nellief- homework question one

As an American Studies major, it is vital for me to study African/American history & culture. The vernacular of difference has too long permeated the American experience. Race is an essentially socially constructed category of difference. While the African/American experience has been different from whites throughout history, those differences, is many instances, have been created by the uneven distribution of political influence and power controlled by white domination.
It is essential we begin to study and understand ourselves as Americans, not through the lens of difference but of sameness. At the same time, we must honor each others unique contributions to what is American culture. As I watch the events on inuaguration day, I can only hope that maybe we have come to understand and appreciate each other much more because of the development of African/American studies and those of other marginalized groups in America.