The Negro in the United States and Other Books by Frazier - Literature review Example

Edward Franklin Frazier Edward Franklin Frazier is a prominent black American. This person was born in the in the year 1894, in the month of September. He died in the year 1962, the month of May. He was an American author and sociologist. His place of birth was in Baltimore, and he died in Washington, as very distinguished fellow (Frazier, 23). Franklin Frazier studied sociology at Howard University before proceeding to the University of New York to advance his studies on social work. Due to his excellent academic abilities, Francis Frazier was able to receive fellowship recognition from the University of Chicago. This enabled him to pursue a doctoral degree in the year 1927. It is during his time at Chicago University that Frazier was able to take a considerable interest on issues relating to race, and human relations. It was difficult for Frazier to make friends, and socialize easily with members of other races (Frazier, 1932, pp. 8). This is because of the misconceptions that existed, concerning people of the black race. He was therefore determined to educate the world on these misconceptions, by documenting the historical evolution of Black people in United States. Furthermore, Franklin Frazier has an extensive teaching experience. His extensive teaching experience has seen him working at Fiske University and Morehouse College. It is while teaching at Fiske University that Francis Frazier was able to start working for his doctoral degree, at the Chicago University. He continued teaching at the Fiske University, even after receiving his doctoral degree. In 1934, he became the first African to hold a directorship at Howard University (Frazier, 23). He was the head of the sociology department in this University. He served in this department as a director until the year 1959. It is at this year that he was promoted to the rank of Professor Emeritus, of the department of African Studies Program, and the department of sociology. Furthermore, Franklin Frazier had a leadership position at the American Association of Sociology. He was elected it’s President, in the year 1948. The subjects that he was teaching were sociology. In the year 1932, Franklin Frazier was able to complete his PHD, and he wrote a dissertation by the name of, “Negro Family in Chicago” (Frazier, 1932, 1). Later on, in the year 1939, he released the same book, but this time, he was talking about the lives of the Negroes in the entire United States. This book by Frazier manages to explain the manner in which black people were treated in Chicago. In 1939, he managed to depict how the blacks were treated in the entire nation of United States (Frazier, 1964, pp. 14). These books are very important contributions to the history of United States, and they document the various achievements of the Negro people, towards winning recognition in the country. It further highlights the various setbacks that the Negroes faced while living in United States, before the year 1939. These books by Franklin Frazier are the first ones, to document the nature of the family lives of African Americans. In his narration, Franklin Frazier begins with the slavery that African Americans faced, during the colonial period. He extends this narration to the years of emancipation, to giving an explanation on the impact of Jim Crow laws in United States (Frazier, 1964, pp. 13). Furthermore, in this book, Franklin Frazier gives a discussion on the various themes that touch on the family lives of the African American people. This includes patriarchy, matriarchy, the effects of slavery on personal identity and family solidarity, lack of education, poverty, rootlessness, and migration. In this dissertation, Franklin Frazier further examines the relationship that existed between the community and family lives. Frazier further explains that the characteristics of a family were shaped by the social conditions that they faced. These historical contributions by Franklin Frazier are very important in making an individual to understand on how the Black Americans were able to live, and the various factors that shaped their lives. Some of his writings were used to justify the emergence of the civil rights movement that occurred in the 1950s, onwards. These movements played a role in removing discriminatory laws that discriminated against the blacks (Frazier, 1966, pp. 3). Because of these movements, the United States was able to introduce a series of laws that banned discrimination of an individual based on gender, race or religion. Because of the importance of these books in explaining race and gender, they were able to win the Anisfield Wolf Book prize. This is an award that seeks to recognize literature that is influential in explaining issues dealing with race, and the relationship of human beings. Because of his contributions to issues regarding race, UNESCO was able to contract Frazier in 1950, so that he may make a contribution on issues relating to race in the world. Frazier was a very talented writer, and he managed to produce about nine books, which are now published in very many editions and translations. Writing a book is not an easy process, and it requires patience, and a great deal of research. Frazier had extensive research skills, and this is one of the reasons he was successful in producing these books. Furthermore, Frazier was able to produce more than one hundred essays and articles. Frazier greatly contributed knowledge and information on issues of race and relations, and his most distinguishing work was the Negro Family in United States (Frazier, 1939, pp. 1). This book is able to challenge the conventional social issues or problems that faced United States. The major social issues and problems that faced United States at the time were discrimination, racialism, and inequality. The American society was so unequal, and women were treated differently, when compared to their male counterparts. Furthermore, Black Americans did not have an equal opportunity, when compared to their counterparts the whites. Government policies only favored the white, and blacks were discriminated in relation to the jobs they could occupy, the places they could stay, and the transport system. For instance, there was a separate transport system for the blacks and the whites alike. This was one of the major reasons for the emergence of the Rosa Park riots in the 1950s. The article of Franklin Frazier (1957, pp. 1) by the name Race and Culture Contacts in the Modern Age is a very good example of a cutting edge piece of academic work. It gives an understanding of the political economy, in relation to racialism, and in a global perspective. This piece of work is well researched, and is relevant in understanding the negative impacts of racialism and discrimination in the economies of the world. From these texts, we are able to learn that racialism affects the economy, because of its destruction of talents that people have. People are not allowed to exercise their talents, because of racial policies, and this would harm the economy. Furthermore, the country may not benefit from diversity, and this limits the companies operating in it, from innovating. Innovation is one of the drivers of the economy, and without it, it is difficult for the economy to improve or increase. Between the years of 1952 to 1954, Frazier got work with UNESCO, and it gave him an opportunity to travel extensively to very many parts of the world. During this period of time, Francis Frazier began focusing his work on the struggles that African people were facing, this is in relation to colonialism, and how they ought to achieve equality in all aspects of their lives. This includes equality of religion and economics. These believe and teachings are reflected in his last work, “The Negro Church in America” (Frazier, 1962, pp.1). Frazier manages to analyze the spiritual lives of the Negro people, and the various origins of their spiritual practices. Furthermore, Frazier manages to explain how the evolution of separate churches for the whites and blacks has an impact on the social lives of Americans. Frazier died in the year 1962, and he was ranked as amongst the top African American people during his period of life. This is because of the influence that Frazier had on institutions to accept the various demands placed forth by African Americans for purposes of meeting their political, economic, and social equality of the American life. Because of his contribution and work at Howard University, the department of social work was able to create a research center in honor of him. During Frazier’s career as a social worker, he was able to speak out on various issues that affected the society; this is as opposed to taking a status quo position. These issues were racialism, inequality, religion, discrimination, etc. His activism on social work also played a role in the emergence of the black movements, which occurred in the 1920s. Furthermore, Franklin Frazier opposed the participation of American troops in the First World War. This is because he viewed it as hypocritical, following the existence of racial discrimination in United States. He therefore used academic writings and research to denounce racialism in United States. Works Cited: Frazier, Edward Franklin. The Negro in the United States. Revised ed. New York: Macmillan, 1957. Print. Top of Bottom of Form Frazier, E. Franklin. The Negro Family in the United States. Rev. and Abridged ed. Chicago: U of Chicago, 1966. PrintTop of FormBottom of Form Frazier, E. Franklin. The Negro Family in Chicago,. 1932. Print. Top of FormBottom of Form Frazier, E. Franklin. The Negro Church in America. New York: Schocken, 1964. Print. Read More