African+American+Group

http://www.loc.gov/rr/mss/guide/ms058070.jpg   **__History__** Black History Month: Home. (n.d.). //Black History Month: Home//. Retrieved March 21, 2010, from [] This website talks about African-American Literature from the days of slavery up until the present. It particularly discusses how on many occasions, African-American literature portrays black men in a negative way, using "The Color Purple" as an example. According to the website, this is something that has made African-American literature controversal over time. I found this website to be very helpful because it discusses African-American Authors and also discusses why African-American literature has been critiqued over time for having a negative portrayal of black men. It is also necesary to see how African-American literature has changed over time. Carol

Hernandez, J. (n.d.). African American History, Black History and the Civil Rights Movement. //The New York Institute for Special Education Home Page//. Retrieved March 21, 2010, from [] This website focuses on historical African-Americans especially during the civil rights era. Matin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X were both activist for African American during a time of a oppression. Both men fought to so that African Americans could have the same rights that white people did at the time. They were not afraid to speak up and fight for their cause. Their fight for the civil rights of African-Americans resulted in significant changes that still stand today. I enjoyed this article because it covers two men that are very important in history. These men were fearless leaders who's struggle for civil rights not only helped African-Americans but all people of color. Carol

In Motion. (n.d.). //The African-American Migration Experience//. Retrieved March 19, 2010, from [|http://] [|www.inmotionaame.org/home.cfm] This website discusses how African-Americans were forced to come to the Americas which resulted in enslavement. Of the approximate ten million people who survived the Middle Passage, around 450,000 Africans landed in North America. They were placed primarily in farms, plantations and mines. They endured all types of abuse for hundreds of years. I found this site very important because it explains in details the slave trade. It is necesary for us to know the history of any culture because this plays a large role in how a group behaves and interacts with others. Carol

Kane, C. (May, 2000). African American Family Dynamics as Perceived by Family Members. //Journal of Black Studies, Vol. 30, No. 5, 691-702. Retrieved March 1, 2010 from [] // Kane (2000) explores the perceptions of family dynamics in African American families. African American families place high value on religion and spirituality. Spirituality is one of the characteristic African American families inherited from their African ancestors. In the times of slavery, spirituality and religion were the only means of expression for slaves. Through spirituality and religion, slaves were able to express feelings of anger, pain and humiliation while still claiming themselves as individuals and gaining strength and faith from higher powers. Kane (2000) quotes Dubois (1898), who said that “the church is the only social institution of Negroes which started in the African forest and survived slavery.” The institution of church represents for African American families not only a center of spirituality, but also a place where the community can gather and which is central in their functioning. Churches have served many purposes for African American families, among which are providing space for self-expression, leadership, and emotional and material support. The church, thus, becomes an extension of the family and it links its members together. The Black churches teach their members values that support African American families on their daily lives and in times of crisis. The church engages its members in several activities which range from youth groups to health fairs and provides opportunities and outlets for its members to find support. The role of the church in African American families is important because the values promoted by this institution have a great influence in the family’s, as well as the individual’s, sensitivity to others’ feelings, personal fulfillment and satisfaction, self discipline, forgiveness, and even striving for a sense of purpose. African American parents often want their children to surpass them educationally. African American parents tend to believe that education and hard work are necessary for African Americans to move up in a society that constantly puts barriers in front of them. Thus, African American parents teach their children the importance of sharing responsibilities in the family, involve them in household chores and encourage them academically and professionally. Education is so important in the African American family that low-income parents often ask the extended family for economic help for their children to go to college. Often times young adults depend on the extended-family network to achieve success in their college education and to help them easily transition into adulthood. I found this article particularly important because, as a counselor, it is necessary that I understand the how family dynamics work in my student’s culture and that I incorporate this information in my therapy sessions, the goals and even the theoretical approach I may use with the student. However, it is important to be able to recognize general cultural patterns and not confuse them with stereotypes. (Dayana). __Language__ ** Green, C., Smart, I. ,(1997). Ebonics as Cultural Resistance. //Peace Review//, 9:4, 521-526. Retrieved on 3-5-10 from [|http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all?content=10.1080/10402659708426103] Urban graffiti, break dancing, rap, dress codes, hair styles, street violence and Ebonics are all forms of cultural resistance. The controversy of using Ebonics in schools started in 1996, when the School Board of Oakland, California passed a resolution declaring all of it Black students to be bilingual, since many of them spoke both standard English and Ebonics. As Henry Louis Gates Jr. explains, the focus should be not in Ebonics, but rather in the desperation that drove the Oakland school board to adopt this resolution. This resolution is a reflection of the desperation of public schools in the inner-city as they confront illiteracy and poverty. The use of Ebonics, or Black Vernacular, dates back to the time of slavery and its different forms have evolved. Developing a dialect of their own gave African Americans the opportunity to develop identities and reinvent themselves. Ebonics will be a major concern for the African American community, as long as White supremacy exists. The authors of this article make a very good point when they say that “the road to final victory requires us to fully understand our oppressor, including his spoken language.” This statement is important because, while some young African Americans are able to switch back and forth from “slang” to “standard” English, others are not able to do so. I chose this article because it is important to understand that the “slang” that we may often disregard as “unimportant” or “inadequate,” is very much part of this culture and its heritage. It is important that, as guidance counselors, we know and understand the history behind languages and current trends so that we have a better understanding of what’s important for our students. (Dayana)
 * __Religion & Spirituality__**

media type="youtube" key="c9cCjZ1lf4o" height="385" width="480" Hiphop Principal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9cCjZ1lf4o&feature=related

__**Language & Education**__ Siegal, N. (2000). Taking a Hip-Hop Route to Teaching a Love of Language. //The New York Times//. Retrieved on 3-2-2010 from [] Some schools in NYC are using hip hop songs to teach literature and language. As discussed in a conference a few years ago, many educators have realized that hip hop has become part of their students lives and, instead of disregarding it, they should embrace it and incorporate it in their lesson plans. Teachers agree that they can use rap to teach poetry, and has, indeed, become increasingly familiar in the New York City public schools, and educators are embracing positive aspects of rap, such as rhyme schemes, wordplay and their focus on contemporary social issues. However, there are no statistics of the prevalence of such programs in schools. Even a Professor at Long Island University, Tony Medina, has used rap lyrics for workshops in public schools. Most recently, he used lyrics by the rapper Nas for a poetry workshop at a high school classroom in New York. He considers that after students are able to look at their own lives through the spectrum of poetic craft, they would consider poetry from different time periods. Although Professor Medina was criticized for allowing the students to read crude language out loud and exposing the students to this kind of language, he believes that there is nothing wrong with the students reading these words. However, foul language is not allowed in their writing and he encourages them to search for more sophisticated words for their work. This link was interesting because it offers an alternative way of incorporating “hip hop culture” in education. This kind of music is part of our African American youth and it is a good strategy to gain their interest in literature and writing. (Dayana)

Christ, L. (2010). Bronx Students Learn to Rap the Periodic Table. //NY1 News Online//. Retrieved on 3-18-10 from [] Teachers at a high school In the Bronx recognize that high school science is not easy and they are now incorporating hip hop into their presentation of the subject. One of the teachers, Mr. Edmin, is using rap to teach the periodic table and his students rap about the elements and their different uses. Students often feel disengaged from the subject because of the way it has been presented. When we think of chemistry and scientists, we think of a white old male in a laboratory. Therefore, students feel disengaged because they feel that the subject does not relate to them. The teachers feel that the students learn the subject better when it relates to their culture, their music and their language. Another advantage that these teachers find In using hip hop to teach science is that, in the future, when the students become health professionals, they will be able to speak the language of science in a way that their patients can relate to. This is a current problem in the area of the Bronx because the health professionals rarely come from the same community and, therefore, the community is underrepresented. I chose this article, not only because it is very current and relevant, but also because it shows that teachers are making an effort to understand and incorporate the students’ culture in their teaching. If the students can relate to it, chances are they will be more interested in learning it. (Dayana)
 * __Education__**

Noguera, Pedro (2009). A Close Look at the Dropout Crisis: Examining Black and Latino Males in New York City. //NYU Metropolitan Center for Urban Education.// Retrieved on 3-5-10 from [] There is a connection between the hardships that African American males endure and their educational performance. There is also confusion as to why being black and being a male has a negative connotation, not only in the schools, but also in society at large. All these underlying connotations, in addition to hardships and obstacles such as poverty, amongst others, are factors that affect black males’ academic performance. The hope lies in the schools that have already managed to implement programs that can reverse the patterns of low achievement amongst black males because it means that other schools can implement them as well and help close the achievement gap. Dr. Noguera explains that one of the ways to help assist black males with living healthy and productive lives is through understanding and being aware of how these individuals and this particular culture copes with and responds to social and cultural environments. Researchers argue that Black students hold themselves back out of fear that they will be disliked by their peers. However, Dr. Noguera argues that these researchers don’t see the dynamic that takes place between Black males and the dominant culture in the schools. Black males are more likely to engage in behaviors that contribute to their marginality, but they are also more likely to be discouraged from challenging themselves by adults who are supposed to help them. I chose this article because it is important to know that behind an individual’s behavior there is always a reason and a history. What Dr. Noguera suggests in this article, understanding and knowing the culture, is part of the purpose of this assignment. Having a deeper understanding of the achievement gap, and knowing ways how to help out, are important to know as a counselor. (Dayana)

Siasoco, R. V. (n.d.). African-American Literature ” Infoplease.com. //Infoplease: Encyclopedia, Almanac, Atlas, Biographies, Dictionary, Thesaurus. Free online reference, research & homework help.” Infoplease.com//. Retrieved March 21, 2010, from [] This website discusses the wide variety of African-Americans that have contributed to literature in the past two hundred years. Most of the first African-American writers were slaves who wrote about their experiences, such as Phyllis Wheatley. At the turn of the century and then again during the Harlem Renaissance, African-American literature advanced significantly. Later on during the civil rights movement, even more African-American writers were born. This website also explains in detail the most important authors of African-American literature. It also teaches us that much of the African-American literature grew from slavery and from oppression. Even though African-American literature has changed over time, you can still find many similarities to older literature. Carol
 * __Literature__**

**__Family & Gender Roles__**

Wester, S. R., Vogal, D. L., Wei, M., & McLain, R. (2006, September 22). African American men, gender role conflict, and psychological distress: the role of racial identity.(Research) - Journal of Counseling and Development | HighBeam Research - FREE trial. //Research - Articles - Journals | Find research fast at HighBeam Research//. Retrieved March 21, 2010, from []This website talks about how the African-American male's behavior or role in his family is affected by his cultural background and experience. The behavior in society of the African-American male is compared to that of the Euro-American man and explains how the pressure to be like the Euro-American man, might cause difficulty in day to day things like employment or relationships. Although the African-American male may try to preserve their own cultural values, they find themselves distressed when trying to do so, while adapting to the Euro-American man's world and deal with racism. Carol

African-American Families - African-american Families In The New Millennium - gender, poverty, family, history, developmen. (n.d.). //Marriage and Family Encyclopedia//. Retrieved March 19, 2010, from []According to this article, African-American families are usually matriarchal. In the majority of African-American families, are single mother homes. When the father is involved he then is in charge of caring for the family and the home. Physical punishment is used as a form of discipline on many occasions. This website also discusses the importance of grandparents and older siblings and how helpful they are within the family. It also discusses the important role of the Christian church amongst African-American families. I chose this article because this article breaks down the family members in African-American families and the importance of their roles. It is necessary to know the roles of each family member because our relationships with others affects our behavior and they way that we interact with others outside of our family. Carol