Just Walk on By: A Black Man Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space

Richard's Essay on Staples's Article

After I read Staples’s story, I truly understand how it feels to be feared because of the color of skin. In the essay “Just Walk on By”, he tries to convey the message to the readers about how heavily prejudice can affect a person. Staples is telling us that the prejudice in the world is more than just mere verbal insults. Many people tighten purses to their shoulders, or lock their car doors when a black man is near. Some people even switch sides on a street if a black man is walking their way. Actually, being black may be sometimes considered as being a criminal, so Staples always feels surprised, embarrassed, and dismayed. After Staples have experienced all these kind of situations, he grew accustomed to but never comfortable with people who discriminated against him. Although, Staples was treated unfairly or badly, he did not feel angered or insulted. His attitude towards others both in his writing and on the street reflects compassion, empathy and tolerance. He clearly understands the feelings of other people around him. He said, “The danger the women perceive is not a hallucination. Women are particularly vulnerable to street violence, and young black males are drastically overrepresented among the perpetrators of that violence.” By understanding that, Staples was able to conquer the rage he feels for being mistaken as a criminal. He might also feel somewhat sorry for those people who labeled him with a frightening impression because they will continue to be terrified by people whom they know nothing about. However, he personally knows the draws for young thugs, and realizes that the woman had reason to fear such people. Staples also addresses the matter of American’s definition of manhood, and the manhood is strongly connected with hazard, toughness, and intimidation. Staples explained that it is only manly to embrace the power to frighten and intimidate. As a man, they should seize the fighter’s edge in work and in play and even in love, and they are to be valiant in the face of hostile forces.

Staples is a tall, black man who works as a journalist in a predominantly white field. As he mentioned in the article “Just Walk on By”, he first realized how much his appearance frightened others, particularly a white woman, when he used to take late night walks as a graduate student. A “broad six feet two inches with a beard and billowing hair” is not a description that immediately associates him with a friendly 22 years old graduate student. That image really fit the dangerous streetwalker stereotype quite well. He walked with his hands in his pocket, averting his eyes from others. His hair was long and messy. His stride was strong, while he kept to himself on the street. He also wore casual clothing, military jackets. All of these features give him an image of threatening streetwalker. In order to give others a better first impression, Staples started to dress nicer, business clothes and casual jeans. He began to take precautions to make himself less threatening. He moves about with care, particularly late in the evening. He gives a wide berth to nervous people on subway platforms during the wee hours. He became more careful of walking behind people, and would walk past the more skittish ones, so as not to seem to be following them. And even in the rougher areas of town, he whistles classical music as a way of assuring others that he is a cultured and sensitive man.