TO BE BLACK IN AMERICA ✊

Honestly I love the world black. Yea in the dictionary the term “Black” is deemed to be and mean a lot of negative things. But to me black is excellence, creativity, a way of life, growth and so many more positive things. I went out recently and asked a couple of my friends what the word black meant to them. Many of them responded by saying its a color used to describe people from African descent , usually used in a negative way. Others said black is a good creative word originally used to distinguish us from those of other races, but has now evolved to new more meaningful that can be seen as uplifting. From my friends I realized they made some good points but what did I think about the word black. I see black as excellence, greatness, history, etc. To be black honestly to me is a privilege. In my eyes I don’t see a color but as a black man in today’s society there is color. To be black in america is to be neglected upon to be set aside from others to be seen as the minority rather than an equivalent or even the majority. Black people as whole carry so much history and knowledge. I honestly believe without black innovators there wouldn’t be any growth in any aspects of living. The word Black is powerful because it holds such a legacy that many people who aren’t Black try to take or even try to replicate. So I ask, if black is such a bad thing why are we such trend setters ?

The Original Story

Brazil a country filled with the bulk of history when it comes to the transatlantic slave trade. In 1444 an auction occurred in Lagos, Portugal where people of African descent were sold.This then resulted in Ghana being a permanent trading sight for slaves. After, being sold and traded in Ghana and Portugal, the slaves were then shipped to the Spanish colonies. As a result there were more direct shipments of slaves from Africa to the Americas in 1518. The majority of slaves were used for production of sugar being that there was a huge supply of sugarCane. Slaves from Africa were known to be stronger, which resulted in a higher demand of slaves within Brazil.In the 1780’s the transatlantic slave trade gained a big uproar , due to the fact that there was a higher demand for crops and goods within each country. Once the slave trade hit its peak, the trade eventually died off. Although the trade “stopped” slaves were still being imported illegally from Africa to the West Indies, the Americas, and the Spanish countries.  Denmark then bans imports from those belonging to West Indies. in 1808 the slave trade was completely banned. In 1833, the British passed the abolition act that ordered the stop of all slave act within the British colonies ,this includes the transportation of all slaves. In 1819 the Portuguese also abolished slavery. The French and Brazil abolished slavery and trading through the years of 1848-1851. Following France and Brazil, Portugal then abolished slavery in its colonies in 1858, 7 years before the French. During 1861, the Netherlands abolished slavery in the Caribbean colonies and the Proclamation of Emancipation took effect in 1862 on January 1st . After that the 13th amendment took effect in 1863 as a result of Abraham Lincoln creating this law .Cuba and Brazil finally abolished slavery in 1886-1888 which caused a significant drop in the number of crop production within the number of slave trade spots and routes.

DO I REALLY MATTER ?

Due to history we as black people fail to see and truly understand the impact it has had on our mindsets of ourselves. We don’t really understand why dislike our natural essence and beauty or why we have to be made up in order to be considered good looking or even feel comfortable in our own skin. Because of things like European views we consider ourselves to be things like nappy headed black folk or to be burnt in reference to our skin complexion. The viewpoints coming from white people or to put it in more scholarly words the European Viewpoints have had a terrific impact on our lives. Practically brainwashing us as people of African decent to make us forget who we are and why we are the way we are and to love ourselves. I To know who you are is to understand the past. Once you understand who you are as a black individual and your heritage you’ll see that any shade of brown, texture of hair, or even size of the waist you do matter.

What is Africa to me ?

“What is Africa to me ?” To me Africa is more than just another continent on the world map. Africa is home to all man kind. Africa is me. Africa is the home to all my heritage and is the reason why I am who I am and proud to be. I say this because when I think of Africa I think of music preferably House Music. House Music is a genre where there is a steady 4/4 kick, usually a clap on the 2nd and 4th counts, and has a high hast on the off beats of the kick. Not many people realize that House Music or better yet Disco comes from us mimicking what we hear in music from Africa. The tribes of Africa created these sounds as a way of coming together in there spiritual element. Just as if you were to go to a club where House Music is played you would see people dancing as if they were possessed or as many would day catching a holy ghost. This is mainly because the music is created to make you want to dance and feel free. This is what Africa is to me.