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Intraracial Division and Black History Page 4 by Roger Smith Black identity can also involve the naming of a child. Distinctly black first names can interact with skin color to convey certain social impressions. Names like Laura, Robert or Susan are more likely to be associated with light-skinned blacks while names such as Letichia, Malcolm, and Nikaya are more likely to be associated with dark-skinned blacks. The names also seem to carry over into society. While white people may not "flinch" when they hear certain names, they usually take notice when they hear the more unusual African names, and they also may associate it with a certain type of black person. It is a small wonder that black people have trouble finding their own identity, when they cannot even find a way to describe themselves. Over the years, Black people have been referred to as Negroes, Colored People, Colored Americans, Black Anglo Saxons, Afro-Americans, Afra-Americans, Black Americans, and African Americans. In a 1991 survey of 759 Black Americans, seventy-two percent said that they preferred to be called Black while only fifteen percent said they wanted to be called African Americans. The other Thirteen percent was either undecided or preferred Negro or Afro-American. However, it is interesting to note, that many black people who do not wish to be called African Americans only do so because it brings about other problems. One problem is that many people who have migrated from Africa consider themselves the "true" African Americans and are offended by American born blacks who claim that they are African Americans. Many black people who call themselves African Americans feel that they have to, or should act like and dress the way they do in Africa, because doing otherwise would be doing an injustice to black heritage. Some Black Americans do not necessarily agree with this notion, so instead of facing ridicule or harassment, they simply forfeit being called an African American. In my opinion, intraracial discrimination among black people is likely to get worse before it gets better. It is true that they can come together for a common cause, as the Civil Rights Movement demonstrated, but the division is still there. And, with more black people marrying outside of their race, the problem will simply grow. The "one drop rule" which states that any person with even a drop of black blood is considered black, almost ensures that there will always be a color variance among blacks. Ironically, the only way black people may be able to find their identity and achieve racial harmony is to forget all about the color differences among them. Skin color is but one part of a person's or group's identity and should not be viewed as anything else. Being black is an experience. An experience that has been cultivated by the values, ideals, and lifestyle of a people. Therein lies black identity. |