American Racism Society In Nathan McCall's "Makes Me Wanna Holler" he describes the difficulties he faces as a young black boy experiencing the slow and never-ending process of integration of blacks and whites. Through this process, his autobiography serves as an excellent example of my theory on racial identity formation and definition; a theory that is based on a combination of the claims that Stuart Hall and George Lipsitz present in their essays on racial identity. Therefore the definition I have developed is one in which racial identity consists of an unstable historical process through which one comes to know oneself in relation to an outgroup. In this article I will present Hall and Lipsitz's arguments, describing how they confirm and support each other, leading to my theory of racial identity. I will then show how this theory is clearly exemplified in McCall's childhood story. In “Ethnicity: Identity and Difference” by Stuart Hall, McCall states that identity is an unstable social process through which one comes to see oneself. Hall argues that identity is not a thing, but rather a process “…that occurs over time, that is never absolutely stable, that is subject to the play of history and the play of difference.” These factors constantly enter the individual in a never-ending cycle, re-establishing and affirming who they are. The “difference game” contributes to this cycle through what Hall identifies as “the Other,” an outgroup used for differentiation. He states that “only when there is an Other can you know who you are”. The “Other” serves to provide a comparison to discover what one is not; this is differentiation. Identity is not based exclusively on the social differentiation of the self: identity is mutually constructed. It does not exist without “the dialogic relationship with the Other”. (Hall, 11). That is, the personal narrative of the self must also come into play, which relates identity to difference. This personal narrative is only realized by virtue of the important role History plays in linking these factors together. In order to relate identity to difference using the dialogic method, one must “position oneself somewhere to be able to say something”. This position is achieved through understanding history; a story that… middle of paper… the *censorship* that [whites] have heaped on blacks all these years,” (McCAll, 216) demonstrating that the story is still present. In summary, I presented a theory for the formation and definition of racial identity, providing an example that proves it to be true in American society. This however does not leave me with a sense of satisfaction, rather it leaves me with great disappointment. What does this say for the society in which we live ; a society that should be based on the American creed? My arguments have only shown that we are not truly individuals; the American creed is not something that America lives by very disturbing achievement. Bibliography: Works Cited Berteaux, John and Gerrald D. Doppelt, ed. Dimensions of Culture 1: Diversity. Doublet 7-22. Lipzitz, George. “The Possessive Investment in Whiteness: Racialized Social Democracy and the ‘Whiteness’ Problem in American Studies.” Berteaux, Doppelt 196-211.McCall, Nathan. “It makes me want to scream.” Berteaux, Doppelt 215-225.