African Americans as an Important Source of National Mythology

Unit 4

Indian Gifts to the White Man

Mythologization of their Own Image and Significance for White Civilization by Indians Themselves

FOOD...60% of the food eaten in the world today is of American origin-including corn, tomatoes, beans, peanuts, and chili peppers. The introduction of the potato – cultivated by Indians throughout the Americas – literally changed Europe's agricultural economy and the nature of society, as well as feeding the large European armies from the 18th century on

MEDICINES...Indians provided quinine, the first effective treatment for malaria, and offered a pharmacy that contributed much to modern medicines in the form of aspirin – related tree bark extracts, laxatives, painkillers, antibacterial medicines, petroleum jelly, and much more.

GOVERNMENT.. The American Federal system derives not from Europe – whose nations knew nothing of democracy – but from Indian tribal organizations, as Benjamin Franklin and George Washington would attest. Both were highly knowledgeable about Indian society and political structures. Franklin urged the new nation to model its government on the League of the Iroquois and guided the Kaianerekowa or Great Law of Peace.

WEALTH...Gold and silver from the Americas-mined largely with Indian Labor- were the source of major economic and trade expansion in Europe and eventually led to the Industrial revolution. Oil, ore, water, timber and other natural resources that fuel this nation lay on and under Indian lands.

EARTH WISDOM...Native Americans have a long-standing communion with the earth and have maintained a respectful relationship with the environment, even in the fact of "progress". As the earth's s resources are exploited and our land, water and air poisoned, earth wisdom is still a gift, perhaps the greatest, Native Americans can offer.

(Native American Rights Fund)

Assignment. Find out what “The Trail of Tears” is.

Main Idea: Black Americans made a tangible contribution to US cultural paradigms being first the object, and later also a subject of mythologizing

Main Issues:

- justifications/denouncements of slavery in American public opinion;

- causes of the Civil War in the USA (1851-1865);

- re-conceptualizing Biblical imagery in African American culture;

- shaping racial stereotypes (inferior to whites; happy-go-lucky; barbarian; oversexed etc.) and their deconstruction in contemporary (African) American culture;

- mythologizing Middle Passage;

- negative/positive mythologizing of Africa;

- “slave narrative” as the original matrix for African American writings;

- connection between literacy and freedom in Black consciousness;

- mythologizing their own history, culture, and spirituality by Blacks, demonizing the whites by radical African American movements.

Key Concepts:

v Ham’s Curse – “прокляття Хама”

v Middle Passage – перетин Атлантичного океану на кораблях рабів з Африки до Америки

v Slave ship – корабель рабів

v Slave narratives – «оповіді рабів» (історії втечі чорношкірих з рабства)

v Black brethren – “чорні брати”

v Spirituals – cпірічуелс (духовні пісні чорношкірих)

v Underground railroad – “підземна залізниця”

v Black-face minstrelsy – вистави білих виконавців, загримованих під негрів

v Harlem Renaissance – Гарлемський ренесанс

v “New Negro” – “новий негр”

v Black is Beautiful – “Чорне – це прекрасно”

v “Uncle Tom-ism” – “дядько Том-ізм” (презирлива характеристика політики низькопоклонства перед білими з боку радикально налаштованих чорних)

v “Tragic mulatto” – трагічний мулат

Дата добавления: 2015-06-27