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On being black, will note as a black American that "Black" is our cultural heritage in this country. Unlike most whites, black Americans have very deep ancestry in this land. Our old connections to African cultures and people morphed together and we became "one" particular black tribe in this land.
We have a distinct history and culture that is focused primarily on activism and uplift. This makes us very distinct from African or other African diaspora cultures - our history in this nation. We have been here for 500 years.
Due to that, I do not weep or pine over any lost African culture. All my ancestors have left a very inspiring legacy for me, especially those who were black because they had so much more to deal with than the others and they kept pushing and gave me the opportunities I have today.
I am "inspired" not "proud" primarily of my ancestors and I am inspired by all of them and the fact that they lived lives the best they could.
When someone truly gets into genealogical and historical research from the family perspective, you will see how similar we all are, especially here in America, we have similar stories.
Not to rain on your parade but Native Americans were here or have been here for more than 1000 years. As I mention earlier I am proud of Native Heritage and culture as well. I think some miss that part. Natives were killed, brutalize and ran off their land when European came over but I don't make Modern White People feel guilty about it because it, not their fault and some of them were probably also my Ancestors.
Native American also killed each other, practiced slavery and stole each other land. No race or ethnicity has been perfect or been without faults. I am not proud of certain part of Native History but it also not my fault for what past NAtives may or may not have done.
Not about black pride, white pride or color of skin, nothing to do with race but until how long until it deemed unacceptable for people of European Descent to longer be able to feel comfortable in taking pride in their Ancestor and being proud of their Accomplishments, Culture, and Heritage to the point we can't honor them anymore like on St Patrick Day or Octoberfest? without offending other people?
Same thing about Black History Month. Some people want to get rid of that. Don't let that happen. Everyone does not matter who all have reasons to be proud of certain Ancestors and should honor their Heritage and culture.
The way this country is nowadays people get offended very easily. Don't be afraid to take pride in your ancestors and their heritage.
Not to rain on your parade but Native Americans were here or have been here for more than 1000 years. As I mention earlier I am proud of Native Heritage and culture as well. I think some miss that part. Natives were killed, brutalize and ran off their land when European came over but I don't make Modern White People feel guilty about it because it, not their fault and some of them were probably also my Ancestors.
Native American also killed each other, practiced slavery and stole each other land. No race or ethnicity has been perfect or been without faults. I am not proud of certain part of Native History but it also not my fault for what past NAtives may or may not have done.
Not about black pride, white pride or color of skin, nothing to do with race but until how long until it deemed unacceptable for people of European Descent to longer be able to feel comfortable in taking pride in their Ancestor and being proud of their Accomplishments, Culture, and Heritage to the point we can't honor them anymore like on St Patrick Day or Octoberfest? without offending other people?
Same thing about Black History Month. Some people want to get rid of that. Don't let that happen. Everyone does not matter who all have reasons to be proud of certain Ancestors and should honor their Heritage and culture.
The way this country is nowadays people get offended very easily. Don't be afraid to take pride in your ancestors and their heritage.
There is no way you could rain on my parade lol (not even sure why you said that phrase my response was referring to an earlier poster that said that black people had our culture taken away and it was a direct response to that due to the fact that we as a demographic have been in this country for a long time and that we have a very deep culture that was created by blacks in this land/nation).
I also have indigenous American ancestry from very far back that I have documented, primarily from the late 1600s/early 1700s back in Virginia.
I also don't make white people guilty about anything. I have African, European, and indigenous American ancestry.
IMO people can only feel guilty about something that they want to feel guilty about. I am a member of various genealogical groups and societies and most of the members are white Americans and no one cares if they explore their European ancestry or tries to make them feel guilty. History happened and we learn from it. As noted, most people who came to this country (not the indigenous population) have a similar story, even black Americans and white Americans have similar stories, especially during the colonial era since a large amount of early white/European colonists, like blacks were indentured servants and lived a very hard life.
I celebrate Oktoberfest as I do our local Polish celebrations which are around the same time as Oktoberfest. No one can take Black History Month away nor can they do anything with the fact that there is a subject called black/African American history. It is here to stay and people whining about its existence are funny to me and I pay them little mind. Oktoberfest is also still around as are various types of European cultural celebrations and traditions. Honestly, I feel many of you are disconnected and ignorant about your culture as you think that "skin color" is a culture when it is not. The color black is not a culture, but "black American culture" is a real thing and it is not dependent on the actual color. And FWIW, I know that you and others understand the fact that "black" for black Americans is a heritage, history, and culture and I honestly do believe that people are purposefully dimwitted on the subject and just want to argue unnecessarily. I agree that people get too bent out of shape today, but it is especially crazy to me that whites want to blame black people specifically for them being ignorant about their own history and culture or that we can "make" you feel guilty about your history or culture.
I think many of the people on the thread who think that someone saying they cannot be "proud" of their ancestors are being ridiculous, mostly because that is the gist of this subforum - to make a big deal out of things that aren't a big deal. Oftentimes today it seems white people try to victimize themselves. Most black people don't care if you are proud of your ancestors so not sure why you would even think that blacks can "make" someone "feel guilty." I have a documented ancestor that owned slaves who were black. I don't feel guilty about it. As noted, I have indigenous ancestry and many of their descendants, even though they were "tri-racial" down the line, distant ancestors made a huge deal about proving how they were not any part "black" in records I found from the 19th and 20th centuries and spoke ill of black people even though they were part black. I am not guilty over their actions. I learn from them and I take other parts of their lives that I am inspired by.
Too often IMO whites like to make themselves feel guilty about history when it is unnecessary. Just like I don't feel guilty about whites trying to insinuate that I as a black person have "problems" or "no culture" or that my culture is negative or dysfunctional - I do not accept that and find it ridiculous so it doesn't bother me. You shouldn't let things bother you that you had no part in and if some idiot wants to keep on discussing it, you have the option of ignoring them and not engaging with said individuals anymore because they are idiots. And if you all were actually interested in learning about your culture and history instead of saying that you cannot be "white" I would take your words more seriously. No one can make anyone else feel guilty about anything and people still celebrate Oktoberfest and German American Heritage, Italian Heritage, Irish Heritage, and various other European heritages in America. In my area we have a Hungarian American festival and a Polish one as well along with various other cultural celebrations. You choosing not to partake in those festivities or joining societies that celebrate your culture is on you.
I make clear that I am very respectful and admiring of other people's heritages, but yes, I am PROUD of who I came from and try my best to live up to it. I celebrate that heritage every day by reading constantly the ancient authors from Greece and Rome, and I do not care what anyone thinks of that. Anyone who tries to separate me from my heritage is trash and beneath contempt.
Just to scratch the surface, ours are the people of...
The Mycenaean Age
Homer
Athens
Sparta
Plato
Socrates
Aristotle
Alexander the Great
Roman Republic/Empire
Herodotus
Thucydides
The 300 Spartans
Xenophon and the 10,000
Democracy
Constituional Republic
Polybius
Charlemagne
The First True Alphabet
The Scientific Method
The Magna Carta
Niccolo Machiavelli
Copernicus
Galileo
John Lock
William Shakespeare
Jean-Jacques Rosseau
Thomas Hobbes
The American Constitution
British Empire
George Washington
Abrahamn Lincoln
Thomas Jeffferson
The Industrial Revolution
The internal cumbustion engine
Antibiotics
Manned Flight
Space Flight
Walking on the moon
Quantum Physics
General relativity
The Uncertainty Principle
Dark Matter
Dark energy
The Higgs Boson
Such a abbreviated list, yet enough to make one blush with real recognition for the greatness of a now embattled people.
Yep, race hadn't been weaponized in the 80's when you and I grew up.
In the late 70's, shows like Good Times, The Jeffersons, Sanford And Son and What's Happening brought black lives into white living rooms. In the 80's, shows like The Cosby Show and Family Matters were no longer about black families but American families that happened to be black. Nobody batted an eye about the Huxtables father being a doctor and mother a lawyer. It was expected their children would go to college.
The 80's were the decade when superstar athletes who were black were just viewed as superstars. They sold everything on television and were no longer just selling to the black audience. White businessmen were the target for Hertz who used OJ as their spokesman.
Few stars in Hollywood appealed to young white males more than Eddie Murphy. It wasn't because he was black, it was because he was funny, handsome and (excuse the reference) raw.
The 80's was also when rap began the crossover to mainstream. Most generations look for music that is different and unique from what their parents listened to, and rap was the sound that young people began listening to without care as to its origins.
I think people who grew up in the late 70's and early 80's are the ones who really don't care about race and embrace each other regardless of racial differences.
The people who came of age in the 70, 80s and early 90s were people born during (and came of age during) the Civil Rights Movement. I think that had a lot to do with the changing of the guard when it came to Professional Sports, Movies, TV and Music.
I agree in the 1970s and prior there was a tendency to stereotype Blacks and portray them in a bad light. These people were born prior to the Civil rights Movement.
Yes, that is true about your statement on TV in the 1970s and 1980s. I agree.
the Jeffersons and Good Times were seen as a 'Black families' on television not really an 'American family' as they geared more towards African American Audiences.
Cosby Show, Family Matters, and Fresh Prince were seen as American Families, not as just a Black Family on TV. They were geared towards all audiences.
Shows like Cosby Show Family Matters, a Different World, and Fresh Prince portrayed Back People in a good way, not in a negative, discriminatory, stereotypical, way they had been portrayed in the past. But they also had more Black writers.
Last edited by NorthwestResident; 11-06-2017 at 12:44 PM..
There is no way you could rain on my parade lol (not even sure why you said that phrase my response was referring to an earlier poster that said that black people had our culture taken away and it was a direct response to that due to the fact that we as a demographic have been in this country for a long time and that we have a very deep culture that was created by blacks in this land/nation).
I also have indigenous American ancestry from very far back that I have documented, primarily from the late 1600s/early 1700s back in Virginia.
I also don't make white people guilty about anything. I have African, European, and indigenous American ancestry.
IMO people can only feel guilty about something that they want to feel guilty about. I am a member of various genealogical groups and societies and most of the members are white Americans and no one cares if they explore their European ancestry or tries to make them feel guilty. History happened and we learn from it. As noted, most people who came to this country (not the indigenous population) have a similar story, even black Americans and white Americans have similar stories, especially during the colonial era since a large amount of early white/European colonists, like blacks were indentured servants and lived a very hard life.
I celebrate Oktoberfest as I do our local Polish celebrations which are around the same time as Oktoberfest. No one can take Black History Month away nor can they do anything with the fact that there is a subject called black/African American history. It is here to stay and people whining about its existence are funny to me and I pay them little mind. Oktoberfest is also still around as are various types of European cultural celebrations and traditions. Honestly, I feel many of you are disconnected and ignorant about your culture as you think that "skin color" is a culture when it is not. The color black is not a culture, but "black American culture" is a real thing and it is not dependent on the actual color. And FWIW, I know that you and others understand the fact that "black" for black Americans is a heritage, history, and culture and I honestly do believe that people are purposefully dimwitted on the subject and just want to argue unnecessarily. I agree that people get too bent out of shape today, but it is especially crazy to me that whites want to blame black people specifically for them being ignorant about their own history and culture or that we can "make" you feel guilty about your history or culture.
I think many of the people on the thread who think that someone saying they cannot be "proud" of their ancestors are being ridiculous, mostly because that is the gist of this subforum - to make a big deal out of things that aren't a big deal. Oftentimes today it seems white people try to victimize themselves. Most black people don't care if you are proud of your ancestors so not sure why you would even think that blacks can "make" someone "feel guilty." I have a documented ancestor that owned slaves who were black. I don't feel guilty about it. As noted, I have indigenous ancestry and many of their descendants, even though they were "tri-racial" down the line, distant ancestors made a huge deal about proving how they were not any part "black" in records I found from the 19th and 20th centuries and spoke ill of black people even though they were part black. I am not guilty over their actions. I learn from them and I take other parts of their lives that I am inspired by.
Too often IMO whites like to make themselves feel guilty about history when it is unnecessary. Just like I don't feel guilty about whites trying to insinuate that I as a black person have "problems" or "no culture" or that my culture is negative or dysfunctional - I do not accept that and find it ridiculous so it doesn't bother me. You shouldn't let things bother you that you had no part in and if some idiot wants to keep on discussing it, you have the option of ignoring them and not engaging with said individuals anymore because they are idiots. And if you all were actually interested in learning about your culture and history instead of saying that you cannot be "white" I would take your words more seriously. No one can make anyone else feel guilty about anything and people still celebrate Oktoberfest and German American Heritage, Italian Heritage, Irish Heritage, and various other European heritages in America. In my area we have a Hungarian American festival and a Polish one as well along with various other cultural celebrations. You choosing not to partake in those festivities or joining societies that celebrate your culture is on you.
Good to hear.
I agree with your whole post. It is ridiculous for someone to say you can no be proud or take pride in an Ancestor not matter what race You can be proud of an ancestor for many different reasons but still not agree with something they did.
By the way I have Ancestors from North Caorlin who fought on the Union Side in the Civil War!
There is so much of this stuff going around nowadays (racial divide, People getting offended so easily, etc,.) in this country It makes me wonder how long until people start saying that it is racist for white people to take pride and be proud of their Ancestors and their Accomplishments?
I think people who do Family History and Genealogy should be concerned about this.
I have mainly European ancestry with some Native American ancestry as well. I am Proud of both my European and Native American Ancestors (most of them). It doesn't make me a Racist. I take pride in some of my most recent Ancestors and their heritage. They were not bad people (most of them). They may have done things I don't agree with but no one perfect.
Black People take pride in their Roots, Heritage, and Ancestors and so do Native Americans nothing wrong with that. They should.
So why can't white People take pride in their roots and heritage as well? Why can't we also be proud of some of our Ancestors as well? I am not proud of the ones who owned Slaves or fought on the Conferdate Side in the Civil War.
There are good and bad people in all races. tHy all have a good and bad history.
Black Americans take pride in Jesus Christ. Isn't Jesus white? How come he is not labeled a white supremacist?
So how do you take pride in your roots and heritage?
Irish People take pride in their Ancestors heritage and culture every year on March 17th. That not 'White Pride' (which mean to take pride in being white) but mean to pride in where you came from and being proud of ancestors and honoring their heritage and culture.
Irish Americans have reason to b proud of their Ancestors because they were treated as second-class citizens in their own country (underpaid by English Lanwonderd and starving) and so they pick everything up and left Ireland for Americans in hope of a better life and more Opportunites for their family and descendants. Yes a lot of them were discriminated here but still had better life here than there
Irish People take pride in their Ancestors heritage and culture every year on March 17th. That not 'White Pride' (which mean to take pride in being white) but mean to pride in where you came from and being proud of ancestors and honoring their heritage and culture.
Irish Americans have reason to b proud of their Ancestors because they were treated as second-class citizens in their own country (underpaid by English Lanwonderd and starving) and so they pick everything up and left Ireland for Americans in hope of a better life and more Opportunites for their family and descendants. Yes a lot of them were discriminated here but still had better life here than there
Discrimination = right to be proud of thier ancestors??
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