Afrikan diaspora
By sharone74
@sharone74 (4837)
United States
December 27, 2006 12:48pm CST
A lot of African Americans seem unaware of their history and do not hold their history as a thing of pride. Like where you aware that the first few thousand slaves that left Africa were volunteers? There was a widespread famine in Africa and the whites that had come there said that they had a land that was enormous and that there were not enough people to work this land and to produce food. They told the Africans that if they would send them workers that they in return would send back food to help ease the wide spread famine and starvation of our people. So the first few thousand that came over here as slaves packed up their families and all that they owned and volunteered to come to the New World and work to grow food to send back and feed people. I think that regardless of the outcome which we know. That as soon as they were out of sight of land they threw their belongings overboard and clapped these people in chains and thereafter hunted us down and took us against our will so very far from home to be abused and dengrated. I think that the fact that these people were proud and willing to leave all that they knew to help their people is something to be proud of not ashamed of our naivete.
2 people like this
15 responses
@Mystic1231 (51)
• United States
28 Dec 06
I am glad to see this discussion. I have been researching my history for several years. I did not know that the first few that left were volunteers. I would be very interested to read about this. Through researching my history, I do know the slave ship that my ancestors came on. I also have documents of my family dating back to 17/1800's. But there is still more work to be done before this chapter is finished. I am proud of my people and because of them....I AM HERE TO TELL MY STORY
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
28 Dec 06
We are all here to let it be known. That is quite a feat tracing your lineage back to the slave ship that they arrived on.
@Ravenladyj (22904)
• United States
28 Dec 06
Thats actually incredible! I cant even find out my fathers bloody name and where he's buried let alone anything farther back than that....someday hopefully and if I could go back THAT far I'd be absolutely thrilled!!
@Mystic1231 (51)
• United States
28 Dec 06
I will help you if you want. I will help anyone that wants to research their history.
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
28 Dec 06
Where are you from? Why did your parents emegrate? Not that emigration is a bad thing. It is not, I was just wondering.
@catsk123 (96)
• United States
28 Dec 06
My family emigrated from a small Greek island near Turkey. They came because they were always on the verge of starvation on the island.
So they worked and other family members helped them get enough money to come over.
They heard that the streets were paved with gold in America- seriously!
Anyway they never got rich, but they were never hungry either.
They settled in California and none of us has moved very far from there since. I still live in the San Francisco bay area.
@bimmer999 (1159)
• Philippines
28 Dec 06
hmm dunno what to say..
perhaps you should carry out some kind of campaign to make them aware of their lineage and to be proud of it..
ok..
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
31 Dec 06
There are multiple campaigns out there but each persons heritage and lineage is different.
@iknowitall (455)
• United States
28 Dec 06
yeah just think now you would all be in africa dying of aids or starvation, if your families hadnt been brought here... you people should be thankful... we saved you from the despair that is rampant on the african continent....
@Crystallanelle24 (90)
• United States
28 Dec 06
I think that is very well put. The problem with it however is that in america, blacks are made to feel ashamed of themselves. Minorites are made to feel like thy are nothing and not apart of american culture. Blacks worked like animals to take care of whites, and were treated cruely and very unfairly. To know that now, in 2006, whites are still discriminated against blacks, whom with out blacks, the back bone of america, would never have become what it is today. Their heritage is important, but they are made to believe it isnt.
@vipul20044 (5794)
• India
28 Dec 06
The African diaspora is the diaspora created by the movements and culture of Africans and their descendants throughout the world, to places such as the Americas, (including the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America) Europe and Asia. Much of the African diaspora is descended from people kidnapped during the transatlantic slave trade, with the largest population living in Brazil
@fiyahcreation (2140)
• United States
27 Dec 06
I am very proud of my heritage
* Increase the social, political, and economic value of African American heritage.
* Encourage and demonstrate respect for all heritage.
* Encourage the documentation of African American heritage.
* Institutionalize African American heritage as an ongoing goal of preservation.
*
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
28 Dec 06
Have you ever been able to research from where you are descended?
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
28 Dec 06
there is no need for african people to be ashamed of their past, if anyone the whites need to hang their heads in shame for the treatment to meted out to all the coloured people. wherever the white people went they exploited the indegenous population. but now i think all you africans should take up the fight for your collective continent to put africa back to her pride of place
@MrNiceGuy (4141)
• United States
28 Dec 06
I have never heard that slaves were tricked into slavery. Did that really happen? As far as I have learned, africans sold other africans that were slaves or political prisoners. Slaves were also captured in round ups, but I had never heard they left willingly to send food home. That's just not even practical, you couldn't send the food that far.
@eonblue7 (45)
• South Africa
28 Dec 06
i guess the country i come from has a lot of its culture there too. in South Africa we have practically every culture in the world, and also have somehow achieved a complete blend of all of them, we are not western, african or eastern but a conglomeration of all. and the wealth of history that surrounds all our cultures is amazing
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
28 Dec 06
too true. Pride in our heritage and education are the keys to our advancement as with any culture.
@antonymichaeline (67)
• India
28 Dec 06
yeah this seems to be a matter which has to be taken to people directly to get their comments
@SageMother (2277)
• United States
28 Dec 06
I think its a moot point. Knowing that doesn't change the attitudes of those with prejudice. Knowing that doesn't alter the freedom to choose to live as one sees fit regardless of someone else's thinking it doesn't show pride in one's heritage and ancestry.
