African American Discrimination In The Workplace

2747 Words11 Pages
Reishunda McShane Diversity in the United States with African Americans in Leadership roles The workplace increasingly is more diverse than ever before. For decades African Americans, women, and many minorities were excluded from participating in most of the desirable jobs and institutions. Even when declared unconstitutional, the discrimination against minority groups often persisted. Although some work organizations are making progress in their efforts to combat discrimination, African Americans particularly still face a series of unique problems imposed on them through the complex interactions of racially motivated negative attitudes and actions of individual and organizational policies and practices not encountered by Caucasians.…show more content…
They encounter both sexual and racial harassment in the workplace. Racial harassment involves creation of a hostile work environment on the basis of race, It is a form of discrimination involving verbal harassment through actions such as: name calling, verbal abuse, epithets, threats, slurs, derogatory comments, unwelcome remarks, or innuendoes in attributing an individual's behavior to his or her racial or ethnic affiliation. Studies (Jackson, 1994; Janofsky, 1993) show that African American women encounter both sexual and racial harassment and tend to leave a workplace culture they perceived to be negative and oppressive. An examination of the racial harassment and discrimination claims filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) shows that race-based claims have been on the rise since 1990 (Chideya, 1995). People typically respond to workplace discrimination and racial harassment with anger, rage, hostility, resentment, bitterness and aggression. Some displace their feelings of frustration onto others through abuse of their spouse or children. Graham-Berman and Levandosky (1998) noted that emotional maltreatment may be as damaging to victims as abuse that involves physical aggression. Feelings resulting from psychological and emotional abuse in the workplace include confusion, depression, feelings of helplessness,…show more content…
Experiencing a double outsider status--unlike white women or African American men--African American women report exclusion from informal networks and conflicted relationships with white women among the challenges they face. Barriers facing African-American women in business include negative, race-based stereotypes; more frequent questioning of their credibility and authority; and a lack of institutional support. Experiencing a “double outsider” status—unlike white women or African-American men, who share gender or race in common with most colleagues or managers—African-American women report exclusion from informal networks, and conflicted relationships with white women, among the challenges they face. The historical legacy of slavery, legally enforced racial segregation, and discrimination based on skin color make race a particularly difficult topic for discussion in the workplace. Many women in the study report making discussions of race off limits. Many study respondents report that their diversity programs were ineffective. Thirty-seven percent of African-American women see their opportunities for advancement to senior management positions in their

More about African American Discrimination In The Workplace

Open Document