.What does it mean to be Black? Is Blackness a matter of biology or consciousness? What determines who is Black and who is not? the book of Dr. Yaba Blay, an assistant professor and co-director of the Africana Studies program in Drexel University’s College of Arts and Sciences, seeks to challenge narrow perceptions of what Blackness is and what it looks like.
The book, entitled (1)ne Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race, combines candid narratives and photos of 60 contributors from 25 different countries, providing a living testimony to the diversity of Blackness. It is intended to spark dialogue about the intricacies and nuances of racial identity and the influence of skin color politics.
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Brett Russell, "Yu'i Korsou (a child of Curaçao)"
"At one point it seemed like every day, a couple of times a day, someone would ask me, 'Where are you from?' And when I would tell them, they'd say something like, 'You're from Curaçao? How can that be?' or 'You ain't Black.'" |
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| Deborah Thomas, "Mixed/Jamerican" |
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Destiny Birdsong, "African-American/Black"
"I've always had a fear of being mistaken for White because you have to deal with people's ignorance ... It's a way that someone can use language to really erase who you are and your own past." |
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| Angelina Griggs, "Colored" |
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James Scott, "Appalachian African-American"
"Somebody might look at me and question my Blackness or feel like I don't have the right to speak for African Americans because I don't look Black. They might even assume that I don't experience racism because of how I look." |
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| Johanne Stewart, "African-American" |
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| Kaneesha Parsard, "Black/Multiracial" |
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| Koko Zauditu-Selass, "African" |
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| Kristina Robinson, "Black from Louisiana" |
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Zun Lee, "Black" "
I identify as Black. And when I say 'Black,' it’s not just based on race or color; it's about what feels most comfortable in terms of a sense of home." |
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Sean Gethers, "Black/African-American"
"A lot of Caucasians think I'm White because they've never run into somebody that has albinism ... At the same time, I don't feel like I’m passing. I can't hide being Black" |
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Tigist Selam, "Ethiopian and German"
"I personally identify as Black racially, Ethiopian and German/American culturally" |
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Sembene McFarland, "Black/African-American"
"A lot of people just look and see skin color. Your skin is White, therefore you're White. Or are you? One girl said to me, 'I've been wanting to ask you this question but I didn't feel comfortable asking you because I thought that you might be offended, but are you Black or are you White?' And I told her, 'Well, I'm always Black.'" |
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| Nuala Cabral, "Black/Mixed/Cape Verdean" |
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| Sosena Solomon, "Ethiopian" |
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