Micah Morgan A. A. Lit.

Final Essay Period 8

FINAL ESSAY: Similarities in arguments about the African American Identity, presented by myself and W.E.B. Du Bois

The African American Identity is a subject that with todays crowd, I tend to stand alone in terms of thought of what exactly this identity is. W.E.B. Du Bois is an author whose perspective on racial identity reflects my own opinions on the matter. Not only does his message display similarities, but also the way his messages are conveyed resemble some of the same patterns that can be found in my own work.

One viewpoint that we share is that being African American is not a problem, although believed to be by other races, ad the fact that he and I are perfectly contempt with being one. Personally, I would not have it any other way because just like any other race, we too have much to offer to society. Du Bois shares his thoughts on this when speaking about his early realization of being different. He goes on to say that, with a certain suddenness that I was different from the others; or like, mayhap, in heart and life and longing, but shut out from their world by a vast veil. I had thereafter no desire to tear down that

veil, to creep through; I held on beyond it in common contempt, and lived above it in a region of bleu sky and great wandering shadows (Du Bois, Of Our Spiritual Strivings, 2). Here we both agree that there is a difference between an African American, and someone of another race. However being brought up to believe that all people are equal, it was only when I was much older that I too realized a difference between races; not just in color, but also the interactions between a white person and a white person, and a white person and a black person.

Another point the Du Bois brings out is African Americans and their disposition. He goes on to say that, the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world- a world which yields his no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world (Du Bois, 2). Definitely as African Americans, we are forced to see the world through someone elses perspective. However, being a race of independence, we also have out own perspective that is not affected by anothers thinking. This is believed to be that second-sight the Du Bois refers to- the vision that sees beyond the obstacles that are brought to the forefront by opposing races.

The second-sight created within an African American to different

perspectives, and therefore two different beings. However different these two beings are, they both have something positive to contribute to society. Du Bois also shares this view, saying, He would not Africanize America, for America has too much to teach the world of Africa. He would not bleach his Negro soul in a flood of white Americanism, for her knows that Negro blood has a message for the world (Du Bois, 3). An African American should not emphasize on his African or American nature. Instead, he should embrace both sides, knowing how much they each have to give him.

Reading Du Bois work and thoughts expressed about the situation of the African American Identity is like reading something of my own. It is encouraging knowing that someone of an earlier time, shares similar, if not the same, point of view.