Quote:
Originally posted by The Original Ape
To start a fire, you need a spark.
Believe it or not, I'm a realist; but I'm a hopeful realist. The problems of Africa ARE a multitude of complexities; but I think work should begin NOW, and WE (African- Americans)should be willing and prepared to help whenever they ask for it.
As for proud, again, I am. I posted this question because I see many African-americans that aren't proud of their African heritage. I can't think of any other culture that suffers from this type of self-hatred. I wanted feedback on this topic from those of you that post here regularly.
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Thank you for this topic Original Ape! It's helped me to start thinking about issues that I've placed on the backburner.
Many African Americans are ashamed of our roots in Africa. However, it's largely due to ignorance of the culture and people. It's difficult to be proud when you equate your history to slavery, betrayal, and poverty. What's to be proud of? However, there is no focus on the strength and industrious nature of our ancestors. When I taught, I made it a point to incorporate African heritage in my curriculum. Not, an insert, but fully incorporate it. During the first week of class, I taught my students about the Akan concept of Sankofa (I taught history). Constant redirection when negative comments were made. Recommending books for them to read. Answering questions they had about our history.