As Jordyn Flows

[This is a response to one of the conditions/situacions that Peggy McIntosh elaborates on in ”White Privilege and Male Privilege.”]    

Though Peggy McIntosh’s list of conditions did not directly affect me, the twentieth condition struck a personal chord. Throughout my life, “I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race” but from my African American best friend to Oprah, avoiding this circumstance is simply inevitable. I have witnessed this condition play into effect multiple times, but being a white female makes it somewhat difficult to understand. I cannot decide whether establishing a person as a credit to their race is negative or positive.

Is it not admirable for African Americans to be praised for achieving excellence when it is historically accurate that they have endured adversities as opposed to members of my race? Well, yes it is appropriate to give people credit for overcoming challenges, but if their race overshadows their achievement and hard work then in many ways this individual is being discredited. If any white person has a respectable occupation or is accepted to a prestigious university, their co-workers and fellow students assume that they have attained successes solely due to their skills or character. However, it is clear from the prevalence of this twentieth condition that even today society continues to inflict judgment on successful African Americans.

For example, Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware described Sen. of Illinois, Barack Obama among presidential candidates as, “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.” This comment might credit Barack Obama for his eloquent speech but it is an insult and a slap in the face to the rest of his race. Is Senator Biden implying that the rest of the black is race is not articulate? This is just one of many examples of how African American success is viewed. Public African American icons basking in the limelight are continually credited to the advancement of their race; however, provincial people consider to them to be exceptions to their race. The African American race is being misrepresented and the credit is counterproductive.

When my best friend who is African American receives a high score on a math test it comes as no surprise to me and it should not astonish others as well. Recently, the Penn Charter community was informed that the head of the middle school, Dr. Ford, who is African American, is going to be the Director of Penn Charter next fall. Dr. Ford’s new title came as no surprise to students, their parents, and faculty members. Yet, I cannot help but assume that members outside the Penn Charter community are scrutinizing his position (which is completely inappropriate). Sadly, this is how society functions to some degree but I believe each year the correlation between success and race will continue to reduce. Bottom line: African American’s should receive credit for their specific achievement and less focus should be directed towards the color of their skin.