BLACK HISTORY QUESTION???

[Rahlow]

Do the Tigre celebrate the accomplishments of the Afar?

Do the Bajuni Celebrate the accomplishments of the Lemba?

Do the Yoruba Celebrate the accomplishments of the Zulu?

Or is it you westernized 1st/2nd/3rd generation immigrants attempting to sell us some pie in the sky dream of some global African cultural solidarity (as if that was the African standard throughout all history) when we as Blacks in U.S.AmeriKKKa are descendants of those that were victimized and taken captive by these culturally rich, civil and humane tribes that we are supposed to pay some sort of homage to by stringing them along into the accomplishments that was made "here" (not over there). Africans aren't homogenous, that's just shit we are told over on this side.

Black in U.S.AmeriKKKa history started when Africans went off to fight kill & steal other Africans (obviously us Blacks in AmeriKKKa are the children of the defeated) to meet the demand (shipping and receiving/commerce) of white slave traders (who's "crew" was between 15 - 30 men on avg per ship)

That speaks to how we arrived here

And things like fighting in the AmeriKKKan Revolution, Civil War, Slave Revolts, the 100's of modern inventions or improvements on inventions "here" on this soil (U.S.A.) building railroads, designing D.C., our educators, writers, entertainers, lawyers, doctors all were born and bred here.

I'm not the type to blindfold myself and throw a dart at a map of Africa and then say "ok, i'll attribute all of their accomplishments to the black in Amerikkka experience" though we benefit nothing from those accomplishments because we don't reside where they put certain efforts into practice over there.

We have a unique history here and we would love for it to stand on its own merit because it is more near and dear to us than what goes on over in Africa. Our accomplishments have a direct effect on us and we take pride in it.

 

[StillFaggyAF]

What is so unique about African Americans as opposed to any other black groups in the world? What makes Af-Am so special? In 8 pages, no one has been able to answer that.

 

[Knives Amilli]

What is so unique about African Americans as opposed to any other black groups in the world? What makes Af-Am so special? In 8 pages, no one has been able to answer that.

African Americans are in the most unique circumstance of any ethnic group on the planet.

We are in a country that is not our own, yet the only homeland and heritage we have ever known.

We have no foreign support system in the form of a particular culture, language, religion, or national/ethnic background and we remain in the very land that not only enslaved us, but defined our very existence here as beneath everyone else's.

This differs from say Jamaicans, South Africans, Haitians etc. who at least are the principle majority in their respective countries and/or are in their ancestral homelands.

 

[Darth Sidious]

This is silly, what if whites went around now demanding to be called 'European Americans' even though they had no living breathing relatives in Europe for hundreds of years?

If you were born in 'Asia', become an American citizen you can call yourself if you want an 'Asian-American'

If you were born in 'Europe', become an American citizen you can call yourself if you want a 'European-American'

If you were born in 'Africa', become an American citizen you can call yourself if you want an 'African-American'

born in America, congratulations! You were born into one of the most awesome countries on the globe. You sir or madam are an 'American'!

 

[jono]

I'm also not one to just subscribe to a group because I share the same skin color as them.

Blacks in America have come off looking foolish on more than one occasion by using blanket terms and generalities.

Case in point: "Islam is the black man's natural religion"

Completely ignoring the Arab influence just because a few African countries are Islamic. Not taking into account that some ethnic groups have different religions.

Another is speaking Swahili.

Only a few East African countries speak Swahili and there are still hundreds of different dialects in between them because of the different ethnic groups within those nations.

The moorish science temple is laughable. Dudes really believe you can join an ancient ethnic group by signing some paperwork and this makes you immune to the laws of the United States.

To me, it's our differences and similarities that make each group special. They bring something unique, even if it's just a different perspective based on their nationality and their place in the world.

Haitians speak French, Brazilians speak Portuguese, Black Americans speak English (for the most part), that alone make us different. With speaking different languages it means we were held in bondage by different Europeans and thus our struggles differ..

This isn't a matter of one being better than another or anything like that but it's an honest look at the diaspora as that...a diaspora!

When these differences come together and acculturation begins we all become better for it. Unity doesn't mean becoming a black monolith, it's about understanding the differences between us and acknowledging those while using our similarities to fight a common battle.

We come from a diverse continent but we aren't allowed to be diverse? We come from a continent where every nation has a different history but we can't acknowledge our history?

Ultimately that's all this has been about. Is the ability to acknowledge the struggles and spreading knowledge about ourselves. That's it, this shit has taken on a life of its own due to the unnecessary whirlwind of emotions.

 

[StillFaggyAF]

What is so unique about African Americans as opposed to any other black groups in the world? What makes Af-Am so special? In 8 pages, no one has been able to answer that.

African Americans are in the most unique circumstance of any ethnic group on the planet.

We are in a country that is not our own, yet the only homeland and heritage we have ever known.

We have no foreign support system in the form of a particular culture, language, religion, or national/ethnic background and we remain in the very land that not only enslaved us, but defined our very existence here as beneath everyone else's.

This differs from say Jamaicans, South Africans, Haitians etc. who at least are the principle majority in their respective countries and/or are in their ancestral homelands.

bolded: wrong, you came from West and Central Africa, unless you think some white person plucked your out the ground in South Carolina one day

everything else you said is also incorrect

you really need to take a world history course

Did you know that every other region except the Danish West Indies imported more slaves than what is now America? Do you even know why there was African slavery in the New World? Where do you think Haitians came from? Do you know who Christopher Columbus is?

nothing you said is unique to America. try again.

 

[zombie]

What is so unique about African Americans as opposed to any other black groups in the world? What makes Af-Am so special? In 8 pages, no one has been able to answer that.

African Americans are in the most unique circumstance of any ethnic group on the planet.

We are in a country that is not our own, yet the only homeland and heritage we have ever known.

We have no foreign support system in the form of a particular culture, language, religion, or national/ethnic background and we remain in the very land that not only enslaved us, but defined our very existence here as beneath everyone else's.

This differs from say Jamaicans, South Africans, Haitians etc. who at least are the principle majority in their respective countries and/or are in their ancestral homelands.

you could say the say the same thing about black people in Brazil.

 

[zombie]

This is silly, what if whites went around now demanding to be called 'European Americans' even though they had no living breathing relatives in Europe for hundreds of years?

If you were born in 'Asia', become an American citizen you can call yourself if you want an 'Asian-American'

If you were born in 'Europe', become an American citizen you can call yourself if you want a 'European-American'

If you were born in 'Africa', become an American citizen you can call yourself if you want an 'African-American'

born in America, congratulations! You were born into one of the most awesome countries on the globe. You sir or madam are an 'American'!

are you black ? if not fuck your opinion.

 

[texas409]

call me the Kufi slapper!

 

[taeboo]

What is so unique about African Americans as opposed to any other black groups in the world? What makes Af-Am so special? In 8 pages, no one has been able to answer that.

African Americans are in the most unique circumstance of any ethnic group on the planet.

We are in a country that is not our own, yet the only homeland and heritage we have ever known.

We have no foreign support system in the form of a particular culture, language, religion, or national/ethnic background and we remain in the very land that not only enslaved us, but defined our very existence here as beneath everyone else's.

This differs from say Jamaicans, South Africans, Haitians etc. who at least are the principle majority in their respective countries and/or are in their ancestral homelands.

you could say the say the same thing about black people in Brazil.

You can, but the black experience in Central and South America differ from the our experience here in the US. There was far more racial intergration in those places then here.

 

[Darth Sidious]

Harry Smith arrives in Germany for a vacation and says to a passerby, 'I am a European-American!'. Passerby responds 'Wo sind Sie geboren?' 'Houston, TX'..laughs.

We are really talking about Culture here.

1cul·ture noun \ˈkəl-chər\

: the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time

: a particular society that has its own beliefs, ways of life, art, etc.

: a way of thinking, behaving, or working that exists in a place or organization (such as a business)

If you have never experienced first hand a particular culture or lived the life of someone you claim as your identity, it would be highly offensive to them I would imagine.

That is why Du has experienced hostility at times, they see him as the American that he is, coming from a super power country and the richest on the earth, you can't know their life unless you have lived it with them.

 

[zombie]

What is so unique about African Americans as opposed to any other black groups in the world? What makes Af-Am so special? In 8 pages, no one has been able to answer that.

African Americans are in the most unique circumstance of any ethnic group on the planet.

We are in a country that is not our own, yet the only homeland and heritage we have ever known.

We have no foreign support system in the form of a particular culture, language, religion, or national/ethnic background and we remain in the very land that not only enslaved us, but defined our very existence here as beneath everyone else's.

This differs from say Jamaicans, South Africans, Haitians etc. who at least are the principle majority in their respective countries and/or are in their ancestral homelands.

you could say the say the same thing about black people in Brazil.

You can, but the black experience in Central and South America differ from the our experience here in the US. There was far more racial intergration in those places then here.

That is a myth. In fact america today is more integrated than for example brazil is today.

what south america had was more race mixing and no one drop rule.

 

[zombie]

Harry Smith arrives in Germany for a vacation and says to a passerby, 'I am a European-American!'. Passerby responds 'Wo sind Sie geboren?' 'Houston, TX'..laughs.

We are really talking about Culture here.

1cul·ture noun \ˈkəl-chər\

: the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time

: a particular society that has its own beliefs, ways of life, art, etc.

: a way of thinking, behaving, or working that exists in a place or organization (such as a business)

If you have never experienced first hand a particular culture or lived the life of someone you claim as your identity, it would be highly offensive to them I would imagine.

That is why Du has experienced hostility at times, they see him as the American that he is, coming from a super power country and the richest on the earth, you can't know their life unless you have lived it with them.

Are you black or not?? white people always want to put there two cents in every fucking thing

 

[Knives Amilli]

What is so unique about African Americans as opposed to any other black groups in the world? What makes Af-Am so special? In 8 pages, no one has been able to answer that.

African Americans are in the most unique circumstance of any ethnic group on the planet.

We are in a country that is not our own, yet the only homeland and heritage we have ever known.

We have no foreign support system in the form of a particular culture, language, religion, or national/ethnic background and we remain in the very land that not only enslaved us, but defined our very existence here as beneath everyone else's.

This differs from say Jamaicans, South Africans, Haitians etc. who at least are the principle majority in their respective countries and/or are in their ancestral homelands.

bolded: wrong, you came from West and Central Africa, unless you think some white person plucked your out the ground in South Carolina one day

everything else you said is also incorrect

you really need to take a world history course

Did you know that every other region except the Danish West Indies imported more slaves than what is now America? Do you even know why there was African slavery in the New World? Where do you think Haitians came from? Do you know who Christopher Columbus is?

nothing you said is unique to America. try again.

Since apparently you like to skim posts and only respond to tidbits that suit your argument; i'm gonna slow this down for you:

Firstly, my post said "we are in a country thats not our own, yet the only homeland we've ever known"

Meaning: Our original ties are back in Africa, yet we are so removed from our original culture (due to systematically institutionalizing African slaves for their life in the New World) that all we know is America. You'd have to be a goddamn retard or a contrarian to not agree with this.

Secondly,

All of that other information you posted is completely irrelevant to everything in my post.

Why?

Because in every other region where slavery occurred, people of color with African ancestry make up the MAJORITY of these countries. Even in Brazil @zombie, where Black and mixed Brazilians make up the majority of the population there.

Once again, African Americans are UNIQUELY in a country that is not their own, have created a hodgepodge culture far removed from their own, have no definite ties to their original homeland, and are the MINORITY in their "adopted" homeland.

 

[zombie]

What is so unique about African Americans as opposed to any other black groups in the world? What makes Af-Am so special? In 8 pages, no one has been able to answer that.

African Americans are in the most unique circumstance of any ethnic group on the planet.

We are in a country that is not our own, yet the only homeland and heritage we have ever known.

We have no foreign support system in the form of a particular culture, language, religion, or national/ethnic background and we remain in the very land that not only enslaved us, but defined our very existence here as beneath everyone else's.

This differs from say Jamaicans, South Africans, Haitians etc. who at least are the principle majority in their respective countries and/or are in their ancestral homelands.

bolded: wrong, you came from West and Central Africa, unless you think some white person plucked your out the ground in South Carolina one day

everything else you said is also incorrect

you really need to take a world history course

Did you know that every other region except the Danish West Indies imported more slaves than what is now America? Do you even know why there was African slavery in the New World? Where do you think Haitians came from? Do you know who Christopher Columbus is?

nothing you said is unique to America. try again.

Since apparently you like to skim posts and only respond to tidbits that suit your argument; i'm gonna slow this down for you:

Firstly, my post said "we are in a country thats not our own, yet the only homeland we've ever known"

Meaning: Our original ties are back in Africa, yet we are so removed from our original culture (due to systematically institutionalizing African slaves for their life in the New World) that all we know is America. You'd have to be a goddamn retard or a contrarian to not agree with this.

Secondly,

All of that other information you posted is completely irrelevant to everything in my post.

Why?

Because in every other region where slavery occurred, people of color with African ancestry make up the MAJORITY of these countries. Even in Brazil @zombie, where Black and mixed Brazilians make up the majority of the population there.

Once again, African Americans are UNIQUELY in a country that is not their own, have created a hodgepodge culture far removed from their own, have no definite ties to their original homeland, and are the MINORITY in their "adopted" homeland.

In brazil mixed is a different race so black people are not really the majority. The racially ambiguous and white people make up the majority in brazil. You don't know what you are talking about and what about the black people in columbia there are millions of them and they are surely not the majority there. So once again african americans are not unique in the way you are trying to make them seem.

Even if right now black people were the majority in brazil that would be a recent reality. So that would not have that much affect on the people's culture.

 

[gns]

nah... g'head and name an ethnic group that only considers its history in America as their heritage... we'll wait...

oh you mean like how japanese americans separate their history after internment from that of people in japan?

/

lol, bruh,

we're not the same....you tryna force yourself on a people who don't even fuck with you....

i don't get that...

i mean it's one thing to trace your roots and learn the culture of a people...in all purposes, that's great..commendable...i love learning about different cultures and practices...but that's exactly what it is to me.. a DIFFERENT culture....

they got their shit...we got ours.....

we are the same, or at least MUCH more similar than we are different. don't you see that this shit is propaganda to turn each group against the other? africa is a huge continent, with all types of people, but why is it when they come here, people from 57 some odd countries can stick together but then look at african-americans as separate or different from them?

it's because of the the image of african-americans that is portrayed to the world, and on y'all end, you are being fed your own distorted image of what africans are like. so both parties are approaching each other with misleading first impressions.

you talk about things like jazz and literature and art that african-americans contributed to this country, but you don't think what made the art so great was the influences that were left behind from african culture?

don't let your negative experiences with a few misguided people lead you into thinking that we are really different or that there is real animosity there, because i could've easily believed that myself going off of how some african-americans have treated me. but people's ignorances are not telling of any real truths

my husband was born and raised in america and i only came here when i was ten, even though he may not have a distinctly different culture or language, i honestly feel like he, in essence, is just as african as i am while i feel i am as much a black person in america like he is.

sorry for the long post, this issue is near and dear to my heart. i just know if we all did more to look past our differences to find our common ground we'd all be better off

Excellent addition to the discussion. Many Africans that come to America quickly come to the understanding that they are Black. And although, I have never been to Africa many of my immediate family has, as well as friends and many while siting differences all have felt welcomed as Africans upon their visits.

Hey bruh, we already called ourselves black in our own countries.

I have no idea y AA's think the term black was invented and exclusive to Afro Americans.

 

[StillFaggyAF]

What is so unique about African Americans as opposed to any other black groups in the world? What makes Af-Am so special? In 8 pages, no one has been able to answer that.

African Americans are in the most unique circumstance of any ethnic group on the planet.

We are in a country that is not our own, yet the only homeland and heritage we have ever known.

We have no foreign support system in the form of a particular culture, language, religion, or national/ethnic background and we remain in the very land that not only enslaved us, but defined our very existence here as beneath everyone else's.

This differs from say Jamaicans, South Africans, Haitians etc. who at least are the principle majority in their respective countries and/or are in their ancestral homelands.

bolded: wrong, you came from West and Central Africa, unless you think some white person plucked your out the ground in South Carolina one day

everything else you said is also incorrect

you really need to take a world history course

Did you know that every other region except the Danish West Indies imported more slaves than what is now America? Do you even know why there was African slavery in the New World? Where do you think Haitians came from? Do you know who Christopher Columbus is?

nothing you said is unique to America. try again.

Since apparently you like to skim posts and only respond to tidbits that suit your argument; i'm gonna slow this down for you:

Firstly, my post said "we are in a country thats not our own, yet the only homeland we've ever known"

Meaning: Our original ties are back in Africa, yet we are so removed from our original culture (due to systematically institutionalizing African slaves for their life in the New World) that all we know is America. You'd have to be a goddamn retard or a contrarian to not agree with this.

Secondly,

All of that other information you posted is completely irrelevant to everything in my post.

Why?

Because in every other region where slavery occurred, people of color with African ancestry make up the MAJORITY of these countries. Even in Brazil @zombie, where Black and mixed Brazilians make up the majority of the population there.

Once again, African Americans are UNIQUELY in a country that is not their own, have created a hodgepodge culture far removed from their own, have no definite ties to their original homeland, and are the MINORITY in their "adopted" homeland.

So the only nations that exist that had african slavery in the new world are Jamaica, Haiti, the US and Brazil? word? have you ever left the usa? also, blacks and people of predominately black ancestry do not make up a majority in brazil

Your slave masters trained you well jesus christ.

 

[Bodhi]

No one yet has explained why African history should be left out of black history month.

Even though blacks in America, Europe, Asia, or Africa are all different, as I've already said, we are all in the same family.

Celebrating black history month while choosing to exclude your black family members makes no sense to me.

No, we are not clones but neither are my cousins and myself. Yet, we all celebrate our being family and talk of our accomplishments separately and as a unit during family reunion.

There are differences between northern, southern and western American blacks too. Blacks in the south are very different from blacks in the north. We have different cultures between ourselves as well. That does not mean we cannot come together for the sake of good, celebrate our being alive or acknowledge the fact that we are all family.

So again, what's wrong with celebrating the achievements and progress of not only our immediate American side but our black family worldwide? What is the problem? To me, it seems as if some of you have a chip on your shoulders. It should not be that way. Just because you've had a few bad experiences does not mean you should choose to disassociate yourself from an entire continent of people who happen to be your brothers and sisters.

 

[ReppinTime]

I dont personally think of africans when the topic of black history month comes up BUT I do remember as a child they pushed African shit on us extra heavy during black history month and I'm sure that has a lot to do with why I dont see a real distinction between us like some black americans I know do. For that reason its probably better to include africans in black history month. niggas dont know we the same if they not taught it.

 

[BIGG WILL]

Negro History Week (1926)

The precursor to Black History Month was created in 1926 in the United States, when historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History announced the second week of February to be "Negro History Week." This week was chosen because it marked the birthday of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

From the event's initial phase, primary emphasis was placed on encouraging the coordinated teaching of the history of American blacks in the nation's public schools.

Black History Month (1976)

In 1976 as part of the United States Bicentennial, the informal expansion of Negro History Week to Black History Month was officially recognized by the U.S. government. President Gerald Ford spoke in regards to this, urging Americans to "seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history."

Morgan Freeman, a critic of Black History Month, said: "I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history."

Also called

African-American History Month

Observed by

United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany

Significance

Celebration of African-American history

In his presidential proclamation for Black History Month 2014, President Barack Obama said the following.

As we pay tribute to the heroes, sung and unsung, of African-American history, we recall the inner strength that sustained millions in bondage.

5. The Observance Isn't Technically Called "Black History Month"

In his 1996, President Bill Clinton issued Presidential Proclamation 6863 for "National African American History Month." This differs from previous presidents' proclamations for "National Black (Afro-American) History Month"-- including those made by President Jimmy Carter and President George H.W. Bush's 1991 proclamation. In earlier proclamations, the words African-American and black were often interchanged. But every president since 1996 has proclaimed February simply as "National African American History Month."