This post was an impromptu one inspired by Grayson Queen, in particular a comment he left on the blog check him out he is all kinds of awesome. No relation to Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow)
________
Black history Month never honours or talks about miscegenation which is a shame as it has played such an important part not only in our history as a people, but the nation’s history. American is supposed to be at its very least a melting pot of cultures and languages. But the reality is that we are and have never been a melting pot as the outcry over the Coca-Cola ad celebrating our diversity to drum up more profits, during the SuperBowl.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=443Vy3I0gJs
When I have travelled through the country in the big cities: hyper-segregation (A form of racial segregation that consists of the geographical grouping of racial groups) and class-based economic policies keep us separated. Yet despite all the hate and turmoil we have still managed to come together when it counted, in matters of the heart, in tragedy and to make fun of Bruno Mars at the Halfime Show.
Media and Miscegenation
Up until 1967 , when the Supreme court in Loving v. Virginia, decided that the remaining anti-miscegenation laws in the country were unconstitutional miscegenation, or the marrying of different raced people. To give you some perspective there were Anti-Miscegenation laws in Nazi Germany and South Africa. We were in questionable company for a while .
What this means to me is that my policy towards dating women would have gotten me imprisoned, jailed, lynched or hospitalized if I was born at a different time. My policy is simple: generally whoever makes me pitch a tent I want to go camping with. Nothing makes a person more tolerant than really getting to know someone from another culture. I think as long as we stay separated, each ethnic group in their respective corner we will never come together to effectuate change.
Why you ask ? – Well because our media is speaks in stereotypes. Our media loves to egregiously fill us with pre-fabricated ideals, images and situations to use fear to get us to do things. Then we, because we are so busy and hurried and harrowed by the lives we have to lead to provide for ourselves and our dependants talk without listen, read with without analysing, speaking without reflecting. Again
We do not talk—we bludgeon one another with facts and theories gleaned from cursory readings of newspapers, magazines and digests. Henry Miller (1891-1980), U.S. author. “The Shadows,” The Air-Conditioned Nightmare (1945).
History of Miscegenation
My paternal grandmother could pass for a white woman but she was mulatto with reddish brown hair and freckles. I have an aunt and uncle with the same complexion. You wouldn’t think we were family if we stood together unless you looks at our faces. My cousins are part French and mulatto and the same thing goes. Many African Americans and New World Blacks are mixed.
Of course I have to say that not all miscegenation was consensual. There was an incredible amount of rape going on during the past and many cultures bear the mark of that. Speaking of which did you know that there are an estimated 450,000 people in Mexico of African heritage?
Most Americans, and even many Mexicans, don’t realize that a significant fraction of the Mexican population once looked markedly African. At least 200,000 black slaves were imported into Mexico from Africa. By 1810, Mexicans who were considered at least part-African numbered around a half million, or more than 10 percent of the population.
These people are Mexican
Finally
I wanted to keep this brief and light. Something happy. It’s not all pain a suffering. There are some happy moments, some happy stories. What I find interesting is that of course slavery was not as harsh in Mexico as it was in the USA and that intermarriage continued steadily until African genes had widely diffused into the population. I mean that’s a beautiful story for me. This is why I feel that black history month should make more mention of miscegenation. So many of us are mixed and the crisis of identity and acceptance faced by people of mixed race is sometimes tremendous. Sometimes our own “people” are not as accepting.
Mrs-Mary and I have seen our fair share of hate sent our way from being together, we were denied service in some place in Colorado on an epic journey to from NYC to Vegas by Greyhound. But we have both been enriched by each other’s culture and its been a fun ride. I dunno if you’d like I can talk about chilling in East Los Angeles and have everyone stare at me or living near the projects with MrsMary in Brooklyn the types of interactions we had lol I might be able to coax her into writing something only if you are interested enough
Mr. and MrsMary
I had just for no reason bleached my hair and tried to dye it something ridiculous in the first pic , adn the lovely MrsMary in the second pic
Y’all look so cute together 🙂
Though the court case originated out of Virginia and it isn’t illegal, I have friends in interracial/inter-ethnic relationships who still run into judgment and hatred. I just don’t understand people sometimes…
LikeLike
Thanks! That’s a shame you would think that this wouldnt be so much of an issue right ? It’s never enough to let people do what they want tp do and mind your own business
LikeLike
Happy looking couple! Sadly to say, I live in Virginia (although I was born after the Loving vs. Virginia decision). I am in a biracial relationship and my boyfriend and I still get stares whenever we travel in certain areas of the state. SCOTUS may deem the miscegenation ban unconstitutional but judicial rulings do not change people’s minds. It makes them work overtime trying to find new ways to circumvent the situation and continue the old ways.
An extremely well-written piece on the practice of interracial marriage/relationships. I think your idea of making it a part of the historical educational agenda is excellent. Good job! 🙂
LikeLike
Your absolutely right, laws don’t change people’s minds and behaviors. I think that laws force overt behaviors to become covert as you said: “It makes them work overtime trying to find new ways to circumvent the situation and continue the old ways.” I think more than anything black history month points to a crises of self identity of not only a group of people but of our nation. Who are we as a nation? – it’s tough to answer with the blatant homophobia, sexism and racism
LikeLike
Exactly! Black History Month, Women’s Month, Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month, GLBT Pride Month, Differing Abilities Month and all awareness observances are not only necessary but important. Until we have complete equality throughout this land, we’ll never have a total national identity. What is often neglected in our consciousness is that hate and stigma are learned, not instinctive, behaviors.
LikeLike
Not sure you have seen this but seemed apt for your discussion given your topics this week, it popped up in my news feed and I had to read it twice to believe that since horrific institutionalised racism could be allowed to go unchecked in this day and age. http://rollingout.com/criminal-behavior/black-man-found-dead-slit-throat-missing-ear-authorities-claim-overdosed/
LikeLike
That was a tough one to read. I dunno what to say even. Thanks for sharing it with me Paula
LikeLike