Everything Changes Optimistically

Brooker T.Washington's speech in my opinion is directed toward African Americans. The speech provides a complete different perspective on segregation and it is one that suddenly gives hope to those who are considered inferior. Cast Down Your Bucket. In other words, make the best of the opportunities you have around you, even if you didn't start at the top of the pyramid.

Make friends with those surrounding you. Unfortunately, our society is one in which people do tend to favour those who are liked. Blacks at the time were at the bottom of the pyramid but not necessarily unliked by everyone. In Washington's perspective, African Americans still had plenty of opportunities in the industry. After all, who was going to do all the work?

Admirable. Blacks were at the bottom of the pyramid, were basically considered worthless yet Washington gives hope to each and every one of them by showing them exactly how many opportunities they had and how without them, the industry was nothing.

Eternal Social Structures

The Dead family is a rich black family living in the United States. Do they have the same privileges when compared to a rich white family? No.

Why is this?

Definition of social structure: in sociology, stable arrangement of institutions whereby human beings in a society interact and live together. Social structure is often treated together with the concept of social change, which deals with the forces that change the social structure and the organization of society. (Dictionary.com)

The social structure at the time was one in which Blacks belonged in the bottom of the pyramid, whites at the top. Blacks were associated with being poor, inferior, and basically useless. Only a very small part of them were successful or rich, but still definitely not considered equal. Why? 

Because society bases it's opinions on stereotypes. Blacks were supposed to be useless and inferior so every time they saw a black person they'd consider them exactly this. 

Now, many people think thats all in the past but it really isn't. In the U.S. and probably in more places around the world if a white person and a black person are both applying for a job the employer is most likely to accept the white person. Why? Because stereotypes stick. 

There has been social change since organization has varied tremendously with the years and segregation is no longer an issue, but this doesn't mean that people are still treated as equals. If it's not discrimination against blacks it's against women and if it's not this it's against gay rights, etc. 

 Will there ever be a change in the way people view those surrounding them? In the way they constantly judge or create false labels  that lead to stereotypes?