Political experience
One of the political experiences that I participated in is the tour in the tour in the national portrait gallery online collection. The focus was to understand and study the portraits of African Americans that have participated in politics over the past years. The online collection provided highlights beginning with the former president of the United States of America, Barack Obama. The national portrait Gallery collection in their online platform has more than 1000 portraits of African American history makers. This begins with the historical events of about eighteenth-century of individuals such as Phillis Wheatley to the former first lady Michelle Obama.
Phyllis Wheatley was the first African American to publish a book.
Image source; National portrait gallery
Response
The experience gained from the online national gallery collection assist in covering some past creative experiences that were felt by the involvement of these individuals in struggle to participate in American politics. Besides, the established artworks explore different themes that mainly reflects the African American experience in mobilizing their actions in terms of writing, speeches made, among others. For instance, it is noted from the online gallery during the 19th century that survivors there is an explanation of extraordinary men and women that dealt with some of the explicit incidences of violence and racism within the history. Further, it is noted that the stories of the lives and accomplishments indicate how African Americans mostly survived the hardships. Similarly, this has persevered during different eras that the community of black people were deprived of almost every opportunity to take, individual freedom and resources.
New African American Identity
Source; National Portrait Gallery’s online collection
Questions
My attitude towards politics before engaging in the experience I chose has a different perspective and patterns in socialization. This was based on the establishment of race, ethnicity and geography. Besides, the experience I had only focused on the deprivation of these African Americans in participating in any activity especially politics. Besides, my concern in the public opinion towards politics was based in the collective preferences as well as attitudes of citizens in matters regarding to public policy. Moreover, I did not also believed in the political culture that is deeply rooted to the different norms, beliefs and values to a society about political power and legitimacy in its operations. I was also not fully aware on aspects of parochial, subject as well as participatory issues that tackle the different struggle cultures of generations to generations through political socialization.
The experience from the online national gallery collection also offered an opportunity to understand the involvement of different African American civil rights activists. Besides, it was essential to determine the concerns of communications to air their views. The use of varying communication influences such as publication of books, among others. Further, I have also believed that politics is critical in various measures. These consist of understanding politics to be a way that people who are living in groups to make decisions that are significant in making necessary changes for people within the society. Similarly, it enhances ways to which government can exercise and lead people by making laws and rules. Lastly, it also enhances the need to compare ethics regarding ideas of rights and wrong (Myers, 2009).
My experience related to the concepts learned in class by providing a new perspective in both the political history of America. Further, it also assists in establishing the involvement of different people, the civic activities from different ethnics to fight for their rights and participate in civic activities such as election and being represented by the people they choose (Myers, 2009). The relationship made from the concepts learned also determine the understanding of political culture within the society. This focus on the norms, beliefs and values in the society that can be learned towards understanding political power and legitimacy in determining the role of citizens and their political system.
One of the aspects of the concept that could be improved on is proper research on historical events to be done in future studies. This would be critical to assist in preserving as well as interpret facts (Myers, 2009). Additionally, it would help in gathering the facts as well as attempts to assimilate to the fact into a meaningful order. This would be essential to understand change and how the society where people live. More importantly, conducting deeper research would also be useful to influence the commitment to participate in civic activities. Nonetheless, the key objective of doing extensive research is also to collect the necessary information on the past experience and actions that were undertaken to reach the political experience in the contemporary world. This provides a proof of past jurisdiction on the areas to be changed for a better understanding.
My attitude towards politics has changed based on the fact the political impacts is critical in various ways in people’s lives. Participation of politics will assist in providing the fight for people’s rights through the right channels proposed by the government agencies and other local organizations. I also believe that the involvement of politics has changed because it provides the need or guidance to laws that are made to protect the rights and freedom of people. Similarly, political is critical to compare and enhance ethics among people in the society.
References
Myers, J. P. (2009). Learning in politics: Teachers’ political experiences as a pedagogical
Resource. International Journal of Educational Research, 48(1), 30-39.
