Reflecting On African-Americans Grappling With the Black Or African-American Issue

Although the term 'African-American' gained currency in the late 1980s, it has not stopped the issue of whether to call themselves black of African-American, rearing its head ever since.

You may recall in 1998, the actress and comedienne Whoopi Goldberg, declared: "I'm not an African".  For those that know what Ms Golberg (born Caryn Elaine Johnson) looks like, here's a photo to jog your memory.

In 2007 Gallup published its research carried between 1991 to 2007 in which although there was a consistent preference for African-American, the overwhelming majority had no preference for African-American or black.

A Miami-based African-American called Gibre George is one of those not comfortable with the term African-American. He has a Facebook page called Don't Call Me African-American. "If you have to call me African, then you have to call everyone African," states George. In other words, either you describe us all as African, being that is the origin of the human race, or else call be American. One wonders how he describes his ethnicity/race on the American census form, as American is not one of the options.

He one of his earliest posts, George had this to say: "It is obvious that the inspiration for the classification of African American has nothing to do with those born of African descent. It is a radical group of Black Americans who hold to the anti-American views of those shared by Jeremiah Wright, Professor Gates, Jesse Jackson, President Obama and many others who came out of the radical Civil Rights Movement. Because of these things, I now part ways with the classification of African American because I hold no allegiance to Africa. I embrace the American qualities of freedom to worship, freedom to have my own opinion, freedom to express my views, freedom to achieve whatever it is God has created me to achieve. I hope that I will find others like me who are willing to break ties with the things that divide us, and embrace the timeless principles that have made this country the greatest nation on earth. That is why, when the next U.S. Census occurs, I will be making a new category just for me, the classification of being an American."

George and his like-minded folks were featured in an article published in February 2012 by Associated Press race and ethnicity specialist writer Jesse Washington. the article entitled 'Some blacks insist: 'I'm not African-American'' was picked up by The Guardian. You are welcome to read the whole piece. However, I'll pick up on a few points worth making here. 

"I don't like African-American. It denotes something else to me than who I am," said Smith, whose parents are from Mississippi and North Carolina. "I can't recall any of them telling me anything about Africa. They told me a whole lot about where they grew up in Macomb County and Shelby, N.C." 

When I first read that paragraph, I wondered whether good ole Mr Smith would have been comfortable if his family had regaled him with stories of how they'd ended up in the US from Africa. It seemed to me like a lame excuse to disassociate one's self from any African connection.

George is quoted in the article saying: "We respect our African heritage, but that term is not really us ... We're several generations down the line. If anyone were to ship us back to Africa, we'd be like fish out of water."

I recognise that African-Americans, and for that matter any African who's lived in the diaspora, would have a different lifestyle and hence may not easily fit into life in Africa. That's a different argument as to whether they are not Africans, simply because they've lived outside Africa for generations.

Malcolm X had this response to the latter issue: "Just because a cat has kittens in the oven, that doesn't make them biscuits." I would develop it further by offering this argument: A lion that's been kept in a zoo may be pampered and not have the skills to fend for itself in the wild, but does not stop it from being recognised as a lion.  

Jesse Jackson had this to say in the early days of propounding the African-American term: "Every ethnic group in this country has a reference to some land base, some historical, cultural base." It sound pretty much like the quote by the late historian John Henrik Clarke, who said: "A more proper word for our people, African, relates us to land, history and culture."

Jackson has made several visits to Britain, often under the auspices of OBV ( Operation Black Vote), for whom the term "black" is useful politically, and dare I say, financially. OBV literature talks in terms of black and Asian, and I think this may have made the reverend and veteran civil right activist's position on  supporting African-British, rather than black, on this side of the pond a bit shaky.

Long before TAOBQ was conceived, I had written to Jackson to get his take on supporting the African/African-British terminology, simply because he's recognised as the one that popularised African-American, and sadly, the Brits often take their lead from the Americans, rather than those at home. I did not get an answer. However in August 2007, when I heard he'd be visiting Stonebridge in north-west London, and more importantly Life FM, the local radio station I used to present on at that time, I made sure I was there to meet him. I re-printed my unanswered letter and added a copy of a document with a local flavour - the Brent Black Music History Project book and DVD I produced for our Brent-based voluntary organisation BTWSC.

On that fateful day, I'm not sure whether he shook our hands, but he certainly gave those of us standing in line as he walked out of the station's corridor. I did try to hand him my package, but that didn't go down well. So I gave it to the then local MP, and official host of that leg of the visit, Dawn Butler. Whether it got to him, or even made it unto the Virgin Atlantic-sponsored Equanomics tour bus, I don't know.

Luckily in December 2011, a call went out about a hastily arranged press release with Jackson at the OBV HQ. This time round, not only was I able to put into his hands a copy of our latest book, 'African Voices: Quotations By People Of African Descent', the reverend was kind enough to actually pose with the book, although there was no time to capture it as properly as I'd have liked on my video camera.

Click to see very short video clip of Rev Jesse Jackson posing with 

'African Voices: Quotations By People Of African Decent' book

But perhaps even better was the fact that I managed to join Jackson and his entourage on the tube journey to St Paul's, where he was heading to lend support and address the Occupy London protesters encamped in front of St Paul's Cathedral.  On the way from the tube station to the Cathedral, I tried to get Jackson's take on the African Or Black Question filming guerilla style.

Perhaps it's because of his long-standing and strong relationship with OBV and its related organisations, or maybe because he was distracted, the man recognised as having popularised the African-American terminology, was not unequivocal in supporting the African-British terminology within the British "context". Instead, he suggested one recognised the "real value" provided by coalitions of "blacks, Asians, Caribbeans..."

I'm convinced this is not Jackson's definitive position on the matter. Perhaps one day, when he's not caught on the hop, and in more relaxed circumstances, we'll get a "proper" answer.

Going back one more time to Washington's piece, he highlights the views of Tomi Obaro, a young woman brought from London by Nigerian parents, and who's now a US citizen. African-American "sort of screams this political correctness" opines Obaro. She and her black friends rarely use it to refer to themselves, except when they're speaking in "proper company" - whatever that means.

This weekend, just before I got round to write this piece, I got a phone call from my friend Kienda (who's featured in 'The African Or Black Question' documentary), not only to inform me of the sad news of the passing of Whitney Houston (RIP), but also that he had come by BlackPlanet alert on an article and video dealing the Are You Black Or African-American? issue. The BBC World Service's World Have Your Say programme also recently dealt with the same issue - click to hear it.

Guess this issue is something that's going to run and run. But as per our first post-event press release, we've moved on from that discussion. TAOBQ's next phase is focused on dealing with what it means to be a global African.

Kwaku
www.TAOBQ.blogspot.com

2005: 'African British' Identity Tops Poll

This 2005 piece is taken from Ligali.org, an African human rights organisation. Its founder Toyin Agbetu highlights a couple of polls that had ‘African British’ as the preferred terminology for identifying Africans in Britain. Toyin ends with a piece that lays out Ligali’s position on the matter. Kwaku www.toabq.blogspot.com African British identity tops poll

Submitted By: Ligali Media Network Date: Sat 30 April 2005

The name African British has topped two community polls for the preferred term to describe people previously mislabelled ‘black’.

African British has been the preferred name advocated by the Ligali organisation to describe all British nationals with antecedents originating directly from Africa or indirectly via African diasporic communities, such as those in the Caribbean and South America. The label ‘Black’ has been the subject of much debate over recent years, with many people citing the need to move away from a label that disengages African people with their place of cultural and historical origin. A poll on the online Village forum, part of the Blacknet website, revealed that at least 40% of respondents preferred the name African British while 24% opted for the label ‘black’. Currently, the African Foundation for Development also has a poll running on its website posing the question should we adopt the term African British? At the time of writing, the poll revealed that 50% of participants voted for African British while 32% of people voted against. The increasing awareness and usage of the term has seen individuals including journalist, Henry Bonsu and organisations such as AFFORD, the African British IT Association and the youth organisation Insaka asserting and self-defining themselves as African British.

AFFORD Identity Poll 2005

Blacknet Identity Poll 2005

LIGALI Comment Accepting Africa is an integral part of our identity and culture has been one of the primary reasons that we took the stance to reject the label ‘black’ in favour of African to describe our identity. While some people will inevitably find the shift away from ‘black’ - a term that was previously a word of power - a difficult process, it is nevertheless inevitable that we reassert our identity in order to complete the revolutionary cycle back to our original identity. The English language has always been a tool of oppression for African people and the association with the word ‘black’ and its respective metaphorical and social connotations was never an accident. Black has become what ‘negro’ and ‘coloured’ were to their respective generations: redundant, inaccurate and disengaging. A small minority of people have claimed that there is a need to ‘reclaim’ the racially offensive N word in order to take control of its meaning and turn it into a powerful form of reference. These misguided individuals have inevitably failed. Not only can you never really reclaim something that was never yours but it has led to racist minded people using the word more and more with the defence that ‘Black people use it too’. If we are to reclaim anything, let it be positive and connected to our true origin and heritage; Reclaim Africa by being African, reject colonisation of the mind through language by rejecting ‘black’. One of the greatest African American activists, Malcolm X recognised the importance of language. While he had not yet fully rejected the label ‘black’ before his untimely death, he did recognise the importance of the African identity; We, Afro-Americans, people who originated in Africa and now reside in America, speak out against the slavery and oppression inflicted upon us by this racist power structure… …[The] term, "negro," is erroneously used and is degrading in the eyes of informed and self-respecting persons of African heritage. It denotes stereotyped and debased traits of character and classifies a whole segment of humanity on the basis of false information. From all intelligent viewpoints, it is a badge of slavery and helps to prolong and perpetuate oppression and discrimination. Persons who recognize the emotional thrust and plain show of disrespect in the Southerner's use of "nigra" and the general use of "nigger" must also realize that all three words are essentially the same. The other two. "nigra" and "nigger" are blunt and undeceptive. The one representing respectability, "negro," is merely the same substance in a polished package and spelled with a capital letter. This refinement is added so that a degrading terminology can be legitimately used in general literature and "polite" conversation without embarrassment. The term "negro" developed from a word in the Spanish language which is actually an adjective (describing word) meaning "black," that is, the color black. In plain English, if someone said or was called a "black" or a "dark," even a young child would very naturally question: "a black what?" or "a dark what?" because adjectives do not name, they describe. Please take note that in order to make use of this mechanism, a word was transferred from another language and deceptively changed in function from an adjective to a noun, which is a naming word. Its application in the nominative (naming) sense was intentionally used to portray persons in a position of objects or "things." It stamps the article as being "all alike and all the same." It denotes: a "darkie," a slave, a subhuman, an ex-slave, a "negro." Afro-Americans must re-analyze and particularly question our own use of this term, keeping in mind all the facts. In light of the historical meanings and current implications, all intelligent and informed Afro-Americans and Africans continue to reject its use in the noun form as well as a proper adjective. Its usage shall continue to be considered as unenlightened and objectionable or deliberately offensive whether in speech or writing. We accept the use of Afro-American, African, and Black man in reference to persons of African heritage. To every other part of mankind goes this measure of just respect. We do not desire more nor shall we accept less. Source: Program of the Organization of Afro-American Unity ‘Black was our poker branded label, African is our liberated name’ – The Ligali Organisation

We Kick Off Our 1st Blog By Re-visting Our Position On African/Black History Month

The Other Side Of African/Black History Month

By: Awula Serwah & Kwaku 
First published on Ligali.org on 12 September 2011 Republished at NewAfricanPerspective

Awula Serwah & Kwaku reflect on the challenges and progressive way forward for African history Month in the UK

We have mixed feelings when we hear or read that some councils are reluctant to celebrate African/Black History Month (A/BHM). Why? Because much of what’s put out as A/BHM fare is often devoid of history. It often entertains but seldom increases knowledge of African history. So for example, we did not join the bandwagon last year demanding that London Mayor Boris Johnson reinstates his massively slashed A/BHM budget. But on the other hand, we did not oppose those who were campaigning for the budget to be re- instated.

This is because public bodies such as councils, have a duty to celebrate initiatives such as A/BHM. The 1987 African Jubilee Year Declaration, which most London councils signed up to, enjoined them to mark A/BHM. The Declaration drew its strength from sections of the 1976 Race Relations Act, strengthened by the 2000 Amended Race Relations Acts, which enjoins them to “promote race equality, equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups”.

The Declaration recognised the contributions of Africans to the cultural, economic and political life of London and the UK, and called upon councils to recognise this fact and take their duties as enjoined by the Race Relations Act very seriously, and to do everything in their power to ensure that African* children did not lose the fact of the genius of their African-ness.

We have to acknowledge that a lot of events billed as A/BHM events have little to do with history, and donot improve knowledge of African history. Face painting, fashion shows, singing and dancing etc. taking place in October, are billed as A/BHM events, when in reality they are simply entertainment.

There is nothing wrong with singing and dancing, and it has its place, but A/BHM is not about entertainment. It is an opportunity to learn about African history and achievements, which are largely absent in the mainstream. By focusing on pure entertainment, we perpetuate the perception that our areas of expertise are limited to entertainment. Besides, we have a regular diet of entertainment and culture throughout the year.

We can of course argue that we do not want one month or a season to focus on our history, and that our achievements should be in the in the curriculum and mainstream 12 months of the year, and not just in October.

This is a valid argument. However, if we are arguing that councils have a duty to celebrate A/BHM, then we must ensure that where possible, informed Africans are in the driving seat or part of the decision-making process, and that A/BHM events improve knowledge of our history from an African perspective.

Africans have achieved

It is unfortunate that some A/BHM events focus on enslavement, as if our history starts with enslavement and that there are no other worthy stories to be explored. Others simply regurgitate information on the “usual suspects” - Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and now President Obama, etc., overlooking what has happened in Britain.

Perhaps some of our young people will show more respect for their elders when they learn what has been achieved through sacrifice and activism of their elders and forebears in Britain.

It’s not just Boris Johnson’s City Hall cuts we should be focusing on - after the hullabaloo in 2007, where all the London councils were involved in promoting Wilberfarce and A/BHM events, some councils have since either reduced or totally cut their A/BHM budgets.

Hillingdon for example, does not support A/BHM, which has been replaced with a patchy Hillingdon History Month in October. An African councillor in Hillingdon, Cllr June Nelson*, is putting forward a motion for the Council to re-instate A/BHM. Also, this year, Westminster has cut its A/BHM funding. It had done some good work in the past, particularly in making accessible the rich African history within its archives, and providing talks that highlighted key historic figures who operated within the borough.

2

Boroughs can be brought to account, if there is the will within the community to seriously engage with such structures. A case in point is Harrow Council. Thanks to the intervention of informed Africans, A/BHM in Harrow is now about the history of Africans, and it is made clear that the term African refers to the continent of Africa and its diaspora. Whilst the process is driven by Africans, the aim is for everyone irrespective of race, to participate in the events, and improve their knowledge of African history. In addition, there is an annual theme for funded events, which must have clear learning outcomes for participants.

A/BHM should always offer an opportunity for all sections of the community to learn something positive about the history of Africa and its diaspora. Perhaps before each A/BHM event, a short statement should be read, reiterating the reasons why A/BHM came into being, lest we forget.

It is amazing the number of times, in defending the maintenance of A/BHM, Africans say things like “We don’t know our history” or “They didn’t teach us African history in school”. It will be irresponsible of Africans to wait each year for BHM to learn about their history. There are a numerous and free resources available that provide information on African history from an African perspective. It is our responsibility to educate ourselves and our children on African history. We can decide to buy our children books and resources that will raise their self-esteem, or buy them the latest electronic games - the choice is ours. Finance is no excuse. There are families on minimum wage or benefits who raise their children with positive African values, history, and knowledge of who they are.

It is important for us to acknowledge what Africans have achieved in spite of the barriers. We should not, like the mainstream, continuously tell the one or two stories, such as the poor and helpless story, or the under-achievement story. Also in light of the August 2011 incidents, African pundits and teachers should be mindful of pushing the notion that Africans did not suffer loss, because they do not own property or businesses.

Africans have owned property and businesses in Britain for centuries. One of the Sons Of Africa abolitionists, Ignatius Sancho, voted in the 1780 parliamentary elections. In those days non-property owners could not vote, and Sancho was able to vote because he was a business owner – a shopkeeper, in Westminster.

We cannot afford to rob our children of hope by regurgitating the tired story of Africans in Britain as powerless victims of the system, who do not own anything. We are the descendants of overcomers, the likes of Nana of the Maroons, Marcus Garvey, Paul Stephenson, etc.

It is important that we tell the story of Africans who have navigated the system, own businesses and property, and have broken the glass ceiling to demonstrate that whilst we must redouble our efforts to remove barriers, some Africans have

been able to jump over the barriers and achieve. We do not lose anything by hearing their stories, and they can sow the seeds of inspiration to achieve great things.

Kwaku is the founder of the BritishBlackmusic.com (BBM) and Black Music Congress (BMC). He is NVQ assessor, tutor, journalist, music and media industry consultant and facilitator.

Ms Serwah is a Ghanaian-born barrister, social activist, and a Brent Citizenship Award 2007 awardee. She is the co-founder of community organisation, BTWSC and was appointed a notary public in 2010.

Collectively they have produced several notable publications including the NARM Role Model Book, African Voices: Quotations By People Of African Descent and Voice From Afar.

NARM (Naming And Role Model) African British Civil Rights History BHM 2011 events across London

* Press release following Cllr June Nelson A/BHM motion, which was defeated in Hillingdon Council, issued by the Labour Group Office:

Press Release

At the full council meeting on Thursday 8th September Cllr June Nelson gave an impassioned speech in moving a Labour Motion calling for the Council to re-instate October as Black History Month. This is because the internationally recognised Black History Month has, for the past few years, been renamed in Hillingdon to “Hillingdon History Month” and the commemoration and celebration of the achievements of African people has been watered down considerably.

The ruling Conservative group on Hillingdon Council, who are responsible for the renaming of the month and the move of focus away from Black people, voted the motion down on a very flawed argument that they were being inclusive by dedicating the month to all the residents of the borough, rather than just those from the Black community. The Conservative group also called for a recorded vote, so that they could use their flawed argument against the Labour group in their political propaganda.

This one issue highlights just how badly the Conservatives in Hillingdon understand what it means by being inclusive and cultivating true community spirit across all strands of our society. What they just don’t understand is that in order for communities to come together and breakdown barriers, they must understand and celebrate their differences.

During the debate Cllr John Major highlighted the flawed thinking of the Tory group be illustrating that throughout the year there are a number of days and weeks dedicated to one particular group or another, but none of these are at the exclusion of others, but they serve to focus attention on that particular group or issue, so that everyone understands and that any myths or fears of what makes us different are dispelled. After the meeting Cllr Mo Khursheed, Leader of the Labour Group, said:

“The flawed thinking of the Tory group is exactly what creates tensions and issues amongst our community. The renaming of “Black History Month” to “Hillingdon History Month” on the basis that it includes all residents and not just the Black ones amounts to the same as renaming “Christmas” to “Hillingdon Winter Festival” on the basis that it will include all residents and not just the Christian ones.

The Tories used to claim that it was the “loony left” that was to blame for political correctness gone mad, but the flawed thinking of this Tory council proves otherwise.” Cllr Khursheed added “I am glad that the Tories called for a recorded vote because you only have to look at the makeup of the Labour Group to see that we represent the whole community, and as such we welcome diversity and anything that will help different sections of our community understand each other, celebrate our differences and break down barriers”.