Expressing Racism in Song of Songs, Push and the Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah EquianoAfrican Americans are often discriminated against, suffering from a barrage of racist remarks and even endure racially motivated acts of violence. Unfortunately, this crime against humanity goes both ways. Those who are oppressed may react as a matter of self-defense, sometimes becoming that which they despise most. In many cases the black man is forced to develop racist customs against the white man due to past history and the fact that whites discriminate against him. The victim of oppression can become the oppressor and, in fact, this “reverse racism” can easily turn into a feeling of superiority for blacks. Although both parties, black and white racists, suffer from the belief that their own race is the superior one, it could be said that the black community is often more justified in their beliefs. Black writer Sapphire is quoted as saying, "One of the myths we've been taught is that oppression creates moral superiority. I'm here to tell you that the more oppressed a person is, the more oppressive they will be" (Walker, Fall 2001). I believe it not only creates a more oppressive group of people, but a group that believes they are morally superior. This moral superiority is evident in the writings and personal lives of Olaudah Equiano, Toni Morrison, Sapphire, and Maya Angelou. These writers display a point of view common to many African Americans in their views on Africa versus America, morality among whites versus morality among blacks, and racial inferiority versus racial superiority. African Americans often draw comparisons between Africa, the country they were forced into...... middle of paper ......and the Middle Passage. Ed. Maria Diedrich, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Carl Pedersen. New York: Oxford UP, 1999: 47-56. Davis, Jane. The White Image in the Black Mind: A Study of African American Literature. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Equiano, Olaudah. “The interesting tale of the life of Olaudah Equiano.” Classic slave tales. Ed. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. New York: Putnam, 1987: 1-182.Mandville, Sir John. The Travels of Sir John Mandeville. Harmondsworth, England: Penguin, 1983, p.64.Morrison, Toni_Guest. Personal interview. Jet August 31, 1998. www.findarticles.com (September 10, 2001). Morrison, Toni. Song of Songs. New York: Penguin Group, 1977.Sapphire_Guest. Personal interview by Carletta Joy Walker. www.foodcoop.com(September 13, 2001).Sapphire. Push. New York: Random House, 1997.