Theme Of Assimilation In African American Literature

“In 1829, African-American abolitionist David Walker wrote an incendiary pamphlet that argued for the end of slavery and discrimination in the United States.”() David Walker believed that White America had forced assimilation policies or displaced and overwhelmed disruption in the African American communities. In African American Literature there are common themes such as protest, recovery, celebration and assimilation. Assimilation is one of the themes Walker wrote about often. In “Black Boy” Walker will show African-American how assimilation is used against them. As Chapter 12 starts out in “Black Boy” Richard takes a job as an optical shop, where he is the errands boy. While Richard is at work he meets the black elevator man, Shorty.