Group 1

Group 1: Meaghan Pickles, Giulia Russell, Negusu Hizkias, Gage Battles

In Stranger in the Village, the writer blatantly points out how blacks and whites see the world differently, while also accentuating the fact that we are all humans. Blacks have always been forced into the “inferior” mindset. Whereas, whites have always felt and viewed themselves as “better” because this is what was taught to them by their surroundings. Throughout this article it becomes apparent that racial issues have been embedded in our past and in our future. The mentality of the confines of race live as much in the past, as they do in the present, and as they will live in the minds of both whites and blacks in the future. People’s emotions towards others cannot be erased because it becomes something that innate within a person. This article states this by saying, “Joyce is right about history being a nightmare— but it may be a nightmare from which no one can awaken. People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them” (163-164). No one can awaken from this “nightmare” because of how much society engrains certain ways of thinking. People will never be able to move forward if black people always see themselves as inferior and white people see themselves as the “superior” race. If humanity continues to stay trapped in the societal constructs of the past,  then history will continuously repeat itself into our future.

In Inside the Sit-Ins and Freedom Rides: Testimony of a Southern Student, Diane Nash illustrates the ways in which these nonviolent protests drew attention toward an intrinsic Southern segregation in which “the very fact that he [an African American] is forced to be separated obviously implies his inferiority”. Nash indicates her goals in the peaceful movement, in which black Americans quite literally “sit-in” at restaurants or ride whites-only buses, were to “bring about a climate in which all men are respected as men, in which there is appreciation of the dignity of man and in which each individual is free to grow and produce to his fullest capacity”. These demonstrations and protests bonded black Americans together in an overarching community while showing Southern whites their implicit dedication, strength, and civility.

Group 3

The Civil Rights Movement sparked a restlessness in the African American community as individuals who were still being discriminated against by racist America began to build incentives as to what could officially bring them to achieve full equality, especially during the early 1960s. Carson states, “The years 1960 and 1961 were a time of profound change, growth, and development in the civil rights movement” (Carson 107). The civil rights movement provided a path for black individuals living in America to raise national awareness about the discrimination still present in the south. Carson goes on to say that “student activism galvanized established organizations, brought about the creation of new ones, and generated mass support for the civil rights movement among all segments of the black populace” (Carson 107). As a result, more students became actively involved in the movement, which challenged racism present throughout America; it states, “The formation of SNCC helped transform the student movement from one that emphasized small-scale protests to a sustained force that would challenge racism throughout American society” (Carson 108). As black students became more involved, more young scholars had been put into leadership positions. Consequently, the Civil Rights Movement allowed individuals to challenge racist America which involved the entire black community as an effort to eventually achieve full equality. This is a prominent time in black history as African Americans recognized their own autonomy and began defining their blackness that challenged racist America’s already formed assumptions of the black race.  

During the Civil Rights Movement, black individuals were living in a society with a justice system that did not represent them. In actuality, the lack of representation resulted in a justice system that worked against black individuals. For example, in Robert F. Williams excerpt of “Ain’t Scared of Your Jails,” he describes the situation where a white male attempts to rape a black, pregnant woman. When tried in court, the court comes to a disturbing conclusion, “he’s not guilty. He was just drunk and having a little fun”(111). The court displayed a complete disregard for morale when approaching the case because of the understood dedication to racial discrimination. Allowing a black individual to win a court case against a white individual regardless of the circumstances was not in the interest of white American society. Stories such as those related to racial injustice created fear within the black community because many felt as though they were vulnerable. As a result of this, individuals such as Williams decided that self-defense was necessary for African Americans to protect themselves and eventually advance within society. The idea of non-violence felt virtually useless to those that were losing their loved ones at the hands of white individuals. Many believed that using violence would allow white individuals to have a reason to mistreat blacks; however, blacks were already being mistreated. For these reasons, Williams and many other black individuals sought the use of self-defense.

In Stranger in the Village, a unique instance is shown through a black man moving to Switzerland. We get to see white kids' first encounter with a black man which tells us a lot about what it means to new in a society of people who are all very different than you, and how the people saw this one outsider. This instance tells us a lot about black identity and what it means to be always looked at as inferior. One of the main quotes that struck us as a group was, “There was a great difference between being the first white man to be seen by Africans and being the first black man to be seen by whites (p 164)”. What this means is that the white people presented themselves as the leader of the blacks before they got to know each other and from this the systematic idea of race and hierarchy was born. From this the identity of the blacks and whites both changed creating positions in society. The world changed in many ways and up to this point in African American history, we have learned that, “This world is white no longer, and it will never be white again (p. 175)”.  

The preconceived notion of a white hierarchy as depicted in Stranger in the Village provides the basis for racial discrimination. White individuals immediately presumed blacks to be inferior, thus enabling the social construct of race to exist. Racial discrimination against blacks prevailed during the Civil Rights movement as well. It lead to racial injustice against blacks, thus causing many to turn to self-defense. It also led to creation of SNCC which allowed young, black students to be involved with the Civil Rights Movement in order to advance towards racial equality.

Group 2 post 3/31

The 1950s and 1960s saw various forms of protest from the black community in the wake of continued racism in the South and elsewhere. A theme that sticks out in the readings, especially the piece written by Diane Nash, is how peaceful protests were symbols of love and were “applied religion” (361). Rather than outpourings of hate, these demonstrations, such as Freedom Rides and lunch counter sit-ins, were acts of love that the black community had for itself and even the individuals that were oppressing them. Nash argues that if racist whites would recognize “God within men,” then they would see the “dignity” in all humans, even black, and treat everyone truly equally (362). Most powerfully, Nash recognizes that these limitations that white society has placed upon blacks is only because of a “fear of the unknown” (364). Hate and anger are reactions that white people had to the peaceful protests, but these emotions are simply manifestations of a deep-seated fear of not knowing what could happen if the two races integrated.

            In the piece “Stranger in the Village,” James Baldwin describes his time in a Swiss village. No one in the town had seen a black person before, and they all thought “black men come from Africa” (161). This ended up in Baldwin getting strange looks and being jeered at by children on the street. However, he tried to act polite, because a central part of “the American Negro’s education is that he must make people like him” (161). Baldwin realizes that this cannot happen until people want to like him. This is why both peaceful and violent protests have a hard time working—either way, a protest cannot work because the “routine worked about as well in this situation as it had in the situation for which it was designed” (161). A protest cannot work until the situation allows it to break through the preconceived prejudices about a people. Baldwin goes on to explain how to be white, one has already been attached to those who have written and controlled history.
From the Stranger in the Village passage, the author’s ideas about white supremacy was deeply compelling. One of the author’s strongest arguments was the fact white supremacy is simply ingrained in American culture that traces back to the conquesting ideas of Europe. It is in the European culture that their superior ideas originate. The author explains the difference of white people’s first encounter with black people and black people’s first encounter with white people. “The white man takes the astonishment as a tribute, for he arrives to conquer and convert the natives” (164) because he has arrived there already with a superior mindset. The author also focuses on the white supremacists distorted views of morality. White society and European culture removed the humanity from black people in order to justify their actions and “because it is easier for him  thus to preserve his simplicity and avoid being called to account for crimes committed by his forefathers, or his neighbors”(166). The origins of the white supremacy came from Europe and were implemented in America, and an ideology that has lasted hundreds of years is difficult to eradicate quickly or completely.

Group Review 2 - Group 2

Katherine, Christal, Kayla, Malik, Jonathan

Identity is something that is very flexible and changes with us overtime as we learn and grow through experiences. Defining an individual’s identity is something much more complex to understand, considering how many factors it has to it. Our identity is composed of how we look, where we come from, the culture that we are part of, our family and friends and the list continues. Needless to say, it is understandably difficult to pin-point one’s identity, and we see an impactful example of this through Angela and her struggle to find her niche.

The Harlem Renaissance was defined by a dichotomy between one of the greatest instances of diversity while simultaneously, the largest instance of racial segregation. This duality during the time period was difficult to manage for many people of both races. Angela was taught what identity meant through her experiences growing up and living as both races. Her complex growth period and struggle between passing or accepting her blackness gives many different examples of what forms identity and how it impacts us.  

A theme of Plum Bun is the contradictory nature of race. Though it is an arbitrary social construct  that was defined by racist institutions and individuals, it means so much and is so important to identity, culture, and community. The social structure of race holds no truth as far as worth of an individual, but through the lesser treatment of the black community, racial pride or lack thereof could make or break an individual’s identity. This is shown in Angela’s departure from the black family and community she had at home in Philadelphia.

        Sadly, Angela’s actions are ultimately a reaction to the greater societal fallacy.

Even as she engaged in activities reserved for white people as a young girl, she realized that society was constructed so that her sister, who was no less worthy, was not allowed to participate in the same things as Angela. She thought as she was eating with her mother in a white-only restaurant about “the fallaciousness of a social system which stretched appearance so far from being” (58).

The social construct of race means both so much and so little, because Angela spends all her time passing contending with what her true race means if she is not identifying with it. In the end, as she faces disappointment and loneliness with relationships based on a lie, she realizes that her true community was with her family and people of color.

Angela has experienced a great deal of growth throughout her ontological journey. In the process of forming an identity, Angela is confronted with experiences that force her to mature. Society’s discriminatory role has stunted Angela’s growth. Angela had lost the friendship of her childhood friend, Mary, due to the discovery of her black blood. When Mary tried to rekindle their friendship, Angela rejected it because “she’s just as likely to do it again. It’s in her” (Fauset 46). Everything that was offered to Angela before the discovery of her black blood was stripped away from her. Therefore, Angela struggles in her maturity, because she searches for an identity in the white society that denies her other half.

        Angela matures with the teachings and experiences of society’s opinion on race. As Angela continues to live in secrecy, she witnesses the lonely reality of passing. Angela is rejected by Roger and shunned by her sister, forcing her into an undesired isolation. This painful experience changes Angela and grooms her into caring for the black community as a whole that was willing to accept her, rather than herself amongst the white society. She also observes the honor that comes with standing with the black community, which helps in her development in order to accept her black blood and take part in the black community. It was necessary for Angela to experience both suffering and to simply observe the honor of the black community before entering it in order to grow because she was still in an immature state of mind.

In Plum Bun, family values played an important role with the theme of loneliness. Throughout the novel, the idea of family morals and demonstrations were portrayed within the early lives of Virginia and Angela. As children, the girls were use to a close knit family environment, where they had specific traditions on certain days and holidays. They learned the ideals of true love and marriage from their parents, who had love so strong that it surpassed the racial constructs within society. It was not until they got older that Angela began to understand and appreciate her original family morals.

  Angela had to go through a spell of pure loneliness, after turning her back on not just her race and community, but most importantly, her family. In Plum Bun, loneliness triggers the appreciation of having family and how much she would need them throughout the course of life. The passing led Angela to a point where she began to “reap what she sewed”. The actions of leaving her loved ones when they most needed her, caused a spiral effect of having her friends, that she thought loved her, leave her when she needed them as well.

Angela left a man that cared for her and that she loved equally, and began to fall for a man strictly for what he could do for her, and not for true love. After having the wealthy lover leave her because of her financial status, and seeing that he was not interested in the love that her parents shared, she began to revert back to her childhood to regain her original family morals that included the connection with her sister.

The themes represented in the book all seem to revert back to racial pride. The book itself examines racial pride in both camps of this society. Angela does not have racial pride. She is not able to see the possibilities for a black woman in the society that she lives in. She can only see what can be accomplished as a white woman and because of this she decides to pass as a white woman. What Fauset does it create an scenario in which you see the ugly side of both groups. Not all white women succeed. Not all white women marry a rich guy. Pretending to be white in lou of being with your family is not rewarding.

In a way, the narrative itself, is pointing a finger at both white a black communities. To the white communities, the book admonishes what they force black men and women to endure.  To the black community, it calls African Americans to action. It tells them that they should do what they can to demonstrate and instill pride into little black boys and little black girls. Black children should not be growing up wanting  to pass for white. What they should be doing is manifesting dignity and self-confidence in children.

History 105 Group Review

Giulia Russell, Gage Battles,

Negusu Hizkias, Meaghan Pickles

Prof. McKinney

March 22, 2016

In Plum Bun by Jessie Fauset, Fauset’s characters and their dilemmas point to real dynamics playing out in black communities all over the south. For years black folk were called dark, ugly, lazy, and a multitude of other names constructed by society. Not until the Harlem Renaissance did genuine and concrete racial pride begin to blossom in and motivate the minds of black folk. Racial pride in the 1920s played a crucial role in the development of black identity, and was an intentional vehicle constructed by blacks to combat the societal constructs put in place by white supremacy. In Fauset’s novel, we see Angela constantly grappling with the power of passing as a white woman despite her African-American roots. Angela’s desire for freedom as a white woman in the context of the black community out of which she emerges, establishes a tension between the claims of the community versus the assertion of her own individuality. For Angela, the societal pressure around her has to do with the ways in which the white society “defines” being black. Angela is a “victim” of this pressure, and thus desires to be seen as white. Therefore, giving up her former identity to be white.  In Plum Bun by Jessie Fauset, Angela embodies the societal shackles placed on African Americans by white supremacists through societal pressure, personal pressure, and eventually Angela’s growth towards racial pride.

In the 1920’s racism and segregation were both deterrents to black peoples' success in America. Despite their intelligence, kindness, and friendliness black people were at a disadvantage to any other race strictly because of the darkness of their skin. These social constructs convinced Angela that colored people were unable to become successful. From her youth, Angela assesses the disparity between whiteness and blackness in the way society is built, causing her to come to the eventual conclusion that “possibilities for joy and freedom… seemed to her inherent in mere whiteness” (Fauset, 14). In a society that predetermines one’s success depending on the pigment of their skin, such as Angela’s did, it is hard to argue with the decision she made to attempt passing. As a result, she is confronted with the personal pressure of succeeding in a white community although she doesn’t truly fit in. Angela then faces the question whether she would let the white community define who she should be or accept her color and return back to her previous lifestyle.

Race, purely a difference of skin color, is at it’s core an arbitrary construct: and yet it is a construct with overarching, detrimental societal impact and ramifications. Although the difference between white and black Americans is innately aesthetic, the ways white people have suppressed black people points to a fabric of cultural tension in which the majority race determines not only the black community, but blackness itself. Even though Angela lacks the aesthetic differences that normally separate blacks and whites, white society has determined that someone with even a drop of African blood is considered a “Negro”. This societal construct places Angela in a precarious position, as her ethnic ambiguity becomes just as much a moral burden as a ticket to social freedom. White society has defined the parameters against which she feels ashamed about her blackness, and feels drawn toward the lure of whiteness. Angela believes that the “great rewards of life - riches, glamour, pleasure - are for white-skinned people only” (Fauset 18). Is it Angela’s fault that she sees society this way, or white supremacy’s fault for forming society this way? There are elements of Angela’s decisions that can render her culpable of moral judgement, such as her treatment of her family, yet it is difficult to argue that she could be held culpable for the moral dilemma she is thrust into simply by virtue of being able to “pass” in a society that does not know how to handle her.

By implementing themes such as societal pressure, personal pressure, and personal growth, Plum Bun serves as a “coming of age” story for Angela. Angela’s youth play’s one of the biggest roles in her decisions. By the time she moved to New York, all she had seen in life was the constraint placed on the black community in lieu of the epidemic that is white supremacy. By choosing to “pass” she gives way to the power of white supremacy and is forced through a gauntlet of trials that she could have never foreseen.  One can see how all of these trials that Angela faced throughout the novel has forced her into becoming a proud, young, black woman. One quote by philosopher Aeschylus sums up Angela’s growth to racial pride perfectly as it states, “He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop on the heart and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God”. While Angela’s earlier actions in the novel made her seem selfish and weak, it is apparent by the end of the novel that all of the backlash that she’s received from trying to pass sharpened her into someone who could not only stand up for herself, but for her community as well. Plum Bun by Jessie Fauset serves as an unparalleled example of how one's hard headedness can lead to profound, albeit painful, personal growth.

White America’s determination of blackness creates enormous pressure for Angela as she struggles to navigate a complex racial, social, and cultural landscape. Angela’s trajectory from shame in her blackness to an eventual pride is rocky, fraught with the arbitrary way race figured into the American consciousness in the 1920s. At the beginning of the novel, Angela declares that she will “choose” the racial identity which brings her “the greatest happiness, prosperity, and respect” (Fauset, 80). Fauset is saying less about Angela’s personal selfishness and moral decisions at this point, and more about the world which forces her to make these decisions - and when she finally makes the choice to stand up for her race, this runs directly contrary to the efforts of white supremacy to subdue and shame. The fact that the opportunity she is given in her ability to “pass” appears so irresistible means that American society is structured in a way which is inherently built for black Americans to fail. The author is able to utilize the archetype of Angela to highlight the moral outrage of white supremacy and the way it permeates and defines the culture, social status, and overall livelihoods of black folk.

Group 4 Review 3/17

Plum Bun

Major Themes:

• Loneliness
• Rejection
• Maturity
• Growth
• Identity
• Community
• White Privilege

After analyzing Plum Bun, one must grapple with Angela’s initial decision to leave her family in an attempt to better herself while keeping in mind white privilege as well as other societal constructs. Was it a decision centered around hope for freedom or a decision centered around ignorance and greed?  As she began to come to the realizations of the life she chose, she struggles with loneliness, heartache, and a longing for some sense of companionship, particularly with her sister Jenny, whom she willingly gave up for the life of passing she desired.  

On her continuous search for identity and happiness, Angela is constantly hearing her mother's voice in her head reciting; “Life is more important than colour.” (Fauset, 333).  Although she did not agree with her mother about this for a long time, life experience harshly taught her how much truth this sentence held.  As she comes to terms with this, she gradually accepts herself for who she is.  This growth and maturation process undergone by Angela is highly relatable to every reader.  

It was pleasing to see Angela’s satisfaction at the end of the novel, but it is essential to ponder over what you would personally do if you were placed in the same situation as Angela. After Angela was toyed with by Roger, she falls in love with another man named Anthony, who is also secretly passing as a white individual. However, since Anthony is engaged to Virginia, Angela can’t be with Anthony. Maybe Angela’s happiness is dependent on finding someone or something for satisfaction, but in finding one’s self it seems many people struggle in this same way. It is undoubtedly an integral part of growing as a person. It is a sign that Angela has come to terms with who she is when she realizes her situation does not have to define her, but she can be happy, successful, and loved without having to sacrifice her identity.

Group 2

In the last journey of Plum Bun we as the readers began to delve deeper into Angela’s life in the realms of “passing”. A few of the themes that were thrown around in our group were those of: loneliness, maturity, and also the theme of accepting ones truth. These three themes played a big role in how the plot unraveled within the novel, and ultimately added a dramatic twist that held our attention.

·         Lonliness

The main thing that stuck out to me was that Angela was simply lonely in this section. When “passing”, at the end of the day, she really didn’t have anyone and her life was empty. The life that she thought would be made full and complete by passing was actually void of all the things that made life good, like friends and family. It came back to bite Angela, because “Jinny had changed her life and been successful” (p. 245) as a black woman, where Angela had only found “despair” (p. 241) when passing for a white woman.

Though Angela is the only one to blame for her actions of leaving her family and community, I don’t think she should be shunned. I also don’t think anger is the 100% best reaction to have towards her, because the true shame in this situation is that she lives in a society where she would have to be faced with the option to pass. As I said in class, “don’t hate the player, hate the game.” Although that is a very casual way to explain such a complex situation, it is true that the real shame lies in the racist society. The shame does not rest on Angela, ultimately.

·         Maturity

In this section I noticed maturation in Angela, not only in her growth as an adult but her growth racially and socially. In previous sections of Plum Bun, Angela expresses no desire to be a part of the black community. Her actions of passing were still as they were in her childhood days, because she has no understanding of why passing is wrong. For example, Angela’s mother passes, but she never denied her black community, and she deeply regretted ignoring her noticeably black husband and daughter in public. As Angela matures she understands the negative consequences that come with passing, secrecy and loneliness. Angela also matures in society as a woman. Previously, Angela would leap at the proposal of marriage with Roger; however, she denies him and the idea that marriage is solely to improve her power in society.

·         Accepting ones truth

Throughout this section, Angela finally decided to come to terms with her own truth after seeing how Anthony was able to openly speak about his. She took that as a model to follow and a stepping stone to not only accepting who she is but taking the risk in seeing who else would accept her for Angela and not Angele. She begins to consider an active life within the Harlem community, and think past the restrictedness of it, thinking about how she could still thrive as an artist. She makes new acquaintances that she finds are more accepting to the idea of a “mixed breeds”. Angela also takes more initiatives to be around her sister and her new friends, although it was for self-gain originally, she ended up really remembering the value of: love, family, morals, and her sister specifically.

Group #3:  Reem, Hudson, Jack, Marlena
Date 3/17
Reading: 239-end (Home Again and Market Done)

Loneliness is a recurring theme the “Home Again” chapter. Although we see that Angela begins to acknowledge the consequences for her decision to pass, it’s evident that she hasn’t fully matured because of the fact that she still justifies her actions and doesn’t take responsibility for them. Her naïveté is further exemplified because she remains oblivious to the fact that going back to see old friends and family that she once abandoned isn’t as easy as she puts it off to be. She states “How marvelous to go back to parents, relatives, friends with whom one had never lost touch,” this was the relationship which she had forfeited with everyone, even with Jinny” (Fauset 140). Although Angela doesn’t take responsibility for her decision to pass, she acknowledges the fact that her decision hadn’t been worth the consequences. It states, “Jinny had changed her life and been successful. Angela had changed hers and had found pain and unhappiness” (141). Angela begins to realize the worth of her own racial pride. Had she aimed her goals towards her own race, she would be successful with her results. In other words, she would have a life that wasn’t surrounded in lies, and she’d find her comfort where she initially did to begin with: with her family.

The theme of loneliness eventually seems to benefit Angela at the end of the chapter, given that the need for comfort and company drives her to her sister, Jinny. When she realizes that Jinny needs her as much as she needs Jinny, she gradually lets go of her false identity and begins to turn to her true one. Of course, she’s reassured by Jinny, and ends up even more appreciative of her sister’s company rather than ashamed. This change in Angela results in her reclamation of her racial pride in the following chapter, “Market is Done.”

Angela also realizes that the negative circumstances of her life are a direct result of her decision to “pass” as a white individual rather than identifying with the black community. As a result of her newfound loneliness, she begins to recall her past. Her mother’s old phrase, “life is more important than colour”(333) is applicable to her situation because Angela’s lets her racial identity hinder her from finding happiness within her life. After coming to the realization that she has let her skin color prevent her from happiness, Angela is able to reveal her identity without regret. This would also depict her newfound level of maturity. She ventures to Paris, and in doing so, she is adamant about traveling as a black woman. Although her ability to reveal her true identity only arises as a result of Miss Powell, Angela is able to understand that she cannot live her life as a “white woman” in falsehood, and she knows that the truth would have been unveiled eventually. She forms a negative association between “passing” and loneliness in regards to her unhappiness. Angela is able to accept her fate, which allows her to be content within herself.

Race as always plays a very important and heavy role in these last sections of the novel. Now the Angela has identified herself to most of the people as being colored, she knows that her life will dramatically change forever. After she accepts the fact that she is going to live her life like the black woman as she is intended to, she tries to repair all the bridges that she burned when she had decided to pass. It was hard for Angela to come all the way around like this. She comes to a conclusion that all of what she did to try and get away from her family was wrong, and realizes that it was the nature of her being white that did this, “Perhaps this selfishness was what the possession of white blood meant, the ultimate definition of Nordic Supremacy(p 275)”. There are many possition and ways that you can look at her actions; either through a lens of her trying to raise up in the world and focus on herself, or her focusing on her community and acting selfless. In the end, after she returns home and starts the life that she now realizes is suitable for her and one she is happy with, Angela starts to feel at home again and feels comfortable in her own skin. Angela asks Jinny, “Oh, Jinny, tell me, have I been an utter fool! I’ve thrown away every chance I’ve ever had in the world (p.349)”, but she finally realizes that she is happy. This leads to many, many more questions of whether we should forgive her for her actions.

In the end, this novel shows us the opportunities that were given to the whites during the Harlem Renaissance, and the ways which blacks were excluded from society. Through the trial and failure of passing, Fauset was able to look into both worlds and find the opportunities that were so intriguing, which it made it worth it to go against her community and family.  In Fauset’s title, Plum Bun: A Novel Without a Moral, she infers that there is not one clear message to take from this story, but rather she leaves her novel open to many ideas concerning color and race.