“Accents do not make you more or less intelligent, they simply invite fools to make assumptions.” ~ Wilson J. Scroggs

I’m an American. I happen to be a black man. I can tell you that in my personal experience, I have been discriminated against by other blacks probably more than any other group of people. That’s saying something because I’ve had my moments with caucasians.
I’m from a small, rural town in the southeastern U.S. I’ve never spoken ebonics or with a “bumpkin” accent. I speak and have always spoken clear, concise English. Why? That’s what I was taught by my parents, and in school.
But, for some reason, I meet quite a lot of people that seem completely stunned when we have a conversation. This goes for conversations with whites,blacks, asians, hispanics, it doesn’t matter. It’s like people are just expecting something else from me. It’s also like they are just fascinated with how I speak.
At work, I’ve even faced negative comments from black co-workers because of how I dress. One black co-worker asked me once, “why don’t you dress Urban?” I was like what??? I don’t wear Roccawear, and Encye’ or whatever, so , I’m not “tight”.
I like Banana Republic. I like Gap. I like what ever makes me most comfortable. But, in some way, I’m less “Black” due to my taste in clothing. Yeah, ok…..

I can go on and on about this, because it is that common in my experience. But, I will give one more example and end it there. This example by the way is a totally different discussion topic with respect to diversity. It has to do with the interaction between black Americans and black Africans.

I dated a young lady in college from Nigeria. That relationship was without a doubt an odyssey through the world of misconceptions and racism towards black Americans. When we initially got together, I told her that I would like to learn about her culture, and that I would like to accept her culture as it was important to her.
I asked her, if she would like to learn about and accept my culture because it was important to me. This was her response.

“I do not believe that I will accept your culture because black Americans do not have a sense of family.”

After meeting her parents and other siblings, I saw where her comments came from. Thankfully, that relationship was not a long one.

Prejudice cuts in many directions. But, yes,most certainly white people(and many others) seem to EXPECT certain things from black people. Certain patterns of speech is just one of those things.

Growing up in NY in the 80s as a person of color, meant that you were racially conscious and aware of the effects of racism on society as a whole (…not enough time or room to explain here). I mention this because it was ingrained in my thinking that a large percentage of Americans think that because you are Black, you possess certain characteristics. These characteristics encompass: speech/dialect, propensity for crime/drugs, lack of identifying with what are considered to be “American morals/values,” charismatic worship style, etc. The sad reality of this is that since I have lived in the WDC area (in the “South” for me), these ideas are perpetuated more-so by Blacks than any other group. I often find in situations at work, that if I am speaking with African-Americans and do not speak in slang or Ebonics when whites are not around, I am looked at suspiciously as if somehow I am a sell-out or am less credible.

Sometimes it feels like in this country, Blacks are not expected by others or themselves to be individuals. We are expected to live in the past or stay forty years behind the social development of the rest of society. Just a few thoughts…