Connection Between Culture and History

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History and culture are critical aspects of humans. History refers to past events that are connected to a certain individual or thing. History indicates what has taken place and how that influences the present. On the other hand, culture denotes the customs and social behaviors of a particular society. Historical events have the potential of becoming part of the culture. This response seeks to demonstrate how the works of two authors; Zora Neale Hurston and Angela Y. Davis demonstrate the essence of history and culture.
Commodification of history
The notion of commodification was widely utilized by Karl Marx. In the Marxist view, commodification occurs when economic value is attached to something that traditionally was considered in economic terms (Bonen 4). Angela Y. Davis demonstrates the adverse effects of commodification of history on contemporary society. Davis narrates occasions, after her release from the prison, where she had to request not to be photographed in a leather jacket and Afro hairdo. She contends that the Afro hairdo is “understood less as a political statement than a fashion” (Davis 38). At the same time, Davis is unhappy with the Vibe magazine because of using a fashion spread that takes advantage of her legal history with the motive of selling clothing and promoting a fashion nostalgia of the seventies.
Davis discontentment originates from the recontextualization of the signs that the Panther’s uniform stood for. She observes that her fashion and beauty choices of the 1990s have become distracting from the racial inequalities that exist. Davis laments that the style of the Panthers, which symbolizes black pride and radicalism has been reduced. For instance, Vibe’s editorial looks at black activism as a pursuit for individual gain and also a thing of the past. That which was a reign of terror for black women has been reduced because of its use as a prop for selling of clothes and creating nostalgia for a fashion of the seventies (Davis 44). The author ends her article with an appeal for individuals to engage in photographic images in a manner that does not demean historical fact.
How the writers challenge the culture
Zora Neale Hurston challenges the idea of cultural identity. Hurston begins the essay by noting that she is a colored Negro without a connection to the Indian ancestry. Hurston indicates that she is the only Negro in the U.S. whose grandmother “was not an indicant chief” (Hurston, Line 1). She jokes about how African Americans like to include being Indian as part of their cultural identity. Unlike a majority of the African American, Hurston maintains that she is 100% black and does not have an Indian identity.
Additionally, Hurston demonstrates that there is no difference between the blacks and the whites. It is the prevailing racism ideas that make individuals aware of being either white or black. Hurston recalls the first day she became colored. Growing up in a Negro town in Eatonville, Florida, Hurston was not aware that she was a person of color. Since she grew up in an all-black town, her race was not an issue. However, at the age of 13 years, she moved to a white town in Jacksonville, where the concept of race became vivid. Her first encounter with racism made her aware that she was different from the whites. Aware of who she is, Hurston challenges the notion that the whites are superior to the blacks. Hurston indicates that it is others who are concerned about her race since she rarely thinks about it. Hurston notes that she “belongs to no race nor time,” which makes her an eternal feminine (Hurston 14). Her identify is less about her race and more about who she is as an individual.
Furthermore, Hurston asserts that all people are the same. According to her, the whites are not different from blacks. She considers herself as an American who happens to be black. Hurston believes that it is the society that seeks to categorize her as black. At the end of the essay, Hurston asserts that all people are the same. She develops a metaphor where she views herself as a brown bag stuffed with bits and bobs. Hurston likes individuals to the different colored bags, which, when emptied and re-stuffed would not be much altered. The author then asserts that individuals of varying races are of the same character (Hurston 17). She challenges the notion that individuals should take pride in their race. Instead, Hurston fosters another perspective that emphasizes on one’s character.
Similarly, Angela Y. Davis demonstrates that culture changes to accommodate different aspects of society. Davis wants the readers to appreciate what culture represented at one time may change depending on the transformation of society. For instance, in the 1950s, black female and jazz musicians departed from the black community norms and started wearing unthreatened hair. The hairstyle had no name, but the black press c...