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Keara Tellis

Professor Angela Pedrotti

ENG-1201

30 June 2019

Annotated Bibliography

In writing my essay I hope I will be able to answer the question of how racism manifests

today. I know that racism has existed for several generations and continues to exist in modern

years, but how did it come about? I also plan to look at how racism can affect diversity and lead

to a lack of diversity in several aspects of life. In discussing the overall topic of racism, I hope to

learn different ways racism can be stopped today and what we can do as a society to change our

ways. I also intend to educate those who do not understand what racism is and what racism can

do to a society.

Blow, Charles M. “Reparations: Reasonable and Right.” The New York Times, 20 June 2019,

www.nytimes.com/2019/06/19/opinion/reparations-reasonable-and-

right.html?rref=collection/timestopic/Race and

Ethnicity&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit

&version=latest&contentPlacement=3&pgtype=collection.

The article “Reparations: Reasonable and Right” by Charles M. Blow appeared in the New

York Times on June 19, 2019 and discusses the responsibility the United States has for

helping end racism, as well as the reparations that need to be in place for those affected.

The author discusses when slavery first started with the first enslaved person being brought
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here 400 years ago and slavery was the economic root of this country for 250 years. The

enslaved individuals who were forced to partake in slavery were unpaid and poorly treated.

The Constitution even said that African Americans were three fifths of a person in the Dred

Scott v. Sanford case decision. The author of this article calls for reparations of those

directly affected by slavery and oppression (ancestors). At one point every former enslaved

person was promised forty acres of land and a mule but ended up receiving nothing except

pain and suffering. After the salves were freed, they were left with nothing and many died

from sickness or starvation. Ancestors of slaves where in turn acquired with more

hardships than other races and ethnicities (people of color in general). After the Jim Crow

laws were no longer in affect, a new epidemic called mass incarceration came about. This

is considered to be another legal form of oppression for African Americans and people of

color. The author states that America must accept responsibility for the pain inflicted on

people of color and provide reparations for the people they hurt on this land and the people

they stole this land from.

The author intends for this article to be a call of action for the American people to pressure the

government into accepting how America became what it is today. The only way to do so is to

provide reparations for those affected and for us to stop repeating history. By repeating history,

he means to stop hurting those who are different than us and stop oppressing those

underrepresented. The author also provides evidence for how racism started today, as well as

modern day racism in the form of mass incarceration and plain racism. The article being not even

a month old allows for the reader to stop and consider the forms of racism around them.

Charles M. Blow is an opinion columnist at New York Times. The author is credible, because he

has been approved to write articles for New York Times and has written several on this topic.
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The author has adequate information to write this article, because he knows the history and is an

ancestor of an enslaved person. The author is reliable mainly, because the history he provided

checks out and can be researched. The article is also very current and provides a sense of

authority sense it was published by the New York Times.

I will use this article to help provide a layout for how racism began in general and the modern-

day aspects of racism. I will also use this article to mention how people are calling for

reparations for those affected by past and present forms of racism.

Gates, Henry Louis. “African Americans Many Rivers to Cross.” PBS, Public Broadcasting

Service, www.pbs.org/black-culture/shows/list/african-american-history-many-rivers-to-

cross/.

This is a documentary by Henry Louis Gates on the Black Culture Connection by the PBS

Connection. “African Americans Many Rivers to Cross” provides an account of an

enslaved man and his fight for freedom. This documentary covers the beginning through

the end of slavery and the effects of slavery in present time. Gives a clear story of what

slaves who were brought to North America thought of this as the “New World” and thought

it would lead to bright new beginnings. As we know, it did not for quite some time and

actually led to feelings of hopelessness and despair. I purpose of this documentary is give

the “real” story of slavery followed by accounts from ancestors of enslaved people. I

believe this documentary was created to educate today’s youth (I remember watching it in

middle school) and those who wish to know the full story of slavery. The producer of this

documentary is Henry Louis Gates Jr and I know he is credible due to him being a well-

known historian. I know he has adequate information for developing this film, because he

holds position as a professor and director for African and African American Research at
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Harvard University. This source is reliable, because it has won several awards and

acknowledgements.

I will use this documentary to provide a timeline of how racism manifested today into what

we know it as. I will also use the documentary to discuss the first-person accounts of

slavery and how it is still alive in forms of racism today.

Teaching Tolerance. (2019). Teaching Hard History, 20 June 2019,

https://www.tolerance.org/frameworks/teaching-hard-history/american-slavery

This article is by the publisher Teaching Tolerance and provides an account of how racism began

here in the United States and its influence today. The article begins by stating that slavery began

before the settlement of North America. The article also discusses how slavery has shaped the

term race and what it means to be white. Slavery stated as an institution of power and created

profit for the enslavers and to break the will of slaves. Slaves were used for labor and financial

gain across the world. The slaves that attempted to resist their enslavers were met with

punishments of violence and pain. As many know slaves were freed by President Abraham

Lincoln, but only in free states. It was not until the passing of the 13th amendment and the end of

the Civil War that all slaves were truly free. Today, diversity is affected by racism in housing

opportunities, education, and workplaces. African Americans face wage disparities, wealth

inequality, and even unemployment due to modern racism. Mass incarceration is clear evidence

of racism today and how it affects people of color. Racism has become a social construct that

affects people of color in terms of fairness, equality, and opportunity.

The purpose of this article is to inform people of the history of slavery and racism. The audience

intended for this article is students and those looking to learn about the basis of slavery. This
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article was written in bulleted texts boxes with links for each fact and created a more hands-on

reading experience. The article does not provide an author but does provide resources to those

who can speak on the matter of the topic. I think this article is credible, because it is written well

and provides detailed accounts of each fact presented. I know this website is reliable, because I

viewed a few reviews and comments about it, where people discuss how knowledgeable it is.

I will use this article to establish a detailed understanding of how racism was created at the hands

of slavery and the enslavers. I will also mention the aspects of life that are affected on a daily

basis due to racism for people of color.

The Conversation. (2019). How racism and a lack of diversity can harm productivity in our

workplaces, 30 June 2019, http://theconversation.com/how-racism-and-a-lack-of-

diversity-can-harm-productivity-in-our-workplaces-73119

The article “How racism and a lack of diversity can harm productivity in our workplaces”

is by Yin Paradies and Amanuel Elias in a website called “The Conversation”. According

to this article racial discrimination bias still exist in workplaces and other spaces.

Productivity at jobs for people of color can go down due to racial tensions. This could

mean mental health issues, physical health issues, or even poor attitude. These types of

issues are created due to racism and will lead to a lack of diversity among colleagues.

Ethnic diversity within spaces can assist with poverty, economic inequality, and

corruption. Places where diversity has been higher, productivity and wages increase. As a

society, businesses need to become more aware of the different cultures their business

serves and how to better reflect the acceptance of different ethnicities. The purpose of

this article is to inform readers of the impact of diversity on productivity in spaces where

racism is present. This article could easily be interrupted by anyone in society, but
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directly affects those in workplaces. This article flowed in terms of stating the issue, the

reasoning behind it, and providing methods to help the issue. This article does not

provide a date when it was published but appears to be current based off the statistics and

information given.

The writers are two professors from Deakin University and both teach/hold titles related

to the topic of racism. I know the authors are credible, because the work is current and is

relevant to society today. I know the authors have adequate information for writing this

article, because of the titles they hold and the facts they provide. I know the source is

reliable, because a major news outlet posted the article.

I will use this article to discuss and provide evidence for how racism affects diversity. I

will also use this article to make a clear connection between the presence of racism

leading to the lack of diversity.

Vera. “Research Confirms That Entrenched Racism Manifests in Disparate...” Vera, 20 June

2019, www.vera.org/newsroom/research-confirms-that-entrenched-racism-manifests-in-

disparate-treatment-of-black-americans-in-criminal-justice-system.

The article “Research Confirms that Entrenched Racism Manifests in Disparate Treatment of

Black Americans in Criminal Justice System” is by the Vera Institiute of Justice from May 3rd,

2018 and discusses the treatment of Black Americans in the criminal justice system. This article

names a few victims of police brutality, who are believed to be wronged by the criminal justice

system. The writers of those article mention that racism continues to manifest due to the state of

the criminal justice system and the people of color it serves. People of color have been viewed as

having natural criminal behaviors since the beginning of time and this very view has helped lead
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to racism today. The impact of slavery has created a disadvantaged world for those who are

ancestors of slaves and people of color in general. Racism in society leads to over-incarcerated,

overpoliced, impoverished, and generational suffering in colored communities. People of color

living in low income communities could lead to arrest simply because of their skin tone and

social class level. Policies dating back to times of slavery have created a system that is against

minorities and people of color. The “War on Drugs” was an undercover way to target people of

color for doing what other groups of races were doing, but in turn having them arrested.

The purpose of this article was to discuss how there are several ways racism has

manifested today. The audience for this article is anyone who wishes to understand the depths of

racism today in and out of the criminal justice system. The article being written by an institute of

justice makes it feel more appealing and easier to interrupt. The article does not give an author

and only gives the publisher. I think the publisher is credible, because the site is certified and

gives several citations for information. I know this article is reliable, because it is a major

network for news and information. The article is also current and provides examples of known

events.

I will use this article to discuss how racism manifests today and how modern racism has

come about. I will also use this article to hint at the criminal justice side of racism and what that

menas for community relations in colored communities.

White, James A. “The Little Problem I Had Renting a House.” TED, 20 February 2015,

www.ted.com/talks/james_a_white_sr_the_little_problem_i_had_renting_a_house.

This ted talk is by James White and was posted on February 20 th, 2019 and discusses a first

account of how racism is constantly alive today. James White talks about how when he was
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in the Air Force and was stationed away from his family, he had trouble finding a home for

his family to come join him. He was turned away by countless apartment owners and trailer

park owners for poor excuses. He hints at the reasoning of why he is turned away: he and

his family are black. Eventually he finds a home for his family and they come in join him

where he stationed in Idaho. James White tells this story to cast light on how racism was

and still is alive today in the simplest aspects. He also discusses how he choose to raise his

children and grandchildren in regard to police brutally. James White sadly explains how he

feels fear for his black grandchildren who are simply driving a car and could be pulled

over. As he wraps up his talk, he calls to action society and asks that we do not let

disparities go by unnoticed. He asks that we not lose our humanity just because we are

afraid and that we must stand up for what we believe in. James White also states that we

must do everything possible to not let history repeat itself.

The speaker’s purpose is to inform the audience and to warn of them of what is to come if

we do not do something about it. The audience is anyone in society with an understanding a

willing to learn heart. The speech being given on the TED Talk stage makes it even more

powerful and complying. The author is an African American older man and he is credible

because it is a first-person account. The author has adequate information to give his speech,

because he experienced it and lived it. The information is reliable, because it has been

approved by the large platform of TED Talk.

I will use this speech to provide my research essay with the topic of how racism affects day

to day people. I will also use this speech as an example of how racism has affected people’s

lives for generations.

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Myers, Verna. (2019). How to overcome our biases? Walk boldly toward them, TED, 22

Nov 2014,

https://www.ted.com/talks/verna_myers_how_to_overcome_our_biases_walk_boldly_towa

rd_them?referrer=playlist-talks_to_help_you_understand_r

The speaker’s name is Verna Myers from the TED Talks and came out in November 2014

to discuss how our bias have led to racism. Verna Myers speaks about a call to action to

stop fearing black people, but specifically to stop fearing black men. She asks us to look at

our bias about racism head on and comfort them. We have to become uncomfortable to get

comfortable. If we keep running afraid of people who are different than us, we will repeat

history again and again. We become bystanders and lose our humanity if we become quiet.

Verna Myers asks three things of us: no more denial, find awesome people who are

different than you and surround yourself with them, and lastly to say something when you

see something. She discusses that society will keep failing young black people, if we allow

it to. There can be no more denial of having bias she says, for we all have bias whether we

know it or not. As a society we have to create unity in order to move forward. The purpose

of this article is to be a call to action for society to become aware of their bias and to

embrace them in order to get over them. The author is credible, because she was posted by

TED Talk the major producer. This source is reliable, because she gives her own ideals

along with known issues today in society.

I will use this source to provide a wrap up of my paper and how we can assist in the fight

against racism. I will also use this source to inform my readers and to get them thinking

about their own biases.

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