The idea for this blog came from several discussions with students and young people who come from mixed-race backgrounds, especially so-called "white and black" biracials who, for whatever reason, grew up without learning very much about African-American life, history or culture. Whether they be trans-racially adopted, grew up in a home without the biological black parent or were perhaps raised in an area without many black people, the probability for people of mixed race descent to grow up without a solid, positive grounding in the black experience is much higher for reasons that will become fairly obvious. Not so obvious at times, however, is the more complicated truth of racism in America, a past deeply rooted in the ugly practice of white supremacy and centuries of stigmatization of African-American culture, heritage and contributions. This phenomenon, known to some scholars as "Anti-blackness", has done more to confuse and ultimately divide than perhaps any other factor.
Those scholars have identified a specific preference for a mixed race identity based on whiteness, and argue that the new multiracial identity, what some call generation mix, as nothing more than good, old fashioned racial denial--that any identity is better then the dreaded "curse" of blackness. Consequently, many mixed race or multiracial Americans of African descent in particular, grew up believing and internalizing some of the ugliest and worst myths about African-American culture, which obviously has a negative impact on their self-perception, self-esteem and general sense of self worth as an African-descended person of mixed race. Sometimes it is a racist parent (or one that holds strong racial views, which more often than not is the black parent). `Especially complicated are things such as the one-drop rule, which says that any person with any black ancestry whatsoever (one drop) is considered black.
These factors have contributed to all kinds of racially detrimental identity choices, bullying, and the pressure to identify with blackness, which considering the historical experience of African Americans, is understandable. On a deeper level, the accusation often hurled at people who identify as biracial and or multiracial (even when this is is now the case) that they would rather identify with anything before black is often the result of simple ignorance on the part of mixed race people (especially young people). This blog proposes the rather simple notion that with more knowledge about African-American culture and history, using techniques and pedagogies borrowed from the discipline of Africana studies, that biracial, multiracial and mixed race people of African descent will gain a greater understanding and respect for their own culture, no mater how divorced from or alienated they may have felt from it in the past. These lessons can be offered as part of this blog in the form of current events, articles, news items and information regarding race and mixed race.
In addition, this may be expanded in the future to include a curriculum as well as speaking events, workshops and broader education of the general public through media events, interviews and social media. Our motto is "learn the truth and then you decide." Give our B.L.A.A.C. experts a chance to challenge your previously held assumptions about race, whiteness, America and the true nature of American history. Although we may not have invented or been responsible for these circumstances, we are stronger when we face history together. Race is a social construct and only when we do the crucial work of deconstructing race, do we begin to find healing and a satisfying, healthy black adulthood. We made race... we can unmake it.
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