There has been longstanding criticism of the whiteness of the professional discourses in teaching. Bariso (Race Ethn Educ 4(2):167-184, 2001) writes that where whiteness is constructed as being professional then blackness is constructed as unprofessional, in turn excluding blackness from the construction of the teacher. Similarly, Bhopal (Br J…

Discusses the depiction of women characters in the plays of Alice Childress. Analyzes "Wine in the Wilderness" to demonstrate Childress' skill at characterization and calls for further scholarship on this neglected playwright. (KH)

In Toni Morrison's fiction, codes, values, and standards are the polar opposite of those set forth and accepted by the dominant (white) culture. The work must be approached from an anthropological perspective, a holistic approach. (LHW)

Argues the historical reference group orientation and personal identity study material done on blacks in the United States are flawed because they made inappropriate assumptions about the link between these two measures. Further, conclusions drawn from these materials constitute a major obstacle to the accurate understanding of the processes of…

Stories from "Nights with Uncle Remus" are examined for the messages beyond Harris's ostensible humor. The story plots are filled with degradations and stereotypes found in the slavery era. Whether authentic retold folk tales or "fakelore" constructed by Harris, the tales reveal information about Harris's audience, the White…

Argues that when the subject is the distortion of race and the promulgation of bias and stereotyping, even high-quality books are inappropriate for teaching and developing political debate. How these types of books have actually done more harm than good is explained with particular focus on "The Bell Curve" (Herrnstein and Murray, 1994)…

Examines theories of interpretation in light of racial issues and the understanding that race is one of several "communities of meaning." Argues that, as systems of understanding, hermeneutic theories need interrogation from the point of view of the ideology of race and the practices of racial discrimination. (JB)

The sexually charged "Kids" was one of the most controversial films about teenage sexuality and youth of 1995. The pessimism and one-dimensionality of the film foster a conservative pedagogy and politics that fail to break dominant discourse about subordinate youth in this country. (SLD)

In his works, Richard Wright denounces murder while advocating collectivism as an essential ingredient for effecting social change. The short story collection "Uncle Tom's Children" and the novel "Native Son" are the focal points in this analysis of Wright's recurring themes. (SLD)

Four African-American and West Indian novels of childhood illustrate relationships and bonding between mothers and sons: (1) "Go Tell It on the Mountain" (James Baldwin); (2) "Not without Laughter" (Langston Hughes); (3) "Amongst Thistles and Thorns" (Austin Clarke); and (4) "In the Castle of My Skin"…

Toni Cade Bambara's novel "The Salt Eaters" is art colored by social responsibility as the author attempts to give her African-American audience a sense of their history and their identity so they can value and accept collective work and responsibility. The novel's strengths and thematic weaknesses are discussed. (SLD)

Careful scrutiny of the literature and actions of Paul Laurence Dunbar reveals that he was more a part of the African-American protest tradition than scholars have been led to believe. He cannot be grouped with the plantation school of writers because of his opposition to slavery and white paternalism. (SLD)

The rhetoric of black writers and speakers asserts that (1) attitudes and practices toward black language are politically based to keep blacks subordinate to the dominant culture, and (2) African American scholars have a right to determine the meaning and implications of black language. Black rhetors contend that even those blacks who speak…

Reviews issues surrounding African-American cultural identity in cultural discourse about the arts, especially literature. Identifies positions in the current debate, critiques some positions being argued, and focuses on the work of Henry Louis Gates, Jr., in his book, "The Signifying Monkey: A Theory of Afro-American Literacy…

Presents a critical appraisal of Herrnstein and Murray's "The Bell Curve" (1994) and of its analyses of social class, ethnic differences, and public policy proposals. It refutes as cultural superstition the book's theories on the role of intelligence in the social stratification of postindustrial America and the effects of IQ on social…