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By using manipulative silences to analyze discourse, this research intended to understand how the individualist narrative is maintained in the dominant culture. It considered the conflicts in the sociopolitical and cultural discourse during a cultural trauma through an analysis of two newspapers. The Tribune’s conflicting narrative with the Defender revealed manipulated silences. I conclude with the consideration for how manipulative silence can act as “the one type of silence that is intentionally used for deceptive purposes” (Huckin 368). This manipulation prevented historical accuracy in print media and, therefore, provided a powerful tool for the privileged used against the marginalized working class. These findings prove the nature of individualism in discourse is dependent on the manipulation of history. The conflicting opinions on individualism result from different historical narratives, but more specifically, the intentional manipulation of historical information from readers.
The issue of different or inaccurate historical truth is a necessary problem to resolve. The Chicago Defender highlights the side of history left largely undocumented, silenced, and restricted by historians and those in power. This mirrors the actions of the KKK, who worked to confiscate the Chicago Defender in the southern region of the U.S. The history of the marginalized in the United States should be disclosed, not thwarted. The manipulative silence of minority history writes a narrative in favor of white people, such as the ones presented in the Chicago Tribune. Writing (or rewriting) an inclusive history works to provide equal opportunity and livelihoods in the United States. Discourse analysts should no longer ignore these silences. They should welcome broad, less systematic approaches to reveal manipulated silences to rewrite an inclusive, accurate historical narrative.