(The following post was written for a friend's web publication in January 2009, but it was never published. Hopefully you will find it to still be a relevant issue.)
Are you Black Enough?
In the face of the election of the first black president, there have been several questions about the definition of black and whether he is black enough. In a presentation by Frontline regarding Barack Obama, elder black community leaders did not feel that President Obama—then a state Senator Obama had paid his dues. They felt he was not a deserving candidate for Congress in comparison to a former Black Panther who was rooted in the community.
So what does one mean by the term “black?” I use black and African American interchangeably in this post. Does it refer to the color of one’s skin or the group with which one affiliates or is it the color of the people from which one descended? Education, form of dress, political affiliations, and other ways of life are often evaluated to determine one’s level of blackness. In an attempt to address these questions, William Cross, a scholar in psychology offers a continuum of identity by which African Americans see themselves in his book, Shades of Black (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1991).
Cross links race and identity by offering a continuum of “blackness” according to levels of race salience. Race salience is not related to skin complexion, but the level one affiliates with a particular group. The more race salience one has, the more one identifies racially and culturally with the black community. The less one has, the less one identifies with the community. So a nationalist would have the greatest amount of race salience and someone who assimilates into the dominant culture has the lowest level. A nationalist might fight for an independent homeland for blacks or identifies with the entire African Diaspora in the U.S., Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, Canada... That person may wear a form of dress that is Afro-centric and not linked to white society. The Black Power Movement is associated with nationalists. We often see the Angela Davis afro as a symbol of Afro-centrism. Malcolm X is also a symbol of nationalism.
In contrast, the assimilator might believe that he is only black in terms of complexion or race, but does not identify with the community as a whole. He might not associate with anyone within his community. His politics often seems counter to the black mainstream. Terms such as Oreo or Uncle Tom might be bestowed upon this person. Although a fictional character, Sgt. Waters from A Soldier’s Story is one that I ask students to analyze. However, Justice Clarence Thomas is frequently associated with this identity.
Those individuals in the middle of the continuum are often bi-racial or maintain a multicultural outlook. Individuals who are bi-racial in this context have one parent who is black and the other non-black. A person with this identity might identify strongly with both parents, not denying either such as Tiger Woods. Others in the middle identify with multiple groups, but there is no doubt that black as their dominant identity. Their identity may or may not be related to parentage, but maybe just an outlook on life. El Hajj Malik Shabazz, who is usually associated with nationalism, embraced all Muslims even those who were not black, after going to Mecca for Hajj.
In summary, according to Cross, the concept of race is very complex. There are levels or degrees to which one affiliates with race. Those with mid to low levels of race salience are often viewed as “not black” or not black enough by those with higher levels of race salience, but he believes that they are not completely denying their race, but the level to which they affiliate may differ than their nationalist counterparts.
But, is skin color the only thing that links people together? When I was growing up, we always claimed Teena Marie who is white because she had soul. However, we wanted to disassociate ourselves from Clarence Thomas because his views did not represent the African American mainstream. So what links people together outside of race?
I agree with your article. I never understood the "black enough" issue. When President Clinton was in office we were quick to give him the title the "first black President",which I hated. I felt they only gave him that title because they associated him with the negatives and stereotypes about black people such as his drug use and his infidelity. So it might be worth exploring why Clinton got a pass to be black and Obama did not.
ReplyDeleteThe Clintons both worked with traditional leaders within the church and Civil Rights community. They courted individuals who focused on mainstream African American issues. President Obama's agenda extended beyond the black community. Two books, Ron Brown's Body and the Breakthrough have interesting perspectives on this issue.
ReplyDeletea couple thoughts: the pre-Mecca Malcolm would be a nationalist, post-Mecca would a little more centrist, it seems not enough people make that distinction and often quote things from early in his writings / speeches that he actually left behind...
ReplyDeletethe idea of salience is interesting, I've heard that concept before but never had a word put to it, there is a quiz on facebook "How Black Are You?" going around the last couple weeks, fwiw, I tested out at 80% / Kanye West, which didn't really surprise anybody...
I've got a more serious comment along those lines I've been meaning to post on the previous note about "everyone has culture" but haven't made time to sit down and write it out, hopefully in the next day or two...
Thanks G. I always appreciate your perspective.
ReplyDeleteG - BTW, I used El Hajj Malik Shabazz instead of saying post Mecca Malcolm.
ReplyDeleteI noticed you mentioned the book Ron Brown's Body which is about the Commerce Secretary's death on the Intercultural Post. Was that the book you meant because that one was really controversial? Although I haven't read it that's what I've gathered about the book. I'll check it out if it will give me some answers on how the Clinton's earned their "black pass".
ReplyDeleteHowever I'm not entirely convinced that the Clinton's association with traditional leaders in the church and civil rights community during the times when they needed the votes was the reason blacks gave them a pass. I say that because Obama was a civil rights attorney and community organizer back in the days before he entered politics where as the Clintons can't say that. I think the blackness issue with Obama comes back to one simple thing..."hate". Being black in America is all you need to be black. There should not be a requirement to "pay dues" before being black enough. I work hard so my daughter doesn't have to pay the "dues" that they are referring to. She doesn't need have an oppressed black experience to be black. Equality was the whole point of the civil rights movement. Therefore as blacks become more equal in their American experience, the definition of being a black American needs to evolve. Attending a black church and eating soul food with me a couple times every four years is not enough for the Clinton's to get a black pass.
In the breakthrough, Gwen Ifill talks about issues regarding the shift of power from one generation to the next. It isn't handed down easily. The President Obama openly challenged the black establishment in Chicago early in his political career. I think he sought their support and supported them originally, but he was independent minded. He wasn’t interested in waiting until he was told it was his time. I am not sure if the Clinton's openly challenged or ran against the black establishment.
ReplyDeleteIn the Frontline special, they share the strategy that the President used in Illinois when he ran for the Senate. It was much more universal than some of the traditional strategies of black leaders. He was not dependent upon the black establishment. Gwen Ifill mentions this time and again with leaders who broke through certain barriers.
When Clinton was the Arkansas governor, I observed him at an SCLC meeting in Birmingham. His interactions were not forced. It was as though he had lived among blacks all his life. He seemed at home and everyone seemed at home around him. Early this year, I had a revealing conversation regarding the Clintons with a person who held a national office. He speaks of the Clintons as good friends who were concerned about him personally and his constituents. Ron Brown’s Body gives a different perspective of the Clintons.
When Cornel West was in Tuscaloosa, I asked him about the shift of power from one generation to another. Ifill’s books supports his theory of the young leaders having to take their positions. No one is going to hand anything to them. He also mentioned leaders who happen to be black and black leaders. I think that the President, Michael Steele, Condi Rice, Clarence Thomas all defy the stereotypes of African American leaders. Whether we agree or disagree with them, they transcend our ideals about black leadership.