Brent Staples’ essay covers the various instances and effects of racially-motivated wariness and prejudices towards people of color. By revealing the taunting and questionable interactions with judging white people experienced by the author, he emphasizes the negative impact of such incidents. Apart from sharing his own stories, the author includes similar incidents that had happened to other African American journalists. Likewise, the stories parallel unjust consequences of realistic prejudging people had encountered solely based on their race. Hence, the negative effects of racial prejudice explored in Staples’ essay include a series of hostile incidents experienced by the author and other African Americans in the United States.
First, the author refers to certain initial occurrences that suggested unreasonable judgement from strangers. For example, the white woman that “cast a worried glance” in his direction upon closer contact, an interaction through which the author realized his inevitably unfavorable position in society (Staples 1). Moreover, as Staples elaborates on his feelings after the incident, it is clear how discrediting such assumptions from a stranger can be: “I was surprised, embarrassed, and dismayed…” (Staples 1). Further reflections on the way women react to the author on the Brooklyn streets accentuate the negative consequences of the reactions on his mental health and personal feelings of security.
Second, the additional issues caused by the prejudice are then related to the journalist’s professional life. Staples explains that “the most frightening of these confusions occurred….when I worked as a journalist”, emphasizing the stress that could have been avoided in more tolerant circumstances (Staples 2). In that way, Brent Staples expresses feelings of fear and uncertainty regarding simple livelihood matters, constantly anticipating the worst. The essay accentuates the subtle but highly influential examples of prejudice experienced by African Americans in the late 20th century, including its negative impacts on their mental health.
Work Cited
Staples, Brent. “Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space”. Ms. Magazine, 1987.