Similar to Marxism, African American Criticism also focuses on power structures and the oppression of groups of people.  The main power structure used is one in which African Americans are the group of individuals who are suffering at the hands of more powerful and privileged whites.  This can be described as systematic racism, which has arisen out of slavery and a history of whites being the preferred race.

This theory seeks to expose stereotypes as well as systematic racism in literature and practices.  In using this critical lense, readers should be able to learn more about African American culture and experiences that would not be held by whites.  In Toni Morrison’s, “Recitatif,” She does not mention the race of the girls, only that they are the opposite race.  This choice forces the reader to fill in the races of the two main characters, Twyla and Roberta.  Unfortunately, the easiest way for the reader to do that is to use stereotypes and what they think they know about black and white experiences.  Though Morrison does not expose the race of the girls she makes a powerful statement about what is assumed to be black and white.

Contributors of this theory include Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic.  These two theorists agree that race is a social construct that takes the form of “differential rationalization.”  Differential rationalization can be defined as a group having power over a certain race or marginalized group of people for a period of time.  Likewise, they also explain that minorities are more able to talk about their experiences and racism because they are the groups effected by it.  Whites do not understand how it feels to be a “lesser race” and therefore can not speak on the issues that evolve from systematic racism.