Summary of Brent Staples' Essay
In "Black Men and Public Spaces," Brent Staples writes about experiences of a Black man who is often seen as dangerous in public places. He shares stories where people, especially white women, get scared of him just because of how he looks. They might walk faster, cross the street, or lock their car doors when they see him.
Staples explains that he's a peaceful person, but because of common ideas about Black men, people often think he's a criminal. He talks about how this makes him feel, and how he has to be careful in public so he doesn't scare anyone.
To make people feel less afraid, he even whistles classical music when he walks at night. He does this to show that he's not a threat. The essay shows how stereotypes about race make life harder for Black men and how they have to change their own behavior to deal with those ideas.