ABSTRACT
The United States consists of people of many different races, all of whom have contributed to our nation's literature as well as to its history. African Americans were hired as farm hands in rural areas, and in the cities they worked as maids, custodians, waiters, cooks, baggage handlers, and in other "service" occupations. African American culture also includes a value system that emphasizes the importance of the family, community, and church in the effort to survive the harsh realities of racism; to seek the positive, often spiritual, aspects of life; and to insure that every black American has the opportunity to achieve his or her full human potential. Racist stereotypes of African American women generally fall into two categories: the "mammy" and the oversexed "bad girl;' or "Jezebel." Students using concepts from African American theory are sometimes tempted to argue that the frigates in the poem represent racism or white society, while the speaker represents African Americans victimized by racism.
