It's Hard Being Black

It's Hard Being Black

The article appeared in the Nubian Message, North Carolina State University's African-American student newspaper, first published on November 30, 1992. This editorial provides a succinct articulation of the frustration caused by persistent cultural stereotypes against African-Americans. Johnson points out a number of key obstacles faced by African-Americans regardless of differences in age, gender, or class. After describing the harmful cultural stereotypes that are manifest in racial profiling, education, and as consumers. Like many other articles in the Nubian Message, Johnson's advocates for the importance of religion in sustaining and encouraging African-Americans in the face of discrimination.

Tonya Johnson, Staff Writer

Tonya Johnson, "It's Hard Being Black," The Nubian Message 7, no. 16 (March 23, 2000), 7. Digitized by the Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.

2000-03-23

Madison W. Cates

English

document

It’s hard being black. No matter how much we perceive things as getting better, they’re really not. I’m tired of being followed in the store by people who assume that I will steal if I am not watched closely. Well, I don’t need to steal anything nor was I brought up that stealing is okay. I’m sure most African-Americans feel the same way.

I’m also tired of walking into a store without a sales assistant even saying “hello” or acknowledging my presence. Not only is that rude, but that store just lost a customer-along with my money. I’m pretty sure that if I was another race, like Caucasian, then I would not have this problem.

African-Americans face obstacles daily. I’ve known friends and relatives who have been pulled over just because they were driving while black. I’ve also heard of people who didn’t get that particular job or place because of their color.

This bothers me.

People who are not African-American view us as athletes, great dancers, and loud-mouth people. Very few outside of our race look at us as intellectual individuals who can become successful lawyers, doctors, etc. I see plenty of N.C. State students and other African-Americans who are hard workers with high GPAs and involved in a variety of organizations. I also know many successful African Americans working in the real world as therapists, dentists, lawyers, etc.

But no. Society wants to overlook us and our accomplishments. We are law-abiding and smart people.
It’s tough going through these daily obstacles, but we must not give up. Sometimes I feel depressed when I see what we have to go through, but this leads me to only work harder and have faith in my religion that God will take care of those who rely on him.

My message is simple. I’m tired of us being discriminated against. I hate it when people judge me and what they think I would do based on the color of my skin.

Even through struggles and pain, when I think about it, I’m glad to be black. We’re a special group of people, and I’m proud to be a part of this group.

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