Criticism Of Racism In Society In The Black Men And Public Space By Brent Staples

Discrimination and stereotyping is seen through people with different racial backgrounds. Several have been judged by society based on their race or where they are from. In Brent Staples “Black Men and Public Space” he reveals the negative stereotype and criticism that black men receive in public. He demonstrates the negative stereotyping of African Americans and the way racism still exists in modern society. Through this Staples uses personal antecedents of discrimination he has received, imagery and diction to reveal racism in society.

The author uses personal antecedents of stereotypes he has faced. Through this he establishes his credibility to the audience as he is black man who has received discrimination due to his race. Staples shares who his “first victim” was. “After a few more quick glimpses, she picked up her pace and was soon running in earnest. Within seconds she disappeared into a cross street”. As a student Staples would walk home on the street at night. He was walking home behind a woman who suddenly ran from his sight once she saw him. His antecedent narrates how his appearance of being a black man has an effect on the people around him. The women made an assumption that Staples was a rapist or muggler based off of his skin color. “It was in the echo of that terrified woman’s footfalls that I first began to know that unwieldy inheritance I’d come into — the ability to alter public space in ugly ways”. Stereotyping has caused people to have a mindset that back people are dangerous. The woman runs away from Staples because she assumes that Staples is a rapist, a muggler, or there to cause harm because he of his skin color.

Staples diction appeals to the audience’s emotions through his antecedents of the fear expressed by other individuals. Staples displays that his “first victim was a woman”. This causes many to lead to the conclusion that he hurt this woman. Through this diction it displays how many presume these characteristics of black people. He also uses imagery to set the perspective of how other individuals feel through their encounterment of black people. He compares taking a knife to a raw chicken to holding a knife to someone’s throat. “As a softy who is scarcely able to take a knife to a raw chicken — let alone hold it to a person’s throat — I was surprised, embarrassed, and dismayed all at once”. He compares cutting raw chicken to holding a knife to someone’s throat. He represents the victim as the chicken and himself as scarcely able to cut it.

In Brent Staples’ “Black Men in Public Spaces” he displays his racism still exists in modern society. He reveals the negative stereotypes and discrimination blacks receive because of their race. Through this he uses personal antecedents to present the negative stereotyping he has received for being black, and diction, and imagery to show the views society has on black people. 

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