[TonyB06]

It's hard to define but I've always thought "blackness," sociologically, was really a mixture of cultural experience and expression, a cultural state-of-mind. Our experiences, good and bad, tend to galvanize us. Obviously, we’re diverse, with as many variations in our culture as any other -- geographically, professionally, etc., but if you’re between ages 24-40 there's a fair chance you've had someone follow you unnecessarily in a department store, or have to have dealt with, or hear about a relative/acquaintance deal with law enforcement or some other large entity, in a “less-than-desirable” manner. Experiences like these, and positive ones too IMO, contribute to this shared sense, or at least understanding, of “blackness.” And like other cultures we unite to varying degrees around historical, musical, entertainment, interests, etc…