African American Cultural Appropriation

This is such a hard topic! It breaks my heart that we have to be divisive on this subject--as a Black American, I can attest to not only having to stand up for Africa from ignorant White people, but also from ignorant Black people who insist on repeating rhetoric they have clearly obtained from 4th grade U.S. Social Studies...

Africans have a right to be affronted--they have been in the Motherland holding down what traditions they could, all whilst White Supremacy looked down on them and snubbed what the rest of us clearly needed--culture. And Blacks worldwide have faired no better under this systematic oppression--in fact, one of the main keys of White Supremacy is division. Here in America we have a huge history of it...we have separated ourselves with ease after centuries of oppression, from young to old, to light to dark...now we like to be "enlightened" vs the "uninformed/brainwashed", which reminds me of how professionals like W.E.B Dubois tried to separate themselves from "common" negroes who they felt should be in effect wiped out.

I believe, however, and maintain in my heart, that African Americans are simply trying to reconnect at a wholesome level. In the same way Africans have been called savage for having the blessing of melanin that enabled them to be outdoors more than white men, so Black Americans have been called monkeys and lazy for this same melanated blessing of having the history of struggle we have. When we wear dashikis, or African dots on our faces, or even the ever prevalent Ankh tattoos and necklaces, we are doing two things.

1) We are trying to reconnect with a past that was ripped from us without our consent. We are from Africa. It is not our fault that our ancestors were enslaved, raped, lynched, bribed, coerced, and mutilated out of our culture. We deserve rich culture and heritage as well.

2) We are trying to uplift those overseas who are still called impoverished, uneducated, lazy, bankrupt, looking for a handout, corrupt, etc, and saying "No", because we know indefinitely that the cultures of Africa are rich, and that Black people worldwide are worthy and intelligent beings who contribute to every facet of society, not just in Africa but around the world. We should also keep in mind that plenty of Black people are able to trace where in Africa they come from. But for those of us who don't, that is just the way things are. We are still allowed to connect with Africa, and promote Africa as a beautiful, rich place of culture and diversity.

With that being said, I have an interesting opinion video to share to continue the thoughts further, one that I mostly agree with.



As well as an article on the subject of wearing African dots as an African American woman . I will add two quotes she wrote on the matter... First, "To appropriate means to take something for one’s own use without the permission of the owner; and, in this case, African-Americans descended from Africa, so do not need their own permission. Whether Gene or anyone else likes it or not, African-Americans are irrevocably bound to the continent of Africa." and Second, "until I take the time to thoroughly research the histories and meanings of this regal facial art, I’ll be over here barefaced and spotless."

I think it is important to do research as a Black American--our melanin does not give us a free pass to do whatever, whenever. But also it is important to reconnect with our roots, and share them in whichever ways bring cultural value back to us, as a people.