Rhetorical Analysis Of Nikole Hannah-Jones What Is Owed

NameProfessorCourseDateRhetorical Analysis of Nikole Hannah-Jones’ “What is Owed”Nikole Hannah-Jones New York Times article, “What is Owed,” presents an argument in favor of racial reparations. Hannah-Jones constructs her argument by addressing the current wave of protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd, and then explores the systemically oppressive forces that have historically been levied against black Americans to show how Floyd’s tragic murder is unfortunately nothing new. Ultimately, Hannah-Jones concludes that the main reason disparities exist between African Americans and whites, such as wage inequality and disproportionate representation in the criminal justice system, is systemic economic oppression of blacks. As such, Hannah-Jones believes that the way to correct this economic oppression, which continues to occur through discrimination in employment and housing, is to provide financial reparations for black Americans.Hannah-Jones begins the article with the bold statement, “Black Americans protesting the violation of their rights are a defining tradition of this country” (Hannah-Jones para. 1). She then provides an example of this “tradition” by recounting the wave of protests that emerged after the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr., that ultimately led to the passage of the Fair Housing Act. Hannah-Jones implies that