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Sakel Hossain
Professor: Pearlie Singh
English 162W-15
20th March 2015
Native Americans and African Americans

Native American and African American each have had their long rich histories from
before the white majority arrived in America. Each group has had their own unique languages,
familial relationships, social relations, music and dance traditions, they have shared many
common experiences over the past 400 years. The cultures and histories of Native Americans and
African Americans go way back and they have had many confrontations with the White majority
in United States. Both Native Americans and African Americans are victims of long-term bias
and discrimination - including, for example, disproportionately high rates of poverty, infant
mortality, unemployment, and low high school completion rates. These two groups had many
highlighted historical events and in an effort of each group to try and attain equality among the
white majority. Even though both African American and Native American were unfairly treated
and discriminated against by the white majority but Native American suffered more because they
were stripped off from their land, the family ties were destroyed and they were discriminated to
receive education.
Compared to Native Americans; African Americans were not stripped off from their land
but they were living in very harsh condition while working for the whites in the plantation. An
example that support this statement is Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington. In this auto
biography, Booker T. Washington talks about the harsh conditions they had to face while
growing up in the plantation with his family. In the autobiography he states that, The Cabin was

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not only our living place but was also used as a kitchen for the plantation. The Cabin was without
glass windows, it had only opening in the side which let in the light and also the cold, chilly aid
of the window (Washington 3). This shows the cramped, unsanitary living condition of the
slaves in the plantation and how the family members spent their life in such a small cabin with
coldest air in the summer and humidity in the summer. Even with the harsh living condition the
slaves in the plantation as well as Booker T. Washington had to work long hours with insufficient
amount of food given to them as it states in the book, The hours while waiting for someone to
reload the corn were usually spend in crying (Washington 4). This shows the amount of hard
work a slave had to do in order to get little food to survive and a little for shelter even with harsh
living condition.
On the other hand, Native American were stripped off from their land and had to move to
a new place with different cultures and environment. An example that support this statement is
the story An Indians View of Indian Affairs by Chief Joseph. In this story the author chief Joseph
talks about how he and his people about the confrontation with white and government treatment
upon the Indians. In the story it states that, We received a notice that we were to move further
away from our own country. We were not asked if we were willing to go. We were ordered to get
into railroad cart. Three of men died on the way to Baxter Springs (Joseph 5). This shows the
government cruel behavior toward the Native Americans and the govt. forcefully took their land,
moved them into a different place with bad conditions with little medication and food to survive.
Chief Joseph also talks about how disappointed they were by the Government, who said that
were helping them, were going to give them a land a protection for his people, but those words
never became actions as it states in the book, Chief and many other law chief say they are my
friend but they and I shall have justice, but while their mouth talk right I do not understand why

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nothing is for my people (Joseph 5). This explains how the government manipulates the mind of
natives, took advantage of their innocence, ruined their place to live and drove them away from
their house. Comparing African Americans hard work in the plantation and unhealthy living
conditions, Native American had suffered more because they had no shelter and they were
stripped off their land.
African American also had weak bond between the family members because of the
slavery but they didnt face the harsh and cruel behavior as Native American did. An example of
this that support this statement is Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington. In this
autobiography Booker T. Washington explains that the bond between the African American
family members were very weak because they were the unfortunate victims of the slavery and
their family members were sold in different plantation. In the book it states that Of my father I
know even less than of my mother. I do not even know his name. I have heard reports to the
effect that he was a white man who lived on one of the nearby plantation (Washington 3). This
shows that growing up in the plantation he had no one to look up to and guide him along way as
he grows up in the society. Slavery had forced him to lead a life without a father figure to whom
he can ask for help during difficult times. In the book it also states that I cannot remember a
single instance during my childhood when our entire family sat down to the table together
(Washington 5). This also shows that because of long hours of work in the plantation they never
got to eat together with his mom. As a result, he never got to share his opinion with his family
members which also weakened ties among the family members.
Compared to African Americans; Native Americans have also suffered more in the sense
that their family ties were destroyed by the white majority in United States. An example that
support this statement is Impression of an Indian Childhood by Zitkala Sa. In this story she

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depicts her relationship with her mother as supportive, strong and caring. The fact of admiring
her mother was clearly portrayed when Zitkala begged to tell her about the reason behind her
tears as well as when she promised her mother that she wouldnt have come for water anymore
because Zitkala would do it for her. But when the white people have forced them to leave from
their land and while moving to a new camp, an unfortunate thing happened that destroyed the
family as it states in the book, At last when we reached this western country, on the first weary
night your sister died. And soon your uncle died also, leaving a widow and an orphan daughter.
Both your uncle and sister might have been happy with us today, if it had not been for the
heartless paleface (Sa 1088). This shows that because of the white people their family were
destroyed and there was no one to protect and provide for the goods of the family. When the time
gets rough and difficult, there was no one to show love and support for them or encourage them
to move forward in difficult times. From the comparison between African Americans and Native
Americans it is clear that African Americans family ties were destroyed because of the white
majority but Native Americans family were severely destroyed by the white.
African Americans were also discriminated by the white American to have the equal
rights of receiving education but they had more opportunities than Native Americans to receive
education. An example that supports this statement is Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington.
Booker T. Washington have faced many trials and tribulation to go to school, but he also had a
lot of support from his brother, neighbors to go to Hampton Institute even from someone at
Hampton Institute by the name of General Armstrong. In the narrative Booker T. Washington
states that, General Armstrong however very kindly got Mr. S. Griffitts Morgan of New Bedford
to defray the cost of my tuition during the whole time that I was at Hampton (Washington 19).
This shows that even though Booker T. Washington didnt have money to study at that Institute

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but there was someone who helped him pay for the tuition and supported him to fulfill his dream
of receiving education. After Booker T. Washington became educated he also got support from
General Armstrong to open up a school for people that gave him a chance to uplift the people of
his community. Even with the financial problems Washington took this chance seriously and
tried to provide as much information to the people of his race to make a better living for
themselves along with the help of Miss Davidson, like it says in the autobiography, We wanted
to teach them to study actual things instead of mere books alone, that would be sure of knowing
how to make a living after they left us (Washington 30). This shows that Booker T. Washington
along with others were determined to uplift the lifestyle of the people of his race and showed
them different ways to make livings
Compared to African Americans, Native Americans children have faced more
discrimination in an effort to receive education. A story that supports this statement is Impression
of an Indian Childhood by Zitkala Sa. In this narrative the author talks about her experience as a
young Indian girl taken away from her family to go to white school and to be assimilated into a
white culture. But her stay at the school was wrought with the painful experiences in a new
culture and society. In the narrative she states that Their mother instead of reproving such
rudeness, looked closely at me and attracted their children to further notice to my blanket. This
embarrassed me and constantly kept me on the verge of tears (Sa 1093). This shows that as she
moved to a new place for education she was being abused and discriminated against by the white
students because of her appearance, race and cultures. In the narrative she also states that I cried
aloud shaking my head all the while I could until I felt the scissor against my neck and heard
them gnaw off one of my thick braids. Then I lost my spirit (Sa 1096). This shows the extreme
scenario of how the Indian were discriminated at the white missionary school even though they

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knew that cutting the hair was against the Indian Culture. Throughout the narrative Zikatla Sa
narrates different scenarios how the Native American were discriminated at the social institution
such as schools that made it harder for them to receive education. From the comparison between
African Americans and Native Americans, it is clear that Native Americans have suffered more
discrimination to receive education and be successful.
African American and Native American both were subjected to unimaginable cruelty at
the hands of white Americans. But the conditions of blacks began improving immediately after
the Civil War, with African Americans being granted citizenship, protection from discrimination,
and male suffrage. In contrast, the Native American condition declined sharply after the civil war
in United States. Eager for land and free of the threat posed by the Confederacy, settlers aided by
the United States Army drove tribes onto federal reservations. Reservation life brought with it
horrible living conditions and a breakdown of Indian social and economic life. Though both
African American and Native Americans shared the bottom of the American social ladder and
suffered from prejudice and discrimination, their lives were somewhat different. Both suffered at
the hands of whites, but Native Americans suffered more with the almost total destruction of
their society.

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Work Cited Page

Sa, Zitkala. Impression of an Indian Childhood. The Norton Anthology of American Literature.
Ed. Nina Baym. 8th ed. Vol. C. New York and London: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012.
1085-1106. Print.
Washington, Booker T. Up from Slavery: An Autobiography. Chicago: Lushena, 2000. Print.

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Sakel Hossain
Professor: Pearlie Singh
English-162W-15
10th April 2015
Outline of the Research Paper
Research Question: What kind of hardships did the colored people go through that eventually
led to their downfall?
Thesis Statement: During the late nineteenth century, the colored people had faced many trails
and tribulation pertaining to their chance to receive education, their relationship with their lovers
and they were striped from their land which eventually led to their downfall.
Topic Sentence 1: In the novel The House behind the Cedars by Charles W. Chesnutt, the love
relationship between Tryon and Rena was destroyed because of Tryons discrimination against
Renas race.
Topic Sentence 2: In the story Desirees Baby by Kate Chopin, Desiree was abandoned by her
husband Armand because of his misconception that Desirees ancestry was black.
Topic Sentence 3: In the story An Indians View of Indian Affairs by Chief Joseph, the colored
people were stripped off from their land and had to adapt to a new environment and cultures.
Topic Sentence 4: Being born as a slave Booker T. Washington had to face many conflicts in
order to fulfill his dream of being educated.

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Topic Sentence 5: In the story Impression of Indian Childhood, the narrator Zitkala SA had
suffered and abused by the white majority in an effort to receive education in a white
neighborhood.