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Out of Resistance Sparks Hope: an Afrocentric Rhetorical Analysis of Mothers of Slain Black Children

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Out of Resistance Sparks Hope: an Afrocentric Rhetorical Analysis of Mothers of Slain Black Children Out of Resistance Sparks Hope: An Afrocentric Rhetorical Analysis of Mothers of Slain Black Children A thesis submitted to the The University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Communication of the College of Arts and Sciences by Dominique K. Francisco B.A. University of Cincinnati Spring 2020 Committee Members: Ronald L. Jackson II, Ph.D., Eric Jenkins, Ph.D., Carlos Morrison, Ph.D. Abstract In this study, I used an Afrocentric rhetorical approach to analyze the rhetoric of mothers of slain children advocating for social justice and police reform after the deaths of black males and females at the hands of police and vigilantes. The speeches include Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin and the Democratic National convention speech of the self-proclaimed group called the Mothers of the Movement. Using the metatheory of Afrocentricity and paradigmatic adaptation of Afrocentricity, the study will serve as an Afrocentric rhetorical analysis to uncover ways in which a rhetoric of social resistance can be empowering and motivating to its audience members. ii iii Acknowledgements First, I would like to express gratitude to God and my family. Thank you to the phenomenal woman that I call mom, who always supported me amid her battle with cancer. My sincere thank you goes to my advisor, Dr. Ronald L. Jackson II, thank you for your patience, motivation, and wealth of knowledge. I would like to thank the rest of my thesis committee: Dr. Eric Jenkins and Dr. Carlos Morrison, for their encouragement and guidance. Thank you to my amazing extended family: Dr. Kathy, DuBose family, Wilkerson family, Dr. Roper, Candace, and my line sisters for your constant support, spiritual guidance, and words of encouragement as I completed my thesis. Lastly, I want to dedicate this thesis to my amazing great- grandmother who has always stressed the importance of education. iv Table of Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................................. ii Chapter 1 ........................................................................................................................... 1 Overview ............................................................................................................................ 1 Mothers of The Movement .....................................................................................................6 African American Women’s Rhetorical Influence ..............................................................7 Rhetoric of Resistance.............................................................................................................8 Definition of Terms ..................................................................................................................9 Significance of Study ............................................................................................................. 10 Preview of Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................... 12 Preview of Forthcoming Chapters ...................................................................................... 20 Chapter 2 ......................................................................................................................... 21 Rest in Power: Rhetoric of Religion and Inclusivity of an Afrocentric Analysis from a Grieving Mother ................................................................................................ 21 Methods .................................................................................................................................... 29 Analysis of Speech ................................................................................................................. 31 Nommo Manifestation ........................................................................................................... 31 Rhythm ..................................................................................................................................... 31 Repetition ................................................................................................................................. 33 Mythication .............................................................................................................................. 36 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 38 Chapter 3 ......................................................................................................................... 41 Turning Grief to Governance: An Afrocentric Analysis of the political rhetoric of resistance from the Mothers of the Movement.................................................. 41 Importance of Motherhood and Mothers of the Movement .......................................... 43 Afrocentricity and Location .................................................................................................. 47 Analysis of Speech ................................................................................................................. 52 Chapter 4 ......................................................................................................................... 65 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 65 Overview of Methods ............................................................................................................. 69 Discussion of RQ #1 .............................................................................................................. 69 Discussion of RQ #2 .............................................................................................................. 71 v Discussion of RQ #3 .............................................................................................................. 72 Strengths, Implications, Limitations, and Future Research ......................................... 73 vi Chapter 1 Overview Gun-related violence is a constant public safety concern despite the many efforts over the past decades for gun reform. The 1999-2017 Center for Disease Control and Prevention WONDER Report, a document that charts the cause of deaths in the U.S., showed more than one-third of gun deaths are a result of homicides (CDC, 2017). According to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, the United States gun homicide rate is twenty-five times higher than in other high-income countries. Table 1.1 According to Finkelhor, et al. (2015), three million American children witness gun violence every year. Children are impacted by the intersection of gun and domestic violence. As we evaluate these stats it is important to 1 recognize that a larger percentage of these gun deaths disproportionately affect African Americans. The 2017 Center for Disease Control and Prevention Injury Fatal Injury Report states, “Firearms are the leading cause of death for Black children and teens. Black children and teens are 14 times more likely than White children and teens of the same age to die by gun homicide” (CDC, 2017). Table 1.2 It is important to draw awareness to the alarming rate of African American homicides in America as a result of gun violence. Concentrated disadvantage is a major factor fueling the disproportionate fatalities amongst Blacks due to gun violence. Everytown for safety stated, “White and Black 2 children may live in the same city yet experience it differently. Due to policy decisions that enforce racial segregation and disinvestment in certain communities, gun violence is concentrated in Black neighborhoods within cities, many of which are marked by high levels of poverty and joblessness and low levels of investment in education.” Due to the isolation of resources within their community such as stable housing, jobs, adequate schools, grocery stores, and other institutions, the risk for engagement in crime and violence within the community increases and adds to the perpetuating cycle. We know gun violence is a major contributor to the death of many Americans, and we have to work with legislators to seek positive change. Any type of violence is egregious, but it is more of a concern when those in crime prevention careers such as police officers or those we trust to prevent crimes frequently utilize excessive behaviors toward individuals of certain ethnicities. African Americans have been fatally brutalized by those in crime prevention at a greater rate than other ethnicities. The Washington Post 2019 Fatal Force report states, 235 African Americans were shot and killed by police in the line of duty from 2015 to present day (Washington Post, 2020). The USA Today reported that there were 22,924 investigations of officers using excessive force, and that less than 10% of officers within most police forces get investigated for misconduct (Kelly & Nichols, 2019). This is less than the rate at which members of the public are convicted or incarcerated. Yet, for decades it has been unaddressed, and there have been 3 multiple high-profile cases involving African Americans and police that have been overlooked. Mapping Police Violence generated a report on United States police officers’ fatal shooting rates outlining the differences in police killings based on ethnicity and how African Americans numbers are three times more likely to be killed by police
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