Barack Obama

The idea of black people's thoughts and activities are the focus of black history goes hand in hand with with the self naming/racial identification discussion. By focusing on accomplishments, discoveries, triumphs, etc. this proves how unfounded and undeserving these names/identities that were given to black people were.

There seems to be a contradictory relationship between historical definitions and contemporary debates of racial identification. Instead of basing being African American soley on ancestory we are now looking at the big picture. Barack Obama faced discrimination and hardships moreso having parents of two races. African American history is being seen moreso as great people who overcame obstacles, made advancements, discoveries, and changed the world. Thus, African American studies will focus on these great things.

White mainstream

cultural norms/values are easily identified as "middle class" because this is where the majority of the middle class liesand these are the standards most people strive to achieve and work for. I don't believe that these values are/were ever associated with a color.

Also, these western values will continue to be "western" because that's exactly what they are. We are the United States of America. That being said we are unlike any other place in the world and people from all over the world come to America to be apart of our "western" values. I don't think that makes them unhuman or human, it makes them what our country is based and why we are such a great power.