African American Culture Analysis

Words: 1057
Pages: 5

Throughout the duration of the semester, I have learned a great amount about different cultures and subcultures and how they interact with each other. This class has challenged me culturally, allowed me to meet wonderful people, visit interesting locations, and watch thought-provoking films and documentaries that I never would have seen otherwise. This class has also given me the skills to conduct a critical analysis on cultures different than my own. For this paper, I will explore the differences and intersections between Jewish culture and African American culture.
With Israel serving as a uniting Holy Land, Jewish culture refers to the subset of people who follow customs, holidays, and other activities based on the teachings of Judaism. In terms of cultural identity, Jewish and black cultures are similar because both cultures have diasporic elements due to historical slavery and oppression. For these reasons, Jewish people and people of African descent can be found on most continents. Historically, Jewish people consider themselves as descendants of the Israelites, placing their original geographical roots in the Middle East. Conversely, most African American people can trace their roots back to several West
…show more content…
Afrocentric elementary, middle and high schools have begun to appear across the country. Additionally, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have successfully taken the similar approach to culturally-centered education. However, this kind of education system for African American K-12 students is less prevalent than Jewish Day schools. Each culture does take different approaches to their learning environments, as yeshiva schools are often divided by gender and are quite formal. Afrocentric schools are often more relaxed and HBCUs incorporate more movement, especially with percussive dance forms such as