African American Criticism works to study the arts produced by African American artists and what it reveals about the African American experience including racism, racialism and the issue of identity. This identity can also include double consciousness, which some African American artists struggle with. Trying to decide whether to address an African American audience or a White audience. Critics also look at White artists and how their art addresses their privilege and systematic racism, whether they intend it or not.
African American Critics emphasize the difference between “racialism” and “racism” when analyzing texts. Racialism pertains to the belief that a certain race inferior due to biological evidence. They intellectually or morally inferior because it is in this race’s DNA. Meanwhile, Racism address the unequal power between races. When one race believes their dominant and must act on that dominance. African America critics look into these terms while reveling systematic racism, pertaining to the critical race theory. Critical race theorists look at texts through a lens that searches for normalized racism, or systematic racism. The authors of the texts may not realize it, but they include assumptions and stereotypes about race that can be pointed out.
Under Critical Race Theory, theorists Delgado and Stefancic broke down the theory into six tenets. “Everyday Racism,” as the name indicates, includes the way White Americans treat African Americans day to day. “Interest Convergence” has to do with an overlapping of interest between White and African Americans. “The Social Construction of Race” is how we define and see different races differently. “Differential Racialization” means the dominant race racializes different groups, saying different races are born a certain way instead of brought up. “Intersectionality” recognizes that people are more than their race. “Voice of Color” is the belief that colored writers are in a better position than White writers.