All Posts Tagged With: "africans in america"

I read this interesting article of how African immigrants in the United States are losing their ethnic identities. In African countries where everyone has the same skin color, ethnicity is not defined by race. I can certainly see the author’s point on this because ethnicity is not equivalent to “race” although we tend to think so. In Nigeria, for instance, there are three major ethnic groups: Hausa-Fulani, Ibo and Yoruba. These are all Nigerians and, for all intents and purposes, black. It might be difficult for a Black person in America to understand since this country tends to define ethnicity by race.

An example of this, not related to Africa, is Iraq. In Iraq, as we have learned in recent years, is made up of three main ethnic groups: the Shi’a Muslims, the Sunni Muslims, and the Kurds. Here in America we would probably define them all as Iraqi or Middle Eastern. In addition, people of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese or Taiwanese heritage would all be called Asian here in America although their cultures are very different. I do see the harm in defining yourself the way that others define you.

However, I was somewhat offended by where the article went from there. I think the author is assuming that there is a defined Black American culture. I do not accept the N-word, speak a parody of Ebonics, don the thuggish uniform of hip-hop culture or walk around in sagging baggy pants. And I resent any the assumption that all Black Americans do. If you look closely, beyond the images displayed so prominently in the media, you will find that this is not the case. I personally think that immigrants should keep their traditions and try to integrate them into their new surroundings, if possible. America is more of an ethnic stew than a melting pot anyway and I think that immigrants who seek to completely assimilate, losing all ties to their culture, do themselves a great disservice. Black Americans, as the author calls us, are already devoid of a history and that was not by choice.