The Impact of African Americans on Us Culture

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The Impact of African Americans on U.S. Culture For hundreds of years Africans were sold into slavery and shipped to the Americas against their will. Hundreds of thousands made this journey to the United States and together with the enslaved Africans came their African culture. Even though they were repressed by their white “masters” their African culture did not completely die away and instead fused with European culture over time to create a uniquely African American culture. African Americans have contributed to the richness of American culture from its beginnings. Their influence on U.S. culture runs deep even though the African American community represents a relatively small percentage of the U.S. population, accounting for about 13% (United States Census Bureau). In this essay I will focus on their effect on the entertainment industry, language, politics, economy, and education. African Americans have a rich musical tradition, rooted in African tradition, which was incorporated into daily life by slaves. They used “singing, call and response and hollering to coordinate their labor, communicate with one another across adjacent fields, and bolster weary spirits” (Class notes, week 4). These were the building blocks in the development of jazz, gospel and blues, which continued to evolve into to Rock ‘n Roll, R&B, Hip Hop and Rap; all quintessentially American forms of music. African Americans have greatly influenced other aspects of the entertainment industry as well including some of the most acclaimed comedians, actors and artists. Some important milestones include the success of early television shows, like “Sanford and Son” and “The Jefferson’s” which first aired in 1975 and ran for 10 years becoming one of television’s longest running and most watch shows. In 1976 Alex Haley receives a Pulitzer Prize for his novel “Roots”. In 1979 “Rapper’s

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