The Role of African Americans in Shaping Contemporary Culture

The Role of African Americans in Shaping Contemporary Culture

“Fashion is part of our culture, and it is more than just a pretty dress”. The words of Joan Smalls genuinely reflect the meaning of culture and fashion to the African Americans. The history of African America fashion can be traced back to the slavery era in which the black community was forced into offering unpaid labor to the white landowners. During this time, the slaves were not only labeled, but they were also given a form of dressing. Depending on the roles, the slaves were forced into putting on a specific dressing code that matched their characters on the farm. To be particular, the slaves whose roles were in the fields wore the worst clothes of all, followed by the children and the old who could no longer work in the areas or anywhere else.  The hose servants had better clothes since they were more likely to come across the visitors of the family. The slave management team was also given a chance to put on decent and good clothes. Since they had gotten used to putting on in a specific manner, the black community carried with them the culture of dressing according to class, occasion, and even the weather. Over the years, the community’s dressing code has become a strong sense of fashion and has created a style known as the Afrocentric fashion. With its creative and improvisation characteristics, the dressing code, as well as the black culture, has impacted on the culture of the united states. Ideally, an in-depth analysis of the various ways through which the Afrocentric fashion and lifestyle have influenced the American culture and style is likely to enhance the understanding of the role of the African American culture in shaping the culture of the United States.

First of all, the integration of African Americans in the American community has influenced American culture through their hairstyles. Ever since the abolition of slavery, African Americans, both men and women, showed their value for their hair. Most importantly, the African American women introduced the hairstyle, braids that most of them knew how to make. The black community proved that they are not only interested in beauty but that they are also after feminine beauty and male masculinity. The introduction of braiding the hair has continued to grow even in contemporary society as the most recent and beautiful hairstyles. Dirshe supports that “getting braids, single plaits, cornrows, or any style that weaves together three strands of hair is a rite of passage for many black women in America” (46).  The African American men, on the other hand, valued leaving their hair to grow and elongate. At first, the hair would be left to grow, and it would be combed to afro hair, while on the top, it is flattened. This hairstyle is known as the conk, common in the 1930s.

Later, however, with the incorporation of music in their culture, the African American men have begun twisting their hair to form dreadlocks, a standard style in contemporary American society. Unlike the white Americans who have straight hair and a soft texture, the African hair is tough and curly in texture. As such, the African community took pride in their hair, and for a long time, they did not blow-dry their hair since they could relate to the curly hair. In the present society, however, curling hair has been identified as fashionable, and many people, including the white American women, curl their hair. With the introduction of various hair products that curly hair and maintain a smooth texture of the nose, contemporary society has been shaped to make the hair appearance of individuals, even the men, a huge consideration.

Moreover, the African American community has contributed to the music industry by introducing their type of music in the western entertainment sectors. Following the African culture that has always been characterized by the creativity that resulted from their traditional practices and the interactions with different other cultures, their music contains aestheticist that had not yet been acquired in the US. Howell explains that “The appropriation of hip-hop culture that we are familiar with today stems from blackface minstrelsy, a popular form of comedic entertainment of the 19th century, in which white actors painted their laces with black paint and mocked the song and dance of the Black and slave communities”. The history of black hip-hop culture stems back from the period of slavery. Due to the unbearable nature of the lives of the blacks as a slave, they found solace in music and would sing and at the same time, perform during their leisure time. After the abolishment of slavery, the introduction of the hip-hop music and the artistic presentation of the music through the use of instrumentals and improvisation captured the attention of the white audiences, and many people in the community loved this type of music. Following the popularity that the music was gaining in the white audience, the American society and this created an opportunity for the African American community to express themselves through music. Following the growth of popularity of the African American communities concerning Hip-hop music, most of them joined the music industry and created a considerable industry label for Hip-hop music, having unique features. Accordingly, Akudinobi explains that “From having a sense of connectivity to its America counterpart, hip-hop culture spread among youth throughout the world, dominating local musical practices” (76). As opposed to the other forms of music, the Hip-hop was more real to the African Americans as they sent messages relating to their lives including the social injustices that they were subjected to such as the slavery, racial inequality and the high rates of poverty, gun violence and increased crimes that were common in their neighborhoods. From the Hip-hop culture, American society learned to sing from the heart and express their emotions in the originality of their musical performance. Even after years of concerts in the global audience, the hip-hop culture still identifies with the African Americans, and the type of music still contains the spark that I had when it was introduced. Currently, hip-hop is the most played and listened to genre in the entertainment industry.

The integration of African American music into the American music world yielded a more active entertainment sector. The use of music for expression, learning, and delivering messages, as depicted through the African hip-hop culture, created new lyrical content for music. Music was then used to support almost all activities and actions affecting the community. For instance, conducting campaigns was commonly done through singing, work was done under the singing mood, and so was everything else in society. Social evils of the community and any forms of injustices were exposed through music. Akudinobi informs that “in 2008, Sultan released a single titled, Bushmeat, which further intensified his artistic purpose of criticizing the political elite’s theft of public funds and corruption in the corridors of power” (89). Gradually the incorporation of African American hip-hop culture into the entertainment industry, giving music a better meaning. The music shifted its function from entertainment to making sense, sending messages, and it was now used to criticize corrupt practices of political leaders as well as shed light on poor governance. Through the influence and the power that music displayed, it becomes a very appreciated aspect of the American culture, making it one of the most common forms of art in society. Gradually, music had proved to be a part of learning, and it was incorporated in academic studies. Contemporary society presents a world that is not only driven by technology that enhances performance and also a world where a person can thrive and make a living through music. Following this, music is currently taught in schools. Moreover, a large part of music is evident in society. In the business world, advertisements are enhanced by the incorporation of music. The inclusion of music also enhances the Bollywood sector.

Additionally, the way of dressing of African Americans impacted the fashion industry of contemporary society. Ideally, the presentation of fashion in the present times points towards the original dressing code of African Americans. As noted earlier, as slaves, the black community focused more on the dressing since they had specific uniforms that they wore. Ideally, a person could get a cloth that complements his or her status in the slave society. Even so, many aspects of African American culture are projected in the fashion of the present times. Jenning supports that “African fashion conjures a multitude of images and associations from the traditional such as the regal hand-woven hand Kente clothes of the Asante people” (179). The woven clothes have become an integral part of contemporary society, reflecting on the African American culture. Another aspect of fashion that is related to the head wraps that are a standard mode of dressing in the contemporary culture. African Americans valued their religion, and as such, they had unique dressing codes for Sundays. Ideally, Sundays are worship days, and therefore the Black women wore long dresses with headwraps on their heads. Unlike the white women who wore hats and feathers on their heads as a sign of racial supremacy, African America women put on head wraps that have been adopted in modern times. Ideally, presently, people make matching outfits from head to toe, and this form of dressing is a typical style in the present times. Penney explains that “The embrace of queer-inflected aesthetics by some of the biggest hip-hop stars of the late 2000s includes not only the snug-fitting dress styles decried by Sigel and Thug Slaughter Force but also musical influences such as 1980s British electronic pop and dance” (322). Additionally, there has been discovered a new trend of dressing that is associated to Hip-hop music. Ideally, it is among the most fashionable modes of dressing without which a person is deemed analog. Similar to the dressing of the African Americans in the 2000s, the contemporary society values putting on loose clothing, some are way bigger than the person wearing them. Another aspect of African American form of dressing is the idea of putting on short clothes, bodycon that take the form of the body for the women. Ideally, the African culture propagates the feminine beauty that is, in most cases, reflected through such kinds of dressing that is provocative to their men.

Furthermore, the civil rights movement was a revolutionary event, considering the sectors of the society that it impacted on. To begin with, the civil rights movement was the founder of the economic mobility that is currently enjoyed in American culture. Since then, the life of the standard American citizen, regardless of race, has improved tremendously. Through the civil rights movement, American society learned that there are several things they could achieve through attracting the attention of the government.  From these other forms of peaceful demonstrations were held in the united states to get the attention of the government to respond to an inevitable necessity that is impacting negatively on the citizens of the nation (Courtney 26). Moreover, the African American community managed to abolish racial discrimination. The civil rights movement was also a massive contributor to the history of America, and many learning institutions currently exploit it. Eskew supports that “With the development of Civil Rights tourism, a variety of people and organizations began advocating for World Heritage inscription of such historical sites as Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery and Sixteenth Street Baptist Church” (97). Furthermore, the civil rights movement contributed to equality, whereby women could also acquire jobs and attend schools. Agreeably the civil rights movement was a big deal in the history of the African Americans in the context that it pushed for the recognition of minority religion. Before the civil rights movement, the minority religions had to hide for worship because the American society did not accept it, and the government had not pledged to protect the believers.

Conclusively, African Americans have contributed hugely to shaping Contemporary society using music, dressing, and general ways of life. Ideally, most of the hairstyles that the present community is continually putting on is a style that can be traced back to the African American culture during the period of slavery. Another aspect that can be viewed through the construction of society now is the music that is singing and listens to in the entertainment industry. Hip-hop music is presently the most listened to music. With creativity and ability to capture the messages and concepts that affect the society in the present time. Through music, the world presently gets to learn about the matters of concern and issues such as political situations and climatic conditions.  Also, most aspects of fashion that are preferred in contemporary society, such as the trending woolen and woven clothes, go way back to the culture of the African American society. Through the civil rights movement, the African American community managed to gain freedom from racial segregation and managed to develop themselves through better education and economic prowess.

 

 

Works Cited

Akudinobi, Jude. Black Studies: African Popular Culture. 2019, Accessed 4 Dec 2019.

Dirshe, Siraad. “Respect Our Roots.” Essence, vol. 49, no. 2, June 2018, pp. 42–47.

Eskew, Glenn T. “The State in Recent Civil Rights Scholarship.” Alabama Review, vol. 72, no. 2, Apr. 2019, pp. 79–98.

George, Courtney. “From Bounce to the Mainstream: Hip Hop Representations of Post-Katrina New Orleans in Music, Film, and Television.” European Journal of American Culture, vol. 35, no. 1, Mar. 2016, pp. 17–32.

Howell, Zaria. “The Black Community Is No Stranger to Cultural Appropriation.” New York Amsterdam News, vol. 108, no. 9, 2 Mar. 2017, p. 34.

Jennings, Helen. A Brief History Of American Fashion. 1st ed., 2019, Accessed 4 Dec 2019.

Penney, Joel. “‘We Don’t Wear Tight Clothes’: Gay Panic and Queer Style in Contemporary Hip Hop.” Popular Music & Society, vol. 35, no. 3, July 2012, pp. 321–332.