Utilizing an Afrocentric methodological framework, this dissertation research seeks to examine the general public perceptions of African American women as reflected in rap music videos, and to determine how African American females perceive the images that are presented of them in rap music videos. This study explores Black women's representation through analyses of top ten rap music videos from January to September 2010 and conceptualizes the effects of these representations on Black female viewers. This study also explores the reception of Black women's images in rap music videos as they are potentially exported to other cultures. This project is a multi-method examination including questionnaires and focus group sessions, exploring the effect of rap music video content on the representation of African American women, society's perceptions of African American females, and how when given an opportunity to construct their own media image, how would African women be represented. / African American Studies

This dissertation investigates aesthetics of African design and decoration in the work of major contemporary artists of African descent who address heritage, history, and life experience. My project focuses on the work of three representative contemporary artists, African American artists Kehinde Wiley and Nick Cave, and Ghanaian artist El Anatsui. Their work represents practices and tendencies among a much broader group of painters and sculptors who employ elaborate textures and designs to express drama and emotion throughout the Black Atlantic world. I argue that extensive patterning, embellishment, and ornamentation are employed by many contemporary artists of African descent as a strategy for reinterpreting the art historical canon and addressing critical social issues, such as war, devastation of the earth's environment, and lack of essential resources for survival in many parts of the world. Many artworks also present historical revisions that reflect the experience of Black peoples who were brought to the Americas through the transatlantic slave trade, lived under colonial rule, or witnessed aspects of post-colonial struggle. The disorderliness of intersecting designs could also symbolize gaps in memory and traumas that will not heal. They reflect the manner in which Black Atlantic peoples have pieced together ancestral histories from a patchwork of sources. Polyrhythmic decoration enables their work to act as vessels of experience, allowing viewers to bring together multiple histories and social references. / Art History

The Black Codes were laws set in place by various states-particularly those located in the South-to limit the political power and social influence of African-Americans in the U.S. These laws came into existence during Reconstruction and transformed into the Jim Crow Laws, ushering in a new form of discrimination that sought to subjugate the African-American people under the foot of white power. These laws were overturned by the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The intent of these legislative acts were to guarantee all individuals of voting age the right to participate in the political process of this nation and to affect change in the social fabric of society. In recent years, states have proposed laws that require identification before voting at the voting polls. These laws appear to affect minorities in a negative way, particularly those on a lower socio-economic scale. Are these laws being approved to prevent voter fraud... or are they being used to strip Africans in America of their right to vote? I examine the historical context of the Black Codes and look at the contemporary public policy of the United States through a Critical Race Theory (CRT) framework. I compare these two legislative traditions to identify similarities and continuities. To achieve these goals, I use historical documents, peer-reviewed journals, and other publications to explore this phenomenon, and from there, describe the probable ramifications that these policies will have for the African-American community. This project also evaluates a number of solutions proposed by black political figures to address these challenges, who have offered ways to empower the African-American community to combat the newly-reborn Black Codes. / African American Studies

Grand Tour Question Ø What are the impacts of miscarriage on African American men? Pettie Tour Question Ø What are African American malesʼ most effective means of dealing with and healing after experiencing a miscarriage? Purpose of the Study Ø To investigate the effects and perceptions of miscarriages in the African American community from the male perspective. Ø In 2008, my wife and I lost our first child that we were expecting. This experience revealed the degree to which social stigma and gender specific traditions inhibit disclosure, healthy discourse and closure concerning reproductive loss. I plan to utilize historical, social, spiritual and scientific tools to construct a relevant and helpful resource for Black men coping with such a profound loss. Data Collection Ø I utilized the extensive resources available in the Social Science Data Library and Paley Library of Temple University. Implications for Future Study Ø The research presented provides a platform to test the “Dual construction” method introduced. Testimonials can be compiled through interviews of African American men who have experienced reproductive loss. These recounts could be recorded for a possible documentary on the subject that could exponentially expand the discourse among African American men and the pain and pressures that they may share. An organization specifically geared towards the needs of African American men as revealed through the findings of this thesis. Conclusions Ø The therapeutic truth of candid communication is a much-needed component in the effort to advance the dialogue about miscarriage among African American men. The Dual Construction Method of learning more about the self in order to help rebuild it after traumatic events is a strategy conceived with the needs of African American men in mind. The intellectual, cultural and testimonial fortification that the Dual Construction Method can provide is a foundation that can expand the discourse about miscarriage exponentially. The lost seeds of human procreation must be watered with waves of relevant empowering information as old as the Nile River in order to properly grow and/or be grieved. / African American Studies

African Americans have the highest prevalence of hypertension in the world which may emanate from their predisposition to heightened endothelial inflammation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vivo influence of aerobic exercise training (AEXT) on the anti-inflammatory biomarker interleukin-10 (IL-10), the inflammatory biomarkers interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP), the endothelial activation marker CD62E+ endothelial microparticle (EMP), and the vasodilatory biomarker nitric oxide (NO) in an African American cohort. A secondary purpose was to conduct a complementary in vitro study on the influence of IL-10 and laminar shear stress (LSS) on African American endothelial cells. In Vivo Methods: The subjects were sedentary, putatively healthy, 45-71 y/o African American men and women. A pre-post study design was employed with baseline and post-intervention evaluations of office blood pressure, fasting blood sampling, and graded exercise testing. Subjects engaged in AEXT three times per week for six months at an intensity equivalent to 65% of their VO2max. Plasma concentrations of IL-10 and IL-6 were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Levels of nitric oxide metabolites (NOx) were determined using a modified Griess assay. Plasma samples for CRP were sent to Quest Diagnostics Inc. for analysis. Circulating CD62E+ EMPs were quantified using a flow cytometer. In Vitro Methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) from an African American donor were cultured and exposed to four experimental conditions: Static, Static with IL-10 Incubation, LSS at 20 dynes/cm2, and LSS at 20 dynes/cm2 with IL-10 Incubation. Western blotting experiments were conducted to measure endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) protein expression and its phosphorylated form (p-eNOS) at Serine 1177 in the cells in all four conditions. A modified Griess assay was used to measure NOx in the cell culture supernatant. In Vivo Results: There was a significant increase in NO (n=24; p=0.002), a significant decrease in IL-6 (n=32; p=0.04), a significant decrease in CRP (n=37; p=0.01), and a significant decrease in CD62E+ EMPs (n=28; pIn Vitro Results: Protein expression levels of both eNOS and p-eNOS were significantly increased in the LSS at 20 dynes/cm2 and LSS at 20 dynes/cm2 with IL-10 Incubation experimental conditions when compared to the Static experimental condition. NO concentration levels were significantly increased in the LSS at 20 dynes/cm2 and LSS at 20 dynes/cm2 with IL-10 Incubation experimental conditions when compared to the Static experimental condition. Conclusion: Based on these results, AEXT may be a viable, non-pharmacologic method to improve vascular inflammation status and vasodilation, and thereby contribute to reduced hypertension and cardiovascular disease risk in African Americans. / Kinesiology

This dissertation focuses on the African American community of Timbuctoo, Westampton, New Jersey. Timbuctoo was founded circa 1825 by formerly enslaved and free born African Americans. The community operated as a "station" along the Underground Railroad. At its peak Timbuctoo had over 125-150 residents and supported a general store, "colored" school, AMEZ church, cemetery and several homesteads. Today the only standing markers of the nineteenth century community are the gravestones in the cemetery. In 2007, Westampton Township acquired roughly four acres of the nearly forty arces that once comprised Timbuctoo. From 2009-2011, Christopher Barton and David Orr conducted archaeological work at the community. The focus of this dissertation was the excavation and analysis of 15,042 artifacts recovered from the Davis Site, Feature 13. The Davis Site was purchased by William Davis 1879. Davis and his wife Rebecca raised their five children in a 12x16ft home constructed on the 20x100ft property. Between the 1920s to the 1940s the foundation of the Davis home was used as a community trash midden. Specifically, this dissertation looks at the practices of yard sweeping, architecture, construction materials, home canning and the consumption of commodified foods. A practice theory of improvisation is posited as a working model to explaining the reflexive practices used by marginalized residents to contest social and economic repression. This theory of improvisation seeks to complicate narratives of poverty through underscoring the dynamic disposition of material culture and everyday life. / Anthropology

This research aims to reinforce the functional aspect of the Afrocentric paradigm by coupling the development of Afrocentric consciousness with a systemic race consciousness so that the intellectual production coming out of the discipline of Africology can more practically address the needs of Afrikan people under the contemporary system of white supremacy. By examining strengths and limitations of some existing theories and concepts within Black Studies, the goal of this examination becomes to more effectively address the problems of the epistemic convergence Eurocentrism structurally imposes on Afrikan people seeking liberation. Through an examination of how the cultural logic of racism/white supremacy has determined the shape and character of institutions within the United States, this work will argue that the most constructive political disposition for an Afrocentrist to take is one of separatist nationalism. The argument being made is that this ideological component is a necessary catalyst to produce Afrocentric scholarship that has optimal functional utility toward the goal of achieving sustainable liberation for Afrikan people from the Maafa. / African American Studies

This dissertation examines how manhood is conceptualized by Black National Football League (NFL) prospects and explores how their characterizations of manhood are associated with their desire to become NFL players. This mixed-method study uses data collected by interviewing and surveying fifteen Black NFL draft prospects who were or would be eligible for the NFL draft between 2005-2016. The data are supplemented with existing literature and analyzed using the "Utamaduni Bwana" table of African cultural manhood in order to (1) culturally locate participants' conceptions of manhood, (2) identify the African elements within their conceptions of manhood, and (3) highlight the agency within their responses. In essence, this dissertation explores the significance of the NFL draft and the influence of colonization on Black NFL prospects' conceptions of manhood. This study found that Black NFL prospects' desire to reach the NFL is heavily associated with their attempt to reach manhood. The characteristics most commonly found in the participants' conceptions of manhood are strength, independence, and financial success; and their perceptions of NFL players contain hyper-expressions of these same characteristics. In addition, Black NFL prospects' conceptualization of manhood contain both African cultural elements and, as a result of colonization, hegemonic Western cultural elements. This dissertation makes an important contribution to sporting and gender literature by using an Afrocentric methodology to push beyond the normative investigation of Black-male athletes' identity and sporting goals. This study offers new and culturally appropriate questions regarding race, gender, and sports. / African American Studies

This study was designed to assess a PWIs residential life department's initiative to provide their Resident Assistants (RAs) an opportunity to discuss race through an inter-group dialogue session. I argue that any activity that focuses on race needs to be grounded in a social justice framework. This is because this framework educates individuals about systematic social, political, and economic issues that plague our society. A social justice grounding also fosters a disposition that desires to eliminate institutionalized discrimination. As such, this study sought to answer the following research questions: how did this inter-group dialogue impact the RAs ability to recognize race-related issues in the United States and did this inter-group dialogue foster a social justice perspective among the RAs that participated? Through a content analysis of ten in-depth, semi-structured interviews with RAs who participated in the dialogue the findings suggest that RAs did gain an understanding of how different lived experiences effect how someone views societal race issues, but the inter-group dialogue did not foster a transformative perspective among RAs that were not already grounded in social justice. Recommendations to improve future sessions are provided. / African American Studies

Children of African descent gather information about the world from various sources such as school, television, toys, and books. This research focuses specifically on books as an educational tool. The dominant focus of this work is to evaluate the ideas communicated to black children in books. Additionally, this is an Afrocentric work that is invested in black children's books that teach black children to resist white supremacy by achieving academic excellence, valuing their African culture, and having high self-esteem. Ultimately, these acts will lead children of African descent to reach their full potential. However, this cannot be done if the books read to and by black children have negative or minimal depictions of black people. To this point, this work demonstrates the efficacy of constructive representations of black people in children's books. It also examines how the authors' and illustrators' views about blackness are conveyed throughout the books. The ramifications of negative or positive ideas about black people illustrated in children's books are powerful and must be analyzed critically. This thesis explains why and how reading for black children should be utilized as a resource for development. / African American Studies