Black Like . . .

[Universe Prince]

A couple of excerpts from the column "Black Like Me?" by Marjorie Valbrun:

As a black immigrant and a Haitian-American who has lived in the country for 37 years, I know how it feels to have my blackness challenged by native-born blacks. It makes me angry. I'm angry for [Senator Barak] Obama, too. People are asking whether he's black enough to represent them. I ask, black enough by whose standards? Why must Obama's life follow the same track of "authentic" black folk to pass this litmus test? Many of my black immigrant friends have also had their blackness questioned by native-born blacks who see us as "not really black." My ancestors probably weren't enslaved on American soil, but they were enslaved on Haitian soil. So how am I less black or less worthy of kinship with black Americans? How ridiculous that someone would think me unable to understand the pain of racism and the long-term costs of white supremacy and slavery.

[...]

Few American blacks can say with certainty that they don't also have white ancestors. Does that make them less black? Who knows that some distant ancestor of Obama's father was not enslaved here? The more important question is why any of this should matter. When did having slave ancestors become a barometer for political office? Surely those blacks supporting Hillary Clinton aren't holding her to that standard. I also wonder if Obama's message of racial inclusion worries some blacks. Do they think if he reaches out to "them"(whites), it means he neglects "us" (blacks)?

Whole thing at the other end of this link.