Essay 2: Racial Identity and Perspective TA-NEHISI COATES Coates writes to his son,
In your introduction for this essay you should begin by communicating where you as a reader, whatever your race or gender you identify with, locate yourself in this exchange? Where do you find yourself most engaged? Where do you feel that you, too, are being addressed or invited to respond? Is there a particular moment you can reference?
You should name these apparatuses, explain the ways they urge us not to inquire too much about racism, and comment on how they are intentionally structured to maintain racism.
As you explore these apparatuses in your essay think about utilizing your responses to the questions below in your draft: 1. “When 8% of the world’s prisoners are Black men our bodies have refinanced the dream of being White. Black life is cheap but in America Black bodies are a natural resource of incomparable value:’ What does it mean to refinance the dream of being White through Black bodies?
What does Coates mean when he says they are a natural resource for white America?
2. White America believes race is an inevitable outcome of the natural word or the innocent daughter of Mother Nature. Coates writes that “race is the child of racism, not the father.” How is race “the child of racism”?
How is Coates asking you as a reader to understand race and racism?
Conclusion: For your conclusion you should aim to explore the “so what question” or the significance of Ta-nehisi Coates’ piece today.
Why might reading and thinking critically about the systems and structures of racism be important in a college classroom?
