A Black American by Smokey Robinson

: I love being Black. I love being called Black. I love being an American.
: I love being a Black American, but as a Black man in this country I think it’s a shame
: That every few years we get a change of name.

: Since those first ships arrived here from Africa that came across the sea
: There were already Black men in this country who were free.
: And as for those that came over here on those terrible boats,
: They were called niggah and slave
: And told what to do and how to behave.

: And then master started trippin’ and doing his midnight tippin’,
: Down to the slave shacks where he forced he and Great-Great Grandma to be together,
: And if Great-Great Grandpa protested, he got tarred and feathered.

:
: And at the same time, the Black men in the country who were free,
: Were mating with the tribes like the Apache and the Cherokee.
: And as a result of all that, we’re a parade of every shade.
: And as in this late day and age, you can be sure,
: They ain’t too many of us in this country whose bloodline is pure.

:
: But, according to a geological, geographical, genealogy study published in Time Magazine,
: The Black African people were the first on the scene,
: So for what it’s worth, the Black African people were the first on earth
: And through migration, our characteristics started to change, and rearrange,
: To adapt to whatever climate we migrated to.
: And that’s how I became me, and you became you.

: So, if we gonna go back, let’s go all the way back,
: And if Adam was Black and Eve was Black,
: Then that kind of makes it a natural fact that everybody in America is an African American.

: Everybody in Europe is an African European; everybody in the Orient is an African Asian
: And so on and so on,
: That is, if the origin of man is what we’re gonna go on.
: And if one drop of Black blood makes you Black like they say,
: Then everybody’s Black anyway.

: So quit trying to change my identity.
: I’m already who I was meant to be
: I’m a Black American, born and raised.
: And brother James Brown wrote a wonderful phrase,
: “Say it loud, I’m Black and I’m proud! Say it loud, I’m Black and I’m proud!”


: Cause I’m proud to be Black and I ain’t never lived in Africa,
: And ‘cause my Great-Great Granddaddy on my Daddy’s side did, don’t mean I want to go back.
: Now I have nothing against Africa,
: It’s where some of the most beautiful places and people in the world are found.
: But I’ve been blessed to go a lot of places in this world,
: And if you ask me where I choose to live, I pick America, hands down.

: Now, by and by, we were called Negroes, and after while, that name has vanished.
: Anyway, Negro is just how you say “black” in Spanish.
: Then, we were called colored, but shit, everybody’s one color or another,
: And I think it’s a shame that we hold that against each other.

: And it seems like we reverted back to a time when being called Black was an insult,
: Even if it was another Black man who said it, a fight would result,
: Cause we’ve been so brainwashed that Black was wrong,
: So that even the yellow niggahs and black niggahs couldn’t get along.

: But then, came the 1960s when we struggled and died to be called equal and Black,
: And we walked with pride with our heads held high and our shoulders pushed back,
: And Black was beautiful.

: But, I guess that wasn’t good enough,
: Cause now here they come with some other stuff.
: Who comes up with this shit anyway?
: Was it one, or a group of niggahs sitting around one day?

: Feelin’ a little insecure again about being called Black
: And decided that African American sounded a little more exotic.
: Well, I think you were being a little more neurotic.

: It’s that same mentality that got “Amos and Andy” put off the air,
: Cause’ they were embarrassed about the way the character’s spoke.
: And as a result of that action, a lot of wonderful Black actors ended up broke.
: When we were just laughin’ and have fun about ourselves.
: So I say, “Fuck you if you can’t take a joke.”
: You didn’t see the “Beverly Hillbilly’s” being protested by white folks.

: And if you think, that cause you think that being called African American set all Black people’s mind at ease…..

: Since we affectionately call each other “niggah”,

: I affectionately say to you, “Niggah Please”.

: How come I didn’t get the chance to vote on who I’d like to be?
: Who gave you the right to make that decision for me?
: I ain’t under your rule or in your dominion
: And I am entitled to my own opinion.

:
: Now there are some African Americans here,
: But they recently moved here from places like Kenya, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Zaire.
: But, now the brother who’s family has lived in the country for generations,
: Occupying space in all the locations
: New York, Miami, L.A., Detroit, Chicago-
: Even if he’s wearing a dashiki and sporting an afro.

: And, if you go to Africa in search of your race,
: You’ll find out quick you’re not an African American,
: You’re just a Black American in Africa takin’ up space.

: Why you keep trying to attach yourself to a continent,
: Where if you got the chance and you went,
: Most people there would even claim you as one of them; as a pure bread daughter or son of them.
: Your heritage is right here now, no matter what you call yourself or what you say
: And a lot of people died to make it that way.
: And if you think America is a leader on inequality and suffering and grievin’
: How come there so many people comin’ and so few leavin’?

: Rather than all this ‘find fault with America’ shit you promotin’,
: If you want to change something, use your privilege, get to the polls!
: Commence to votin’!

: God knows we’ve earned the right to be called American Americans and be free at last.
: And rather than you movin’ forward progress, you dwelling in the past.
: We’ve struggled too long; we’ve come too far.
: Instead of focusing on who we were, let’s be proud of who we are.

: We are the only people whose name is always a trend.
: When is this shit gonna end?
: Look at all the different colors of our skin-
: Black is not our color. It’s our core.
: It’s what we been livin’ and fightin’ and dyin’ for.

: But if you choose to be called African American and that’s your preference
: Then I ‘ll give you that reference

: But I know on this issue I don’t stand alone on my own and if I do, then let me be me
: And I’d appreciate it if when you see me, you’d say, “there goes a man who says it loud I’m Black. I’m Black. I’m a Black American, and I’m proud

: Cause I love being an American. And I love being Black. I love being called Black.

: Yeah, I said it, and I don’t take it back.

: Smokey Robinson
: Def Poets, 3rd Season
: May 16, 2003

He put it down, I wanna here the "African Americans" thought on this.

i love the poem. i'm african american, i think most of his points were very honest and true, even when some blacks might feel that it is "too straight forward"....

i agree with his point of the "going back to africa" thing, because some blacks feel that while others are going on vacations to the Carribean, Jamaica or Hawaii, that they should first set their sites on going back to the homeland "Africa" where our ancesters descended from. But like Smokey said, just because you go back their, doesn't mean that you will greeted with open arms from African's, just because you are "part" of them...they look at us as immigrants. I saw a TV show one day and an African American student was asking Africans about how they felt about african american's coming back to the homeland to visit..to feel like they were "at home". The africans considered that whole idea to be disrespectful to them and that those who called themselves "african americans" were not truly african american because they weren't born in africa. I saw this as a direct insult in my opinion. Maybe i took it too personally. I try not to judge every african that comes to the states (there was an African student in my class while i was in college, and she was pretty cool) because i know that they don't all feel the same in that view.

missfee said:

I hate that shit. Like it's our fault we were born over here. Africans around here can't stand me for some reason. And I won't bring up why I think they don't.

I really dig that poem. thats really deep. I notice some Africans are racist against Africans Americans. I really think that is ignorant because I cant help that I was born in America. Hell my Afrcan part of my ancestry probaly goes back 2 or 3 centuries. I was always curious about my geneology.

Im not feelin Smokey's point of view on this one. I think the term "African American" gives Black people in this country a vital point of reference to our roots and culture. I work with youth everyday, and it amazes and saddens me that a lot of our kids have no idea that they are of African decent. That thier/our ancestors are responsible for multitudes of accomplishments and advancements. That their struggle is a Univeral one, and the same shit that they face on the daily is faced by African youth as well.

As for not being accepted w/open arms by Africans; I know several people who have gone over and been hosted by African families while traveling on the continent. They came back with very positive experiences. Thats not to say that its all good, but I'd like to think that there's more love than annimosity between native Africans and those in the Diaspora(people of African decent who are spread across the globe)

Smokey's poem actually made me lose a little respect for him.

One word: BEAUTIFUL

I've always preferred "black"


nice poem Smokey.....

and i've gained respect for him....for at least having a point of view.

[quote]

found1 said:

in a way, but not really because ok so i call myself african american, ok what part of africa are u from? i dunno. what tribe were ur people? i dunno. are u only african? ummm no i dont think so etc..etc... for some reason i like black better because its more general. african american is a bit excluding to me because it doesnt represent all the other races that might be within a person.




that is sad cuz honestly off all the black people i know (even non black) they all know that our ancestors where black



it has nothing to do with being accepted w/ open arms. u can accept anyone. i accept everyone i meet as long as their not assholes, but i know they are not of me. i know that we may be related by ancestry but it still dont make u my brother/sister. its like if u go to a family reunion and half the people u dont know u might feel like why am i here i dont know none of these folks, did he just call me cousin?? u might feel out of place cuz u dont relate to them. or like if a mom gives birth and puts the baby up for adoption cuz she dont want it and the adoptive ma takes care and loves it. SHE is truely the mother, she may not have made it but she is doing for and loving it.

thats precisely why i love it, he's laying it all out for u, no sugar coating



i've never understood that. if YOU want to go back thats fine with me, but i cant stand people who feel like all blacks SHOULD at some point if they can go back to africa



exactly. we might be of african descent but we haven't been truely african for a long time most of us.



thats messed up, but i can understand the whole not truely african american thing. some people feel that u are not whatever american unless u came from that country or ur parents did. i personally feel thats not 100% true. but i can understand

.

i can totally see u takin it as an insult. even tho u are not 100% african u do share the ancestry and if u wanna call ur self african american more power to ya

nice posts Moonie ma!!

and regarding the Africans vs Black American situation...its there and yet its not all africans.

Recently I was working doing some seasonal work at a department store. This African woman was getting her purchase rung (she was with another woman as well) and she said, "You could be my sister." I turned and looked at her and she looked like an older version of me, with the gap teeth and all. We started talking about how having a gap was a beauty mark in her culture, etc. etc. One of the other sales people asked me if I knew where my ancestors were from and I replied, "eastside of Indy"...and me and the african women just laughed but then I replied, maybe from west africa since this is my sister. The african woman smiled and said yes, you are a west african woman.

It was cool but I would also say that she was also very westernized and had been here for years even though she said she visits her family there often. She may have come to understand Black Americans and our struggle with identity.

I don't think me calling myself Black in anyway says that I don't recognize my african ancestory. If anything I think it respects the Diaspora even more so. We are everywhere, not just in america but across the globe.

I'm a black american. I'm more culturally american than african but I'm connected consciously and socially to the diaspora. I do have to acknowlege my westernized thinking.


I've always said that Black Americans (African Americans or whatever label) have an identity crisis.

I can dig it! from an American of African,Irish,& Native American descent
"Melungeon".

i could picture Curtis Mayfield singing this shit.

well done "Smokey"

You go Smokey.
My ancestors came from Ireland & England & Germany & Scotland.
I never call myself Irish-American or German-American
or Scottish-American or English-American.
Besides how would I pick if I wanted to do that.
I'm an American. Period.
I'm not an immigrant. I was born here.
I know where my ancestors came from & but I don't feel any need
to wear it like a badge.
If anything I would say I'm a Melting Pot-American - like most of us here.

Rhondab said:

that's a great point of view you have