This exhibition was done on the 19th of October 2018 at the REGINALD F. LEWIS MUSEUM of Maryland African American History and Culture. Visiting the museum was sincerely an eye-opener as a got the opportunity to exploit a broad variety of pieces of art from the African American gallery. For purposes of this assignment I will make use of sociological theories to discuss the history and culture of the African American people as portrayed by the fascinating pieces of art showcased is the museum. Visiting the museum has indeed broaden my knowledge in the history of the African Americans and revealed useful insights into the historical injustice surrounding the blacks that was marked with slavery, discrimination and gender inequality.
From the above exhibition it is clear how the African American people valued family and the institution of marriage. The African Americans had strong traditions and customs that ensured strong family ties as well as respect for the institution of marriage. The community also had a clear division of labor that ensured that both the men and the women knew their roles in the society. The division of labor helped in strengthening the institution of marriage and solidifying the family ties. The African Americans way of life can be better explained using the structural functionalist theory that looks at the family as the backbone of a society. The theory emphasizes on the importance of family to the society in providing emotional, cultural, educational, spiritual and financial support (Mooney, Knox and Schacht 37). This is true for the African American population who were able to utilize their strong family ties and commitments to overcome the evils of social injustice.
Based on the structural functioning theory, family is considered the societal pillar as it serves to streamline the behavior of young ones. It serves to define and support the youths. As a social institution, it unites various people within the society to develop a culture of caring for everyone (Macionis 374). Community connection among the Africa-American played a key role in uniting families who had been brought to America as slaves. Threats from slavery and racism served to unite African-American as depicted in African-American’s history and culture gallery. As a group, they were able to build social organization, towns, neighborhood and places of worship. Within the American society, the family unit enabled them to create self-determination and solder on together thus creating the distinctive Africa-American society.
My second exhibition reveals the impact of ethnicity and race as a symbolic interaction of the sociological perspectives in the country. The United States is a culturally diverse nation and comprises of a broad variety of ethnic groups. The country’s population is made up of different communities each with their unique traditions and culture. The African Americans constitute a significant percentage of the nation’s population.
Although the African Americans migrated to the United States in the 1500s, they have still managed to preserve their unique traditions and pass them down to the young generations. The community uses storytelling, songs, dance arts and instructions to pass on their traditions and culture to new generations. Race and ethnicity thus gives a person not only a sense of belonging but also a sense of identity (Hess 29). Different populations show unique characteristics and behavior traits based on their ethnicity and upbringing. Race and ethnicity is thus significant as it defines a community’s way of life.
The third exhibition portrays the contributions of the blacks to the economy. Political contribution is equally emphasized by the pictures. Based on the Africa-American history and culture, it is evident that the blacks were both persuaded and forced during the slavery period to offer their labor in the large farms and firms. While in the large plantations of tobacco, ship yards and ironworks, they experienced difficult working conditions.
Hash working conditions characterized by violence and low wages, were encountered. Any type of work that required physical strength were particularly assigned to the black community. While the owners of the business benefited, African were treated as minority. As opposed to socialism, American owners exhibited capitalism implying they only cared about the profit at the end of the day as opposed to looking at the environment where the production took place. Out of the hard-work, the private owners were able to support the American Revolution and hence the current state.
The fourth exhibition focuses on the racial discrimination with specific emphasis on the black women who after civil war worked outside their homestead. The women mainly worked on the agricultural field as well as domestic workers. They had no opportunity to present their abilities as well as talents. During the 20th century, the black women were able to work in cities although with lots of difficulties and challenges. While at the factories, they were paid low wages and it was tedious to sustain industrial jobs based on their race. The efforts levied by the black women while working in the industrial sector as well as in the city earned them wages that were important in raising their families and raising economic growth within the United States. The rise of the African American women from mere domestic workers to strong career women working in the industrial sector can be explained using the feminism theory.
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The women faced massive discrimination, gender inequality and oppression while working in the big town industries that valued and preferred male workers as opposed to female workers. The black women faced a lot of stereotyping as they were viewed to be weak, inexperienced, and unskilled thus leading to wage inequality. The working African American women also endured sexual harassment that further hindered their productivity and performance at work.
The last exhibition reinforces the idea of a labor that builds a nation. The Africans in the picture had arrived in Maryland in 1630s with unique skills that were equally adaptable. In the wake of difficult work environment within the shops, kitchens, factories, they remained resilient and managed to preserve their cultures. The skills embodied by the blacks were easily transformed to useful areas.
The exhibitions in the museum not only expounded my knowledge in the history of African Americans but also in the comprehension of a number of sociological theories. Structural functioning theory helped in understanding African American’s way of life. With the help of the exhibitions I was able to look into symbolic interaction in relation to ethnicity and race. The exhibitions showcased the discrimination, oppression and harassment faced by the African American women thus shading some light into the feminism theory. Lastly, visiting the museum enlightened me on the significant role played by the museums in the conservation and preservation of people’s cultures.
Works Cited
Hess, Andreas. Sociological Theory: Contemporary Social Theory And Its Critique. Sage, 2018.
Macionis, John. Society: The Basics. Boston: Pearson, 2015.
Mooney, Linda, David Knox and Caroline Schacht. Understanding Social Problems. 5th . Wadsworth, 2007.
REGINALD F. LEWIS MUSEUM of Maryland African American History and Culture
