain topic. Unlike the nonexistent representation of colored people in American media that was present decades ago, today, the media not only shows positive representations of minorities, but also exposes the struggles that minorities face through films, shows, news, books, etc. My favorite movie of all time, “Get Out”, touches on this subject in a very interesting way. This thriller movie portrays a young man who is visiting his white girlfriend’s family. When he arrives he immediately feels out of place, considering he is a black man in a majority white southern neighborhood. The movie shows how racial issues are still present today and brings up the topics of police brutality, racial norms, interracial relationships, and many more important themes. Although, I would hope, most southern families do not perform such acts on black individuals, I think this movie is a great depiction of racism due to the effect of historical norms. Focusing around one particular wealthy white family, people can see how inhumane traditions were passed down through their family tree, proving how racism is most definitely taught. 

If there was to be a race, there would only be one, the human race. The division of human beings into different races has been constructed by society itself based on legal, cultural and social aspects as stated in the reading. The concept of race has been passed along through multiple generations and this has had multiple effects ranging from racism to identity construction based on race. Racism and other negative elements like racial privilege that race carries along with it can be interpreted under a superiority complex lens with one race having a generalised idea of being better than others hence feeling the need to oppress them just because of their differences in skin color, hair texture and other variations that all human beings essentially share. A sense of belonging together with construction of identity based on racially formed cultures is evident in modern and past eras and is also another element of race. Media has had it’s fair share of engraving the racial construct into society with explicit racist shows and movies as illustrated in the “I am not your negro” documentary. The construct of race at that time allowed racist movies and shows to be produced but due to the fight for racial justice along the years, the media has of course resorted to production of the anti-racist elements for example “the hate you give” and many other movies discussing the negative elements that the “race construct” carries with it. Movies like “the black panther” were thought to have an impact on the black community. Media productions have also embraced cultural diversity and inclusion so it is safe to say that the media has promoted the idea of race with both positive and negative impacts if critically analysed from ancient to modern times.

In society today and even society years ago, race has been a sensitive topic that should not affect our society to the extent in which it does. I believe that racism is taught by parents and any influential person in your life. It essential works the same way political thoughts are passed down throughout the family. For example, black people gain the stigma that they are more violent or more likely to steal. Most black children are taught to always show their hands when pulled over by the police, ask if they can grab any item, and never question or speak back to any officers or they risk their lives. This is not the same way other ethnicities are treated or fear their lives whenever an officer encounters them. This is why our society needs to come together, acknowledge the issues people are having, and abolish them to make everyone truly equal, no matter their background or history. Racism needs to be spoken about in more public settings and within classrooms to change the way the younger generations view people and begin the change.

Race is something that makes people unique, can bring people together, but can also be a reason for opression. I think that when it comes to race, education is one of the most important factors to avoid oppression. I think that it is extremely important for race to be taught in schools. Not only the history of race but also how race plays a role in today’s current society. Often times a lack of education leads to racial offenses or misconceptions. Because people are so often influenced by what their parents tell them, the past and present history of race being taught in schools is a way for children to get a perspective on race as their brains are still developing. Especially in today’s age, there is plenty of media to watch or read that focuses on race. To be educated means to understand other’s differences and to not be “colorblind” and to disregard people’s races. I remember as a child watching The Help for the first time and being extremely impacted by that movie. It taught me the racial dynamics of that time period and allowed me to get a greater understanding of race than I could from reading a textbook. I think that watching movies or TV shows that focus on race at a younger age can help children to be educated and therefore become adults who are informed and have an understanding and respect for race and inclusion.

The keyword reading opens by bluntly defining race as a “legal, social, and cultural invention rather than nature” (161). Essentially, race is a social construct developed by those in power to oppress cultural groups based on their physical appearances. The color of someone’s skin, the shape of their eyes, or the texture of their hair has no influence on intelligence, capability, creativity, strength, etc. However, even though race isn’t “real” because there’s no science to back it up, race shouldn’t be disregarded or ignored because it has a large impact on individuals’ life experiences. White privilege exists and racism is still very prevalent in our society. I don’t think people are born racist, but rather they are taught to be racist, either by their environment, the people that surround them, and/or the media. I believe in the idea that if you hear or see something over and over again, then you will trust it to be normal and true. Gone With the Wind is one of the more well-known examples of a book/movie that glorifies slavery and is filled with racist stereotypes. As this film was extremely popular when it was released in 1939, many people’s views on racism and the experience of slaves were definitely influenced by it, thus perpetuating racism. At the same time, though, the media can educate people about race in a positive way. For example, the book/movie The Hate U Give shares a realistic story of a Black girl struggling with her identity and the unjust violence against Black people. This story, rather than the one in Gone With the Wind, is more beneficial to society because it carries themes of activism, family, bravery, and identity in the Black community.