Are you pro black or Afrocentric? From my years of observing Black folk, I have determined that most do not know the difference and as a result, many misuse the term, “Afrocentric.” I have heard folks refer to clothes, hairstyles, even art as being “Afrocentric” and it seems there are those (black faced black folk in particular) who believe it is something wrong with being pro Black. After all, we don’t want to give the impression that we love ourselves more than we love the descendents of our fore parents enslavers. Do we?
We need to stop assuming that a person is Afrocentric based on their physical appearance and dress. I often see brothers wearing locs hugged up with white girls. Even saw a couple of naturally nappy sistas with white boys. Just because someone wears a dashiki does not suggest consciousness. Neither should we assume that a person with an African name is either Afrocentric or pro Black. I have met some seriously unconscious Negroes with names like Kwame and Jamal.
My belief is that no one can even call themselves Afrocentric, if they cannot clearly define what it is, and if they have not heard of or read the book, titled Afrocentricity, by Dr. Molefi Asante, who made the term popular and gave it a scholarly definition. Accordingly, Afrocentricity is a phenomena whereby the person’s worldview is African focused and sees himself as the subject rather than the object.”
It is, in essence, a way of life. It is not just wearing African style clothing in February or wearing your hair in braids or twists. It is a “conscious” constant state of mind that seeks to build a nation of strong Black people. It is a spiritual connection with the Creator and the Ancestors. It is words we use to express ourselves. It is expanding our knowledge of African history and culture and is sometimes reflected in how we dress, how we wear our hair, even what we call ourselves. Furthermore, it is my belief that Afrocentrists are also pro Black, however those who are pro Black ain’t always Afrocentric.
Even in terms of education, there is a major difference between a Black school and an African centered one. The Black school is just that a Black school, with a black-faced European curriculum, being taught by black faced Black folk, who may be “ed-u-ma-cated,” but who have absolutely no idea of what Afrocentricity is.
It’s like a black faced Santa Claus. Initially, it may look appealing, but the reality is that Santa Claus ain’t real in any color, and the guy in the red suit in the mall in December is simply working a part time job.
Remember the words of Dr. Molefi Asante, who has been referred to as the father of Afrocentricity, “Conscious precedes unity,” and never forget, Aluta Continua, the struggle continues.