The post-blackness essay

The term "post-blackness" refers to a philosophical movement that originated in the field of art. The primary goal of this movement is to establish a reconciliation between American understandings of race and the experiences of African-Americans in the late twentieth and early twentieth centuries. The term "post-blackness" was coined by Thelma Golden while she was the director of the famed Studio Museum. He was inspired to carry out a portrayal of the entire race and therefore shed its load (Li, 2015). In his book, Who Is Afraid of Post-Blackness?, he explicitly emphasizes his thoughts. Using the ideas of the book to describe the concepts associated with black identity in the 21st. There is a need to stress that the post black generation effectively differentiates itself from the former generation in the way they grew up. In the past, their parents grew up in segregation having to struggle and fight for equal rights. The terms blackness then became a form of identity by which these group of people could defend themselves. There is a need to stress at this juncture that post-blackness does not only have to deal with the identity of being black, but it also considers the authenticity of the blackness. Haven made this clearly there is a need to stress that post-blackness dose is not put an end the blackness it only creates a difference between what blackness means and helps to accept the truth about it. There is need to stress at the juncture that this essay will be developed to study facts and statistics, the definition of blackness, it shall also look the concept of post-blackness and post-black culture in America. The study will provide a conclusion, to sum up, the ideas at the end.





Facts and statistic

Forbes reported in 2003 that Oprah Winfred became the first black woman to cross the $1bn mark. However, irrespective of the accomplishment by this great black icon at that time, most blacks in the country were still in the lower middle-class level. There is a need to stress that with the election of Barrack Obama as the first black president of America, the numbers of black elites have increased compared to what it used to be and it must be stressed that there is a change in tides and blacks are now recognized on the mainstream.



Definition of blackness

There is a need to stress that the definition of blackness differs in a number of ways, these definitions and categorizations come in terms of political inheritance and cultural rules. First, let’s consider the concept of the authenticity of blackness. The term authenticity of blackness can be defined as the term used to describe the divisions between blacks themselves. This could be used to know if they are genuinely black or authentically black. These definitions also describe blacks in terms of their regional variety, location, and sexual orientation.



The concept of Post-blackness

There is a need to stress that a lot have been written about the advantages that have now accrued to African – Americans as a result of the benefit of civil rights and revolution. However, there have been conflicting views about the concept of the post civil right age and its benefits. Toure’s review of post-blackness provides detail understanding of the concept of the post-black condition according to him; it was a concept that emerged in the 1980s and by the 1990s has changed into new blacks, (Kennedy, 2011). There is need to stress that the post- blackness is a different view from the views earlier generation, this new view takes for granted what the blacks fought for which included factors such integration, political power, equal rights and affective action. Toure in his book who’s is afraid of post-black tries to explain what it means to be black in the current era. He stated that post- blackness has little or no patience and it predominantly characterized with cultural bullying and the concept of self-appointed identity.

There is a need to stress that black artists of today are now free to carry out their interest like any other profession and are no longer limited by the burden of race,(Kennedy, 2011). This is clearly featured in the work some post-black artist such as Kara Walker who engaged in a comedy that vividly disrespected salves. However, Rashid Johnson could be considered as a hunter to the past generation as he clearly stated that “these people are history, therefore, respect them, but also these people are history let’s move on”. Post- blackness can also be considered as the explosion of identity. It is a radical move into intercultural identity. Toure stressed that many blacks including members of his generation currently wonders if there is anything left for them. This became clear as has he was told that he was an anti-black because most of his college friends were whites. He was confronted by some of his black colleagues, and this was a devastating event for him. This experience was the major drive behind his book.

He was able to come up sound concept about post black identity. He stresses that there is need to live beyond all forms of a subtle and pervasive form of racism. He stressed that it would be out of order to state that post-blackness is post-racial. However, it is a subtly racism secretly in the dark and seeking to manifest. There have been different adverse views of the current concept of post-blackness while other have termed it evil, Toure does not ultimately consider it as evil but an adverse sociological situation. At this juncture, there is a need to vividly point out what constitutes the concept of post-black identity. It could be considered as a similar experience of living together with an attempt to overcome the long-lasting concept of racism and also to try to ignore the white influence. There is need to conclude by stressing that there was a wrong identity given to blacks centuries ago and such identities were associated with poverty, slavery and backwardness. However, with the emergence of the post-black era, such previous black categorizations have since changed. However, there is need to stress that the blacks still oppress themselves and some have no regards for the Sacrifice of the past. This attitude is depicted in their arts and in their music, (Baker & Simmons, 2015).



Post-blackness in American culture

There is need to stress that the era of black being associated with failure and poverty is gradually changing. Toure argues that there is a change in the horizon of blacks and the term black success is now emerging, (Dyson, 2011). Stating that there is a switch from the nature of blackness to the era of post-blackness in which Barrack Obama and Oprah Winfrey are first examples. Toure claims that although blackness is important to Barrack Obama and Oprah. However, the concept does not characterize their behavior and their orientation in a drive for success. There is a need to stress that post-blackness cannot be witnessed in term culture only. It can also be a witness in terms of the use of language. A good example is the use of the world Nigga which was formally offensive and referred to as a taboo, but in the post-blackness era this has changed, and the word is not only used in America but it used around the world and no longer considered as offensive, (Dyson, 2011).

The troubles of post-blackness

Haven discussed a number of concepts in the study; there is need to also look at the problems of blackness. This concept can also be referred to as the troubles of blackness. There is need to emphases that America is a country in which the color of one’s skin is no longer a problem or a limiting factor. This notion was led by the rise of Obama to the American presidency in 2008, (Li, 2015). The victory and presidency of Barrack Obama has been considered as a victory over the American long lasting racial exclusion and racial codes. However irrespective of the success of blacks, post-blackness as been describe as a faulty mythology hiding behind a critical new racial science and has been considered as a proposition by American black elites which offers them an avenue of rejecting the need for improving the general well-beings of the black society, Li, S. (2015). There is need to clearly point out that post-blackness if looked at on the surface, signifies freedom and emancipation of a race that has once been under slavery and discrimination. However, there are tendencies that the purposes behind the post-blackness ideology will lose its value and importance to the black communities if the blacks do not value it and if it is used for selfish purposes by the leaders of the American black community.











Conclusion

Blacks constitute a major portion of the world history. Although blacks are known originate from the continent of Africa, a portion of this people moved from the lands of Africa to the nation of America during the era of slave trade. These people are now referred to as African- Americans. There is a need to stress that this group of individuals have gone through several transitions in history. These people are currently in the post-blackness era a period classified by equal opportunities and less marginalization that have seen the race produce the first ever black-American president. However, there is a possibility and the tendencies of miss use of this era by the black elites who may see it as an opportunity for personal advancement without consideration for the welfare of their fellow blacks. However, there is also fear that this era may not be of benefits to the blacks because the post-blackness era is classified by a disregard for the sacrifices of the past and characterized by oppression among the black community.

















Referencess

Baker, H. A., & Simmons, K. M. (Eds.). (2015). The trouble with post-blackness. Columbia

University Press.

Dyson, M. E. (2011). Tour (é) ing Blackness. foreword to Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness: What It Means to Be Black Now, by Touré (New York: Free Press, 2011): xiv.

Dyson, M. E. (2011). Who's afraid of post-blackness?: what it means to be Black now. Simon and Schuster.

Kennedy, R. (2011). The Fallacy of Touré’s Post-Blackness Theory. The Root, 11.

Li, S. (2015). Black Literary Writers and Post-Blackness. The Trouble with Post-Blackness, 55 70.