Unit 2 of Multicultural class part 1

In his essay “Essentialism and the Complexities of Racial Identity,” Michael Eric Dyson describes how “…black culture is not static of one-dimensional.” By this, he means that it is not singular and can never be described as such. Instead, its complexities need to be raised, praised, and examined.

Dyson brings up many examples to support this, from both sides of the racial fence. He calls on both sides and their “demand of racial unity.” Dyson talks about writers, poets, political figures, sports heroes, and common men and women that speak for yet do not speak for African-American or black perspective. He talks of linguistic differences, age differences, gender differences, and class differences. Can you delineate black culture to specifically “one” culture? Whites and blacks have tried to focus on this racial unity. While we do need to bring up race in order to understand it, you cannot place it all in one neatly labeled box.

One of Dyson’s major points is about the Spike Lee movie School Daze, a look at intraracial conflict. Lee’s own alma mater has been accused of removing the filming due to “racial insecurity.” This may fall under Dyson’s description of “so-called ‘Toms’”, believing that “remaining under white rule was a greener pasture than the wilderness of black escape.” The university undoubtedly thought that bringing these conflicts to light was somehow shameful and disregarded crucial racial identity. If blacks are fighting against blacks, how can they be one cohesive entity. The university did not want their name on this project.

Another of Dyson’s examples regards the alleged rape of Tawana Brawley. He surmises that it wasn’t necessarily the rape that was the most hideous thing, but that white men perpetrated the rape on a black female. Political figures rallied to her cause, and it unfortunately seemed that the girl created a hoax. However, even after this came to be known, there was little black public criticism against her. Somehow it was felt that criticizing a black female’s story criticized their own race.

Another of Dyson’s examples is the case of Washington, DC, Mayor Marion Barry. Barry fell from grace in the public scandal of his drug abuse conviction. Again, there was little black public criticism. If there had been, it may have been seen as detrimental to all black political leadership in general.

The other major example that Dyson presents is that of O.J. Simpson. His very public trial of the accusation of murdering his wife brought to light many racial issues. He was deemed a “’respectable Negro’” to whites and as such the role of race came forefront. Neither side seemed to be able to handle the issue. Was this a trial against a black man (and I amazingly think of how small a news item was white actor Robert Blake’s current trial of the same nature), or a trial against black culture?

Dyson says, “The goal should not be to transcend race, but to transcend the biased meanings associated with race.” Dyson also says, “For race to have a less detrimental effect, it must be brought into the light and openly engaged as a feature of the events and discussion it influences, even if in subtle ways.” We have to talk about it, but we cannot let it make our decisions for us. Sometimes, we need to focus on the issue or the crime. When race becomes a factor, we must talk about why it is a factor, openly and honestly.