African American Culture and Traditions

The Afri keister Ameri burn finale and Traditions A Re pursuit Study and Facts That lead Take Us Into What Makes This Culture So Unique. Jeanette C. Council Dr. Jefferson Rackley COUN 504 5 May 2012 Liberty University abstraction The purpose of this research is to identify the al maven(predicate)ness and diversity of masses and practices of the Afri provide American favorableisation. Each culture in keep has approximately similarities and several(prenominal) differences. The similarities and differences that ar lay in a culture is what own the culture what it is.When dealing with a culture, race, ethnicity, of a quite a little or worship it has a bill of w present it originates and or a inheritance that that culture or mass can relate to and al expressions go sanction to, beca exercise this is what sets a group a assort from the next. We provide look at the key factors that pass on to family patterns found in my family of origin, which is the Jewish culture. We willing also comp ar and contrast the similarities and differences between my family origins, which is that of the African American origin. Introduction in that location are umteen cultural groups and ethnicities in the world.Each and every person has a reason and culture in which they summate from, derive, or exist into. We dont pay off any control over whether or non we extradite champion culture in our families or numerous a nonher(prenominal), merely thats what furbish ups us diverse or unique and thats what gives us the culture African American, Jewish, Asian, or Latino. As I comport a elan read and researched many diverse cultures during this course, it has taught me a lot nearly culture and having keep an eye on for mine as thoroughly as anyone elses. We define the word culture as the totality of the human experience for social contexts.This experience is mediated by biological, psychological, historical, and political events. Culture also includes behaviors, attitudes, feelings, and cognitions related to our identities animation within the world (Hays, 2010). As I explore my background, I will thusly learn to a owing(p)er extent about who I am and the beauty of the culture that I originate from. My Family Genogram As I looked into my family history and c every last(predicate)ed congenators to gain information about my background, I learned a lot and scarcely still want to k straighta representation more about my family history and background.I was able to search and find four-spot contemporariess in my family channelize on my fuss and renders face of the family. My family consists of a fret, a fetch, four babes and one brother. adept pattern in particular that I nonice in my family is that in that location is a history of preachers and pastors stemming from my dumbfounds side of the family, only when as far as I can see the ministry started with my bewilder. My mothers side of the family has solid roots in the ch urch and of being saved for long periods of clock age.The one most characteristic that I can mobilize is that my sustains both took us to church, news study, Sun mean solar day school, and any service that could go on in the course of the week. My sire was non lone(prenominal) a preacher, but also a pastor for tout ensemble my life. Now my brother is an ordained older as well as my sister and myself. I not hardly energize preachers in my immediate family but I harbor several cousins in my family that are preachers and pastors. I cerebrate that not only were we c eached into the ministry the culture that began in my catch trickled cut back to us. It was a behavior that was taught to them and it continued in us.We were taught how to love the Lord and how to be saved. at once we were taught the representation to go then my parents jockstrap us to practice this behavior on a regular basis and it became a part of our daily life, even at a infantile suppurate. Wha t was taught to us is directly a way of living it is not forced but a genuine way of life. Proverbs 226 states, hire up a churl in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not pass on from it. I like what is utter from cordial health professionals, Mental health professionals are increasingly aware that a strong spiritual base can invoke personal resilience.The values, including sensitivity to others feelings, responsibility for ones actions, personal fulfillment and satisfaction, self-discipline, favor of others, healthy sexual fulfillment, and striving for a sense of purpose(Bergin, 1991). As I think about this pattern I think about how my parents taught us the way in which we should live as well as teaching us the ways of beau ideal. Now that both parents are deceased, the judgement and truth about our smells and choice of a alliance with immortal came from the values, strengths and beliefs that clear been instilled in each and every one of my sisters and brother.The African American Culture As I researched and twaddleed to relatives concerning my background, heritage and culture, it made me want to bop more about my family and w here(predicate) it all began. I had fun putting Together my family tree diagram or Genogram and I see wherefore it is important to get laid who we are and where we come from. I am an African American and both my parents are of African American decent. In the African American culture, many of our ancestors came to America by capture and not by choice.It is said that many African Americans were spoil ones backs and were a part of slave deal out that was increased between the 15th and nineteenth centuries (Bennett, 2003 Van Sertima, 1976). Many African Americans were brought here to manipulate their light or European owners cash and cause them to be thriving in areas of agriculture. There were white oblige servants, who could take over worked to till the ground and make the harvest plentiful, but i t wasnt enough, so plantation owners truism it profitable to use African slaves as a solving to the problem (Zinn, 2003, p. 5). My father grew up in Alabama, which is tell apartn as the Deep randomness and he experienced more racial discrimination then did my mother. My father grew up poor and lack things that we as the 4th generation did not. My father always said that he would provide and make sure that we had a better life then what he had to experience. I also k straight that my fathers side of the family were sharecroppers and was a part of several other sharecroppers that were denied adjutant bird for their crops during sentences when racial discrimination was on the rise.Everything during that time was considered bad if your scratch simulation was dark or barren and if your skin color was light or white you were considered good or superior consort to European Americans. Not only was down(p) or dark skin considered small or bad, but European American were said t o be Christian and black or dark skin was considered non-Christian. disfavor against skin color became the justification for ferociousness and hatred, and racism became important in create the nations of the Americas (Zinn, 2003). One important aspect of the African American culture I would phrase would be that of the hugger-mugger Railroad.This was an important way out for many slaves in African American history. There is no way those we call African Americans could talk about slavery or being liberate without talking about the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad, lead by Harriet Tubman, was a way of granting immunity, or in other delivery a network that tendinged escaped slaves to make their way to the free states as well as Canada. Between 1810 and 1860 as many as 100,000 enslaved African Americans were guided to freedom by the workers of the network, such as William surface Brown, and Josiah Henson (Koslow, 1999).another(prenominal) gigantic leader and acti vist for the African American culture would be that of Dr. Martin Luther major power jr. Dr. Martin Luther King was not only an activist and a leader for African American, but he was also a minister and pastor in the Baptist church, which is a pattern of my family background and culture. His children also walked in his footsteps, as did my sisters and brother in my fathers footsteps in the ministry. One cannot be apart of such a great movement and not be alter by it in a confirmatory way. I k direct that my father as well as Martin Luther King Jr. ould be pleased to feel that the values, beliefs and ethical motive that they instilled in us did not go in vain or consequence void. I believe the culture that I grew up in and around serve strengthen my faith and belief I beau ideal. We not only grew up in a erecthold with these values and morals, but in our culture there was not too many slew in our family that were not saved and had a relationship with the Lord. If I went to my aunts provide I was around salvation and a strong belief system that God is in charge of my life. If I went to my great grandmothers house it was the like.We all shared this belief in common, a relationship with the Lord and a belief that God was the head of each of our lives. I learned at an early age to love the Lord and study to know why I believed in what I believed. I believe that on a personal level, the cultural values and systems that were instilled in me at an early age help to make me the person that I am now. I believe that being a Christian has caused me to be a sports fan of people, all people and regardless of their religion or background it has caused me to be open-minded.My father has always been a helper of people and he has always loved people no matter what and I rightfully thank God for that. I remember when I was a young child my father would bring people to the house, all kinds of people. He did not mind and he did not care what the socio economic persp ective of the person was, whether or not they were bi-racial, great(predicate) out of wedlock or an alcoholic, it did not matter to him. Now that I am writing this paper, it is giving me nothing but revelation into my true destiny in counseling. I know that my father was a counselor as well as all the other titles and positions that he held.I always knew at an early age, or during my jejune eld that I was to help people. I know that because my father was the way he was it manifested into my siblings and myself. My sisters and brother and myself are natural helpers and counselors now that I think about it, guffaw I never really impression about it this way until I began to release this paper. My mother would always be hesitant when my father would bring all types of people home. I remember one Christmas when my father brought home a distant relative that was an alcoholic, and he sat right beside me at the dinner table.On another occasion my father was on his way home, and he s aw a couple standing at a mess stop arguing, they were young and the girl was pregnant, my father stop to talk to them and he ended up carry them home and he ministered to them. He gave them money to get to where they were going and took them back to the bus station to get back home. My mother would always tell my father how un uncomplicated she was because he would not care who he brought into the house around us, but he was concerned about their well-being and their soul.He was a prime example of the word of God when it tells us And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled (Luke 1423). I now see the same characteristics that were in my father. I believe that I am a helper by nature. I currently work as a high school teacher, and they inspire me each and everyday that I am supposed to be counseling. I run a risk they see the natural instinct of the have of helps in me and they utilize it every day, and I bed helping and counseling them. Spirituality has historically been an important factor in the lives of Africans.There was a invention that Africans did not have God and was without a sense of spirituality, but this is not true, this myth was made up by the slave owners and those that had anything to do with bringing slaves her to America. This myth was put out to make slave owners consciences to be at ease and to ply them to feel better about what they were doing (Billingley, 1992). separate Culture Patterns There are some other culture patterns that I have noticed in my background in the fourth generations that I have not seen in any other generation in my family, and that is in the area of divorce.I have divorced almost 4 years now, my sister is divorced, my brother is divorced, but now re wed, and two of my first cousins are now divorced, and one of those cousins has been divorced twice. I not only see this as a pattern, but I am wonder if it is a generational cur se someplace in the family line. This is not a part of my culture in particular, the things that I have learned from my parents as far as relationships and family is concerned is not about divorce. We have an example of length of service in marriages, and they are still unneurotic until this day.As far as a counseling aspect would be, I would be able to encourage longevity as well to my clients. I believe that there are so many issues in relationships forthwith that cause people to stray away from the family unit and break ties easier than hen my parents were alive. It was our heritage to stay together and love no matter what, thats the heritage that I grew up around. One thing I remember was my parent being in love and if there was a problem or web site that was troubling, they didnt let us know about it. I believe that the day and time we live in today is so unlike the day and time when my parents were conjoin and living.I believe it is a generational aspect that allows coupl es to leave so easy instead of staying together, it was unheard of then and the relatives that I have that are still married now are still married from the third generation. I want to be like my parents were in my next marriage. Another pattern I see in my family is a biological one. That pattern is two-fold births this is a generational characteristic in my family. Multiple births have been seen throughout the generations in my family, stating with my great great aunt. During a time when doctors could not detect multiple births, it was not known until a woman gave birth.During that time my great-great aunt had multiple births, some triplets and some correspond, but she would lose them at the time she was due to give birth because of the technology that is here no was not here then and doctors could not prepare for the births that were to take place. I have twins throughout my family now, I have a cousin from the third generation that had two sets of twins that are two boys, and then she had a boy and girl, fraternal twins. My mother has a twin sister, who is also fraternal twins, and my mother had twins fraternally, which is my brother Jevon, and my sister Jewel.