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What Does It Mean to Be Black When You’re Not Black?

Posted by NWSO • July 10, 2011 • Printer-friendly

Black is a powerful word. More than a color, it represents an entire race of people. While some may prefer African American, Afro Cuban, Afrocentric or whatever variation that applies, when someone says “Black” (with a capital B) you generally know what they mean. That’s why I was taken aback when this man looked me in my eye and said, “I’m not Black.”

Despite having the same pigmentation as myself, he was adamant about expressing his Spanish heritage. He was Panamanian and proud. Being called “Black” was somehow an insult to everything that he was. Be that as it may, looking at him all I saw was another Black man like myself. I never paid attention to his last name, which I later discovered had Spanish roots, because for all I knew it could have just as well been Haitian. Even that was “too Black” for him.

I have no problem with someone holding on to their heritage but when I use the term “Black,” I include all people within the brown spectrum. It doesn’t matter if you’re from the South, North, Caribbean, UK, South America or the Motherland, if I look at you and see a person of color I feel you’re Black. We can all break things down in to different categories and sub categories, but at the end of the day if your skin is pigmented b the world looks at your outward appearance and puts you in a box called “Black” before you even open your mouth.

Still, many people of Spanish descent tend to distance themselves from being labeled “Black.” Whether or not you speak Spanish, Creole, Patois, English or Portuguese, chances are the bloodlines have been mixed with an African slave at some point down the line, but because being “Black” is often viewed as being a negative thing it gets shunned by those that can.

But why?

This is the premise of Dash Harris of VenusGenus.com’s film Negro: A Diaspora Docu-Series. Dash herself is someone I actually thought was “Black” until she alerted me to her project and highlighted her Latino roots. Based on her complexion, features and even last name, Latina was the last thing I would have expected to be one of the terms that define her.

But here she is Black (and Latina) and proud:

As great as Dash’s idea is for this documentary it’s not complete. That’s where you come in. Negro is still in its infancy and needs capitol to reach completion. Dash has set up a Kickstarter page (click here) to generate the $5,000+ she needs to fund the travel, equipment, production and post production costs. Now, I know that sounds like a lot—especially in a recession—but if enough people lend just a few dollars before the August 8th deadline then this project can get off the ground. Furthermore, the way Kickstarter works is that no matter how much you donate your credit card will NOT charged if the person doesn’t reach their funding goal. So if Dash doesn’t reach the $5K by August 8 she gets nothing. Nada. Zilch.

I’d prefer that not happen and this film actually gets made. Not because she’s a friend but because it’s a story that needs to be told. If you’ve watched the promo above you’ll notice that over 140 people (myself included) have “liked” it, but to date only 20 people (myself included) have stepped up to “back” the project on Kickstarter. It’s a classic example of folks talking the talk, but failing to walk the walk.

I don’t say that to beg or put a guilt trip, because neither I nor Dash has a right to tell anyone what to do with their hard earned money, but if you actually “like” something it seems only right to support it in anyway you can—especially when there’s nothing to lose in the event that Dash doesn’t reach her goal.

Below is a sneak peak at what she’s completed thus far during a trek to Brazil. Consider this a sign of what’s to come:

Negro: Rio de Janeiro "It's Bad to Be Black in the World" from Dash Harris on Vimeo.

How do you define “Black”? Do you consider everyone with dark skin to be Black? Do you see a difference between someone being labeled Black vs. Brown? Would you classify Latinos as Black? What is your view on someone that views “Black” as negative and prefers African American or some other term? Why do you think so many within the Latino community shun their African heritage? Have you ever met someone who you thought was “Black” but considered themselves to be something else? What was their rationale for shunning Black? Would you look at Dash and think she’s Black or Latino upon first sight? What do you think of the concept for Dash’s documentary, Negro? Are you willing to pledge your support? Why or why not?

Speak your piece…

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Tagged as: Black, Dash Harris, Latina, Latino, Negro, VenusGenus.com

paulette_bajan_gal

This has been done already on PBS.We were all glued to our tvs when they did "Black in Latin America".Might be why so many people may be hesitant or may not contribute.That series was very in depth and thought provoking.Wish her the best of luck in raising the funds and getting her own personal journey done.

The obsession with blackness is definitely an American dynamic though...I didn't know how black I was until I moved here from Barbados.When you grow up in Africa or certain parts of the world where blacks are in the majority race isn't at the forefront of everything.Because you see blacks in all areas of society succeeding.The racism in America is in your face and you cannot pretend it doesn't exist.

Brown skin alone isn't an indicator of blackness...your hair is a very important factor it seems.I notice the huge Indian community in Queens have skin just as brown as mine but their hair is straight so that makes them non-black.Pakistanis and people from India look just as black as the next person but they don't consider themselves black.It makes you question the validity of race altogether...it can't really be defined because there's no real science behind it.

The African Diaspora has such a wide color range since we are all mixed up due to slavery and white men breeding their female slaves.Latinos don't want to be connected with slavery and that legacy it seems.But the reality is any hatred of their African ancestry is a reflection of their hatred towards themselves.We didn't create our past ...it created us.
Ronnie6676

The special on PBS Black in Latin America helped me to start the conversation of being both a Black and Latin man with my son. However I don't think it should stop others from delving into the topic. We need varied and diverse looks at this important issue. I am deginity going to step up and support. And I truly hope her piece gets made.
Amber

I think this is a really interesting topic!!!

As I have recently been introduced to true Latin culture I was surprised just last week when Puerto Rican friends addressed other (PR) friends as black. I took it as an insult but later found out as the video showed it was a term of endearment. I am always interested when I see dark skinned hispanics and as I am a dark skinned Black (African American) I would love more insight about this.

I notice here in Ohio (a state with limited cultural diversity understanding) you are either, black, white, or hispanic. True when people initally address a darker skinned person they will assume they are black or mixed with something but once a person speaks and they are a spanish speaker they are automatically hispanic doesn't matter what country or origin. They are automatically removed from the Black (AA) culture to HIspanic.
OSHH

I agree 100% with your last paragraph.
Rastaman

“Black” is race, skin color, complexion, ethnicity, culture and politics depending on where you are coming from. I am a black man, both my parents are black, my grandparents were black and guessing from where they originated, I am going with the assumption that we were descended from Africans brought to the western hemisphere as slaves. But growing up as I did I became aware that for many people of a lighter complexion or a more pronounced mixed heritage, black represents complexion and so in their mind since their skin was of a lighter hue or their hair was of a finer texture they were not “black” but colored, Creole, mixed race, mulatto, quadroon or any of the multiple of variation of labels people apply to themselves. An enduring trait of Africans in the Americas is that we can see “Black” in everyone even when they choose to not accept it.
One of the best examples of how different black is defined is on the island of Hispaniola where the nations of the Dominican Republic and Haiti exist. In the Dominican the popular POV is that being black is synonymous with being Haitian primarily because the mass of Haitians are 100 percent African in their lineage. Dominicans are generally not as dark and so there was a push many decades ago to erase all cultural and historical connections between Dominicans and their Haitian neighbors. So if you ask the average Dominican, unaware of the history between the 2 nations they will claim they are everything but “Black”.
In a the US where black people represent a historically oppressed minority group we see strength in numbers and so there is an inclination to recruit all dark skin people as “Black” whether they want to or not. It is as if we have a racial draft and people are forced to declare or they will not be allowed to participate. But an interesting thing that many African Americans do not realize is that for black people from other lands, African Americans may have more in common culturally with White Americans than they may have with those other black people culturally. Thus those differences maybe representative of with whom they choose to identify. Plus in America and much of the world there is not much benefit materially to self identify as black anyway.
Okocha

I'm from Brazil and we're the biggest Black Diaspora in the world. But still there's ppl here that don't define themselves as Black. I Am tho
jaclynsd

They did a piece in Latina magazine a while back called ‘Afro-Mexicano’ where it talked about a part of Michoacán Mexico where slaves where brought over and had very deep roots in that part of Mexico. It was such a trip to see the pictures! Mexicans with Latino features (what ever that is nowadays) and as black as anyone from Africa. The good thing about the article was that it was very positive and the people there embraced their heritage. They even had celebrations to recognize their ancestors. The article was not only positive but beautiful.

It was quite a contrast to the Mexico I experienced when I was a little girl. Somehow being lighter was praised and being darker meant you were very “ordinary” Coming from a family w/a variety of different shades it was always really hard to understand the logic in all this. Why is being lighter such a great thing?! I was always disgusted by the reaction some got just because they were lighter. I wrote about it before on here when I writer (her name escapes me) wrote about color and affects on women. In either case Mexico has had that type of thinking for a long time. That the lighter you are the “better” you are. I mean just look at the television channels for God sakes. Some of the women on there look whiter than most Europeans. The thought that just because someone is born lighter, somehow makes them better, has always been such bullshit to me. Its not just cruel thinking to people who are of a darker complexion but to those like me who were born lighter. We came to be this way by birth…not some sort of right or passage. We didn’t earn it or work for it…the sooner we learn to praise the right things the sooner we’ll become better Latinos. No matter what complexion we are.
torontostaar

i always thought black latins were just the indigenous people of that land who eventually mixed with their colonizers? isnt that how the story goes every where else, why are black latins so special, like ohhh im dark as can be but dont u DARE call me black, i think it all boils down to self hate, meh.
fay

I m actually from Brazil and not black (50% Indio 50%Brazilian,meaning the white Brazilians) but I found this blog to be very interesting and insightful.

Most Puerto Ricans or Cubans etc. who I know and who have a darker skin, varying in shades, would never consider themself black as it means to be black in the US.

Maybe because being black does not only define the race, but also the heritage,culture and past of one`s folks.At least in somebody else`s eyes.

Afro-brasileiros would never consider themself black based on their skin colour.

I don t know, in America you would say "He s black" and not "He s African / has African ancestors",right ?

So a Cubano says he s Cuban,even though he has dark/brown skin.

But I also recently read in an article that Hispanics in the US try to distinghuish themselves from the blacks by using it(the word) as an offense, as if it was still having a bad meaning.
http://www.ttmitchellconsulting.com/Mitchblog Mitch Mitchell

I've always associated "black" with American black people, period. If someone wishes to or does identify themselves with something else, they're not black, they're that other thing. Skin color isn't what makes someone black, no matter how much someone else wants to place them. I think back to when there was a ban on black baseball players, yet if that player had an accent they could at least pass and play in the minor leagues, and they wouldn't always be held to the same standards American black people were held to while in the South.

It's a different struggle, so it's a different message, and thus different peoples. At least that's how I see it.
Potato-with_Jive

@torontostaar I disagree that it can be simplified into "self-hate" Why is it self-hate to want to be properly identified as you want to be? I would argue that it's not that they hate their "blackness". More like just want to be accurate in representing themselves.

The real point is, how @fay has mentioned, the idea of "black" is a purely American thing. In America, "Black" or "African American" is its own culture with traditions and history. Its not simply skin color. In fact id go so far as to say that African American isn't even an accurate term anymore. Take any Black American person and have them meet an actual African person and you will see the tremendous differences in cultures.

Similarly, I'm hispanic with "white" features. Am I to conform to what YOU see as my ethnicity or should I correct and educate so I can be correctly identified?

To suggest that other cultures must adhere to only one nations identification system is just short sighted.
ATLs.Marc.of.Excellence

It's funny... as light as I am and due to some of my features, people automatically assume I'm mixed. Despite the fact that I am the lightest person in my entire family I know good and well that I am Black. I specifically choose to call myself Black and not African American due to a little known fact that due to affirmative action, non-Black persons (specifically White ones) born in an African country that have emmigrated (immigrated?) to the U.S. are also considered African Americans and are entitled to the same benefits (!?!) that Black African immigrants are. Now I have nothing against them personally, but that is not the intent for which affirmative action was made. Hell, I don't really agree with affirmative action either, though it has helped progression in the workplace, but I believe that you should get a job based on who does it best, not skin color. But that would be a perfect world, where "they" didn't have a 400+ year head start...

And there are very few people of color that are "pure-bred" Black. Our ethnicity is a hodge-podge of people, ummm, intermingling, and creating families despite the amount of melanin in our skin, resulting in a people that come in as many hues as there are in the rainbow, squared, cubed, multiplied times a million.

OAN: I had to watch the first clip twice... LAWD SHE IS FINE!!!
distinguishedgentlewoman

Have you ever met someone who you thought was “Black” but considered themselves to be something else? What was their rationale for shunning Black?

I know someone of Caribbean descent who I and the rest of the world know is very Black, but she has decided to call herself Indian. He dad, as far as I can see is Indian and Black and her mother is as Black as I am. She claims her dad is 100% Indian, but I know different—the first indication, he has a very non-Indian last name. Looking at her you would think she was Latina, but a Latina with very African roots. She just told me the other day that some man referred to her as "white." I asked her if that man was blind. Her response, "Well, I had already colored my hair blond and I could be a mixed white person." I gagged. I had NEVER heard of a mixed white person. She is constantly bringing up conversations about Blacks in which she speaks very negatively about our race, and it is getting to me. I wanna say something to her so badly, but I want to do it in a diplomatic way. But I don't feel like exercising diplomacy when she opens her mouth and starts spouting utter ignorance. She sees Blacks as having ugly hair and being ugly, while she sees having light skin and long hair as being beautiful—she's obviously looking at the reflection she makes in a mirror through very dark glasses if she sees beauty looking back at her. At this point, I don't know what to do. I just wanna read her white-girl-wannabe ass into reality.
Chellz

I could understand why someone wouldn't want to be called black. Besides the stigma of being worth less; calling some black is saying they don't know their hertiage. I am a black women and proud to be; however if I knew what part of Africa my ancestors were from I would correct anyone calling me black. Black is just a color it has no origin.
Shannon

i'm proud to be referred as black . as bobby brown said ,, say it loud ! lol . but i'm mixed with black , chinese , indian , & white . but black is my main race .
Lishia

Interesting points presented by everyone. Race is a social construct, in other countries race goes beyond the simple Black, White or Asian (Hispanic is an ethnicity, not a race) that we use here in America. Obviously, these categories relate to a multitude of social and cultural characteristics, so it is hard to have one answer. I'm considered biracial but that just means my hair is a little different and have a freckles. I DVR-ed "Black in Latin America," this article makes me want to review it now just so I can have a better understanding of why some Latinos shun being labeled as "Black" vs "Brown."
http://www.venusgenus.com Dash

Your last paragraph...is exactly the goal of the docu-series some Latinos are proud of their lineage others unfortunately are not and it is extremely divisive and it is problematic not to mention hurtful especially to children. PBS did do this topic but there is room for more information and different approaches to one topic. There can be diversity among a single topic. There are many films/docs etc on the topic of the civil rights movement, slavery, the holocaust take your pick! So the PBS program only drives me more to do this even more. This has been in the works even before that special, this has been a life-long journey for me. I thank you for your words of encouragement.
http://www.venusgenus.com Dash

Thanks a lot Ronnie! You hit the nail right on the head. Thank you for your support and pls feel free to share with any and everyone you know!
http://www.venusgenus.com Dash

That's the thing, The Black American experience is not THEE only Black Experience as it pertains to people of the African Diaspora. There is certainly more to it than "African American" Black people are all over the globe! Latino is an ethnicity NOT a race.
http://www.venusgenus.com Dash

Latinos have the exact same history as Black Americans. Colonizers came to the country, killed, raped, pillaged the indigenous people, brought slaves and there you have the Latino ethnicity; a mix of white colonizers, the indigenous people of the country and the African slaves.
http://www.venusgenus.com Dash

Def agree, because of the Diaspora, black people have become a mixed bunch most definitely. OAN: And thank you for that, please be sure to pledge your support if you believe in the project.
http://www.venusgenus.com Dash

There is nothing wrong with national pride or cultural pride at all. As you already know Latinos are a proud people. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. The problem comes in when ones culture is used as a tool to divide and degrade and that's the aim of the doc. In my 24 years of life I have seen Latinos with blatant African lineage deny, deny, deny (when simple history tells the true story) and say that being Black is bad or they see it as dirty or "less than" or feel superior because they can claim a Latino ethnicity. I have seen it time and time again. The colorism and racism among the Latino ethnicity is VERY REAL and very rampant. The idea of Black' is NOT purely an American thing, if it were I wouldn't hear the term "morena" "negro" "triguena" or any of the other hundreds of words to describe skin color, and dark skin specifically among Latinos. That is what is problematic. Let's not even talk about Sammy Sosa.
knighthonor

Wait, doesnt the saying go
"1 Drop of Black Blood, you are Black"
Well guess what, Most of them Latino are Part Black. Those Native Americans, are part Black.

History has it there. Many Native Americans mated with run away slaves.
In South America, slavery was there but much different from USA slavery, which is why You see a lot more Biracials in South America. REMEMBER THIS,,, the Spanish are WHITE EUROPEANS LIKE USA WHITE PEOPLE. the Latino people you see in South America, are the result of mass Interracial mating. This is why I tell people, that this recent Interracial dating movement you see promoted a lot in the white media, is an attempt to destroy the Black Race once and for all. Because it has happen before in history (South American Hispanics) and (Middle East Arabs).
knighthonor

Wait wait wait,,,, How did you link "Black" with being a "Insult"?
Seems Latino have no problem being called White, but they ignore their Black part and get all mad. smh
knighthonor

I agree with what you said, but I want to correct something.

"Black" is not a Ethnic group. African American may be a Ethnic group, but not Black.

I believe the world has a problem with "African American" Image. I agree with the last part. Black Americans, are just like Massa. Liberia for example.

But here is something I am proud to be an Afro American. Black American is the ONLY ETHNIC GROUP IN HISTORY NOT TO OPPRESS THEIR WOMEN! THE ONLY
knighthonor

Yes,, what Dash said ----^

Remember this Torontostaar. Their Slavery was different from ours here in the states.

What I mean by this, is that Slaves by the spanish, where allowed to be married. Once married their family couldnt be broken apart. that is very different from our history.

If you can guess what that lead to. MASSA MARRY A FORMER SLAVE GIRL and MAKE BIRACIAL CHILDREN AND THE CYCLE REPEATS UNTIL THE BLACK PART OF THE CHILD SHOWS VERY LITTLE (Hair Color and Body Curves) the rest of the child appears like a White Spanish European.
knighthonor

You are part Brazilian, you are likely black, somewhere in your family tree. Remember most Hispanics in the south, have a Black person in their family tree, even the white looking hispanics in south america.

keep in mind,,,, the WHITE MAN DEFINED WHAT BLACK IS. Plesssy vs Fergason. (misspell)

1 Drop of Black Blood,,, YOU ARE BLACK.... thats what has been the judge on whether you are black or not.

Most Brazilians have a African in their family tree, long ago. Well thats your 1 drop of Black Blood right there.
knighthonor

Wrong:

Black is a Race
African American (or what ever you want to call this group of people) is a Ethnic, not a Race.
knighthonor

You are so wrong here.

African American/ Black American (or whatever name) is a Ethnic group, not a race. Just like you mentioned. You are confusing Ethnic and Race.

as Dash said, "Black" has been used for a long time now to describe a racial group of people. Hey it was used long before the United States was even thought of.

hey ever wonder where Latino/Spanish got the word NEGRO from?

Thats right,,, thats what the race of dark skin people from the Bible were called. Its where the word NIGGER comes from. Look it up if you dont believe me. its in the Bible. Its where the Spanish word NEGRO come from, and its where the term NIGGER originated from. so people were called Black long before the Americas.
knighthonor

This is where the definition for being BLACK come from that White Man created. 1 drop of Black Blood and you are Black.

Also they confuse African American, with Race.... thats not a race, its a Ethnic group. Just like Latino is a Ethnic group, so is African American. thats not a Race.
Amber

One instance :One PR said to another "hey black what's up" and then in a second instance they said to each other "he is the black guy" in a deragatory nature
http://www.ttmitchellconsulting.com/Mitchblog Mitch Mitchell

Your statement makes absolutely no sense in addressing what I said.
Potato-with_Jive

I agree to a certain point. What we are talking about is still semantics which changes based on the region we are talking about so its confusing. The word NEGRO, which simply means black (as in the color), was around way before dark skinned people existed not the other way around. But you are right, it was used to describe dark-skinned people. Similarly in spanish the term MORENO referred to the Moors. So where does that leave us? "Black" means "black" as in color, right?

If the argument is simply that Latinos can be black (lower case) then I'd agree. I have black people in my family but they are not Black (uppercase)which, to me, denotes an American ethnicity.

I agree that there is a stigma against darker skinned people and its evident in Asian, Indian and European cultures. I suppose i just disagreed that to identify more with ones Latin roots vs their Black roots is somehow self hate. At the end of the day what does it matter to YOU how a person wants to be identified? Shoot, my parents don't like me saying I'm Latino simply because i was born In America. Explain THAT! To them I'm simply a "gringo" but I'm proud of my history. Is it your job to tell me otherwise simply because geographically I'm wrong?