by Desiree Gordon

Created on: June 22, 2008

As a child I was always teased because of my culture. I am a first generation Liberian born in America. A lot of my values are based off of my Liberian culture. Both of my parents believed it was very important to teach me values and morals different from American culture because they felt American values were too easygoing. Such names like "African booty-scratcher" and "bowlegged African" were said to me in elementary and junior high school. I will admit because of this I was always a little embarrassed when my parents would come up for open school night or PTA meetings, because I knew they would converse with my teachers and other parents with their thick Liberian accents.

I guess a lot of what my peers learned about Africa was by way of TV. They would always reference the National Geographic channel or the save the children commercials when reciting their thoughts and beliefs about Africa. To them they believed Africa was very poor without food, water or clothes. Some even believed that my family got on a boat as refugees to enter this country. Little did they know Africa was and still is the place where natural resources such as rice, fruits, diamonds, gold, and rubber to name a few are exported to America to be fed, worn, and used by them. My family did not live in huts they lived in mansions, owned hospitals and lived richer than they do here. Unbeknown to a lot of Black-Americans Africa was not always the Africa we see today.

If you tell a black person that they are African you might just offend them. A lot of Black-Americans prefer to be called Black-American instead of African-American because they do not consider themselves to be African they consider themselves to be American. A person can not know who they are if they do not know where they come from. Until all black people understand that their ancestors are from Africa they can never truly know themselves. I believe it is the responsibility of all black parents to educate their children about Africa and that they are descendants of Africans. I also believe it is the responsibility of schools to incorporate Black History teachings into their curriculum as mandatory as Math, Science, English, and American History.

A lot of the denial comes from the perception of what Africa is and not what it stands for. Life began in Africa and it is the second largest continent in the world. Before all of its natural resources were striped and slaves were taken from their land, Africa was the first stop for travelers to acquire foods and spices. This lack of knowledge causes ignorance in the black community inhibiting them to know who they truly are and I believe because of this they are unable to truly know what brotherhood and sisterhood is. In order for a future to be built the past must be understood. How can you understand something you don't know? Africa was the land of kings and queens not suffering and poverty, and once Black-Americans can take pride in their past they can welcome their future with open arms.

Until next time

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