Who are "African-Americans" and why bother with it now? [View All]

I think that intuitively we think of African-Americans as descendants of those who were forced on these shores. Who were not part of any wave (or trickle) of immigration, hoping to build a new life here. We also think of them as black. And we know that even after emancipations they have suffered through bigotry and discrimination, and still, as a group, are at a lower economic level than other groups.

Because, of course, there are many who came here from Africa on their own free will. Arabs from North Africa and Whites, like Teresa Hinze Kerry and actor Charlize Theron.

Here, in Minnesota, there are many people from Somalia. They entered here as refugees, they are black and, I am sure, encounter instances of hatred and bigotry. Yet, I would think that as a group they may not necessarily align themselves with the goals and aspirations of the established African-Americans, the descendant of slaves.

And then we have leaders like Colin Powell and Barack Obama. Two individuals that are looked at as great African-American role models. Are they?

Certainly Barack Obama was elected by many African-Americans who admire him and consider him as a great Representative of the African-American community, who would represent the aspirations and needs and goals and hopes of his community. Yet he is not a descendant of slaves, and, I think that at some level he wishes to not be viewed as an "African-American" senator, but simply as a Senator from Illinois. Indeed, there was one hint about this in the Newsweek cover story about him from two weeks ago.

Why is this important now? (And I hope that by now I am not causing anyone to fume and to be agitated)

Because all of us were enthralled by Obama's wonderful speech at the Democratic convention. Many of us are looking at him as the hope for the future - if not for 2008 than for 2012 or 2016. If not a President than a leader in another capacity. And I think that it will be important for us to understand that he may not wish to present himself as an African-American, but simply as an American. And that it will be important for us not to be disappointed by such an attitude, or, worse, for the real African-Americans among us (I am white) not to feel betrayed.