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Question: Does African Americans know their family roots!? !?
First of all this not any sort of racist Q!. I'm about ask that does all african americans in USA know their roots, or where their family came to America!? Like countries of Africa and what part of that country!. Are they interested to know!? And what is the line of someone being african american and just tanned white! Like so many skin shades, let's take for example Beyonce and Samuel L!.Jackson!. Does there anymore even exist 100% from Africa, as people have mixed together!
Here in Europe the refugees from Africa (or at least North Europe) have been here only since around 80's so here is no such culture and they are never like Swedish, Danish etc but they still think they are Africans and only here displaced (some want to stay!.!.!.)!. And they are keeping their own traditions and are really aware of where they came from!.
It's really hard to mix different cultures, but african americans have been so long part of America that do they have that interest to Africa, to their roots anymore!? Anyone visited Africa!?
Africans in Europe and America are so different story so i'm just interested!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Well, I'm an African American and I know some part of my genealogical roots!. But really, all I know is that I have "white and native american" in me!. Hmm, so I guess in a way I don't!. I recently found out that my mom's grandmother's now deceased husband (so my maternal deceased great-grandfater) was 50% Irish (his mom was full blood, from Ireland), and 50% "black!." I don't know what kind of "black" because there are many different subcultures within any race, African included!. On my dad's side, I'm not sure what the roots are but I know a lot of his side of the family started in the South, so I'm pretty sure there was race mixing there as well!. I'm also considered "light skinned" by a lot of people in the African American community, and I have "good hair!." It's really a racial divide between African Americans, like "light vs!. dark!." It's inexplicable, and stupid!. But it exists!.
I would love to do a family tree to find out my history, luckily for me, I have 2 great grandmothers, both with sound minds and solid memories who can help me piece together the puzzle!.
Interesting Q :)
*Edit: One of my mom's sisters is married to a man from Africa!. I'm not sure which country, I don't remember clearly but he is full blooded African!. There are a lot in the Columbus, Ohio area, actually!.
also, I don't know if it's that many African Americans don't want to find out their heritage, but that they don't know how to go about it with so many possibilities, and it can be intimidating!. Or they may not have family members who are old enough and in well enough health that kept records and photographs (luckily my family has) to assist them in finding out exactly "what they're made of!." Then again, there are always those that just don't care, and consider themselves American so they live an American lifestyle!.
I'm a little bit of everything, African, Native American, Irish, a bunch of races mixed together and the more I find out, the happier I become!. It's just like piecing together a puzzle but you have to have the patience and will to want to do it!. Some people (regardless of race) just don't care!.
Carol has a great answer, too!.
*Edit 2: Then there's the whole subculture of African Americans especially in the South, they have created an entire new culture like Carol mentioned with the music, dialect, style, enterprises, etc!. It's almost like they think they were robbed (or their ancestors) of true heritage so they build something unique to them!. I refer to "them" I am one of "them" but not completely, because I embrace more of an "American" lifestyle rather than just "I'm black and I'm proud!." Which I am proud to be African American, I just don't think that we should alienate ourselves into a further minority by having an entire subculture in which we are very skeptical of anyone else wanting to participate in!. That's just how it seems to me!.
And there are also differences between African Americans throughout different regions of the country, the African Americans I meet here in Texas are very laid back, whereas the African Americans I have met in Washington D!.C!. (where my dad is from) are very political, uptight, or extremely "black panther" "black power" type of people, the African Americans I have met in Ohio are a lot more cultured as they have experience with a lot of full blood Africans, and people from other Middle Eastern countries with "dark" skin!.
Ahhh you've got me thinking so much now haha!.
*Edit* Jaz, first of all, why did you add me to your contacts!? I don't know you!. Second of all, you seem to be confused!. Allow me to expand!.!.!.
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Ok let me say this!.!.!.!.
You CANNOT judge a WHOLE DAMN race on regions of the usa!. wtf!. LiKE "blaze" STATED!.!.!. That to me is just plain ignorant!. She is judging her 'IDEA' of african americans in The Washington D!.C area on her dad! lol!.!. How smart is that!!?
I would say it is more about where you grew UP and what kind of PARENT(s) the individual had/has!. REGARDLESS OF RACE/GENDER!"
I'm not judging the Washington D!.C!. area based off of my dad!. I didn't say HE acted like that, I experienced the difference in behavior first hand!. I have spent several summers and extended vacations in that area, I would say I'm qualified to make that judgment!. Just because you don't agree with it doesn't mean anything to me!. I say what I mean and mean what I say, my statement is justified!. Your opinion does not matter to me!. Indeed it is about how you are raised, I have parents from big cities in the U!.S!. but I am not like an African American from a big city!.
Basically you need to chill out, and no, this question is not racist!. She is trying to educate herself and she is asking out of curiosity!. But some people can't look past the "African Americans" in the title without automatically assuming the question is racist!.
Sigh!.
Haha!. :)Www@QuestionHome@Com
In America when a black person is asked about roots they usually say they are related in some Queen in Africa!. No one ever says that they are related to the Africans who sold them!. Most don't know the origin of the tribes in which they are from!. I have a friend in Africa who tells me that they know of several stories of distant relatives being taken to different countries to be used as slaves including America but no one ever visits from here claiming to be relatives!. Www@QuestionHome@Com
mostly do not know where they cam from, as you might remember they were bough as slaves, and could have been from different regions of the planet, they also do not recognized that their own kings sold them out to the best bet!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Some do, some don't!. Negroes didn't count as real people in the USA until 1870!. That was the first year they recorded EVERYONE on the census!. From 1790 to 1850 it was free white male heads of households!. In 1850 and 1860 they recorded all the free members of the family, but slaves were not named, just counted!. The freedmen got counted, but most AA's were slaves!.
As a result, most African Americans hit dead ends with people alive in 1870!. White people can get back to 1850 easily and before then with church records!.
If they spend enough, they can get their DNA tested and compared, so they will know what tribes their ancestors came from, but that's about it!.
Many don't bother!.
Keep in mind ours is a small, odd hobby!. Most white people in the USA would be hard-pressed to name their great-grandparents, let alone go back 6 - 12 generations!.Www@QuestionHome@Com