An Analysis of Migration, Racial Appeals, and Discrimination

This essay provides a reaction to the themes of migration, racial appeals, and discrimination, drawing on historical examples and sociological analysis. It examines how racial imagery reinforces stereotypes and how historical events like Jim Crow laws and the Great Migration shaped the African American experience. The essay references Richard Wright's work to illustrate the degradation and discrimination faced by African Americans and discusses the factors that led to the Great Migration, including the demand for industrial laborers in the North and the oppressive conditions in the South. It also considers the current state of discrimination, noting that while efforts are being made to eradicate it, stereotypical schemas persist in visual imagery. The essay concludes with optimism that discrimination based on caste, creed, color, or sex will eventually be eliminated from the world.

Migration Reaction Paper

Answer 1. Racial appeals take place through visual imagery without any explicit reference to
race. The comparison of images supports activating well-learned stereotypical links and
representations while understanding and assessing socio-political issues. In a similar manner,
visual imagery also reinforces traditional gender as well as sexuality stereotypes through display
of masculine and feminine demeanors (Abraham & Appiah, 2006). The print media
advertisements highlight various social and cultural ideologies related to traditional gender roles
expected and imposed upon by the society.
Answer 2. Richard Wright’s “The Ethics of Living Jim Crow” exemplified the prominent
degradation and discrimination experienced by him throughout his life. As per author, he noticed
that Whites considered themselves as superior to blacks and represented themselves to reinforce
this impression. Their repressive actions developed social pressures as a result of which, Blacks
acted in certain ways to avoid lynching or thrashings. Majority of blacks had accepted their
inferior role as they found it impossible to escape due to complicated structures of police and
society. Throughout essay, Wright discovered the issue of White domination through Jim Crow
laws and the response of blacks towards these discriminatory actions (Kovacec, 2016).
Answer 3. In 1914, World War I broke out in Europe during which, there was shortage of
industrial laborers in the industrial urban areas in the North, Midwest and West because, war
situation stopped the steady flow of European immigration to the US (Gates, 2013). So, the
recruiters lured African Americans to come to the north which disappointed the white
Southerners. The relocation of around 6 million African Americans from the rural South to the
cities in North, West and Midwest from the period between 1916 and 1970 is known to be as the
Great Migration (History.com, 2019). They did not have economic opportunities and
segregationist laws and they took advantage of the requirement of industrial workers in North.

Answer 4. The situation is not similar today, as governments of all the countries across the world
are making efforts to eradicate discrimination of all kinds prevalent in the society. So, stringent
laws and regulations eradicate such discriminations from the society. However, visual imagery is
still knowingly or unknowingly promoting stereotypical schemas, despite serious efforts being
made by the governments and related organizations. It is believed that stereotypes and
discriminations in the society on the basis of caste, creed, color or sex will be eliminated
completely from the world in the near future.
References
Abraham, L., & Appiah, O. (2006). Framing News Stories: The Role of Visual Imagery in
Priming Racial Stereotypes. The Howard Journal of Communications, 17, 183-203.
Gates, H. L. (2013). The African-American Migration Story. Retrieved from pbs.org:
https://www.pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/history/on-african-
american-migrations/
History.com. (2019). Great Migration. Retrieved from history.com:
https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/great-migration
Kovacec, N. (2016). Richard Wright, “The Ethics of Living Jim Crow”: The autobiographical
impulse in rendering the racial divide in Wrightʼs non-fiction.