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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In terms of 'creating a black identity', what did Steele say is something that blacks engage in?

2. In terms of responding to racial insecurity, what did Steele comment blacks do with regard to names for themselves?

3. According to Steele, when an individual is tired of thinking in racial terms, he / she is said to have which of the following?

4. Steele mentioned that which of the following 'spreads like spilled paint'?

5. It's Steele's belief that what creates a false reality for blacks?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 3, how did Steele say blacks deal with racial insecurities?

2. Steele quoted a former professor by saying, 'Ideas themselves come a dime a dozen.' Why is understanding this relevant to understanding this book?

3. How do whites act innocent when it comes to the racial struggle, as per Steele's opinion?

4. Steele talks about forgetting that he is black while writing this book. What did he mean by that?

5. In line with Steele's experience, how are individualistic blacks received by those who have conformed to the 'black identity'?

6. Why did Steele say he was accused of being inauthentic? How do many blacks say Steele views the priority of the black race? Have other blacks followed in Steele's footsteps? If so, how and why?

7. Steele shared his thought that blacks use themes of re-composition to create black identity. What did he say are these themes?

8. What is Steele's opinion of the black identity?

9. How did Steele mention individualism is powerful? What did he say it requires people to do? What could be the drawbacks of it?

10. According to Steele, how does black nationalism ultimately affect blacks?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the black power movement? What type of people did Steele say were generally a part of the movement? Did it affect blacks in a positive and / or negative way? How did it affect whites? What about society as a whole? Is the movement still in effect today? If so, in what ways. If not, why not?

Essay Topic 2

According to Steele, blacks deal with the feeling of powerlessness in two ways: challenging and bargaining. Define what these two terms mean. What is the purpose of taking on these attitudes? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the two? Who are some examples mentioned in the book of people who 'challenge or bargain'?

Essay Topic 3

As a youth, what was Steele's experience with the black power movement? How did it affect the way he thinks today? What are some of the positives and negatives that Steele mentioned about the movement? How did Steele say individualism relates to the collective attitude of the movement?

(see the answer keys)

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