Black or black ?

There is a difference.

Why the capital B?

Because when African people were brought to the United States specifically, they were mixed with other tribes, from other areas of Africa, to prevent communication.

This is a “tip-of-the-iceberg indicator” of the lengths taken to strip Black people of their humanity and identity; and a porthole into the unique experience for Black descendents of slavery in the United States, and their fight to maintain and defend their humanity.

Ergo, the “B” gets capitalized.

Social Colorism

This is all to say that a Black man from the United States will not have the same experience in the United States, as a black man from outside of the United States.

And in certain situations, not saying it is right, but this is actually socially preferred; because the black man from outside of the United States is less likely to be carrying any of the emotional / mental / spiritual baggage of US chattel slavery.

Social mobility then becomes tied to making one’s self acceptable to white-centered ways of being … ergo proximity to whiteness yields resources.

Cross-Cultural Communication

We are at an interesting transition, as more immigrants from Africa enter the United States.

Many of these individuals have grown up listening to Black music, and mimicking its mannerisms; but are disconnected from the lineage that birthed it.

And here we can observe a complex estuary of assimilation and differentiation.

Just something to take note of … because again, proximity to whiteness yields resources.

Yet proximity to Blackness yields status.