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@blackvoices started a wonderful debate on twitter with this tweet: "Ok, Fam, let's get it out in the open: "African American" Yay or Nay? What do you call yourself? Is Cain right? Is it inaccurate?"
The question spoke to me, because since my birth in 1958, I've known colored, Negro, black, Afro-American, Black, & African-American. Being a child of the 60's, I've always preferred to be called Black, with a capital B.
Nobody has ever spoken better for me on the issue than when Smokey Robinson threw down his epic poem, "A Black American" on Def Poetry Jam - video:
http://t.co/aSvOhqb written version:
http://bit.ly/l21ND2
Here's an excerpt "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?"
WHO CAME UP WITH THIS SHIT is a great? Smokey answered his own question in the following manner - it's LOL!
"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."
Who were the neurotic ones? Dr. Ramona Hoage
Edelin, Chief Executive of the National Urban Coalition in the late 80's was the driving force for public acceptance of the term African-American, but Jesse Jackson is credited with popularizing "African-American." These two links detail the origin of the term - (1)
http://bit.ly/khK7Pf (2)
http://nyti.ms/iDHiTy
@blackvoices ? sparked a lot of voices to be heard on the subject. Hope you enjoy the topic & feel free to add to the discussion.
You already know my viewpoint, because I told you that Smokey spoke eloquently for me on the matter, but another music icon also captured Black Americans heart with his soulful anthem, "Say it Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud." Presenting the Godfather of Soul, Mr. James Brown:
http://bit.ly/kRLZYQ
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