Over the past few weeks I have been speaking with friends about the term “African-American”, what it means and who it refers to in light of the Barack Obama phenomenon
Legally, Barack Obama is an “African-American” as the census defines it as such:
A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa
Before beginning, I want to be clear here that
- I am not speaking against anyone else’s heritage.
- I am not speaking of biracial individuals that are descendants of slaves. Make no mistake. I am not making the “Is Obama black enough” argument.
- I am not denying that people who appear to be “African-American” (or otherwise for that matter) face racism. I am talking specifically about culture and ethnicity here.
That said, everyone has his own unique traditions and culture which they should be proud of, including those of us who have a unique American experience reaching back beyond the formation of our country. This question is bothering me because I feel that the term “African American” has come to take on such a broad and expansive meaning that the uniqueness of my own culture is becoming “generic”.
Senegalese, Nigerians, Kenyans, Ethiopians, and Somalis all have their own distinct histories, languages, cultures and experiences. There is nothing wrong with that and no one is trying to take that away from them. But what people fail to realize is that there are many descendants of American slaves who pay hundreds of dollars in search of their ancestral histories, most importantly of which is the original homeland, a knowledge that all other “black African” groups view as a birth right. However, it should be noted that we who are the descendants of slaves likewise have a common culture, history and experience.
Unlike all other groups which classify themselves as “black”, the descendants of slaves have no place else to call “home”. Though some may try to deny it (even some black Americans) we have a rich history here in this country.
We are WEB Dubois, Booker T. Washington, Frederick Douglas, and Harriet Tubman. When I reflect on our unique culture and experience, I think of authors like Langston Hughes, Ralph Ellison, Alice Walker, Richard Wright, Zora Neale Hurston and James Baldwin . I think of women like Mary McLeod Bethune, Josephine Butler Parks, Rosa Parks and Elma Lewis. I think of sports figures like Joe Louis, Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, and Hank Aaron. I think of the hardships of my late grandparents in confronting Jim Crow segregation and racism. I think of the hard working small businessmen, family reunions and bar-b-ques at the park. I think of strong fathers and loving mothers. I think of so many things that others may not when they speak of the descendants of slaves. Our identity and history here in America is all we have and now I feel that it is being obscured.
Again, this does not detract from the culture and experiences of other groups of blacks, but when the moniker “African-American” is applied to those black groups with distinct identities of their own (Nigerian, Ethiopian, etc), as it is now, where does that leave the descendants of slaves? What is our distinct identity? What and who we are as a people is further obfuscated by the troubling lack of clarity and precision which the inherently clumsy term “African-American” connotes.
Defining “African-American” as anyone from Africa dilutes and diminishes the distinct history and culture of the descendants of slaves in this country. For one thing, they mean sub-Saharan African, because North Africans are classified as “white”. To draw a crude analogy, it is like classifying 5 different groups of birds like this: Cardinals, Sparrows, Orioles, Blue Jays, and birds. The generic “bird” is what the descendants of slaves are becoming.
It is for this reason that I admit to cringing each time I hear or read about Obama speaking to “his own people” while referring to the descendants of slaves. It is rooted in an unfortunate tendency of some non-blacks’ - no matter how well meaning - to see all groupings of blacks as one big, all-purpose bag of blackness. Would they ever refer to a Korean addressing a group of Japanese as “speaking to his own people”? I suppose I would feel better if they said his “adopted people” or something similar.
Xenophobic? I think not. I can not claim to be Nigerian, Senegalese or Ethiopian (nor would I want to be). They all have legacies of their own. Why can’t I have mine, while remaining friends in mutual recognition of each others’ cultures? Why do we have to define our culture and contributions away in favor of others, while no one else is required to do so?
I suppose as times and things change, so too will this definition of “African-American”. Whatever the case, I fear that the history and identity of the descendants of slaves and their contributions to this country will become increasingly unappreciated or indeed lost under this cloud of obscurity. Who we are seems to be becoming irrelevant. While the descendants of slaves are facing many social challenges and are looked down upon by detractors, I still hope new comers will study the significant contributions of these proud people and what they have meant to America. In their story is a powerful lesson in resilience for all of us, and it should not be cast aside. Perhaps to solve this problem the descendants of slaves should be counted as an ethnic group (instead of as simply part of a broad racial group).
While I still feel that Obama’s election will send an amazing message to the rest of the world that we mustn’t limit ourselves to small dreams, we must never forget that his success thus far is mostly due to the incredible strength of the people whose identity he’s adopted.
Filed under: Race | Tagged: African-Americans
Tariq,
An interesting and valid observation about ‘roots’. I’m not fond of hyphenated Americans, I just prefer American but understand your point and agree how important a sense of being/belonging with a fixed identity can be.
I have a choice with my ‘mixed’ heritage…Russian and Scotts. I tend to ignore the first and identify with the later but in reality am neither. Not in thought, culture, or family observance. My history is simply American.
I know the circumstances are very different, but then again, maybe not as much as one might think.
a very thorough post, tariq - i think it expands very well on your earlier one and i find myself in agreement now that the term African American does have a special meaning that is best left undiluted. I do still think that the self-identity of AA in the US needs to ultimately free itself of slavery’s shadow, much like the self-identity of Jews needs to free itself of the Holocaust, but in practice I dont know how that might be achieved.
unfrtunately, in practice, the term AA will continue to be used as a broad brush. So i think in one sense if you try to articulate your view as a policy, you do risk being tarred (unfairly) as making the “black enough” argument. You might be better off making the argument in the abstract for the term AA but adopting a more specific label for pragmatisms’ sake. I personally think “Black American” is more descriptive since Africa, per se, is not really central to yoru identity as much as your *American* history.
i’ll cross post my comment to Talk Islam, btw…
actually, i posted to City of Brass and left a stub at Talk Islam pointing to our cross-blog discussion.
[...] is an African-American? Tariq takes the time to explain, asserting that the label represents an ethnic heritage to which Barack Obama really cannot lay [...]
[...] is an African-American? Tariq takes the time to explain, asserting that the label represents an ethnic heritage to which Barack Obama really cannot lay [...]
I know this will sound like “hate”, but I’m sorry. East Africans/West Africans/North Africans are not “African American”…they are what they are….meaning. They are Egyptians, or Nigerians, or Somali, or etc etc.
When I tried to get into a “minority” program when applying for grad school, the girl upfront actually told me “according to the govt and such, AA means someone who’s lineage is back to the slaves…period, so a Nigerian would not be counted in African-American, they would be African.”
So basically I agree with Tariq meaning, African-Americans DO have a distinct culture than say a Somali, just as a Japanese person would to an Indian. Just because they all live in Asia…doesn’t mean they’re they same.
The real question is, what IS African-American culture.
I tend to agree with you in general…the various black cultures of the diaspora are distinct from one another, though we may share some common ground, particularly in terms of origins and racial treatment. Just as Italian, Irish, Lithuanian, etc are all distinct cultures. Though in America, all of those people would be just plain old white. This phenomenon in general is a uniquely American thing…the line in America is plain and simple–black/white/other color. Most of us who grew up here tend to relate to people on the basis of that.
But I’m not sure, as it relates to Senator Obama, where to put him exactly. His lineage is directly African, but he never grew up with his father and never lived there at all. I would guess that he is culturally closer to African Americans than anything African. I’m not sure there is a neat category for him. Even forgetting for the moment that he is biracial. But that’s cool too. Lots of people don’t fit in boxes.
The thing about whites is that they intermarried amongst themselves so much that they became simply ‘white’.
In America, they have. But that’s probably because of what tends to happen to succeeding generations of immigrant children in this country anyways…not being raised in the “Old Country” they find they are more culturally American than anything else and therefore when it comes time to choosing a mate, they choose other American ones regardless of their origins. Unless, of course, the different origin also includes a different color. Then it becomes less easy for most. Also, the environment in America which developed evolved to the point where the important distinctions were color ones, and therefore allowed Irish to marry Italians, etc. without any drama. It certainly wasn’t always like that, and of course it wasn’t the case for people trying to cross color lines.
But if a person straight from any of those countries were here, most of us would still likely consider them white.
There was also a restriction in immigration that stopped the supply of mates from the old country that forced Europeans to marry other white ethnicities. This is not happening amongst the different groups of blacks - mainly because with no restrictions in immigration, they can opt to go home to get married
Very interesting post,
I agree. In Japan, some Japanese would consider it to be an insult for people to refer to them as Chinese and vice versa. Some Latinos, like Puerto Ricans do not think they should be classified as Mexicans and they will tell you that.
I remembered when I grew up with the term afro/Black American and now African-American. Although I do not care what the racial classification I’m called, if people ask me what race I’ am, I tell them that I’m Black or at times African-American, not because I’m denying who I’am, but I grew up with the Black American classification and that is how I see myself as. These days I can’t even say that without somebody telling me that I’m trying downplay heritage.
There are some Africans who don’t see AA’s no more than Americans. Depending on the person, you’re not African. I was talking to a Nigerian man who said that in his country( or in his district of his country), some of the natives do not see African-American in the same way that they may see one of their country men/women or even another African. Some of them see AA’s as onlythe “descendants of the colonizers”.
I also think that it’s unfair that we canot be recognized for our distinct culture. Just because our ancestors was taken away doesn’t mean that our culture isn’t significant. It’s very rich and beautiful as mentioned in the post. All of us have something unique about our cultures whether, African or African-American should never be seen as non-extinct.
@ Tariq
I think that this is an excellent piece. It’s important that ‘the descendants of slaves’ appreciate the unique characteristics that distinguish themselves from recent African immigrants.
One of the things that I have always found perturbing is how ‘the descendants of slaves’ have a misplaced sense of solidarity and kinship with individuals and communities who have no desire to establish meaningful solidarity but are using the label of ‘blackness’ as a temporary stop gap in order to establish and protect their OWN kinsmens best interests.
As I previously said Tariq, ‘the descendants of slaves’ are a tribe of their own. In Africa, people tend to think tribally. Thus its very strange (and laughable) to many Africans (especially those who don’t think that they are the same as the ‘blacks’), to have a naive AA or AC non tribesman talking that ‘where all black’ stuff.
Well .. its obvious why African immigrants (not African Americans) try to adopt the African American Culture.. they just are trying to fit in..
as we see here in Cairo, African Refugees and residents dressing up like the were from “the hood” listining to gangster rap and making hand gestures like they were on MTV… to me that looks silly odd and just horrible..
similarly I dont see any African Americans going to Africa and fully naturally blending int they still will stand out.
both are dustinct and have their own cultural uniquness.
nice post.
If you have lived in a community where Africans for the most part have been intermarrying with AA and other diaspora then you may have a pan-african outlook.
For example, I know many people assume that a Japanese and Chinese person would not get along. However, I know too many mixed Japanese, Korean and Chinese people who actually get along.
That is actually an old attitude.
In California, we have Japanese, Chinese and Koreans who have been here for over 5 generations.
I am sure you know that in a place like Haiwii non-asians are like third-class citizens. I have a few Japanese friends who used to brag about that.
They have adopted the racial politics and joined together as Asians with China being the base of all of them. Now this has not been taken all the way to the Malays, Thais, Viets, Cambodians.
Of course, the Filipinos that is a unique case study.
What is funny I know Asians who proudly speak of their mutual and common cultural links.
Just as some Indians will identify and hang out with Pakistanis and Bengalis. (We have Indian gangs in some parts of L.A.)
Furthermore, the globalization has created a sort of Pan-Asian, Pan-African, Pan-Arab, Pan-Latin and Pan-European type of world.
I think it is too much intermarrying by people of West African descent to start thinking of themselves as separate albeit distinct.
Salaam
When AA’s culture is identified it always relates to the manner of dress/hip-hop speech. In the 1970’s, it was with Afro’s dashikis and with some of us,the fist.( the symbol of the Black power movement) If that was part of the African American culture, I wonder what was it like in my parent’s 1960’s era. Other than music,they really didn’t have a distinct way of identifying their musical culture.
I looked at the LINK world channel and viewed a Congolese video( I forget the name of the group) and seen the leader come out with capped gold teeth , I thought that it many be complementary to the hip-hop community and the music industry, but at the same hoping that they didn’t view as the complete story to AA culture.
It’ seems that with AA culture it always about dress/ speech. While it’s part of the accomplishments of the people, it is so much more than that as mentioned in this post. Too often, you will find people knowing associating AA culture with these things than about our history. Some non AA people don’t know about true African-American culture, as it’s not taught in most world schools.
There is nothing wrong with putting hip-hop in the mix of our musical culture, but the thing that the interested world should know about AA culture is that it so more than about clothes and speech.
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OK, Tariq, you really pulled at my heart strings with this one; I felt your heart in it. Earlier, in your “Why won’t someone just say it” post, I mentioned, in reference to Obama:
I am a descendent of slaves, but that is not all I am. I am a studious, hardworking, ambitious individual with much moral and respect for myself, my people, and other peoples. I have big–huge-giant—goals/dreams for myself, my family, future generations, and the black comm. as a whole, goals/dreams that I do not just have…but I intend to do my part and and more, in achieving.
I think, when most people, who are not AAs, think of AAs (no matter if they are African, Russian, Asian, or the likes) they think on terms of “descendents of slaves” only and many of the stereotypes that have become linked to our indentify via BET, history, and “black” parody movies.
I am even aware of some of the names that AAs are called by Africans like “Akata” (a derogatory term originated from a Nigerian tribe but is in reference to African Americans and used by different black Africans from different countries all the same) meaning something along the lines of a lost, wild, confused fox/cat away from home and “Bahrya” is used by Ethiopians— it literally means “slave”.
My point is, to some Africans, it’s an insult to be called African American. Sometimes, it is simply a fight to stay afloat with people who picture me and every other AAs the same way—through a stereotypical lenses—and no back drop. I, of course, realize, not every African uses these terms or thinks this way, but I have encountered quite a few with a very messed up picture of me and other AAs before getting to know me.
After knowing me, I’m glad I could give some insight on the fact that AAs, as everyone else, are all individuals and only human. Few realize that we are very diverse, as is every group of people. Few realize just how much we have to offer the world and how much hope and love we have for our people, children, and our future, as a whole. Here is my small contribution:
African Americans are a strong people and extremely so. We recieved no reparations in spite of being taken from our homeland beat, killed, exploited, and berated on many different levels by many different people, but we are still here and we are still thriving. America is rightfully our and the Native Americans home more so than it is anyone elses as we shed blood, sweat, and tears in the process of literally building this country and it’s prosperity off our backs.
In the words of Lewis R. Gordon
Underdevelopments and social injustices that we are still dealing with today.
Who we are is a people who have tremendous strength, love, and creativity.
Creativity:
Our music is much more than Rap or Hip hop (which I personally think is crap now a days). Rap use to be an art and it still is, with people like Common, The Roots, Dead Prez, Lauren Hill, etc around. “Spoken Word” poetry can simply move you to tears of joy or pain or make you laugh in unthinkable ways. This is true for all our arts, black musical arts and paintings/drawings.
Jazz, blues, and “Old School” Soul are an undeniable aspect of African American culture with people like Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Bobby Womack, Louis Armstrong, just to name very few.
There are many African American inventors, in spite of the fact that most of them are not given credit for their own inventions because of the lack of civil rights and freedoms during their time.
I can not even begin to name all the things my mother, father, grandmothers and grandfathers have taught me through their diligence and in the sense of herbal medicines, home remedies, and cooking the foods that we all crave every now in then…no matter how far away from home. *smiles*
You’ve already named some of the philosophers like W.E.B Du Bios. What about Brooker T. Washington and Frantz Fanon?
Love & Strength:
All the freedom fighters who fought for the freedoms we all have today, which you’ve already mentioned is the only reason any one of color has the opportunity to be here.
AAs women are some of the most hard working people in this world undoubtedly, especially in the BC (black community); they have an incredible love and strength that has obviously withstood the test of time, and in the midst of all this, as if a never-ending cycle, many find themselves taking care of everyone..and I do mean everyone (church, cousins, nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts, grandmothers, and grandfathers, grandbabies, bills, work, school etc) …and all of everyone else’s problems, let alone their own. African Americans have always been a mostly selfless people and this is still true today.
Lastly, I’ll leave–In the words of a commenter, Lisa:
@ indigoblu
Great comments. I really hated to leave out so many people, but there are so many others that the post would have been too long.
It is too bad that so many people (of all races) look down upon us - mainly because they are ignorant of the many accomplishments we have made
Tariq:
I should mention that Frantz Fanon (author of Black Skin, White Mask) is not AA, he’s Algerian, but he always the single non black that comes to mind when I think about AA history because he and W.E.B Du Bios (Double conscious) did so much in the wake of black consciousness and racism. I have a lot of respect for them both.
I realize you couldn’t have listed everyone….I didn’t list them all either, there are really just so many of them who have done so much, but I just wanted to contribute to the discussion, as it is personal to me as well.
Thanks for the post.
Salaams indigoblu,
Great comments!
Just one correction, Franz Fanon is from Martinique, he’s not Algerian. He. So he’s reppin our French speaking Carribean brothers in the Diaspora. He joined the Algerians in their struggle for independence, and died there.
On another note, earlier I noticed that someone raised the question, “What is African American culture?”
This is the problem when you have so many of the most visible symbols of Black culture appropriated by the dominant culture and even global culture. But as you stated, African American culture cannot be reduced to hip hop or urban culture.
At the same time, this is a question you can ask any many other communities in countries throughout the world. I think the question of culture is rather slippery. We cannot simply essentialize culture to one or two things. How do we truly define culture? I am not claiming to be an anthropologist, but I do take umbrage when people start debating culture without being well informed about what culture actually is. How many of us have read any works from anthropologists who study culture?
For me, it is not hard to find traditions and institutions that point to our cultural heritage and legacy. I see Historically Black colleges, Black fraternal organizations, and Black religious institutions as playing an important role here. Other forms of cultural expression include hair styles, modes of dress, forms of expression, and food. None of these things are fixed. Culture is fluid and dynamic. It changes from region to region, generation to generation, and person to person.
I remember one time HR at my company asked me what’s my race? And I said “black”, she said African American? I paused for a second and said “no, just black” she said I only have AA, I said well do you have other? She said yes I said put me as other. I felt the confusion of the poor lady, I look as black as any AA, yet I don’t identify myself as such, and if you ask many Africans they will say the same, not that they see themselves superior or anything but that’s just not who they are, in fact if they could hide that blackness in them the would, so don’t worry AAs, no one is steeling your identity or trying to share it with you, you can have it with all its worth.
Margari:
Thanks for the information.
Tariq:
I was reading something this morning about the increasing amount of African American moving to Africa and I thought about this blog.
You may be interested in knowing more about the Sierra Leone Creoles, as they are descendents of slaves and are considered an ethnic group there in Sierra Leone–this was when some AAs went back to Africa, in Liberia, in the 1780s-1860s. Also see Americo-Liberian neighbors (Krios)
There is a difference between culture and racial classification. Of course there is African-American culture. Culture is expressed in many ways but for the sake of brevity you can see it manifested well in the uniqueness of the food, music, art, language and mores of a particular group. Racial classification is something different and is rather arbitrary and less important to human interaction except when made to be so as in the case of slavery or Jim Crow and its consequences to this day. You can see the distinction between African-Americans and Africans from the continent. There are differences in the above categories though both would be racially classified as “Negroid”. But that classification will tell you nothing of the true differences and similarities between the two groups.
In reality African-Americans are more “American” than they are African. What do African-Americans retain from being generations removed from their African orgins? My wife doesn’t cook food from Mali or Congo. We don’t listen to musicians from South Africa or Sierra Leone. We don’t wear traditional clothing from West African nations or cultures. We don’t have the family structure or mores of these cultures either unless it’s just a matter of a shared HUMAN norm like respect for parents which is not unique to Africa or Asia or Guam. I get excited about Halal Turkey because culturally I grew up eating Thanksgiving Turkey. I like Hip-Hop and R&B which grew from the African-American experience regardless. It is a part of African-American artistic expression. I can relate to terms like “Oooooh Mama gonna beat your butt when she finds out” or expressions like “Cat”, “My Man”, “You best believe”, etc. These are cultural expressions from my shared experience as an African-American. The continental African has a different set of cultural realities unique to her.
Now we may share certain cultural traits or there may be some remnants that were retained from Africa. This isn’t scientific but I do notice a similarity in the tone and inflection of some African songs or ways of singing to that of African-American music. We can also see evidence of what slavery has done to the Black family because throughout Africa you will notice a kind of cohesiveness and emphasis on family units and extended families. You will notice a respect of elders as well that seems to be even more than in other cultures. But in “African America ” you notice a breakdown, initially intentional by the dominant culture, and exacerbated by inward and outward forces to this day.
But ultimately African-Americans are more American than anything else. As well they should be. When the country is built initially on the backs of enslaved Africans (and later other immigrant groups as well), has been so consumed by development according to literally Black and White stratification, and your music, dance, fashion, and social justice all come out of the Black experience to help form what is America then how are you not American?
The hyphen is because we live in a racially polarized world. I am happy and proud to be a Black Man in America but that is because of the culturally context that I live in. I wasn’t born a “Black” Man. I was born a male human. In the process of growing up these other identities were placed on me or chosen by me in the case of Islam. Even my culture is a product of my environment. We all had the one White guy or girl in the neighborhood or in school that was culturally Black. This is because culture is not racially exclusive. The difference is that White guy or girl could remove themselves from the culture while I can do so but the association of that culture to me by others is tied to my perceived race.
Anyway…a great topic…one that I find exciting as it relates to culture and identity which is a hot button for me. As a plug check out my podcast at http://www.brotherdash.com which has two episodes dedicated to Culture, Identity and Islam.
Tariq:
Another group that I’m sure most people are probably unaware of…that have held on strongly to their African culture presently live in South Carolina (mostly on the Island) and they also reside in Southern Georgia; they are AAs (descendents of slaves) and are known as the Gullah people. They have close ties with the people of Sierria Leone.
*Sierra , that is
As you know, the term African-American came into acceptance after a long time when being called negro’ or ‘colored’ had worn out their welcome. I can remember some older relatives as a child who would never accept being called ‘African-American’ or even ‘black’. It was an insult! Being descendants of former slaves was even a type of shame for some. All this change of consciousness has therefore occurred relatively recently. Just a generation or two.
In other words, it was mostly all race or color based before some recognition was given to the fact that slaves were largely out of Africa and that being such was not something to be ashamed of.
Nevertheless, any tie to Africa for many ‘African Americans’ was and still is vague and certainly inexact. Indeed, many feel NO kinship or tie to Africa or Africans other than sharing similar complexions since most descendants of slaves share many of the same values and a lot of the culture as the descendants of their former white masters. I would love to see anyone agree on a definition of ‘African-American’ culture considering the descendants of slaves have had so many different aspects of other cultures imposed upon them and absorbed over time. You may have heard the old joke ‘Culture!? Our language is English, religion is Christianity, artifacts and utensils are a shiny car, nice crystalware and silverware, music is jazz, funk, top 40, rock-n-roll, clothing is whatever the latest style is, so what makes my culture any different than 90% of everybody else?”
I have met Africans who just see the descendants of slaves as ‘white people under cover’ and loathe to associate with the negative aspects of popular ‘black culture’. I thought that ironic considering the old labeling by some black people of others as ‘Oreos’ way back when. At the same time, many Africans who do not share that background no doubt do all they can to ‘blend in’ at times to the point of getting angry if someone amongst them has too much of a ‘back home’ accent and they actually disassociate from them!
Anyway, you may be interested in the series being done on CNN http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2008/black.in.america/
Tariq and indioblu -
A book I found at the African museum in D.C. entitled, “Mississippi in Africa” is a great book regarding AA being repatriated back Africa through the American Colonization Society and of course each Southern state had its own colonization society as well.
I think that is why Mr. Johnson (BET founder) considers Sierre Leon and Liberia probably to be countries where AA have natural ties.
I remember a story in family related heirlooms supposedly from my Great-Grandfather travelling back and forth from Africa.
Salaam
Ron:
Since Liberia and Sierra Leone is where the AAs who went back to Africa settled, he (Johnson) is right in his assertion about having ties to those two countries being that they were once slaves themselves but returned to the motherland. However, you or I may or may not have our origins in those two particular countries; only DNA would reveal that. I’m actually quite curious, for myself, family, and perhaps future family, to know my ancestry, and not just my African heritage but the other aspects as well.
I would be very interested in getting my hands on that book you mentioned “Mississippi in Africa”, especially considering MS is where I am from. Since you saw it at a museum, I am afraid it won’t be in circulation or very hard for me to get my hands on. At any rate, I’ll check the libraries tomorrow. Thank you for the info.
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2008/black.in.america/
[...] Obama is black, but Tariq has argued persuasively that he isn’t African-American. That only lends credence to the argument that Obama will be the first Asian president (in the same [...]
[...] Obama is black, but Tariq has argued persuasively that he isn’t African-American. That only lends credence to the argument that Obama will be the first Asian president (in the same [...]
Author: Is Barack Black or White?
I am one of only a handful of known researchers exploring the differnce between race and ethnicity in America. I’ve presented articles for the American and British Journal of Organizational Behavior and begun a new line of research.
I ask you two questions:
1. Are you black because of what you learned or what you where born?
2. Are you African American because of what you learned or what you where born?
Over the past 10 plus years I’ve been researching the difference between learned behavior and race. You see you were born Black, White, Hispanic, or Asian…but you learned to be African American, German/French American etc. There is a huge difference between learned behavior and inherited biology. Sadly, we are mixing the two up when trying to have a discussion about being Black in America. While conducting this research I found that there are at least 4 different kinds of learned Black Culture.
That’s right…different kinds of Black folks:
Group A- descendents of the American Slave and/or Jim Crowe systems. When most folks (to include the CNN special) says Black this is who they mean. This is the Jesse Jackson or Rev. Als, Ray-Ray in the hood.
Group B- West Indies descendent of the American Slave system. These folks share a different history from the folks above. They have their own music, foods, language…”Ethnic-CULTURE”. Colin Powell, Louis Farrakan.
Group C- Immigrants from African. This are folks like Barack Obama. Although we lump them in the Black bin…they don’t share the same pains of the Group A or B Blacks. This is not to say that they are not Brothers or sisters…they just have a third ethnic culture that is different from the first two.
Group D- I don’t want to bore you so I’ll just call this group mixed and ask you to read the book if you want to learn more about the different groups or how we are mixing up the different groups when trying to talk about Blacks in America. http://www.lulu.com/content/3132461
OK let me further clarify…Balcks are not the only ones divided. Just as you or I are a product of learned behavior, so too are other groups in America. For example…there is no “WHITE” culture. White is biological…culture is learned. There are over 49 different ethnicities within WHITE: German, French, Polish, Russian, etc..
My years of researcher has also lead to one other very interesting point. Group A African Americans and Mexican Americans may be the two largest ethnic groups.
That’s right…Blacks…in the majority in America. But so long as we call all light hued ethnic groups WHITE and refuse to define the different kinds of BLACKS…Blacks will always be considered a Minority in America.
If I am reading this right, Glover, I think you mean to say that there is a difference between race (biological inheritance, namely black, white, brown, red, skin) and culture (learned behavior) and within races, there are different cultures and ethnicities (separate groups with separate learned behaviors), obviously.
I think that is the primary reason Tariq posted this blog; blacks who are products of slavery have a different culture from Africans who are not, and even within the group of people who are products of slavery, have different cultures also.
White America tends not to notice these cultural/ethnic differences and lumps us all in one pile based solely on the race factor. Ethnic groups and tribes have been around since antiquity but race is relatively new. Race was something deliberately constructed, I believe, to dived and conquer.
I think it is interesting to note, as you did, the different between North American black culture and South American/Caribbean black cultures. I believe one of the primary reasons that Caribbean/south American cultures were able to flourish and develop as much as they have was the absence of white dominated society post slavery.
To be frank, they did not have to endure the freedom that was never really freedom at all. After slavery, blacks in the America had to fight for civil rights, justice, and the likes—a long, and bitter fight—because we were in a white dominated society–this is not the case for most Caribbean/South American black people.
The isolation from the main stream, white American culture had less influence after post slavery as opposed to the great influence it had on blacks in North America, as we were not isolated.
I think the thing people do not want to address is that ethnic identification is a political act as well as cultural, personal and spiritual decision.
The white birth rate around the world is on the decline so poltical expediency says that more people must be included as white to make up for the low birth rate among whites.
We have to be careful that we do not unwittingly succumb to pursuing the interests of others by splitting up the AA identity in America and the African identity in the world.
Salaam
Ron:
Of course, ultimately, we are all one race of people (blacks), but it can’t be denied that we all have different cultures that we identify with and that is just as important as realizing our commonalities. We are born into cultures—not by choice. We can make the decision to do away with it, in our minds, if we’d like but we are still tied to it, no matter how far one goes—just like we can not change the skin that we are in.
This doesn’t mean that we should be at strife or even in competition with each other because of our cultural differences, but learn to appreciate each other for those differences and equally recognize each other for our commonality. If there is one thing that black people, as a whole, seriously lack, that is unity in the masses. In fact, I’d dare say it’s the root of a lot of our problems.
I believe it’s foolish for us AA’s to engage in such tribalism. Most Africans who come to America are highly educated and are among the best from their countries. By accepting them as brothers and sisters, we improve our group.
As an AA muslim, I am very happy to know that we have a huge source of knowledge not available in Arab lands in our motherland.
We don’t have a country we can call our own, we have COUNTRIES we can call our own. In the 90’s , the president of Cote d’Ivoire offered citizenship to AA’s. In Ghana, it is easy for AA’s to gain citizenship. In many countries in Africa, AA’s are very welcomed as long as we don’t come with huge egos and a condescending attitude. In America, regardless of our comfort level and wealth, we will never be accepted as equals of whites.
There are economic opportunities available to AA’s in Africa that will NEVER be available to AA’s in America. Bill Cosby as wealthy AA can testify to this fact.
I believe it’s important for us AA’s to cure our disease of “Stockholm Syndrome” and recognize that although we are living comfortably, we are still living under oppression. We have fallen in love with the kidnapper and the “culture” of a kidnappee.
We should remember that we are Africans living in America whether we like it or not. How can you expect to prosper if you don’t acknowledge your roots and re-learn what was taken away from you?
Quite often when discussing various problems in our community, I’ve notices that we fail to realize that the real problem is US. We should change ourselves (views, beliefs, etc.) first and then we can start to see progress in our race.
Calvin DaSilvio:
There are quite a few things you fail to understand.
African Americans and tribalism? I do not think that by acknowledging our differences in culture is tribal at all, especially when no one is claiming superiority…just the fact that there is a difference in as much as there is a commonality. It becomes tribalism when there is conflict because of the differences in tribes.
African countries have tribes— that have been in existence for a very long time, and many of them are at strife with each other because of the different tribes and tongues they speak…influence/power in the government based on tribes, genocides etc (this is the phenomena of tribalism)—and a lot of this just boils down to pride and ego.
Hypothetically speaking, and looking only in terms of “tribalism”, as you have termed it, AAs would basically leave one “tribalism” for another. There are so many divisions we have, as black people, as a group and within our group—African and African American alike. Simply ignoring this does nothing for anyone.
Foremost, there are many educated African Americans as well as there are Africans—you said this as if AAs are severely uneducated and should look to Africans to help us out. I don’t think—no, I’m sure no one here spoke anything against Africans—and certainly no one implied that we do not accept them as brothers and sisters.
More than this, a lot of Africans I know do not wish to be a part of “our group” because they are their own “group”. This goes back to culture and pride in one’s heritage—many AAs have the same sort of thing, but this does not mean that we can not work together and have respect for each other in spite and even because of those differences while embracing our commonalities.
Stockholm syndrome? Fallen in love? Please go back to the drawing board. AAs do not feel a loyalty to white America, they feel a loyalty to their ancestors and their struggle in America. Many AAs feel, and rightfully so, as if they should be able to benefit from the prosperity of this land. Since the ancestors of African Americans have built this country literally on their backs— through blood, sweat, and tears, they feel obligated to this country if for no other reason other than their ancestor’s struggle.
To many of them, rejecting it would be rejecting the many lives given in the struggle and tenacity for freedom, civil rights, and justice. I get the feeling that you think AAs and WAs share the same culture; AAs have a subculture within the dominate culture— some things are similar but many things are different.
You talk as if you’ve discovered a rainbow with gold at the end of it that has an easy-to-follow instruction guide on how to obtain the prize. Obviously, I have a few issues with this. It sounds like a grand idea, really it does, but have you thought of the underlying implications of this?
Africa’s economy is not faring so well right now. Yes, Africa is the motherland of AAs, but if AAs came there building things, creating more jobs, getting wealthy off Africa’s land, as many whites have done and continue to do, do you think everyone would be all “gun ho!” about it? Did I already mention that tribalism truly does exist in Africa?
I think the idea is plausible but there are many, many things to consider instead of assuming one could just go to Africa and prosper with nothing to worry about. Just Google what is going on in South Africa right now.
In case you haven’t noticed Africa is currently struggling and has its own set of problems.. and for many reasons, so when you say “prosper”…I’m not so sure what you mean. I agree that some of AAs problems can be resolved if we, as a whole, changed the way we did some things and thought about some things, though it couldn’t solve everything, it is necessary in solving some things. The same can be said for Africa and its unique set of problems.
I think learning our roots is very important, but due to that fact that AAs came from various parts of Africa and do not know which country, or better yet, tribe they may have originated from, as families were ripped apart, names changed, and little historical records available on former slaves this makes something like that hard to do.
Owning all of Africa is noble but not realistic, as Africa has so many different languages, tribes, and customs. It’s not only unrealistic because there are so many but unrealistic because, in truth, we do not own them all.
There are DNA test that could do pinpoint tribes in Africa via DNA but it is costly, and beyond this–I don’t think this should denote me, as who I am and everything that consist of. I appreciate the motherland and connect with it, but on a greater level I appreciate my ancestors and their undying love in the struggle. My ancestors willingly died so that my life could be better—that’s something Africa, Europe, America or the likes can neither give nor take away from me.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23780855/
Calvin DaSilvio:
There are quite a few things you fail to understand.
African Americans and tribalism? I do not think that by acknowledging our differences in culture is tribal at all, especially when no one is claiming superiority…just the fact that there is a difference in as much as there is a commonality. It becomes tribalism when there is conflict because of the differences in tribes.
African countries have tribes— that have been in existence for a very long time, and many of them are at strife with each other because of the different tribes and tongues they speak…influence/power in the government based on tribes, genocides etc (this is the phenomena of tribalism)—and a lot of this just boils down to pride and ego.
Hypothetically speaking, and looking only in terms of “tribalism”, as you have termed it, AAs would basically leave one “tribalism” for another. There are so many divisions we have, as black people, as a group and within our group—African and African American alike. Simply ignoring this does nothing for anyone.
Foremost, there are many educated African Americans as well as there are Africans—you said this as if AAs are severely uneducated and should look to Africans to help us out. I don’t think—no, I’m sure no one here spoke anything against Africans—and certainly no one implied that we do not accept them as brothers and sisters.
More than this, a lot of Africans I know do not wish to be a part of “our group” because they are their own “group”. This goes back to culture and pride in one’s heritage—many AAs have the same sort of thing, but this does not mean that we can not work together and have respect for each other in spite and even because of those differences while embracing our commonalities.
Stockholm syndrome? Fallen in love? Please go back to the drawing board. AAs do not feel a loyalty to white America, they feel a loyalty to their ancestors and their struggle in America. Many AAs feel, and rightfully so, as if they should be able to benefit from the prosperity of this land. Since the ancestors of African Americans have built this country literally on their backs— through blood, sweat, and tears, they feel obligated to this country if for no other reason other than their ancestor’s struggle.
To many of them, rejecting it would be rejecting the many lives given in the struggle and tenacity for freedom, civil rights, and justice. I get the feeling that you think AAs and WAs share the same culture; AAs have a subculture within the dominate culture— some things are similar but many things are different.
You talk as if you’ve discovered a rainbow with gold at the end of it that has an easy-to-follow instruction guide on how to obtain the prize. Obviously, I have a few issues with this. It sounds like a grand idea, really it does, but have you thought of the underlying implications of this?
Africa’s economy is not faring so well right now. Yes, Africa is the motherland of AAs, but if AAs came there building things, creating more jobs, getting wealthy off Africa’s land, as many whites have done and continue to do, do you think everyone would be all “gun ho!” about it? Did I already mention that tribalism truly does exist in Africa? I think the idea is plausible but there are many, many things to consider instead of assuming one could just go to Africa and prosper with nothing to worry about. Just Google what is going on in South Africa right now.
In case you haven’t noticed Africa is currently struggling and has its own set of problems.. and for many reasons, so when you say “prosper”…I’m not so sure what you mean. I agree that some of AAs problems can be resolved if we, as a whole, changed the way we did some things and thought about some things, though it couldn’t solve everything, it is necessary in solving some things. The same can be said for Africa and its unique set of problems.
I think learning our roots is very important, but due to that fact that AAs came from various parts of Africa and do not know which country, or better yet, tribe they may have originated from, as families were ripped apart, names changed, and little historical records available on former slaves this makes something like that hard to do. Owning all of Africa is noble but not realistic, as Africa has so many different languages, tribes, and customs. It’s not only unrealistic because there are so many but unrealistic because, in truth, we do not own them all.
There are DNA test that could do pinpoint tribes in Africa via DNA but it is costly, and beyond this–I don’t think this should denote me, as who I am and everything that consist of. I appreciate the motherland and connect with it, but on a greater level I appreciate my ancestors and their undying love in the struggle. My ancestors willingly died so that my life could be better—that’s something Africa, Europe, America or the likes can neither give nor take away from me.
As-Salaamu `Alaykum,
Regarding those DNA tests, 60 Minutes did a special on those tests. You could go to 4 different companies and be told that you’re lineage is from 4 different areas of African. Only males can supposedly trace their paternal & maternal lineage while females cannot due to the DNA test limitations. Besides, over 14 generations of mixing cannot tell us any definitive as was previously stated.
Which takes me into the whole labeling of AA. We don’t have much in common with Africans in the broad sense that we lack a healthy sense of tribal affiliation or healthy `asabiyyah as Ibn Khaldun defined it. In that sense, there isn’t much African about us besides some physical characteristics.
Africans have their tribal mind still to their benefit and detriment in some cases. That’s why West Africans can come into Harlem and basically set up shop and begin to run things while Blackamericans aren’t really busting a grape.
Regarding Obama, he’s not of the lineage of the ex-slaves. Besides his upbringing and blood lines, I truly believe that he has not suffered from the collective psychological trauma that Blackamericans still suffer from, which I’m not knocking. Good for him! Neither have West African immigrants.
So Obama isn’t a “brotha” to me. It has nothing to do with his mother being white either. Halle Berry is a “sista” to me, white mother and all.
Wassalaam.
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