Thursday, August 7, 2008

The Divide between Black Americans and Black Africans?

By Kwabena Agyeman, Graduate Research Associate at the Kirwan Institute

Over the past decade, the African immigrant population in the United States has grown rapidly. Most African immigrants end up on America’s coasts -- the tri-state region and California being among the top choices, places which are also home to large numbers of African Americans. A common assumption many people make is that the two groups share a natural inclination toward one other. As an immigrant from Africa, I discovered that often that is not the case. My interactions with a number of African immigrants mostly from Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria on the east coast for the past six years put a spotlight on the subtle divide between Black Americans and Black Africans.

First, some Black Americans argue that instead of attempting to fully integrate into the larger black community, many Black Africans have instead distinguished themselves by choosing to identify primarily in terms of ethnicity and nationality instead of race, and by maintaining the cultural norms of their homelands. I advocate for Black Africans embracing Black American culture to fully appreciate the African American experience, however some Black Africans perceive the call for integration as an African American pressure to erase their own cultural and historical distinctiveness. According to them, unlike immigrants from other parts of the world who can integrate into existing communities that share the same cultural perspective and typically speak the same language, Africans speak scores of different languages and have distinct tribal affiliations. In addition, among some African immigrants, stratification along ethnic and kinship lines are more important than race in determining access or lack to access to opportunity.

Second, there are those few African Americans who resent the foreign-born for hindering their opportunities for economic advancement. Speaking on a program produced for KALW a local public radio station based in San Francisco, Dr. Barbara Page, a professor of African American Studies at California State East Bay, stated that programs like affirmative action should be reserved only for Black Americans, whose ancestors were slaves, because it was based on historical patterns of discrimination unique to Black Americans. Black Africans argue that they are far from free-loaders who benefit in America at the expense of African Americans. To them, some Black Americans are not taking advantage of the opportunities in the country. These minority views and attitudes in both communities fuel the tension.

Personally I believe that there are a lot of negative media stereotypes that have influenced the way some Black Americans view Africans. However this dynamic goes both ways, for example, I have African American friends who have lived in South Africa and according to them, most South Africans view African Americans through similar stereotypes. We have come to this divide primarily based on misconceptions and stereotypes, but there is the possibility that we can overcome them through dialogue and breaking down barriers that exist between our communities. That is the power of Barack Obama’s message, that regardless of our actions that keep us divided, we can grow beyond the walls that have defined our experiences to attain the true meaning of unity.

5 comments:

  1. Hi my name is Kwabena Agyeman as well... i live in Fontana, CA...... i agree with many of the views expressed in this article and i love the Barack Obama quote at the end of the message as well... i am a African born in American... i call my self the Ultimate African American not to b agragant but because i have had an African experience in America and as well as a Full American experience in America... hopfully we can unite one day and help each other out no matter where we are distributed in the world as a People in search of being repected as equals...

    ReplyDelete
  2. You wrote:
    " First, some Black Americans argue that instead of attempting to fully integrate into the larger black community, many Black Africans have instead distinguished themselves by choosing to identify primarily in terms of ethnicity and nationality instead of race, and by maintaining the cultural norms of their homelands. I advocate for Black Africans embracing Black American culture to fully appreciate the African American experience, however some Black Africans perceive the call for integration as an African American pressure to erase their own cultural and historical distinctiveness. According to them, unlike immigrants from other parts of the world who can integrate into existing communities that share the same cultural perspective and typically speak the same language, Africans speak scores of different languages and have distinct tribal affiliations. In addition, among some African immigrants, stratification along ethnic and kinship lines are more important than race in determining access or lack to access to opportunity. "

    First of all I don't agree with integrating with the african american community or embracing their culture because that's is not my culture and I don't want their issues to be mine, period. Its not by force, I was born in America and my parents are Nigerian. I was raised in the Nigerian culture not african american culture and I plan to move back there one day. Most africans do so whats the point in integrating with african americans? for what? they are blacks of american culture. I know there is racism but the way africans address it is different from african americans. african don't want to have baby mommas/daddys, Black men treating non-black women over their own better, light skin vs. dark skin issues, thug life, excuses of not getting a education because of slavery of 500 years ago or the white man excuse. I don't want anything to do with that crap or nonsense. It's african americans that tend to force this not africans; everybody should stay with their own. Africans(very low) that decide to marry into the african american community should know that's the community they will be part of and their children, so get ready. When it comes to barack obama well he is african american not AFRICAN, just because he has a african father is irrelevant. he has no Kenyan culture so I don't know whats your point. hes the spokes person for african americans as far as I am concerned. My parents always kept me and my siblings away from african americans and not to act white american or black american but concentrate on education and success not get into the 24/7 hate whitey trend african americans like.

    ReplyDelete
  3. continued:
    Lastly I consider myself Nigerian American of Nigerian culture. I went through racism from both white and african americans and know who I am and don't desire to unite with african americans

    African americans should concentrate in fixing their own community then trying to force other black cultures to be in their community. Including africans should concentrate on their countries and etc. To each their own

    ReplyDelete
  4. not sure if my message went through. but i was saying that most AFricans are not interested in knowing us either. They only reach out when they want or need something, like a green card, or money or are trying to get over on you. sad but true. i am interested in African culture(s) mainly Malian, Senegambian. I dated a Ghanian guy for awhile, who seemed to be genuine, he was new to the country with alot of aspirations, and i was really quite impressed, in the end i was only someone to step over until he got to the top. I was genuinely interested in his culture but he was more likelly to tell me how our american food didnt compare to Ghanian etc. so why are you with me? don't put up with the crap to get to know them, they have to reach out to, if you are willing and respectful they should be too, but more than likely.. they are in it for other reasons. be careful. Most Africans are not interested in reaching out to us, only using us.

    ReplyDelete
  5. SO Africans don't claim us after all, huh? Well, I hope you know when you come to America, if it wasn't for us fighting and suffering and civil rights movement you people wouldn't even .... never mind. this makes me sick! What the hell did we do to you for ya'll to even hate us?? And by the way, I'm not a thug, my family does not believe in welfare, I respect my body, I value education, and I WORK. And I'm a black person.

    ReplyDelete