Black Power Mix Tape

These ideas (civil rights, black power) are further described in the flim Black Power Mix Tape. The Black Power Mix tape is a documentary that explores the black community made by swedish filmers in the years 1967 to 1975 by showing commentary and footage from and about these years. The main ideas of this film are the

Summary of Workin on the Chain Gang

Blog #1

In this blog I will be discussing the introduction to Walter Mosley’s Workin on the Chain Gang. In this introduction Mosley states that he realized as he wrote the words that he did not want to just focus on racism as an issue in our country (Mosley 15). He wanted to address the main underlying problems in our society that affect us all as a whole. The economic struggle, such as unemployment or health benefits are something that affects all Americans equally regardless of race.

Mosley writes in Workin on the Chain Gang that government decisions are based on nothing more than to benefit profit and power (Mosley 5). He brings up the fact that this profit or money is something we all need. It is our one vice and we are completely dependent upon it. Even if we wanted to walk away we couldn’t because the result would be devastating (Mosley 6). We have seen advancement in so many areas of society over the years such as mankind reaching the moon. Yet the man, whether black or white, in the slums of America still waits for his piece of the ‘American dream’ something he may or may not reach. Despite these advancements people are still suffering.

Mosley continues on to say that “we are all part of an economic machine…it is the machine, not race or gender or even nationality that drives us” (Mosley 12). In a society where capitalism reigns over society Americans are no longer just people but instead units of labor (Mosley 14). This is something we must come to understand before any change can be made. Americans are bound by chains that once may have only pertained to Blacks but now also restraint whites in the same way. “The different races have become neighbors, co-workers, and cousins” (Mosley 10). This is exactly what Mosley has chosen to give his attention to, America and its society in its entirety.  Yes, racism plays a big role in it all but it is not the only problem America faces.

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