Lost ID of the African African American

In today's society, some immigrants and their first generation children are able to reap the benefits of American privileges as well as the deep rooted native culture of their homeland. For others, there is no struggle of identity within the United States. But, what happens to a race of individuals who have no place in American society?

African American was a term coined in the 1980's to allow blacks to retrieve a sense of history and identity within this melting pot of a nation. However, with a diverse group of cultures existing in one location, it is hard not to feel like a bowl of salad; no matter how much one mixes the overall ingredients (onions, carrots, dressing, etc.) into the salad, it is very easy to pin point ever single ingredient. This is how America is: one is able to pin point each culture even in an atmosphere of many individuals. But, what happens when two distinct ingredients, like two distinct African upbringings, have the same characteristics and backgrounds but are ultimately different because of circumstances? No one ever thought that the term “African American” could bring so much confusion, hate, and ignorance in the post civil rights era, but it has.

Has anyone ever sat and decomposed the word African American? It is an individual currently living within American society and has an African background. Those separated by their rich native language and culture because of the socio-economic advantages for Western civilization make “Africans” the foundation of America's wealth. It is no surprise that all “Afro” individuals have ties back to the motherland through the slave trade. They have just been robbed of their African heritage and this in turn causes the greatest complexity in today's community.

So what happens to those individuals who are able to pinpoint their country back in Africa? What happens to those children of immigrant “African” parents who are looking for a race title? Are they to consider themselves “African, African American?” These individuals have a lost identity within mainstream America. As a first generation child, I believe it is time for us to speak up about this obvious tension we face in today's society. There have been plenty of articles addressing this topic of African vs. African Americans, but none have been given from the perspective of future “African” children who will be leaders in their native African homelands, but have been raised by Western culture. With the strong need and urgency to build youth and their involvement not only in the world economy but also in politics, it is essential to highlight this growing conflict within the United States and ultimately Africa.

Lost generation
We lost individuals, or better still, “1st generation African children”, were born in America, but, do not have the same upbringings or cultural knowledge as the average “African American.” This in turn causes the greatest division that has not been seen since the civil rights decade but goes unrecognized because the lines of division are so invisible due to similar complexions. “African, African Americans” have no place in today's world. They are too American for their African countries and too African for the “black community”, where are they to go?

What are the real choices for first generation African children? Do we consider ourselves all African or just black? Honestly, the only solution for this rising concern and conflict is education. Education of what it truly means to be African American in the United States. There is this notion that being African is “bad” or an inferior race, so many blacks are not willing to retain their history. However, if all “Afro” people are educated to the point where we understand that we all are united by a powerful bond, then there will be no battle of who is truly African American in today's society. We would all be proud enough to call each other our brothers and sisters.

It is essential that an educational structure is in place for both first generation and native Americans because the line of division is beginning to widen each day. If a situation arises and there is no more United States, what will happen to native Black Americans? Every immigrant and their children will be able to go back to native lands but blacks would be the only race stranded in the land of freedom. It is imperative that we seek knowledge and bridge the gap of this lost identity.

Jasmine Essien,
Pan-Africanist & Social Change Advocate,
Temple University, USA