Pan-Africanism : Are You African or African American?

Are You "African" or "African American?"

  • I am African.

    Votes: 83 46.4%
  • I am African American.

    Votes: 52 29.1%
  • none of the above

    Votes: 44 24.6%

  • Total voters
    179
Blackbird, I'm in agreement indeed and very well said. Also many Africans and African Americans hold stereotypes against each other which does either of us any favors but build walls between our various cultures. Actually African Americans have more in common with English speaking Caribbeans, Stokely Carmichael comes to mind and my anecdotal experiences. But I have to say Africans tend to segregate themselves from African Americans and have a more profound admiration for white people and feel they are complemented and gratified by having white friends and tend to share stereotypical stories regarding African Americans. African Americans tend to be much more suspicious of white people and not so quick to give them credit and tend not to back stab any other culture around white people, we avoid subjects that will feed their sense of superiority.

So I am African American. I do hope one day Africans and African Americans can find a more profound bond and affiliation for one another because we could actually help each other and enrich the foundation in which we exist, in fact this is my wish for all cultures because the fact is we all are divided by class
in a hierarchy social structure dominated by oligarchs and corporate plutocrats from every corner of the world.

I have observed that too. A lot of Contemporary Africans have not had the direct violent experience of interaction with White People to see the African-American view point. So it creates suspicion. White People come to Africa as highly-paid expats and go back.

Due to lack of information on how The System has worked against the minds of African-Americans. It would be shocking to many that someone was released from jail after 44 years due to Cointelpro.

But at the same time, it is amazes many that it is Whites who seem to feel freer traveling to Africa.

No, with internet, I hope there will be a bridge.
 
I have observed that too. A lot of Contemporary Africans have not had the direct violent experience of interaction with White People to see the African-American view point. So it creates suspicion. White People come to Africa as highly-paid expats and go back.

Due to lack of information on how The System has worked against the minds of African-Americans. It would be shocking to many that someone was released from jail after 44 years due to Cointelpro.

But at the same time, it is amazes many that it is Whites who seem to feel freer traveling to Africa.

No, with internet, I hope there will be a bridge.

First of all, I hope both of us view the various takes of the African/black diaspora/etc. with good hearts and open minds, etc.

Above and beyond that, some among those who only accept the black only takes, in the states in particular, either have forgotten the early history of black migration back to the motherland, or are denying the facts:

I. e., some went back with whitewashed notions, etc., and it took generations for others to topple the regimes those weren't all that different, other than their skin shades, etc.

Not to deny generations elsewhere who had to rise above/beyond/etc. white colonial ones too, but let's do tell the rest of the story, etc.

FYI
 
I live for that day and I hope to see evidence of it in my surroundings. What I do see are African churches and food stores. There is pool hall many Africans hang out but I really don't see much uniting. I see an African business culture, Africans like to own business property, there are 2 office buildings that are African owned in my area of town. I also see Chinese and Africans pooling their money together to buy business buildings and business ventures but with very few African American connections, actually I know of none. That does not mean they are not there. I see Africans actually become business partners with white people too, there is a mortgage company that is African and white owned I know of. I really appreciate pan-Africans who seek those connections and also benefit from those connections because one day a business artery will flow freely and cause the rest of the African American community to take notice and join in. But at this point I don't see it perhaps in other parts of the country it is happening. If you know tune me in. The sooner the better.

One other thing, I live in Houston and I see Africans shopping in Chinese grocery stores. I have not figured that one out yet but as I said Africans seem to want to segregate themselves from African Americans. When I go to black clubs and businesses it is rare I see an African patronizing them. I think the Pan African movement is setting the example of reaching out and I hope those efforts become hugely successful to the point we can see evidence of it in our lives.
To understand petty capitalist Afrikans from the Motherland, and the Disapora, read "The West and The Rest of Us" by Chinwezui, an Afrikan from Nigeria. Notice I did not label him a Nigerian! Why you are at it, read "Decolonizing the African Mind" by the same author. You cannot develope a PanAfrikanist consciousness without serious research!!! Chinwezui very adequately explains the mentally of what he refers to as the"petty bourgeois African elite", which I submit describes the "petty bourgeois black American elite"! I promise you you will be able to connect the dots and understand! Hit me back after you have read Chinwezui. P.S. The only difference between the two groups, is that the black Americans don't know that they are Afrikans,...........yet? Some may never now! Smile
 

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