African American

[Colleen Thomas]

Luna wolf is African American, she isn't a regular but drops by occasionally. Des & renza of course. Yourself. Hmmm. I don't usually question anyone's ethnicity, so I really only know those of the ones who post pics.

*HUGS*

 

[BlackSnake]

Luna wolf is African American, she isn't a regular but drops by occasionally. Des & renza of course. Yourself. Hmmm. I don't usually question anyone's ethnicity, so I really only know those of the ones who post pics.

*HUGS*

I was just curious, not trying to start a rally or anything.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I was just curious, not trying to start a rally or anything.

I know. It just started me to thinking.

 

[Black Tulip]

Hi Snake,

Not completely on topic: you said you find yourself often the only African American in a crowd. That amazed me, it really did.
In the part of the city I live in, there are about 100 nationalities. So I see all hues and colors every day. I would have thought that would be more so in the USA than in the Netherlands. Even going to the center I would see a mixed crowd, it's not just my neighborhood.

I use the same nick on a dating site. My name gives people sometimes the idea that I have African roots. I never even considered the possibility people would take my name as an indication of my color.

Is that innocent or stupid?

 

[BlackSnake]

I know. It just started me to thinking.

It is a good thing that it starts people to think. I like that I don't have issues with my peers, friends and family, because I am African American. It wasn't always the case.

 

[Guest]

a very dear friend of mine, Det Crews is african american...also a published author... awesome guy, only posts in the mood thread on very rare occasions.

heres the link to his web site...go take a peek, you might just die to read it!!!
http://www.paytonville.com/
Curiosity

 

[Halo_n_horns]

Wasn't the vampire story called "Blade"?

Don't forget about "Blackula!" He was a great African/American vampire.

 

[BlackSnake]

a very dear friend of mine, Det Crews is african american...also a published author... awesome guy, only posts in the mood thread on very rare occasions.

heres the link to his web site...go take a peek, you might just die to read it!!!
http://www.paytonville.com/
Curiosity

I like the story, but not the web site. I would be more critical of a web site than a story. I can understand why he is published.

 

[Guest]

I like the story, but not the web site. I would be more critical of a web site than a story. I can understand why he is published.

thanks BlackSnake. im sure hell be happy to hear that you liked his story... the web site seems to be under construction still.

 

[Goldie Munro]

*standing ovation*

Like you, not only am I an American, I'm also part of a subculture. I'm not quite as "different" (for lack of a better word, babe....no harm meant) as some, but I've seen my differences in the eyes of others....I'm too "white" for many in my native subculture, yet I'm too "brown" to the white tourists when I'm at the large powwows with my native friends.

*shrug*

To answer you, Stingray...

yep, I'm an American, one of the original Americans, and my culture is important to me. The way you choose to live your life is your business, but I'm not going to sweep thousands of years of culture under the carpet, and just forget about it like it's yesterday's trash.

I agree so much with you Cloudy, be proud of your culture and connect with it any way you can. I am not American and I am not Black but I am an aware human being and I see and hear the discrimination that goes on in daily life but cannot hope to even begin to discuss this on a socio-political level. I am an idealist and a humanist at heart I suppose and wish that 'differences' could be seen as positive.

I come from a culture where machismo is paramount and a feeling of oppression from another country seems to some as all pervading no matter whatever changes take place - that is depressing! I suppose what I am trying to say is be proud of what and who you are and f*** the bastards!!

 

[sweetnpetite]

I did think that there was more African American women here, though.

I think there are more on the GB and on BDSM.

I do remember seeing quite a few, but they were not mainly on the AH. Since I've been spending all my time here, I don't see them much anymore.

My neighborhood is very diverse, we've got Hatians, Mexicans, Cubans, Asians (of all sorts), White, Black- not to many African American's though. I think most of the black people where I live think of African American as more of a Middle Class thing. (This isn't a middle class neighborhood) I do know a woman who lived in Africa as a child after her dad took her there (abducted her) and kept her- until she was old enough to come home on her own.

Suprisingly I know a few people who've been abducted! But that's way off topic. I have read before that the Black/African American community isn't really keyed into the internet at the rate of whites- but I don't know how true that is.

I'm white as a lilly, but I do have a few black people in the tree- and some First Nations too. All of the ethnicity just missed me! I wish I could be more help.

 

[sweetnpetite]

Yes, your question is legitimate. I get subtle and sometime not so subtle reminders everyday that I am different than the people around me. It doesn’t make me bitter, only aware. I am not merely an American, but a classification or subtype of American as seen by my peers, neighbors, friends, and family. In an acknowledgement, in which I am not afraid of, I chose the most correct description of my subtype; African. I am a descendant of Africans brought to America to perform labor. When I use the term black, the prefix of my username here, I am referring to the Webster’s dictionary definition: Evil; Wicked; Cheerless; depressing; gloomy; Being or characterized by morbid or grimly satiric humor; Marked by anger or sullenness; disaster; calamitous; Deserving of, indicating, or incurring censure or dishonor. I choose not to recognize my particular subtype of American with such a term or other terms that could be interpreted as less flattering.

I start my day being only the son of my father with the name given to me by my mother, until individuals recognizes that I am visually different from them and seek to communicate with in a perceived cultural dialect, “Whaz up, my man, my brother.” It is clear to me that the individuals are not being mean spirited, and they only wish to extend a warm greeting. It is clear to me that the individuals recognizes that there are differences between our American subtypes. It matters little that I was not raised in a ghetto or slum, or that the police did not show up in the neighborhood where I grew up, not out of fear, but because there was no crimes being committed that needed investigating.

It is because of the visual differences among Americans that I am not a mere American, but a subtype I choose to call African American.

I used to think that the term "African American" was kind of silly or pretensous or whatever. (as I said it's not used that much here)- It's not really a 'race' in the usual sense. You'd be the same race as Blacks in Africa or Blacks in Europe or whatever. And then what if a white African moved to America? Wouldn't they too be "African American"?-- I think that Theresa Hinz Kery made mention of the fact that that lable fit her.

Now, however, having done a bit more study- I feel that it makes more sense. (More sense than saying "Native American" in a lot of ways) African-Americans have a distinct history from either Africans (which are not all one people) or Americans (also not all one people). In many ways they are not the same as Blacks in other countries. To me it is a particular blend of history, culture (not in the 'hey my brother wazup' way), stuggles, and bloodline- sort of like how creole and mexican have become a distinct group unto there own.)

I don't really know how to explain it all, and especially don't want to sound condescending, but I now feel I have a somewhat better understanding of the term, although I still have a little bit of a knee-jerk reaction to roll my eyes at the term- at least as it refers to most of the people I know.

So anyway, I guess that's my understanding. I'm always trying to learn more about poeple and groups and cultures. Does any of my babbling sound right to you? Or should I go back to the librairy and start over?

As to your name of BlackSnake- I've never thought of it-- or you-- as Evil, so your connotation went on over my head with that one.

The nanner stoped dancing. Does that mean my time is up?

 

[BlackSnake]

...

I don't really know how to explain it all, and especially don't want to sound condescending, but I now feel I have a somewhat better understanding of the term, although I still have a little bit of a knee-jerk reaction to roll my eyes at the term- at least as it refers to most of the people I know.

So anyway, I guess that's my understanding. I'm always trying to learn more about poeple and groups and cultures. Does any of my babbling sound right to you? Or should I go back to the librairy and start over?

As to your name of BlackSnake- I've never thought of it-- or you-- as Evil, so your connotation went on over my head with that one.

The nanner stoped dancing. Does that mean my time is up?

I understand you. When I was young and I heard the term African American, I would say, "I'm from Alabama. I'm not African." Afro-American made more sense, because I had an Afro. See, I didn't think much about identity, only where I could get laid....leading into the next issue.


The username "BlackSnake" is a metaphor. I've been using the object longer than most users of this forum have been alive (i.e., 33 years no dry spells). I often wonder what my life would have been like had I not been introduced so young, would I carry so much guilt for the lives I've touched. Maybe not evil, but very dark.

 

[BlackShanglan]

I start my day being only the son of my father with the name given to me by my mother, until individuals recognizes that I am visually different from them and seek to communicate with in a perceived cultural dialect, “Whaz up, my man, my brother.” It is clear to me that the individuals are not being mean spirited, and they only wish to extend a warm greeting.

God help you, Blacksnake. You've more patience than I, and I am deeply impressed by your tolerance. When I was in London, I had enough trouble swallowing some individuals' atttitudes towards Americans (which the accent would tell them I was) - but the racist comments about the Irish (which I did not obviously appear to be by blood or nation) were at times enough to make me want to punch people. Some times the only thing keeping me silent was the sheer stifling weight of the number of things I wanted to call them, and the bitter knowledge that I was too angry to be coherent.

That said, I still miss London for the reasons that SNP and Black Tulip mention - I loved the diversity of the neighborhood we lived in. I have fond memories of the local corner shop owner standing on the street grinning from ear to ear and beckoning all passers-by by in to eat and celebrate the end of Ramadan, and the Jamaican curry house with goat rotis (lord, they were good!) and fish cake - which was not at all what an American thinks of as a "fishcake." It's dull where I am now, with a very homogenous population; I wish we'd invent some reason for anyone to want to come here

Shanglan

 

[R. Richard]

Yes, your question is legitimate. I get subtle and sometime not so subtle reminders everyday that I am different than the people around me. It doesn’t make me bitter, only aware. I am not merely an American, but a classification or subtype of American as seen by my peers, neighbors, friends, and family. In an acknowledgement, in which I am not afraid of, I chose the most correct description of my subtype; African. I am a descendant of Africans brought to America to perform labor. When I use the term black, the prefix of my username here, I am referring to the Webster’s dictionary definition: Evil; Wicked; Cheerless; depressing; gloomy; Being or characterized by morbid or grimly satiric humor; Marked by anger or sullenness; disaster; calamitous; Deserving of, indicating, or incurring censure or dishonor. I choose not to recognize my particular subtype of American with such a term or other terms that could be interpreted as less flattering.

I start my day being only the son of my father with the name given to me by my mother, until individuals recognizes that I am visually different from them and seek to communicate with in a perceived cultural dialect, “Whaz up, my man, my brother.” It is clear to me that the individuals are not being mean spirited, and they only wish to extend a warm greeting. It is clear to me that the individuals recognizes that there are differences between our American subtypes. It matters little that I was not raised in a ghetto or slum, or that the police did not show up in the neighborhood where I grew up, not out of fear, but because there was no crimes being committed that needed investigating.

It is because of the visual differences among Americans that I am not a mere American, but a subtype I choose to call African American.

Blacksnake:
I suspect that many here do not really realize the significance of being an African American in the US. I grew up (or whatever I did) in neighborhoods that were almost all African American. It was automatically assumed by most caucasians that African Americans were stupid, lazy and good for nothing except menial labor. Since it is fairly easy to identify many African Americans by the color of their skin, it is a very great handicap.

Since I am a very white caucasian, I saw the other side of the coin living in almost all African American neignborhoods as a poor white kid. (The African Americans made their own false assumptions about the white kid in their midst. Big mistake!)

However, the problem I have with the term African American is that there are Khoisan people who have lived in Africa for thousands of years and they are not Negro. I have been there and dealt with them and they are true native Africans (not European imports), but not Negro.

 

[stingray61]

Yes, your question is legitimate. I get subtle and sometime not so subtle reminders everyday that I am different than the people around me. It doesn’t make me bitter, only aware. I am not merely an American, but a classification or subtype of American as seen by my peers, neighbors, friends, and family. In an acknowledgement, in which I am not afraid of, I chose the most correct description of my subtype; African. I am a descendant of Africans brought to America to perform labor. When I use the term black, the prefix of my username here, I am referring to the Webster’s dictionary definition: Evil; Wicked; Cheerless; depressing; gloomy; Being or characterized by morbid or grimly satiric humor; Marked by anger or sullenness; disaster; calamitous; Deserving of, indicating, or incurring censure or dishonor. I choose not to recognize my particular subtype of American with such a term or other terms that could be interpreted as less flattering.

I start my day being only the son of my father with the name given to me by my mother, until individuals recognizes that I am visually different from them and seek to communicate with in a perceived cultural dialect, “Whaz up, my man, my brother.” It is clear to me that the individuals are not being mean spirited, and they only wish to extend a warm greeting. It is clear to me that the individuals recognizes that there are differences between our American subtypes. It matters little that I was not raised in a ghetto or slum, or that the police did not show up in the neighborhood where I grew up, not out of fear, but because there was no crimes being committed that needed investigating.

It is because of the visual differences among Americans that I am not a mere American, but a subtype I choose to call African American.

Very good post. Now I understand why you would want to indentify yourself in such a manner. I do relate to my Irish and Indian roots but not growing up around them I never really associated myself as being Irish-American or Indian-American. I do now however show pride in the cultures of my ancestors.

 

[stingray61]

*standing ovation*

Like you, not only am I an American, I'm also part of a subculture. I'm not quite as "different" (for lack of a better word, babe....no harm meant) as some, but I've seen my differences in the eyes of others....I'm too "white" for many in my native subculture, yet I'm too "brown" to the white tourists when I'm at the large powwows with my native friends.

*shrug*

To answer you, Stingray...

yep, I'm an American, one of the original Americans, and my culture is important to me. The way you choose to live your life is your business, but I'm not going to sweep thousands of years of culture under the carpet, and just forget about it like it's yesterday's trash.

The point I was trying to make is that African Americans for the most part don't seem to know much about African culture. That's what I see when I talk to them anyway. Many haven't been to Africa so I can understand why not knowing would be so. Even if they went it would be difficult if not impossible for them to relate to a specif part of African culture being that they can't trace it very well I imagine.

You on the other hand are here, where your Indian culture is and so may have been raised around it. Not like it was in the past certainly but your closer than most Americans are to their roots. Might be easier for you to relate to American Indians because of that closeness.

 

[BlackSnake]

Blacksnake:
I suspect that many here do not really realize the significance of being an African American in the US. I grew up (or whatever I did) in neighborhoods that were almost all African American. It was automatically assumed by most caucasians that African Americans were stupid, lazy and good for nothing except menial labor. Since it is fairly easy to identify many African Americans by the color of their skin, it is a very great handicap.

Since I am a very white caucasian, I saw the other side of the coin living in almost all African American neignborhoods as a poor white kid. (The African Americans made their own false assumptions about the white kid in their midst. Big mistake!)

However, the problem I have with the term African American is that there are Khoisan people who have lived in Africa for thousands of years and they are not Negro. I have been there and dealt with them and they are true native Africans (not European imports), but not Negro.

I'm not trying to solve America's problems.

Again, I was just curious to see who was African American here.

 

[BlackSnake]

God help you, Blacksnake. You've more patience than I, and I am deeply impressed by your tolerance. When I was in London, I had enough trouble swallowing some individuals' atttitudes towards Americans (which the accent would tell them I was) - but the racist comments about the Irish (which I did not obviously appear to be by blood or nation) were at times enough to make me want to punch people. Some times the only thing keeping me silent was the sheer stifling weight of the number of things I wanted to call them, and the bitter knowledge that I was too angry to be coherent.

That said, I still miss London for the reasons that SNP and Black Tulip mention - I loved the diversity of the neighborhood we lived in. I have fond memories of the local corner shop owner standing on the street grinning from ear to ear and beckoning all passers-by by in to eat and celebrate the end of Ramadan, and the Jamaican curry house with goat rotis (lord, they were good!) and fish cake - which was not at all what an American thinks of as a "fishcake." It's dull where I am now, with a very homogenous population; I wish we'd invent some reason for anyone to want to come here

Shanglan

I came to realize that most people are not mean spirited even when what they say can be really insulting, so I recognize that and let it go. My wife is Caucasian and her mother and two sisters live with us. I am able to see that most differences are perceived except those that are visible.

 

[TheEarl]

It was not so long ago that I started a thread asking whether there were any gay men in the Author's Hangout. We had lots of gay women, but no gay male regulars.

It's just the weirdness of statistics in an enclosed environment I guess. In a year, when the AH's population has shifted again, then we'll be asking why there are no Canadians on the board or something.

The Earl

 

[NoJo]

It was not so long ago that I started a thread asking whether there were any gay men in the Author's Hangout. We had lots of gay women, but no gay male regulars.

It's just the weirdness of statistics in an enclosed environment I guess. In a year, when the AH's population has shifted again, then we'll be asking why there are no Canadians on the board or something.

The Earl

What, are you saying that Canadians are gay? (sorry, I have flu)

 

[BlackShanglan]

What, are you saying that Canadians are gay? (sorry, I have flu)

Just the men.

 

[BlackSnake]

Just the men.

You guys crack me up

 

[sweetnpetite]

Very good post. Now I understand why you would want to indentify yourself in such a manner. I do relate to my Irish and Indian roots but not growing up around them I never really associated myself as being Irish-American or Indian-American. I do now however show pride in the cultures of my ancestors.

My ancestry is English Irish and Dutch. Now that I have left my home town, I realize that it was very "Irish" in a lot of ways. There were a lot of people there with Irish ancestry (the county is even named for a county in Ireland)- but I never knew anybody with an irish accept, and we never did anything in our home that strikes me, or was ever stressed as Irish or Irish-American. (I wish we had) I never even heard of the tradition of eating corned beef and cabbage for St. Pattricks day until I was an adult and heard about it from friends. I do notice that since my move here, St. Pattricks day is much less of a holliday than it was back home. (All I ever remember doing was wearning green and pinching those who didn't- but you can't pinch people here! And they don't care if they wear green or not- they barely even know the day has came and went.)

Oh- the old ladies at the family reunion sometimes sing "When Irish Eyes are Smiling"

Anyway, I'm straying from my point. I wish that we had had some 'old world' traditions in our house-hold, but we never did. I could institute them now, but it's not quite the same. I don't even think I'd know were to start. Basically, we were raised "American." There was no stress laid on our roots in other places. Maybe it's that lack, but I both respect and envy those who keep that connection to there heritage strong. I just think that it is really awsom, cool and facinating. But then, I love history and anthropology, so then I guess I would.

I guess I hope that makes sence. I just wanted to share

[I hope this isn't a hijack, Blacksnake- this thread has turned into more of a Cultural Exchange thread]

 

[cloudy]

My ancestry is English Irish and Dutch. Now that I have left my home town, I realize that it was very "Irish" in a lot of ways. There were a lot of people there with Irish ancestry (the county is even named for a county in Ireland)- but I never knew anybody with an irish accept, and we never did anything in our home that strikes me, or was ever stressed as Irish or Irish-American. (I wish we had) I never even heard of the tradition of eating corned beef and cabbage for St. Pattricks day until I was an adult and heard about it from friends. I do notice that since my move here, St. Pattricks day is much less of a holliday than it was back home. (All I ever remember doing was wearning green and pinching those who didn't- but you can't pinch people here! And they don't care if they wear green or not- they barely even know the day has came and went.)

Oh- the old ladies at the family reunion sometimes sing "When Irish Eyes are Smiling"

Anyway, I'm straying from my point. I wish that we had had some 'old world' traditions in our house-hold, but we never did. I could institute them now, but it's not quite the same. I don't even think I'd know were to start. Basically, we were raised "American." There was no stress laid on our roots in other places. Maybe it's that lack, but I both respect and envy those who keep that connection to there heritage strong. I just think that it is really awsom, cool and facinating. But then, I love history and anthropology, so then I guess I would.

I guess I hope that makes sence. I just wanted to share

[I hope this isn't a hijack, Blacksnake- this thread has turned into more of a Cultural Exchange thread]

Sweet, if you want to learn about cultural traditions, and reinstate those in your life, there's not a damn thing wrong with that.

My grandmother was the one that taught me all the old stories, and the unique ways of doing things that were handed down to her, but we never, ever observed any Cherokee traditions in our house when I was growing up. In fact, my mother would get angry when she caught her mom teaching me. To this day, she believes it is a shame, and a blight on the "family name" to be a "half-breed." She still will not admit that she's half Cherokee, although we all know that she is. It's sad, really, to be so brainwashed into thinking that you have a reason to be ashamed of what you are.

We don't observe Cherokee traditions in my home now, not really. I do a lot of solitary things that go back forever and ever, and I try to teach my children the same stories that I was taught.

By all means, dig in to your roots and if something has meaning to you, revive it in your own family.