Stereotypes: Talking Or Acting Black Or White

Talking/Acting Black or White For decades, there have been stereotypes of all kinds that arise from multiple things such as race, culture, sex, social standing, and even occupation. The biggest seen stereotype that is seen today, and has been for many years, is race. When it comes to race, society puts stereotypes on how people are supposed to act, talk, walk, even dress. If you don’t fit into societies description of the way you “ought to be”, then you are looked at as if something is wrong and could be socially out casted. This is what brings up my topic of talking or acting white or black. What does it mean to talk or dress black? What does it mean to talk or dress white? These are common questions that are asked due to the stereotypes
Well it all started back in slavery times. During slavery times, blacks didn’t have the access to the same educational advantages as white people. Therefore as a result, black people created their own form of English now referred to as spoken soul. “Spoken Soul” was the name that an author named Claude Brown used in place for black talk. It was this type of speaking that the black community was used to. Eventually, a handful of blacks were given the ability to get a “white folks” education. Those who sought out to get a white folks education was looked at as trying to act white due to getting an education that was once unavailable to blacks. It is this thinking that now draws this stereotype in modern society of “talking and acting white”. Although spoken soul is negatively looked upon it still happens all over in schools, homes, churches, and in the streets. Today, most African Americans are fluent speakers of Standard English, but still participate is spoken soul in informal
Many people both white and black has accustomed to both Standard English and spoken soul. Just because a black or white person decides to speak using either of the two doesn’t make them act or talk white or black. In a study done by two University of North Carolina sociologists Karolyn Tyson and William Darity Jr., they found that acting white or black is more of a function of behavior and not of academic performance. Examples of these would be say a young white male was hanging with a group of young black people and dressed like them as well; he would be considered “acting black”. This example is of a function of a certain behavior. Let’s say that a young black male was in academic honors courses in a high school. His friends all took the core courses. If his friends where to make fun of him and say that he is smart so he acts white, this is an example of academic performance. Keep in mind that both of these situations can be interchangeable with the race of the boys, whether race or gender is changed. Many times it also arises from things such as social status to the composition of the school itself. Some areas have it rougher than other’s and due to the environment one might grow up in might determine whether they use spoken soul or Standard English more fluently. So no matter if you’re Black or white, you