Who is African? And who is African-American?
These questions were the focus of a panel discussion Monday evening at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
Professors of history, political science, economics, and African studies took questions from Lisa Coleman, the director of the African American Center.
Political Science Professor Pearl Robinson addressed the first question. She said anyone currently on the continent and anyone whose ancestors left the continent but maintained an African identity should be considered African.
"I think that Africa is continental," Robinson said. She said attempts to split the continent into two regions, one "sub-Saharan," ignore the historical and cultural connections of Egypt to the rest of the continent.
Economics Professor Edward Kutsoati also kept his definition broad. "If we believe the geneticists who say that the first humans came from Africa, then we are all Africans," he said.
Other continents suffer a similar identity crisis, Kutsoati said." It is hard to make a rule saying exactly what it means to be European, and I think it is just as hard to define who is African," he said.
The "African" label shows a contintental branding not always found in other regions of the world. "When I am watching track and field events, Kenyan runners are called 'African,'" History Professor Gerald Gill said. "But people from countries in Europe are called by the names of their countries, not collectively 'European.'" Gill is working on a book about race relations in Boston.
The program was organized by the African Student Organizatin, Africa in the New World, and the Pan-African Alliance.
Professors also spoke on repurcussions of the creation of the term "African-American" over 15 years ago.
Gill said definitions of the term that limit its application to descendants of slaves who became citizens as a result of Civil War do "not take into account diaspora Africans or other immigrants."
"I prefer using the word 'black' because it is more inclusive," Gill said.
Victor Manfredi, a professor in the Afrian Studies Department at Boston University, said blacks outside of the United States have adopted the term "African-American." He said the term's meaning may have grown to encompass all of North and South America.
Coleman asked the panelists if they have noticed any stigmas associated with either of the terms.
Robinson said many students talk about going to Africa, but they only consider going to places where disasters are occurring, such as Sudan or Sierra Leone. "They hardly ever think of going to places where good things are happening," she said. The stigma, Robinson said, seems to be attached to the word "Africa."
The discussion ended with professors explaining how Africans abroad can maintain cultural ties with their home contienent.
Many African immigrants make sure their family holds onto their native language. "Language is very important," Kutsoati said.
"On the other hand, many people immigrated from Africa with little or no education, and they don't want their children to grow up like them," he said. "In this case, they go to schools and learn to speak English, and learning the African language becomes a problem. It is more about feeling accepted."
