The B Word at the Democratic National Convention
By Kisha Allison, WORD Special Correspondent.

Black Caucus. African-American Caucus. What exactly did I attend this afternoon of August 25, the first day of the convention? When I registered this morning, the sign at the caucus table read “African-American Caucus.” But when I finally reached the Wells Fargo Theatre where it was held, the sign read “Black Caucus.”
So which is it?

The truth is the term African-American leaves out many brothers and sisters of the African Diaspora. What about the Jamaicans, Trinis, Bajans and other Afro-Caribbean islands? The Guyanese and Brazilians are also left out. Did we forget about their substantial Black populations? Why do we struggle between the two terms?

For the sake of political correctness?

There is a stigma attached to anything Black and America has got to get over it. We wear “Black” when a loved one passes, the color attributed a morbid connotation. In Western literature “Black” is used as a literary device to symbolize anything evil. And to this day, some still consider Africa as the “dark continent.”

Barack Obama refers to himself as a Black man. So what’s the problem? If he can do it, why can’t we?

Could this be his attempt to help Americans get over their fear of “Blackness.” Before coming to the DNC, New York City Councilman Charles Barron, and I talked about this stigma. Barron (picture below) said that when Obama wins, he would like to see him walk onto the inauguration stage with James Browns’ Say It Loud: I’m Black and I’m Proud playing.

I’ve said all this to say that there should be no reason why the Black community at large should feel uneasy about their “Blackness.” Embrace it and defend it. So say it loud, I’m Black and I’m proud!

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