Authentically Black: The Real Question about Obama’s Candidacy

By Imani Perry

A number of recent articles from legitimate news agencies have been devoted to considering why African Americans don’t consider Barack Obama a “real” black person. They quote individuals who mention that his ancestors were not from West Africa, (like those of most African Americans), that he is biracial, that he is only a second generation American on his father’s side.

I find it alarming that people are so ready to assume that these isolated individuals represent the perspective of some critical mass of African Americans without any evidence to support such an assumption. In fact, if one looks to the history of African American politics and activism, there is no tradition of particular suspicion for non-native born or descended Black Americans. Think about Shirley Chisholm, Louis Farrakhan, Marcus Garvey, Harry Belafonte, and Stokely Carmichael. None of these people ever suffered from “authenticity problems.”

I don’t believe the authenticity problem lies with African Americans. The authenticity problem lies with white Americans. The real question is: Why have White pundits, journalists and newscasters been so eager to comment on Obama’s being biracial and the son of an immigrant, rather than his history of civil rights activism or his long time involvement in African American social and political communities? Does it reveal a desire, among whites, that he not be authentically black (whatever that means), but somehow “different?”

The fixation on Obama as “different” appears to be an effort to exceptionalize him. He is seen as acceptable, in part, because he is considered to be unlike other African Americans, and in particular, African American men, who have been so widely commented upon as a “social problem” in the most prestigious news media in recent months. Joe Biden got in trouble for saying what many Americans are thinking, and that is a much bigger problem than a foot in the mouth.

While there is no particular tradition of African Americans being suspicious of immigrant political activists and leaders, there is a long tradition of African Americans being suspicious of Black leaders who seem to be eagerly touted by Whites as the “next best thing.” Why, we wonder, do people who seem to hold animosity for us as a group, make an exception for this individual?

African Americans are wise to be suspicious of the media image of Obama. But more importantly, we are carefully watching to see what concessions he will be forced to make in order to remain a viable candidate. Will he have to prove that he is not concerned with the particular inequalities faced by African American, Latino, poor and immigrant communities in the United States, in order to get the votes of the white middle class? Is it possible for him to be a “people’s candidate” and have that truly mean all people?

Like any other candidate, Senator Obama must earn all citizens votes. It is bizarre to expect that African Americans would blindly fall in line with him just because of the color of his skin. Given how much suffering there is in the world these days, and how deep the divisions are among Americans, we should treat all of our presidential candidates with a healthy dose of suspicion. Those who suggest that Barack Obama doesn’t merit such close examination from African American voters are either selling Barack Obama or African Americans short. In either case, it is unacceptable.

Comments

[rosezar]

this is true..

[steven]

when Tiger Woods for saying he is "CABLINASIAN" instead of Black, i cannot remember.

[martha]

yeah i agree with others.

[Sasha Lazarios]

I am triracial(3/8 Native American, 3/8 white and 1/4 Black) and I don't pretend that I've had the same exact experience as a good and dark sister-to do so would be insulting and false. Likewise, Obama pretending to have a similar experience at all to that chocolate-skinned, Muslim brother who was in Iraq, is unapologetic, totally straight, dates all races so long as it's female,and sells oils on the the street in Philly because the military doesn't do what it should for vets anymore or ever is insulting and false. All the afore mentioned people had family that suffered the slave trade-Barak Obama suffered prep school. The truth is multiracial people still have an advantage over dark-skinned in most areas of life except for making friends with others of their own sex-and to pretend they don't is as wrong as the fact that they do just because. I don't blame most of the Black people I know in Philly for feeling betrayed by Barak Obama. He's a false symbol of a false level of progress that still has to happen.

[hayek]

I agree with Say compeletely…

[asdad]

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[david say:]

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[Say]

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[jayhay]

You say, "Why, we wonder, do people who seem to hold animosity for us as a group, make an exception for this individual?" I don't think the people that hold an animosity for African-Americans, Blacks, whatever, as a group, are the ones who like Obama anyway, or are "making an exception" for him.

The groundswell supporting this man is made up of people who are moved by the "content of his character", as they see it. Of course that popularity is going to also bring criticism, both from the white and the black apparently. Does he deserve scrutiny? Of course he does. Does he deserve particular treatment, positive or negative, because of the color of his skin? No, and I hope more and more people will say so.

[Skip Keith]

If one wants to really learn more about the man(Obama), why not read his two books. Or is it just easier to run off at the mouth!!!!

[TheCarol Taylor]

Great article on Barack Obama! (With the exception of the use of the inaccurate word "biracial!" There's no such thing; there's only one hueman race; check out my new BLOG http://caroltaylorword.blogspot.com
'Nuff Respect,
Carol Taylor
First BlackAfrikan U.S.A. Flight Attendant
Author:The Little Black Book: Black Male Survival in America racismtest.com

[Lavont]

Dear People,

We are one! This overlook fact, has cause every tear, rape, murder, heartbreak, and war there has or every will be. Until we can awaken to this beautiful Ideal, we will have continued separation, turmoil. No one is superior, thus no one is below, we all are the SUM of God. Each person here, to indiviualize their experience. Politics is religion demonstrated. Ecomonics reveal, spirituality. Our world has a Spiritual problem, which needs to solved spiritually. So its been inspirited "the mind that causes the problem, can't fix it". The political, military, economic mind can only lead you so far, the answer isn't there, else we would of found it by now. Only the heart can carry you beyond, where you want to be. Can you do this people, can you becaome the most hightest ideal, you have every imagined yourself to be? Yes, a thousand times yes.. Love is a choice, not an experince...choose this love, and you'll be love. In being you give, in giving you recieve. Love is freedom, my dear people, give this freedom, then you'll become it. God is here, where you are, always, in all ways. So peace dear people, may it be with you, Always.

IAM

[West Coaster]

Why are we blaming this on white people? Deborah Dickerson, Cornell West, Stanley Crouch have all had something negative to say about Obama's authenticity. At Tavis Smiley's annual black summit, Charles Ogletree, who actually knows Obama, had to come to Obama's defense after West fired off his mouth.

I recently had dinner with a black man I consider to be totally nonreactionary and he agreed that there is an issue with Obama's authenticity. This isn't just white people stirring the pot, who I agree are seizing on an opportunity to descredit him, but this mess was started by Negroes. White people are just pleased as punch to take this and run with it. This is another occasion when I wonder if I live in the same reality as other black people. When the cabbies don't stop for Obama, they don't consider his racial and ethnic heritage. They see his brown skin and pass him by. Period.

[Cynthia Daniels]

I find it interesting that people are questioning about Barack Obama's blackness when they readily rebuked Tiger Woods for saying he is "CABLINASIAN" instead of Black. It's like you said, this is a white problem.

[Deocliciano Okssipin Vieira]

When we Africans, yeah it is a race. Those American like Jay Leno doesn´t shy from considering himself an Italian, and he doesn´t even speak italian language.

When we gonna stop thinking that Europeans and Asian would step down from their conquers to allow Africans to bite the pie?

It it was the other way around would we step down?

Back to Obama.

Pwople have the right to rise any question. It is politics, is there any fairplay in politics?
Hell no!!!

One thing people fear about Obama, mainly Africans in the USA or Afro-Americans as you said, is that he is a prove that the main problem holding Africans is our own selves.

There would always be racial injustices (Why you think Europe stills, although wrongly cited as the cradle of civilization, that everithing come out from Grece and Roma), an European dead would worth more than that of a non European, see Iraq. Why no one care to charge Bush and Blair of war crime?

Blaming Europeans instead of making ourselves a change would not take us to anywhere.

[sally hemings]

It's always about white folks and their comfort zone. They merely see us as chess pieces in their disturbing world.

[raw dawg buffalo]

What is authentic black, sounds like a pait pigment too me