Make Being Black Legal in America
I know as I write this that we are currently awaiting election results from this Presidential election. To me, it really doesn't matter who wins. It will still feel illegal to be a Black American. Even the statement Black American or African-American bothers me. Why can't I be just an American like any other person in this country? No one refers to White people as White Americans or European Americans. Why must my ties to this country include a hyphen? I was born here. My family was born here. I am not from Africa. Not all of my ancestors are even from Africa. However, I must identify myself with a country that I know nothing about for the comfort of other non-Black Americans. What most don't realize is that hyphen in African-Americans is to remind us that we don't belong here.
