Wait so you’re African-American or Black American or American Lang?

Since being here in country, there have been many discussions about my ethnicity and what I call myself.  Since traveling to Ghana in 2011, I refer to myself as a black American but acknowledge that my ancestry is from African.  Many Africans only consider individuals to be “African-Americans” if his or her parents are directly from Africa and the children of the parents are first generation.  You can see where this dissonance would cause problems with the identity of the African-American who lives in the United States and ancestors were brought over through slavery.  Thus their ancestors are African and thus they use the term African American.  For us it could be used interchangeably here in the United States, but as we travel abroad it seems more appropriate to refer to ourselves as black Americans so that other foreigners are able to understand geographically where we live or are traveling from.  I’m sure my elders who have traveled abroad may offer a differing opinion.  This is a journey that one has to decide for his/herself and cannot just accept a label without understanding its derivation.

My Supervisor has asked that I show the staff an African dance for the Christmas party.  I think to myself, African dance, I don’t know any African dances that I can just whip up for a casual Christmas party! Well I can find some moves, but my African culture I feel is more sacred and not something that can just be put together without proper preparation and consideration.  I have two options of how I can reply to this request; one is to decline and tell her that I don’t know of any dances, or I can use this opportunity to share with them our Kwanzaa activities.  I feel conflicted because I celebrate American holidays though I partake in African celebrations through my professional organization of the National Association of Black Social Workers.  So what am I afraid of? My own true existence.  I think my hesitance in sharing comes from the fact that in America we celebrate the more popular holidays, Kwanzaa is not widely celebrated or even acknowledged at times.  But here in the Philippines, I have the opportunity to share with them the culture.  Its seems easier to say I am black American and fall behind the American traditions, but in the U.S., I say I’m African American and make a big fuss about people not celebrating our heritage.  It’s weird.  I think because the attention is on me to represent the culture and I want to make sure it is done correctly.

In training I would emphasize to a few Filipino staff that I am African-American, in addition to being American.  They would look at me and not understand what that meant because being American trumpted any other identity that they were familiar with.  They viewed all of us as Americans from America!

To be African-American . . . so what does that mean outside of the history of Africans in America? Besides slavery, the Civil War, Abolition of Slavery, 14^th, 15^th amendments, civil rights era, pro-blackness era, The war on drugs, “war on welfare as we know it”, President Barack Obama?  Outside of popular movies and people such as “Roots”, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Spike Lee, Thurgood Marshall, A Birth of a Nation, The Help, Angela Davis, Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, etc.   

That question will not be answered here in this post but here is what I will say about my own blackness and serving in South East Asia.  As a Black PCV it is important to remember to let one’s personality show and culture stand out.  Do not just blend in with the rest and fade to black.  Be true to who you are and know that the cultural exchange process is a slow and confusing one at times.  Be cognizant not to let this difference in skin/hair/culture isolate you from other Americans as well as host country natives to the point where blackness is the only thing that is seen.  You are still American but a diverse American.  It is only after a PCV of color understands this duality in his or her existence that he or she can really engage in the cultural exchange process and enjoys serving without apprehension.