Not My Family

I felt disgusted when I first saw this picture. What disgusted me had nothing to do with the content of the image, but rather the ignorance that it addresses. Throughout the campaign the question of whether Obama is black enough has absorbed black America. I’m disgusted because this picture should be enough to put the debate to bed. But of course, it’s not.
First off, let me start by admitting that I once questioned Obama’s blackness, or rather his commitment to the issues that affect black America. I was persuaded by his light skin, by his “funny” sounding name and by the fact that white liberals love him so much.

Little did I know that Barack’s dad was from Kenya and that he has traveled there to visit his grandmother (bottom row, third from the left), who still lives there.

Despite the fact that you can’t get “blacker” than Africa, Barack’s direct ties to the motherland mean little to black Americans. Why, you ask. Because in America there is a disconnect between black and African. In the minds of many black Americans, the two titles describe two different groups of people.

Realize there’s a large number of black Americans who don’t consider themselves African. These are the people who resent the term “African American.” According to them it doesn’t accurately describe who they are because they were born in America and have never been to Africa.

How crazy is that?

Of course, there are cultural differences that create the disconnect, language being the most evident. But what creates the split more than anything is an understanding, or lack there of a shared history. Let me put it plainly—black people don’t really know shit about Africa.

Rarely were we taught about Africa in school and at home. Because of this, black people have a distorted, media-influenced, slavery-resenting notion of Africa and Africans.

For many black American’s, an understanding of Africa has been constructed by looking through National Geographic and watching PBS documentaries. When I was younger, we used to talk about certain women as having “African titties,” an idea we created from looking through discarded National Geographics in school.

Blacks here in America have taken the Roots mini-series and have made the characters represent what Africans are. Shit, Kwanza is not even African, but most black Americans don’t know it.

This inherited psychology is a direct consequence of the divide and conquer strategies employed by slave masters during the transatlantic slave trade. It’s sad to realize that it has persisted for so many generations. And even sadder is that since the wheels have been set in motion, it’s no longer the masters but rather the slaves who allow this mind state to persist.

What’s sad is that this form of self-segregation separates the struggles of black people around the globe. But back to the picture…

I felt disgusted because at this point, I’m sick and tired of ignorant people trying to deny my history.

I’m an African. I’m an American. I’m an African-American and I’m black. Regardless of what I call myself, my history has already been set in stone.

Tags: History, Race, Society | Mar 28, 2008 |

13 Comments, Comment or Ping

*SB*

This is a great piece troublman and I feel like this is a big issue within the African diaspora.

Im not quite sure why africans & african americans are so fixated on the technicalities of what makes someone black instead of embracing each other…I honestly think it has alot to do with ignorance and people’s realities.

I know africans who came to the US when they were young and they consider themselves black but i know others that came closer to adulthood who solely consider themselves africans…so maybe its related to how long you’ve been in the US, maybe not.

I think some africans dont consider themselves black because they want to avoid the inferior status that is associated with being considered black…not saying that its true but thats how alot of foreigners think. They want to seperate themselves from those that are considered are secondary citizens to progress in their environment…

I also think that black people have a grudge against africans because it was certain africans that assisted the white settlers in bringing slaves to the US. I think thats an ignorant way to look at it but its tru…i think its a sense of betrayal that black ppl carry with them…kinda like, they dont give a fuck about us so why should we care about them?…why should we embrace them?

its sad to me though because I think there is so much more to be focused on and so much more that can be accomplished if we work together rather than segregate ourselves on petty differences.

[Reply]
TROUBLMan

SB

I agree with you completely. Its sad that both parties have these complexes toward one another. Blacks think Africans are primitive and Africans think blacks are ignorant. These assumptions have be created by the same racist ideals that brought about and were used to justify slavery and colonialism.

[Reply]
Terry

I’m still not African-American. Just like black and white, its another term, coined in the 70’s to replace Afro-American, which replaced Negro…etc. It’s simply not a accurate representation of my family history. Take a look back at my history and you find Irish, Spanish, Portugese, Yaqui (Native American), Bermudian, and African (which is indeed the shadiest part of the lineage). And no that does not make me 1/6th African. I choose “black” for convenience, but African implies nothing more concrete than any other distinction. It’s a continent dammit, not a country. I hate all the umbrella terms we now use to categorize people in political inclusion and correctness. If you take it back to the beginnings of recorded human history, we are all African. Which makes the distinction useless. Origins are interesting and worthy of being investigated, but they are only part of an identity. What separates me from my African and West Indian friends is a cultural divide, their rich histories are different from my own and important in their unique ways. Even if we may be brothers and sisters 10 generations removed, what happened in the middle of all that is important and allows us to grow.

Is Obama black? Of course he is. Is he white? Yes. It’s his history, picking and choosing for political convenience or questioning whether Bill Clinton was actually the first black President is nonsense. (It’s funny, but that’s about all). When did semantics become the leading cause of blindness.

[Reply]
"a mom"

I didn’t realize this until about ten years ago that some black people felt this way. A few members of my ex-boyfriends family and I had a argument about being of African descent. The question was what do you check on your application. His sister said she checks nothing because she is none of those and sometime she checks white ust because. I dated a brother for a short time that said he wasn’t african. He thought that they were a bunch of people running around with bones in their noses and he could not identify. He didn’t know they had big cities and colleges etc. and that most people lived just like he did.

There are some people in america that don’t understand their history because they were never taught. Then there are those who don’t care to learn because they are trapped in a culture that tell them all the wrong things about what they are. I can’t believe how narrow some of our minds are here. When I was growing up we didn’t have people to teach us about ourselves and our ancestors. I didn’t get any black history unitl I was in college but what I wanted to know I went and found out on my own. The was never a question who I was and where I came from, where all came from.

[Reply]
"a mom"

Terry,
I agree with a lot that you said. I know that I am a mixture of French, latin, Indian and If I search further I find I am of English Origin. I’m saying this to say all these things about us are important, and If I could walk around with a sign saying I”m all of these I would. But as you said we are all African which history shows. We all come from somewhere. It is important for you to identify with whom ever you want. That’s your privilege and we all have that right. You know why you choose what you choose. Some people choose not even knowing their history or why?

[Reply]
Gureala

I caught a glimpse of this portrait earlier in the week, however, the version that I saw included some pretty offensive captions describing Barack and his fam.

As far as his “blackness” is concerned, it’s something that I never questioned, or felt that he had to prove himself on. In fact, before the media tried to divide the black community with the whole “is Barack black enough?” debate, I don’t think it was ever an issue for a lot folks. Fortunately, that tactic failed to produce the results that the “opposing forces” in the race were hoping for.

As far as the disconnect between Africans and African Americans, it’s definitely an unfortunate situation. However, as you pointed out, it’s been fueled by the many one-sided and often times inaccurate views that we’ve been presented with over the years–and that goes for both sides (Africans on Af-Ams, Af-Ams on Africans). At this point, it’s on us to work out the problem, but I’m not sure if some people are actually willing to open their minds and take the first step to do so.

[Reply]
BIG Tone

Maybe Obama wasn’t black enuff for some people but to white people he is plenty black enuff. Its the OJ theory: Cool enuff to hang out with but when the shit hits the fan…

You really can’t say African-American. Unless you were born in Africa and now are a citizen in the US. You have to say American-African. You are an American with African desent.

[Reply]
S E V E N

mann, this is crazy because i don’t understand what makes a person Black or White or African or anything else.. it’s a topic of origin but when it comes to people, but it seems as if it becomes a little more personal and people affiliate themselves with whatever culture comes closest to what they know.. can someone say African culture and Black culture are one in the same? No, i don’t believe so but if i’m wrong, someone let me know..

Also, I kinda agree with Terry when he says, “I’m still not African-American.”.. I’m not sure what it means to be that or what it means to be Black.. i just like being me.. hahahah.. (but of course i check either box on them damn forms and shit) but, call me ignorant if you please, but i need to know how i’m suppose to identify MYSELF with the African part off that isn’t looking down my family’s history.. but if this only about family trees and roots then i understand but i think that is where a lot of the issue comes into play, if anyone feels like me that is..

does that mean i’m still playing into the self-segregation and divide and conquer mentatlity that has been aimed at these/those/us/my people?

[Reply]
MERK

I remember me and Seven had a convo about this through AIM…thats bananas…but yo…i think that Obama is more black than alotta cat who questioned his blackness for the simple fact that: 1. he has a sort of direct connection of where he came from and even though he has a white grandmother…you can tell that he identifies with the struggle that the blacks that criticized him have also. 2. he aint said shit about black people bein too black so WTF just cuz he aint like “whats up my nigga” or walkin wit a Superfly lean dont mean his black is nulled…(not sayin thats all black folks, but chea)…Black recognize Black…and im black as hell…grandma’s from TX by ways of Jamaica (just found out that this is accurate)…but at the same time…i dont call myself black cuz i think it’s a term to categorize people…why cant a person just be a person…im Jai…he’s Bob, or she’s Jane…WTF?…

thats all for my rant…

sorry

[Reply]
Q.

good post..

i’m glad you (TROUBLMAN) began this with showing your cards as well (being one that questioned his Blackness).. it starts there.. Barack has been Black enough for me for over 10 years now based on his work in Chicago.. he was one of the few on the front lines (even though he was a politician) and in the neighborhoods making changes.. that showed his Blackness for me.. and that was enough.. if i ever would have questioned it, all i had to do was look to Michelle.. that’s a STRONG Black woman.. for me, “nuff said”..

in regards to terms, i’m Black.. but at the same time, i will respond to most of the terms that have been associated to our people.. at a certain point, to me, it’s semantics.. i got into an argument with a vendor handling a project for my client.. he mentioned how kids don’t refer to themselves as “kids”, so we needed to change the word.. i told him, that was false.. it was more people saying that than the reality.. when i was young i was on some “a kid is a baby goat, not me” stuff as well.. but i know when someone talked about “kids” i was in that group.. acknowledging and embodying are 2 different things.. a kid will/can acknowledge that, but they may not embrace it.. that’s where i’m at on the African-American vibe.. and for me, i give more respect to the Africans.. until i get my behind over to Africa, and bond with my cousins, i haven’t earned that right (in my eyes)..

but that’s just me..

[Reply]
Rellie

This is a good article, but a little one sided. SOME Africans look down upon/dislike American Blacks, they dont wanna be associated with us.

[Reply]
The R

exactly
it takes two

my fking stupid intern is African and I went to an awards banquet with him and his parents. The good doctors sat at the table with me for 2-3 hours and would not speak. Only my intern and his sister had anything to say to me while the good doctors spoke all night to one another in english…After all this crap I am his reference for his new job and because they know me he is getting a helluva good job. But I suppose I am just an African AMerican huh….

I’m cool with Africans but I do not like it when some..some of them have these lofty attitudes towards us

[Reply]
Crystal

everyone I’ve ever met has that attitude. They feel that they are african americans and we are not. And I agree - I am Black American. I am far removed from them. Africa is the land of my decendents. But I am American.

[Reply]

TROUBL

Not My Family

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