African American Culture

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African American Culture

• Presented by
• Robert Moore

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Introduction

• Hello Class! Today we will be studying the
  African American culture. By the end of the
  class, I hope everyone will gain knowledge and
  appreciation for the African American culture and
  recognize the contributions they have made to our
  society.

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African American Origins

• African Americans originated from West and
  Central Africa.
• African Americans began to arrive in the United
  States in the 15th Century.

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African American History

• From the 15th century until 1860, it is estimated
  that more than 10 million Africans were
  transported from Africa to America due to
  slavery.
• Most who were enslaved were farmers and raised
  livestock while in Africa.

• Europeans loaded Africans onto ships. They were
  confined in irons for two or three months during
  the trans-Atlantic crossing.
• Nearly one-half of the Africans on board died
  during this voyage.

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History (continued)

• In 1860, the election of Abraham Lincoln as
  President was the start of a large movement
  against slavery.
• In 1777, one northern state after another began
  to abolish slavery.
• By the mid 1820s most slaves were in the south
  due to the cotton industry.

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History (continued)

• In 1861, the Civil War broke out between the
  North and South. Blacks were allowed to fight in
  the war.
• In 1863, The Emancipation Proclamation freed all
  slaves. Groups such as the KKK began to form.
• Segregation between whites and blacks resulted.

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History (continued)

• On December 1, 1955, a black activist named Rosa
  Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her
  seat on a bus to a white man. This resulted in
  the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
• A minister named Martin Luther King Jr. was ask
  to be a spokesman for the boycott organization.

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History (continued)

• Martin Luther King and many other Civil Rights
  leaders prompted changes in the way the United
  States treated African Americans. Martin Luther
  King is best known for his I Have a Dream
  speech given on August 28, 1962 at the march on
  Washington.

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African American CultureValues and Customs

• Africans were skilled iron workers, musicians,
  and artists. Their works have helped to shape
  American culture.
• Africans valued their music and art, which can be
  seen in sculptures and artifacts with art on the
  body.

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Values and Customs (continued)

• Traditions are held for young teenagers to
  symbolize puberty, their bodies are decorated
  with paint.
• Africans also perform many ceremonial dances for
  occasions such as hunting, birth, marriages, and
  funerals.

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Language

• African American Vernacular English (AAVE) is a
  dialect of English spoken by most African
  Americans. They also speak Creole, Gullah, and
  English.

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Holidays and Traditions

• African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa, an African
  American cultural holiday. Kwanzaa is celebrated
  from Dec. 26th -Jan.1st. Karamu, held on December
  31st, is celebrated with ceremonies, buffets, and
  festive attire. It is not a substitute for
  Christmas. It was founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana
  Karenga and is currently observed by 18 million
  people worldwide.

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Religion

• Islam had a powerful presence in Africa before
  the slave trade. It is estimated that 20 of the
  people that were slaves were Muslims.
• Christianity was introduced to the slaves by
  Europeans and Americans

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Religion (continued)

• In the southern slave states, many African
  Americans converted to Methodists or Baptists.
• Vaudoe was practiced by 30 million people in West
  Africa. It used animal sacrifices and spirit
  possessions.

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African American Foods

• Historically, African American rites have
  revolved around food.
• Soul food originated from cuisine developed by
  African slaves. This dishes were mainly from the
  South and were hearty and delicious. They
  included collard greens, leafy vegetables, beans,
  rice, and potatoes. Most of the diet is
  considered high in fat.
• Sunday dinners were very important in African
  American culture.
• Frying was the most common method of cooking.

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Education

• Discrimination is experienced by some African
  American children and can make learning
  difficult.
• African American students achieve at high levels
  when they are allowed to learn in cooperative
  groups.
• African American students tend to perform at low
  levels in mathematics, but are improving.

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Education (continued)

• The largest obstacle associated with African
  American education is poverty. Lack of funding
  and family resources create an environment that
  promotes difficulties in education.

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Interaction Patterns

• African Americans share common patterns of
  interaction and perception. They use a system of
  symbols and meaning as a part of their heritage.
• African Americans tend to connect with their
  cultural identities.

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Health Concerns

• The prevalence of diabetes among African
  Americans is about 70 higher than among white
  Americans.
• Infant mortality rates are twice as high for
  African Americans as for white Americans.
• The HIV rate is higher in African Americans than
  white Americans.

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African American StereotypesWe Know Theses Are
False!

• Loud
• More prone to violence
• Athletic
• Good dancers
• Good singers
• Talkative/Gossip

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Famous African Americans

• Martin Luther King Jr.. Civil Rights leader
• Rosa Parks, black activist
• Duke Ellington, famous pianist and band leader.

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Thought for the Day

• The United States has always been considered a
  melting pot because of our diverse mixing of
  people from all over the world. I prefer to call
  us a salad bowl. Think of all the different
  ingredients that come together to create an
  excellent blend of salad. People from diverse
  backgrounds are the ingredients that make this
  country great!
• Robert Moore

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QuestionsFull Class Activity

• 1- The election of which President started the
  large movement against slavery in the United
  States?
• 2- What famous Civil Rights leader is known for
  his I Have a Dream speech?
• 3- What female black activist refused to give up
  her seat to a white man on a bus in Montgomery,
  Alabama? Her action prompted the Montgomery Bus
  Boycott.
• 4- What African American holiday is celebrated
  from December 26th -January 1st?

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Questions (continued)

• 5- What is the name given to food that originated
  from cuisine developed by African slaves?
• 6- What is the largest obstacle that African
  Americans face that is associated with education?

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Reflection QuestionShort Essay

• Think about what you have learned today. In your
  own words, tell how you feel the African American
  culture differs from your own culture. List some
  of the difficulties African Americans have faced
  in the past and continue to face today. Relate
  these difficulties to difficulties your culture
  has faced. We will share our essays with the
  class during our next meeting.

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Works Cited

• African Pictures. Retrieved 27 Feb 2007
• www.african-safaris-adventures.com
• This website offers pictures taken throughout
  Africa. It allows students and parents to get a
  visual representation of life in Africa.
•  
• Agatucci, Cora. African Timelines History
  Orature, Literature, and Films. Central Oregon
  Community College. Retrieved 26 Feb 2007.
• http//web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum211/time
  lines/htimelinetoc.htm
• This website gives a five part series describing
  the timelines of events in Africa from ancient
  Africa to the present. It is a useful site to
  discover how the natives of Africa evolved
  through many struggles.

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Works Cited (continued)

• Giblin, James. Issues in African History. Arts
  and Life in Africa. University of Iowa. Retrieved
  27 Feb 2007
• http//www.uiowa.edu/africart/toc/history/giblin
  history.html
• This is another excellent website for parents
  and students to read to learn about the history
  of life in Africa. Parents and students can learn
  a great deal about African culture from this
  site.
•  
• Maffly-Kipp. African American Religion, Pt. 2
  From the Civil War to the Great Migration,
  1865-1920. University of North Carolina at Chapel
  Hill. Retrieved 24 Feb 2007.
• http//www.nhc.rtp.nc.us/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfo
  /aarcwgm.htm
• This website offers good information on the
  religious development of African Americans from
  the post-slavery times until the present.

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Works Cited (continued)

• MLK on-line. Martin Luther King Picture Gallery.
  Retrieved 2 Mar 2007
• http//www.mlkonline.net/
• This website shows pictures of Martin Luther
  King Jr. throughout his days of activism. It is a
  good website for parents and students to use to
  be able to put a face with the name Martin Luther
  King.
• MSN Encarta. African American History. Retrieved
  2 March, 2007
• http//encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761595158/Afr
  ican_American_History.html
• This website outlines the history of African
  Americans from their origins in Africa to the
  current time. It is an excellent resource for
  information about slavery, civil rights, and
  political and social gains. This website would be
  an excellent resource for students and parents.

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Works Cited (continued)

• Nobelprize.org. Martin Luther King. Retrieved 2
  Mar 2007
• http//nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureate
  s/1964/king-bio.html
• This is an excellent biography website that
  students as well as parents can use to learn
  about Martin Luther King.
•  
• Slavery Pictures. Retrieved 27 Feb 2007
• http//www.sonofthesouth.net/Slavery_Pictures_.ht
  m
• This website offers pictures of slavery that can
  be useful to students. It will help them to see
  how slaves looked during that period.

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Works Cited (continued)

• University of Washington Libraries. African
  American History. Retrieved 25 Feb 2007
• http//www.lib.washington.edu/subject/History/tm/
  black.html
• This site would be useful for students to do
  research on the history of African Americans. It
  gives several areas that you can click on to take
  you to different topics involving African
  American History.
•  

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The End!