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Losing Ground is a film directed by Kathleen Collins the screen writing of the film was also done by Kathleen Collins. Cinematography was completed by Ronald K Gray while the film was distributed by Milestone Films in 1982 yet the film never received a theatrical movie release other than film circuits. Losing Ground is one of the first films within America to be directed by a black woman which was not a cultural norm especially due to the discrimination that black people faced within the film industry. Kathleen Collins was born March 18th 1942 in Jersey City, NJ later becoming a civil rights activist and teacher. Ms. Collins even collaborated with some of her students to create Losing Ground.

The film Losing Ground was set in two regions within the United States the first being urban New York and the second being upstate New York. The city itself is a busy metropolitan area full of thousands of cars and people. It's consistently busy and there are multiple universities in which students and professors pursue academia seriously. The concrete jungle is full of shades of gray and tan with buildings that touch the clouds and little to no space between the next establishment. Upstate New York is a suburban area where neighborhoods are full of homes that have both front and backyards. The sky is not polluted with skyscrapers and the streets are not polluted with the constant honking of cars as well as the foot traffic of people. The suburbs also have an abundance of wildlife and natural elements compared to the concrete structures of a city. Urban New York and Upstate New York are quite different and allow for viewers to receive two separate experiences while still being in the same state.

The setting of the film ironically mirrors the ideals that are being portrayed throughout the film Losing Ground. The urban city of New York embodies the systematic feminism that Sara meticulously practiced. The suburbs of upstate New York allow for Victor to embrace the more artistic sides of his masculine and create prolific art. Compromise within a marriage is also a repetitive ideal, for example, being able and willing to commute to work in order to save your relationship. The exploration of unexpected parts of one’s personality is also a recurring theme throughout the film both Ruby and Victor allow themselves to explore different interest and become more creative and fluid as they grow.

Victor decides to move in the busy city, and purchase a house within a State rework’s in order to escape, and become inspired by the natural setting to improve his artwork. Yet his wife Sara is a professor in the city and preferred to live close to the University. As the husband begins to find a muse and create art with her while being romantically interested his wife does the same. She becomes interested in her scene partner. While Sara was an analytical woman, and didn’t necessarily understand creative processes by the end of the film she began to respect and appreciate forms of art.

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The Spook Who Sat by the Door is a film directed by Ivan Dixon while the story was written by Sam Greenlee. The film The Spook Who Sat by the Door was adapted from the book by the same title written by Sam Greenlee the music of the film was conducted by Herbie Hancock a famous jazz musician. Sam Greenlee was born July 13, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois he graduated from the University of Chicago with a graduate degree in international relations. The book was published in London while the film was added to the National Film Registry for its historical and cultural relevance.

The film the Spook Who Sat by the Door is set during the civil rights era in the United States of America‘s history. President John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard Nixon were active during the civil rights movement. Presidents such as Richard Nixon committed the Watergate scandal which was a mass breach of national security in order to secure the secrets of the democratic office. Organizations such as the Federal Bureau of Intelligence and Central Intelligence Agency secretly investigated civil rights organizations and leaders often placing bugs on technology such as phones and secret agents within organizations. Though there were African Amerians in law-enforcement at the time. It was certainly a rare occasion being that most African-Americans were concerned with civil liberation rather than working within the system that oppressed them.

The Spook Who Sat by the Door promoted the idea of armed self-defense and civil unrest as well as practicing guerrilla warfare within urban areas to defeat a capitalistic government. It embodied ideals of great men such as Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey in the sense that they both promoted individualism and the ability for African-Americans to create their own nation. The film promotes studying the enemy while applying the tactics of code switching in order to successfully infiltrate white areas such as federal government organizations. After infiltrating these said organizations the goal became to attain as much information as possible so that African-Americans with little to no information can understand the enemy.

Dan Freeman was a black man that attempted to become a CIA agent within the process of him trying to join must like Black people as a pertains to voting they created several unnecessary test attempting to dissuade him from joining. Yet to no avail because Dad Freeman was successfully able to join the CIA yet he was not given a respectable position within the organization. He was made to be in charge of a copy machine and other remedial task yet stayed for five years in order to receive military tactics and information on guerrilla warfare. Later, returning home to Chicago and networking with local gangs to create his own version of a black panther party and enact his idea of social justice upon the community. As it pertains to civil rights the idea is that Martin Luther King’s concept of nonviolence is the only correct method to receiving civil rights. Yet with this film a more aggressive approach was suggested and challenged nonviolent ideas.

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Chameleon Street is a film created in 1989 directed by Wendell B Harris Jr. who is also the leading role of the film, it's also produced by Dan Lawton and music produced by Peter S Moore. Wendell Harris spent several years creating the script for the film Chameleon street before premiering it at the Sundance festival where he won the Grand Jury Prize. Warner Brothers became interested in the rights of the film, but not interested in re-creating it. Like many other black creators Wendell Harris did not receive the respect or praise he deserved yet years later the film is appreciated and celebrated.

The film is set in 1980s America at a time in which like many other eras in America African-Americans were succumbing to racial injustice and over-policing at a higher rate, compared to other races with an America’s. Drugs, such as cocaine and crack cocaine were introduced into urban areas and black inner city blacks African-Americans became highly addicted and as a result crime rates began to grow. Ironically government organizations, such as the CIA were pushing drugs into the community. Most African-American men from that era grew up in poverty and homes with little to no access to improve living capabilities. The American prison infrastructure also began to increase greatly due to over policing the drugs that were placed within the black community were used to get Black people addicted. Afterwards, Black people were arrested by white police and placed into prison, these prisons enforce nearly free labor and unsafe living conditions, which promotes violence against inmates.

Within Chameleon street it wonderfully addresses what it means to be a black man within a white man’s world needing to code switch on a daily basis depending on the situation. As a black person if you were to walk into a white establishment and use African-American vernacular otherwise known as slang they will be perceived as ignorant and savage. If a black person walks into a business wearing jeans and a tee rather than a suit, it will be perceived as highly inappropriate. Based on the social interaction and situation Black people have to adjust the way they communicate verbally and physically in order to better assimilate to their peers. As soon as a black person is identified as not a true member of the society they have entered they are ostracized.

William Douglas Street is a Detroit raised narcissistic intellectual with the ability to falsify his own identity and temporarily achieve higher status offices that normally only white people would have. William Douglas was able to commit blackmail, become a lawyer, a successful Yale student, and successful surgeon that performed several dozen successful surgeries on unknowing patients while professional doctors observed. William Douglas Street was easily able to pull the guise upon the eyes of white professionals in any field that he worked in until he was arrested because of his illegal actions. After a short time incarcerated William Douglass spent the rest of his time again, pursuing false identities, and becoming a womanizer.

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Alma’s Rainbow is a film directed by Ayoka Chenzira in 1994 the screenplay is also written by Ayoka Chenzira while the music was composed by Jean-Paul Bourelly. The production company of the film was Red Carnelian and Paradise Plum Ayoka Chenzira produced the film along with Charles Lane and others. Ayoka Chenzira was born November 8, 1953 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania she graduated with a BFA in film production from New York University and has been working in film since the late 1970’s. Ayoka Chenzira’s work in the film industry began at the age of 17, from an early age she was inspired to expose the discriminatory practices within the film industry of America. Ayoka Chenzira is the first black woman animator and one of the first independent filmmakers

The film takes place in the early 1990s in which hip-hop culture was fluent, especially being that Hip Hop was founded in New York. It is no coincidence that the film takes place in Brooklyn, New York. Brooklyn, as well as the other boroughs of New York, are the founding places of Hip Hop as it pertains to African-American culture. Rainbow the main character of the film was greatly inspired by and generated her dancing passing around hip-hop culture. Although Hip Hop is created from jazz and Hip Hop did begin in the 1980s through the 1990s the genre of music went through a cultural renaissance. Artist such as Nas and Jay Z began to take the forefront of hip-hop culture, which would transform what rap would mean in the 1990s and even modern day.

Within the film Alma’s Rainbow feminism and womanism are two concepts portrayed throughout the entire film. Whether it be Alma which signifies a strict and more conservative woman that does not normally indulge in her sexuality. Ruby the woman that has no children or real responsibility and as a result has the ability to live a more free and loose lifestyle. Rainbow while being biologically related to both is also torn between both her mother and her aunt. As a young lady coming into her womanhood, and attempting to create her own identity, she struggles to figure out what that really means. Whether she decides to be conservative hypersexual or a balance of both Rainbow seeks to make that decision herself.

Rainbow is a young woman suppressing her feminism and sexuality by choosing to flatten her breast with bandages while dancing with her fellow male dance team members to Hip Hop music of the early 1990’s. Her mother owns a hair establishment proudly and lives precariously through her daughter Rainbow by making her diligently and submissively dismiss her feminism. Though aunt Ruby exists to allow Rainbow to figure out what it means to be a feminine individual, and allow herself to feel what most women feel, but she’s neglected to. Yet Alma and Ruby’s feud as sisters gets in the way of the healthy development of Rainbow as a woman. The feud of the two musically inclined sisters gets in the way of the coming of age experiences that Rainbow deserves.

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Trouble the Water is a first person documentary film created in 2008 about the hardships faced by citizens of New Orleans, Louisiana during the 2005 Hurricane Katrina massacre the directors of the film include Carl Deal and Tia Lessin. The film was distributed by Zeitgeist Films and produced by Tia Lessin and Carl Deal Kimberly Rivers Roberts the main focus of the film also took part in producing songs for the soundtrack of the film. Ms. Kimberly Rivers is also an accomplished film maker with Trouble the Water being partly accredited to her efforts and creating her own film Fear no Gumbo created in 2016.

From August 23, 2005 to August 25, 2005 scale, 5 Hurricane Took Pl. in New Orleans, Louisiana known as Hurricane Katrina. During the chaos of the storm, 1392 people were killed and $125 billion of damage was done to the city. This does not include people with injuries that still may be recovering from them today. Before the storm arrived President Bush made no real efforts to protect and ensure that citizens would be safe before the storm arrived. Citizens evacuated the city at their own discretion yet there were an abundance of citizens that decided to remain to protect the homes, Kimberly Rivers being one of them. By the time the storm was in full force homes were entirely covered in rushing water citizens had to either attempt to evacuate their homes or more often wait up on their roof. Yet most homes did not have roof access so people had to break their roofs, while their homes were flooding to prevent themselves from drowning.

Throughout the entirety of the film, it can be seen that Kimberly Rivers and her family are the epitome of generosity in love throughout the midst of a struggle in hardship that no one was truly prepared for. On several occasions citizens normally would have decided to save themselves and make sure that immediate family was protected. Kimberly Rivers and her loved ones decided to go out and save other citizens. Without the aid of Kimberly Rivers these people would have literally drowned inside of their own homes without receiving government assistance. Even when attending rest stops for people that are displaced Kimberly made an effort to help house and assist people that had lost their way and or their families. The idea that it takes a village is one that is lost in modern times yet Kimberly and the people of New Orleans practiced it efficiently during Hurricane Katrina.

The film follows Kimberly Rivers first person account of living in New Orleans, Louisiana before and after the levees broke which caused vast flooding due to Hurricane Katrina. Throughout the film Kimberly Rivers gives a first person account of living in the African-American population of New Orleans in the opinions of her fellow neighbors on the upcoming storm. A vast majority of her neighbors were not willing to leave their homes due to the equity they placed into their property. For those who did retreat before the storm hit people such as Kimberly ask for the neighbors to take her pets for safekeeping. The film portrays the miracle of Kimberly, rivers, and her loved ones survival throughout the rushing waters afterward showing their struggle to attain a normal life again.

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Malcolm X is a tribute film dedicated to one of the most controversial civil rights leaders of the modern day. The film was created on November 18, 1992 and directed by Spike Lee who also played a role within the film while Denzel Washington played the lead role of Malcolm X. The film was distributed by the Warner Brothers company and Spike Lee aided in the role of creating the screenplay and producing. The shots of the film were nostalgic and gritty while the garments worn were tailored suits and dresses appropriate to the times. Camera shots went from full color with a dark gradient to black and white shots in order to symbolize famous pictures taken of Malcolm X during his lifetime.

The film begins in 1925 Nebraska, a state where the Ku Klux Klan had major influence over both white and black citizens and terrorized those who fought for a racial equality. While poverty, racism and oppression of Black people was frequent in America a movement to unite black peoples across the globe began as well. Marcus Garvey along with leaders of African countries such as Emperor Haile Selassie the third of Ethiopia came together in several unions to create the Pan Africanism movement. An idea that promoted black people across the globe to go back to Africa and build equity while current African citizens fought for independence from colonizers. Pan Africanism is the movement that heavily inspired the Civil Rights movement and its leaders. The film Malcolm X starts in 1925 and follows the life of Malcolm X until his death on February 21, 1965.

Within Malcolm X there are several messages, one of the most important being to grow from the mistakes of the past while making conscious decisions to better the future of the community while educating oneself. Depending on the circumstance of someone's life and the hardship they've experienced a person may succumb to crime or other devious acts to survive. Yet because someone does something bad it doesn't make them a bad individual. Rather being able to be conscious of the self worth and self love of being black and use information readily available to evolve. Just as Malcolm did after attending Mekka, he was able to recant some of his previous ideals on not being able to unify with other people after worshiping with different races.

An initial scene within the film is the burning of Malcolm X’s childhood home, almost killing his entire family while members of the Klan observed in matching white hoods and torches on horseback. Afterward due to the death of his father and loss of his mother Malcolm turns to a life of crime later being arrested. In prison due to his parents background of Garveyism and influences within the prison Malcolm dropped his last name for X and joined the Nation of Islam becoming the influential leader everyone remembers today. It is believed that the Nation of Islam as well as the FBI had a hand in planning the assasination of Malcolm X for his views on segregation and self defense.

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Classified X is a documentary film created in 1998 directed by Mark Daniels screenplay, narration and story by Melvin Van Peebles who is an independent filmmaker. Melvin Van Peebles was born in 1932 Great Depression era Chicago and it certainly shows within his work that he graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a degree in literature. After graduating, he traveled to California and became a writer due to the influence of his peers, he was inspired to create movies. He had success with several films debuting them in Hollywood in New York, even creating films such as Le Conte du ventre plein in France. Melvin Van Peebles was able to wonderfully describe the history of African Americans in cinematography throughout the entirety of the film without losing the attention of the viewer.

The film Classified X outlines the history of cinematography and more specifically the racism and systematic oppression of African-Americans within film. Peebles begins the film with describing the initial black and white silent films that were celebrated and regularly watched throughout white society. Being that Peebles was born during Jim Crow, many former slaves moved to Chicago as well as many other inner cities to escape from the racism that was being portrayed within films. Black face is something that was regularly practice during the era of Jim Crow in which white people will put black makeup on their face to make a mockery of African-Americans. The Ku Klux Klan even created a movie that white racist celebrate to this day called a birth of a nation in which men in white hoods ride out on horses to protect white privilege.

The message of the film was to introduce viewers to the systematic racism that even African-American creatives have to face within their work space. Though the film mainly focused on the past of films and what actors and directors, even citizens that are victims of the ideals portrayed in the films experienced. It leaves room for the current consciousness of what black creators still have to experience modern day. Melvin Van Peebles through his narration and cut scenes of former films, we were able to experience what it meant to be a black creative during times of segregation. The film itself does provoke emotions of anger at times watching white men gleefully place black makeup on their face and make caricatures of themselves as monkeys, even having black actors that worked for Disney portray themselves as slaves.

The film Classified X follows Melvin Van Peebles in the downtown of New York While he seamlessly blends between the cutscenes of old time racist films. They focused on hollywood exploitation of black men and women within films, black people were willing to be filmed being called a nigga and beaten by white people for fame on the silver screen. Peebles also speaks about his experiences as a black filmmaker coming back from France to debut his movie Le Conte du ventre in America. Peebles speaks about his anger and collective black anger because of the racial tension and consciousness in America.

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“I really carry a chip on my shoulder. I’ve seen my parents struggle, and I’ve seen them prosper. They’ve worked too hard for me to slack off. It is time for someone else to carry the torch”

Throughout this semester I’ve had the pleasure of networking and bonding with my fellow Nigerian friend and Morgan student Adisa. As a member of the Yoruba tribe Adisa was born in Lagos Nigeria to his parents, older brother and two younger sisters. Adisa along with his family moved to America while he was two they arrived at Prince George’s County in Maryland. Some Africans are born with parents from different countries yet both of Adisa’s parents are Nigerian. His father is Yoruba royalty and his mother attended nursing school they achieve excellence in both Nigeria and America. Though Adisa came to the country legally he found it difficult as an immigrant in schools socially. As a Nigerian he was raised with strict principles often based in Christianity. Being in a more liberal society where men and women are allowed to speak freely Adisa had to learn to find his voice and personality. During Adisa’s high school years he became a member of his wrestling team and won a championship before attending Morgan State as a business major. Through years of social interaction, wisdom and hardship Adisa has become a hard-working, focused and curious individual. Using these attributes to create a legacy for his family and retire his parents.

Adisa is capable of speaking several languages those being Yoruba, English and Spanish respectively. This can be due to the fact that Adisa has family globally not just in America and Nigeria. Adisa also has several family members in the United Kingdom that he visits on a regular basis in their urban flat. He is also a dual citizen of Nigeria and America. Adisa has abilities and certification the many immigrants are not able to acquire due to the federal government. Adisa is a well versed and multicultural individual and what some would call a renaissance man.

Even though Adisa has been blessed with various abilities that many do not have he is still subject to the hardships of American society. As his parents get older Adisa like many loving sons seek to retire his parents by means of his realty business. Adisa still has to accomplish graduating Morgan State University while working 10 plus hour shifts at Amazon to fund living necessities. As Adisa states previously he has no room for error or “slacking”. Adisa uses time management and scheduling to strictly adhere to a program that will yield him the most successful results. While he pursues his passions and works diligently his family supports him without worry of deportation or anything of the sort due to citizenship being acquired. Be he in Nigeria, the United Kingdoms or the United States Adisa is an individual that will make it his duty to thrive no matter the environment he’s placed in. He’s a capable person that regularly invest in black owned businesses on campus networking with student creatives to be apart of events hosted at the student center. Adisa is a hard working Yoruba man and essential part of the Morgan State Campus.

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This article states how employees at a factory within the UK is fed up with unfair working regulations in an Amazon warehouse. Historically speaking this is the first strike to take place within the UK. The cause of the matter is workers being unhappy with the inflation and lack of proper pay. This relates to the Marx theory of capitalism being that the bourgeoisie is the Amazon company and the proletariat are the employees. 

Congress wanting to ban Tick Tock is a prime example of Bourdieu's theory of class which includes mostly capital and habitus. Capital is participation in cultural activities such as being on Tick Tock. Habitus for example is the culture dances and slang created and used on a regular basis due to the culture of Tick Tock. Congress seeks to limit the American exposure to this app due to the threat of national security.

Webers theory of social class focuses on a persons class, status and power. This article states that how due to Covid 19 their are a vast majority of people living in lower income a d unemployed. Due to covid 19 citizens with a basic education have struggled yet people with college degrees tend to be more successful and employed compared to those without.

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The three questions asked within my group include: how do you view polygamous relationships, do you see yourself getting married in the future, and do you believe in same sex marriage?

Our subjects didn’t state their race, religion or age yet each subject was indeed a young adult with an self assigned gender and person of color. As it pertains to polygamy most were in opposition believing it would cause jealously in the conjugal relationship and problems with children.

We also asked people of they see themselves being married and most responded with a definite yes yet believing they will be okay if single permanently. Aa for same sex marriage our subjects believe it is lawful being that the act does not harm anyone.

Living in 2023 where ideals of conservatism and liberalism are often blended together well i was not surprised with our subject responses. If the experiment could be done again I’d asked more detailed questions.

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As a youth i was only aware of my African American heritage as it pertains to my family originating from states such as North Carolina and Georgia stemming from Jim Crow and the Great depression. To the knowledge of my family we came to the Americas as most black people did by means if triangular trade. My family’s self identification of our nationality is African American.

Yet through speaking with older members of my family such as my grandparents i have learned that my family is also Nigerian and Haitian. My mother’s side also has Irish ancestry due to my great grand mother being half white born during segregation and the great depression she was detached from her white father. As for my Nigerian heritage I am Igbo and Bantu yet the Bantu people are a tribe within South Africa. My father learned from his father before his death that we are Haitian.

My family welcomes assimilation into American culture specifically black Christian Southern American culture. My family migrated to New jersey during the great migrations of the 1900’s due to Jim crow. My parents and myself are Jersey raised yet still have older southern ideals and behaviors. We are aware of our culture as it pertains to ethnicity. 

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I positively agree with the groups organization of the AAA code of ethics. We place consent of those being researched and their well being such as options 1 and 3 before the act of collecting and protecting research such as options 5 & 6. As a collective of anthropologist we were able to reflect upon the information provided and come up with an well informed opinion.

My ideals and the means in which they are organized have not changed after viewing the video. I place the well being of those being researched before the actual researcher. Generating consent from the possible research parties is essential to conducting an ethical experiment.



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Within America, we live in a culture that promotes capitalistic ideas which mainly focus on consumers purchasing items to grow the economy. Within America the norm across society is to spend hard earned money earned at proletariat jobs on products. Most Americans focus on living outside of their financial means to impress their financial peers. While Americans at the bottom of the financial ladders spend money on products the bourgeoisie at the top benefit. The bourgeoisie continuously place products within American society to keep the Proletariat poor and purchasing.

I myself have been a constant supporter of consumer culture, having used my agency to purchase multiple items. Shoes, custom denim and gaming systems have become a large part of my expenses not necessarily to keep up with others but to entertain myself. My most expensive items consist of my collection of dunks and Jordans, some pairs costing $500 and some $200. my most practical and necessary item is my sewing machine. I create my own clothing from scratch I have created a customs business known as @warm___bodies on Instagram.  The sewing machine allows for me to create funds to support myself.

Though I wanna various items I attempt to practice a minimalistic lifestyle symbolically speaking. Being that I constantly work on projects and cut hair as an on campus Barber I do not like to have clutter or unnecessary items around. Within my personal space I like for each item to have a specific purpose and meaning. Everything within my room has a purpose and is used to grow my business and my focus towards my crafting skills. Taking from Japanese philosophies of minimalism I also attempt to fold and compactly place my items properly within my space.

Quality of life is important though wants aren’t a responsible for practical decision at times purchases such as a PlayStation five and flatscreen TV can make life quite entertaining. The value of allowing yourself to enjoy life and enjoy the better things in life especially as a minority is essential. A lot of older Black people believe that we have to constantly struggle and attain the Bare Necessities in order to live the right and God-fearing way. Yet the younger generation is starting to find out that you can enjoy the finer delicacies of life while also being responsible and doing what’s necessary to succeed.

The least expensive item that I own that perhaps has the greatest value is a three dollar pack of pins for the purpose of holding fabric in place. When I’m working on expensive denims, reworking Carhartt pants, tailoring suits, ball dresses and so on the needles are the essential part of my process. If not for these small pins my work would be unprofessional and unworthy of selling at a respectable price.

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