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African american cultures and traditions
African american cultures and traditions
African american cultures and traditions
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Dear Editor
In response to the article “Rooting for Africa” published in the May issue of ‘BBC Focus on Africa’ magazine, I truly think it is a remarkable thing for African Americans to trace their roots to Africa. I believe it will benefit both the African Americans and Africans.
“Rootedness is essential for any human being.” It is consequential for individuals to know where they originate, so that they can have a sense of identity and belonging. Since their ancestors were shipped to the US many years ago, African Americans “culturally... are now different”; finding their roots and actually acquiring citizenship in that particular country would aid them to learn about their ancestors’ culture and in that way, they can easily unite with Africans. It is an inevitable fact that ancestors of African Americans were inequitably dragged to the US for slavery, therefore by going back to Africa; African Americans will be honouring and retaining their ancestors’ dignity that was stolen away from them; and please their resting souls.
Beyond any reasonable doubt, “their colour obviously points back to Africa... mannerism and cultural expression... are traceable to Africa.” However, some critics have been insinuating inaccuracy of the DNA testing, therefore finding it futile for African Americans to trace their roots. I strongly believe they are wrong. In comparison with other options available, like the oral traditions, DNA testing is the most precise and the best alternative. African Ancestry has a database of “25000 samples from 30 countries and 200 ethnic groups.” Because we are not solely interested in finding the literal parents of an individual, but the ethnic group in which they belong, I trust that this database is large en...
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...ericans’ enthusiasm shows their seriousness towards finding their ancestry and coming back to their ‘motherland’. Even though some critics made some acidic and pessimistic comments, the African Americans were “not deterred by them,” revealing their determination and a certain level of maturity towards this issue. Considering the fact that “there has been a change too in the way Africans see African Americans,” it would be easy for African Americans to interact with Africans and learn about their ancestors’ culture.
“Rooting for Africa,” can transform the way people view Africa, and bring an aspect of unity to the whole communal world, without classifying communities as ‘under-dogs’ and superior. Consequently, I sincerely advocate the idea of finding ancestry and I believe it could bring a positive change to Africa and to the wider world.
Yours Faithfully
In Brent Hayes Edwards essay, “ The Use of Diaspora”, the term “African Diaspora” is critically explored for its intellectual history of the word. Edward’s reason for investigating the “intellectual history of the term” rather than a general history is because the term “is taken up at a particular conjecture in black scholarly discourse to do a particular kind of epistemological work” (Edwards 9). At the beginning of his essay Edwards mentions the problem with the term, in terms of how it is loosely it is being used which he brings confusion to many scholars. As an intellectual Edwards understands “the confusing multiplicity” the term has been associated with by the works of other intellectuals who either used the coined or used the term African diaspora. As an articulate scholar, Edwards hopes to “excavate a historicized and politicized sense of diaspora” through his own work in which he focuses “on a black cultural politics in the interwar, particularly in the transnational circuits of exchange between the Harlem Renaissance and pre-Negritude Fran cophone activity in the France and West Africa”(8). Throughout his essay Edwards logically attacks the problem giving an informative insight of the works that other scholars have contributed to the term Edwards traces back to the intellectual history of the African diaspora in an eloquent manner.
Concerning the nature of myths, one can often find that they are built on broad generalization lacking the premises necessary to make a solid conclusion. Such was the same myths, Pier Larson sought to disprove in his essay “The Student’s ‘Ten Commandments’.” Larson discuss damaging and caustic stereotypes that have worked their way throughout history to create a narrative that often subordinates Blacks when promulgated by a more affluent European society . One myth in particular appears to be quite troubling for its contradictory nature-that being the myth: all Africans are Black. Additionally, to be African is to be Black, Africans are not culturally diverse, and that Africans share one, essentially unified culture. Not only do I find these troubling for their outright abasement of African culture, which is plain to see, but rather for the duplicitous logic that lead to the creation of such myths, and why they remain so harmful when they are continued to be spread in contemporary.
In summary, Davidson successful traces Africa’s earliest origins and demonstrates that this is a civilization far from having no arts, technology, sophistication and unique culture. Culture and civilization as we know it today can be traced back to Africa, and modern science has verified the early perceptions of Europeans to be wrong. He provides more than adequate evidence of Africa having a history complete with vast and rich civilization, including archaeological finds and specialized interviews with distinguished scholars and philosophers. Despite the fact that society possesses a more positive attitude towards African civilization today in terms of recognition, equality, and acceptance than in the past, negative stereotypes are still acknowledged and modern day racism unfortunately exists. I believe that the existence of Davidson’s work and videos such as Different but Equal are crucial to challenging these stereotypes and discrimination in order to create a more accurate image of Africa and its history. Overall, Davidson proves that the continent of Africa is home to a history that is just as meaningful, comprehensive, and progressive as that of any other civilization in the
Olaudah Equiano's Interesting Narrative provides insight into cultural assimilation and the difficulties such assimilation. The writer embraces several Western traits and ideals yet guards his African virtues jealously. In doing so however, he finds himself somewhere in between a full European and a displaced African. This problem of cultural identity Equiano struggled with is still present in modern American society. The modern day African-American appears to also be in the process of deciding the between two competing cultures and often being left somewhere in middle becoming a victim of cultural identity just like Olaudah Equiano some 250 years ago.
It must be noted that for the purpose of avoiding redundancy, the author has chosen to use the terms African-American and black synonymously to reference the culture, which...
In conclusion, the African-American identity, while bonded to a portion of lost ties to Africa, is not bonded to mainstream American ideals of wealth, prosperity, or Western culture.
Professor Colin Palmer, author of “Defining and Studying the Modern African Diaspora,” is a Jamaican-bred historian.1 He studied at the University College of the West Indies/London and the University of Wisconsin.1 Dr. Palmer has taught history classes at Oakland University and the Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York and has served as the Chair of the Department of History for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.1 Additionally, Palmer has written numerous books on Black culture, including Slaves of the White God: Black in Mexico, 1570 – 1650, Human Cargoes: The British Slave Trade to Spanish America, 1700 – 1739 and Passageways: An Interpretive History of Black America.1 Based on his upbringing, schooling and work experience, Professor Colin Palmer is more than qualified to write about the modern African diaspora.
“The history of the American Negro is the history of this strife, – this longing to attain self-consciousness, manhood, to merge his double self into a better and truer self. In this merging he wishes neither of the older selves to be lost. He would not Africanize America, for America has too much to teach the world and Africa. He would not bleach his Negro soul in a flood of white Americanism, for he knows that Negro blood has a message f...
De Walt conducted. “"In Search of an Authentic African American And/or Black Identity: Perspectives of First Generation U.S.-Born Africans Attending a Predominantly White Institution” is a study that looks into the lives of six first generation US born African students and their lives on a predominately White college. Walt writes about how the students struggle to relate to African American students and what the author calls “continental Africans.” continental Africans are people who were born in an African country and have very strong ties to that country. As someone that would be considered a continental African, I still find it difficult to navigate between these two groups of people. Another interesting point that De Walt writes about is how thee definition of an African American has changed over time. Previously an African American would only include someone would is a “generational African American” which are people who have linage that dates back to slavery in the Unites States. Now it includes people that celebrate their US nationality and some other African country such as Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya (De Walt 484). Understanding this change in what it means to be an African American now is important because it highlights the intersectional nature of African students identities. African Students can be both America and African the research will focus on what that look like on a college
Overcoming unbearable, yet sometimes even fatal obstacles experienced from generation to generation to becoming some of the most profound leaders in the country we reside in today, tremendously increases my personal perspective on how honored I to be living life as a black woman. While being a student in ADW this semester, I have been exposed to several critical analysis and historical texts written by authors such as Michael Gomez, Paulo Freire, and Ruth Hubbard that informed me about various important aspects that occurred in constructing our African Diaspora. Reading these analysis, I was informed about several positive roles performed by African women and other women of color whether it relates to politics, religion, health, and etc. The
In the book “We Need New Names” by NoViolet Bulawayo we see through Zimbabwean immigrant Darling’s eyes what it is like to move to the United States and how Americans treat them. They hold Darling on a pinnacle of African suffering and exoticism; not really like a human being from another country. It brings light to how Americans see the countries of Africa, along with their political climates. They expect Darling to know all the little things going on there as if Africa is one country. The book also showed me the social norms forced upon me as I grew up and how I viewed Africa and its countries. I have realized that I see them, “as though they were interchangeable parts of one big mess,” as stated by the New York Times, and not really like a diverse place with varying political and social climates.
...’s depictions of both traditional and modern beliefs in varying degrees illustrate the importance of both in contemporary Nigerian culture, as well as the greater Africa as a whole, and how both are intertwined and cannot exist without the other. In effect, she skillfully subverts stereotypes or single perceptions of Africa as backward and traditional, proving instead, the multifaceted culture of Africa. She further illustrates that neither traditional African nor western culture is necessarily detrimental. It is the stark contrast of the fundamental cultures that inevitably leads to clashes and disagreements. In the end, what holds African countries such as Nigeria together is their shared pride. Modern, western influences can bring positive changes to society, but new cultures cannot completely eradicate the foundational cultures to which a society is founded on.
Growing up, it has never been difficult spotting me in a crowd. Just look for the brown blip in the sea of pallor and you have a 99% chance of picking me. In a city of Mary Smith’s and John Johnson’s, “Michaela Benyam Zewde” sticks out like a sore thumb. My pride in my Ethiopian-American heritage is a characteristic I refuse to keep hidden.
Africa’s struggle to maintain their sovereignty amidst the encroaching Europeans is as much a psychological battle as it is an economic and political one. The spillover effects the system of racial superiority had on the African continent fractured ...
12 Million Black Voices by Richard Wright is a photo and text book which poetically tells the tale of African Americans from the time they were taken from Africa to the time things started to improve for them in a 149 page reflection. Using interchanging series of texts and photographs, Richard Wright encompasses the voices of 12 Million African-Americans, and tells of their sufferings, their fears, the phases through which they have gone and their hopes. In this book, most of the photos used were from the FSA: Farm Security Administration and a few others not from them. They were selected to complement and show the points of the text. The African-Americans in the photos were depicted with dignity. In their eyes, even though clearly victims, exists strengths and hopes for the future. The photos indicated that they could and did create their own culture both in the past and present. From the same photos plus the texts, it could be gathered that they have done things to improve their lives of their own despite the many odds against them. The photographs showed their lives, their suffering, and their journey for better lives, their happy moments, and the places that were of importance to them. Despite the importance of the photographs they were not as effective as the text in showing the African-American lives and how the things happening in them had affected them, more specifically their complex feelings. 12 Million Black Voices by Richard Wright represents the voice of African-Americans from their point of view of their long journey from Africa to America, and from there through their search for equality, the scars and prints of where they come from, their children born during these struggles, their journeys, their loss, and plight...