Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Ethnic Studies, ECU, College & University, Greenville, NC.
Ethnic studies is an interdisciplinary program that uses cross-cultural comparative methods to explore the diverse histories and cultures of ethnic groups in the US to examine the formation of identities and societies in local, national, and global contexts, and to analyze the social, cultural, and political sources of bias and discrimination.
12/15/2022
US House votes to remove bust of judge who wrote Dred Scott decision defending slavery Supreme court justice Roger Taney wrote 1857 decision justifying slavery, widely regarded as one of worst rulings in history
09/16/2022
OK, I ignored Lord of the Rings fiasco, but now that Mermaids are topics for discussion, let's get real. Fictional characters and entities are not one race.
The Little Mermaid and the big casting controversy How should Hollywood respond to the latest racist firestorm? By casting even more stars of color
09/16/2022
A teen ordered to pay $150,000 to the family of her ra**st is flooded with donations A GoFundMe account set up by Pieper Lewis' former math teacher has surpassed the amount of the court-ordered restitution — and people are still giving.
08/28/2022
Madam C.J. Walker, the first U.S. self-made female millionaire, gets her own Barbie Businesswoman Madam C.J. Walker is the latest to join Barbie's line of Inspiring Women dolls. Walker's great-great-granddaughter said she hopes the doll will show kids they too can be entrepreneurs.
08/27/2022
This is not new--date on the article is 2021, but I had not seen it before. Who knew Elvis had Jewish roots?
Was Elvis Presley actually the Jewish Elvis? “The Jewish World of Elvis Presley” by Roselle Kline Chartock tells of the king of rock 'n' roll's many Jewish affinities and ancestors.
08/25/2022
All-Black, all-female American Airlines crew flies from Dallas to honor Bessie Coleman The airline hosted the Bessie Coleman Aviation All-Stars tour last week to celebrate the anniversary of Coleman earning her international pilot's license in 1921.
08/16/2022
The Academy apologizes to Sacheen Littlefeather for her treatment at the 1973 Oscars In 1973, Sacheen Littlefeather spoke on behalf of Marlon Brando at the Oscars about the depiction of Native Americans in Hollywood films.
07/31/2022
https://www.npr.org/2022/07/31/961414664/bill-russell-dies-nba-celtics
Bill Russell, basketball legend with record 11 NBA titles, dies at 88 Bill Russell was one of basketball's all-time greats. He won a record 11 NBA titles, all with the Boston Celtics. But his dominance didn't stop off the court — he was a voice for racial justice, too.
07/31/2022
Nichelle Nichols, Pioneering 'Star Trek' Actor, Dies At 89 The actor made history for her role as Nyota Uhura in “Star Trek: The Original Series."
07/11/2022
I want to address some key talking points that I’ve seen people use against Brittney Griner and her release.
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“Why was she even in Russia to begin with?”
Brittney Griner was in Russia on business. She has played off-season basketball for a Russian team for five seasons. She is very well acquainted with the rules, and the likelihood of her making a mistake like this is slim. This also brings to light a disparity in women's sports because Griner makes roughly $200K a year compared to her male counterparts, who make tens of millions and don’t have to fly to Russia to remain competitive or pay their bills.
EDIT: I understand that 200K+ might sound like a lot to you or me. However, keep in mind that she has to pay her agent, lawyers, security, trainer, etc. out of that. I highly doubt that’s the actual take home.
“She shouldn’t have broken the law!”
As of right now, we don’t know if she did break the law. The Russian government is notorious for planting items on people they wish to detain. They also have a 99% conviction rate and use the prison system as a way of silencing opposition or to kidnap individuals to use as political leverage.
“She confessed to the crime.”
Russia is known for using aggressive techniques to force confessions. Additionally, she was required to admit guilt in order to be potentially be released. If she pleaded not guilty, Russia would not allow negotiations to move forward for a possible prisoner exchange. Her confession should not be looked at as an actual admission of guilt but as a statement made under duress.
“She shouldn’t get special treatment because she’s famous.”
Correct. However, that is not what makes her case so pressing. The real issue here is that she is Black and a le***an being imprisoned in a hostile nation with notorious anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that puts her life at risk. This isn’t an issue of wanting to rescue someone because of fame but because of the genuine dangers they face because of their identity.
“We should focus on our own prison system.”
Yes, we should. People should not be incarcerated for using drugs. Period. Full stop. However, you can care about more than one thing at once. We should always be fighting to make our own country a safer and more equitable place while also not leaving someone to rot in a Russian prison as a political prisoner.
“Americans don’t deserve special treatment.”
Also true. However, this case isn’t about kids destroying things in Cancun over spring break and facing the consequences. This is about a person who has been kidnapped to be used as a political pawn. This isn’t special treatment; it’s rescuing a political prisoner.
“She has criticized her country; why should we save her?”
Criticizing our own country is fundamentally American and protected by our constitution; one could argue it’s even patriotic. You know what isn’t patriotic? Siding with Russian autocrats.
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The State Department has declared Brittney Griner as being wrongfully detained. There is every reason to believe her arrest and detention are for geopolitical reasons and that she is at high risk due to her identity. We must continue to fight for her release.
*I will add to and update this list as I see other arguments that should be addressed.
06/28/2022
'Father of the Bride' Gives Latinx People the Hollywood Treatment (REVIEW) - Latino Rebels HBO's much-watched 'Father of the Bride' tells the story of two Latinx families as aspirational and aspirationally American. While there are problems with the movie, it is nice to see Latinx people headline a successful, classic film—especially one that punches up at whiteness.
06/12/2022
https://www.npr.org/2021/06/12/1005848169/loving-day-in*******al-marriage-legal-origin
June 12 is Loving Day — when in*******al marriage finally became legal in the U.S. "Loving Day" celebrates the historic ruling in Loving v. Virginia, which declared unconstitutional a Virginia law prohibiting mixed-race marriage — and legalized in*******al marriage in every state.