Summary Response Essay

Submitted By meli956754123
Words: 483
Pages: 2

Perceptions Black Men and Public Space is an article of the author’s own experience of other’s perceptions about him as an African American male and the stereotypes that come along with it. Brent Staples is an who describes an event during his college years in Chicago where a woman thought him to be a criminal and ran from him. This is the first of many experiences where Staples is perceived to be some kind of criminal making people skittish around him. Staples can understand where these perceptions of the African American race come from as he grew up in a neighborhood where gang warfare and street fights were not uncommon. Staples then provides other examples where he was mistaken for some kind of burglar; once when he walked into a jewelry store and another time when he was walking to a company’s building that he worked for as a journalist. To prevent putting himself in similar situations, Staples has found methods that keep people at ease when they seem him. He lets other people leave first if he sees that they are nervous around him and at night when he takes walks he will “whistle melodies form Beethoven and Vivaldi.” It is understandable for people to feel apprehensive when there is someone walking nearby and does not portray themselves as an upstanding member of society. It is unfortunate that people tend to generalize things about others but as it is unavoidable, the only other option to not be mistaken for a bad person to dress and act appropriately. It does not matter what race one is; if one dresses like a typical burglar, then others will believe that the person is one. When I am walking outside I feel uneasy when I see people who are dressed like homeless people. These people do not have to be a certain