Racial Classification

[Tyehimba]

by Cheikh Anta Diop


A racial classification is given to a group of individuals who share a certain number of anthropological traits, which is necessary so that they not be confused with others.  There are two aspects which must be distinguished, the phenotypical and genotypical.  I have frequently elaborated on these two aspects.

If we speak only of the genotype, I can find a black who, at the level of his chromosomes, is closer to a Swede than Peter Botha is.  But what counts in reality is the phenotype.  It is the physical appearance which counts.  This black, even if on the level of his cells he is closer than Peter Botha, when he is in South Africa he will live in Soweto.  Throughout history, it has always been the phenotype which has been at issue; we mustn't lose sight of this fact.  The phenotype is a reality, physical appearance is a reality.

Now, every time these relationships are not favorable to the Western cultures, an effort is made to undermine the cultural consciousness of Africans by telling them, `We don't even know what a race is.'  What that means is, they do know what a yellow man is, they do know what a white man is.  Despite the fact that the white race and the yellow race are derivatives of the black which, itself, was the first to exist as a human race, now we do not want know what it is.  If Africans fall into that trap, they'll be going around in circles.  They must understand the trap, understand the stakes.

It is the phenotype which as given us so much difficulty throughout history, so it is this which must be considered in these relations.  It exists, is a reality and cannot be repudiated.

SOURCES:
African Origin of Civilization by Cheikh Anta Diop
Civilization or Barbarism by Cheikh Anta Diop

[Rootsie]

So what Diop is saying here-is that people are affected by racism more or less according to their looks.  The genetic reality of  a person's heritage is not so important in the world as how they look. Racial discrimination is based on looks. So the 'whiter' someone is, the more privilege they receive.

[Ayinde]

This is a serious point worth developing.

There are light skinned people who are also Africans but they do not admit that they benefit from white privileges, however, when it is not given to them they usually demand it.

Anyone can claim to be African (genetically, culturally or spiritually) but if they are not Black, then they do not really experience the depths of racism and the heights of their ability to discern.

One can read, get some understanding and associate with Africans but still never experience the depths of racism as it affects BLACKS. As a real Black man, I had to see that it was not Black men who experience the worst forms of racism, but it is real Black women who it affects the most. When a real Black woman is armed with her history she gets a whole different view on life based on real day-to-day experiences. I developed a very close association with a really informed Black woman and I saw that the real receptors of racism were informed Black women more so than the men. (There are other levels to this reasoning which I don’t mind expanding on later)

Uninformed Black people do not challenge the white supremist status quo; they are simply slaves and digits in the system although they suffer greatly. The system tries to put pressure on informed Black men, but the most pressures are placed on informed Black African women who live in the west.

In my view all courtesies and support should first go to those most affected by the Racist system. We should not only deal with being African in a general context as this often takes precedence over Black Africans who are affected the most in the system.

This entire corrupt world revolves around white privilege, which plays down through the many shades of skin tones to mostly affect real Blacks on the ‘bottom’.

I will not associate with anyone of a lighter shade who tries to deface, devalue or slander, the works of a real Black person and especially Black Women who in the face of all obstacles walk that fine line of truth and integrity.

All others who think they know what racism is should really get a view from the most informed Black woman they can find, as the truths that pour from that perspective shows the shallowness of many that play down the importance of understanding white privilege and racism.

Everyone can make the claim to being African today especially because it is an indisputable fact that we all share a common African heritage, but it is Black Africans who have to deal with the worst effects of racism on a day-to-day basis even if many are ignorant of this fact.

[Yann]

. As a real Black man, I had to see that it was not Black men who experience the worst forms of racism, but it is real Black women who it affects the most. When a real Black woman is armed with her history she gets a whole different view on life based on real day-to-day experiences. I developed a very close association with a really informed Black woman and I saw that the real receptors of racism were informed Black women more so than the men. (There are other levels to this reasoning which I don’t mind expanding on later)

please do expand on this point..i find it interesting that many believe that it works the other way around. they look at external effects of prejudice, i suppose, the fact that so many black men are imprisoned, the element of fear and taint of criminality associated with the black male, male crisis in the education system ,lack of achievement etc, etc.. i would like to hear your alternative view.

[Princess Tracey]

There are light skinned people who are also Africans but they do not admit that they benefit from white privileges, however, when it is not given to them they usually demand it.

Anyone can claim to be African (genetically, culturally or spiritually) but if they are not Black, then they do not really experience the depths of racism and the heights of their ability to discern.

Agreed...it is the EXPERIANCE that separates the rhetoric from the reality...

Various shades of skin tone AUTOMATICALLY yield certain priviledges or lack there of. Who one's mother/father OR beliefs are...come SECONDARY..

The conduct of a person reveals much about how certain behaviors/attitudes are displayed, and show themselves for what they really are.

I will not associate with anyone of a lighter shade who tries to deface, devalue or slander, the works of a real Black person and especially Black Women who in the face of all obstacles walk that fine line of truth and integrity.

All others who think they know what racism is should really get a view from the most informed Black woman they can find, as the truths that pour from that perspective shows the shallowness of many that play down the importance of understanding white privilege and racism.

Yes...thanks be there are some rare sisters who shine forth from the highest essence of their radiant beings, who CHOOSE to walk that fine line of truth and integrity and stand firm from within...yet are willing to extend beyond. These are the real warriors who  give of their ALL in this life..and yes, many times in spite of great obstacles to then help serve the greater good of humanity. This is the purest form of integrity and humility, and pours forth with great compassion from the very depths of true authentic experiance. These rare and beautiful women reveal ultimate stregnth, and utilize their history to expand higher realms of consciousness from any point within the cultural spectrum. Here, there is much to learn...and truly separates the Women from the females.

[Kebo]

This entire corrupt world revolves around white privilege, which plays down through the many shades of skin tones to mostly affect real Blacks on the ‘bottom'.

This quote reminds me directly of this other quote:
The last shall be first and the first shall be last.

When the revolution comes...

[Ayinde]

please do expand on this point..i find it interesting that many believe that it works the other way around. they look at external effects of prejudice, i suppose, the fact that so many black men are imprisoned, the element of fear and taint of criminality associated with the black male, male crisis in the education system ,lack of achievement etc, etc.. i would like to hear your alternative view.

A Black Woman in western societies experiences the effects of both Race and Gender discrimination. That is a double whammy for sure. And if she is fat, then add to this all the pressures based on Western subjective ideas of beauty.

Listen, society projects before our eyes external trappings that give an illusion that they are making changes to address certain fundamental issues but in reality attitudes remain the same.

So today we see males and females in positions of leadership and the impression that is created is that real issues are being addressed. When one examines the conduct of the people they promote it should not be difficult to see they are the people selected by the same white male attitude to placate the masses. We have the example of Rice and Powell in the U.S. who would think very little today of supporting the conduct of White Supremist.

Of course, there is an external jostle within the male oriented world that carries its battles for male dominance and on that external level the males are often seen as the victims. But under closer examination it is the very system that reinforces the attitude that males are the ultimate breadwinners and females are better off staying home with the children, which drives 'powerless' Black males to steal, and kill to impress females. It should not be difficult to see than in such a male favored system males are the ones who will fill the jails.

Most women suffer in a type of silence and especially so if they are Black and do not carry the western media generated concept of appropriate shape and size. Now if they are uninformed they take this treatment, but when they are informed they find that all the other layers associated with racial and gender discrimination tries to exclude them.

So societies favors, light skinned Black males and females more than they do really Black males and females, and there are subtle degradation of this where added pressures are on Women who are Black, fat and short etc.

These women who do not fit the popular model of size and shape are excluded from making a serious input all around as they are overlooked by both most whites and Blacks. These rare women can have all the academics in the world but they are held in lower paying jobs and are mistreated by males who only see them as a last resort when they cannot get sex from any other female.

These women are generally excluded from all aspects of mainstream society. They suffer stigmatization in their own homes where they are continually pressured to do something about their size and to lighten their skin tone to make them more appealing to an ignorant world. They often end up in relationships with the worst type of Black male that tries to take advantage of the fact that he knows she cannot easily get another male partner; they are considered the 'runt' of western society's litter. Other women even those who proclaim Blackness project their idea of superiority over them based on their cultivated habits of measuring beauty based on skin tone, size, texture of hair etc.  

The subtler effects of racism and gender prejudices are experienced from within ones own family, where mothers favour the lighter skinned, straighter hair child over the fatter and or darker child. The really Black woolly haired female struggles with this on a day-to-day level in western societies.

Look at the television and see the type of Black who are projected on all of us daily. They are usually the ones who are more closely aligned to the western standards of beauty. So to even many Blacks the slimmer straight-haired Black is more appealing.

Even in women's movements they try to project the type of female who conducts herself with the same male arrogance, domineering attitude and of course lighter tones and smaller size etc to be cosmetically appealing while the real women with experience are to serve under their projection.

Try speaking to any popular Black male and see if he can define beauty beyond the limitations of western concepts of beauty. See if he can peer through the many layers of popular western definitions of beauty to see a simple real woman beneath.

Well, there are many layers to prejudices based on solely evaluating from within the boundaries of western false values and concepts of beauty that impact on a Black woman from childhood. Take Oprah Winfrey and the many battles she had with her size to try to become more appealing.

Once people chat with I claiming that they like my reasoning, I usually try to introduce them to Women who can reason from their experiences on a higher level about racism and gender prejudices as I have not experienced it on those levels so my evaluations are my own.

Don't forget the elderly, well, that is for another reasoning for another day.

[Bantu_Kelani]

I fully concur with brother Ayinde! The situation is indeed bleaker for BLACK women - and while it is true that women are disadvantaged everywhere in this world- it is in many ways WORSE in AFRIKA (and in the developing world) where EQUALITY is ILLUSIVE. State power in Afrika is male power ingrained with male values and point of view. Add in afrikan patriarchy and the western variety that was brought in by colonialism and is reinforced by the very western school system and thought, which diligently ingrain Black men to DESTROY and reject their own, thus the dark skinned women who are  a physical remembrance of their pure but Ignorant selves. Throw in poverty and you have a recipe that spells doom and gloom for BLACK- dark skinned women. The road to Equality is long and seemingly never ending….but believe that it is achievable.

What we need is take positive steps to make black women less vulnerable, we can do this by sharing information, educating younger women to eradicate the western brainwashing in their minds aimed at to make them believe that their DARK BEAUTIFUL skin is something to be ashamed. Then they should be EMPOWERED to protect themselves. We can strive to provide better means of protection, better infrastructure to provide a shelter for Black women when it does occur.

Essentially Black women lose out, especially dark skinned women. Women, of all hue and colors, were leaders in AFRIKAN HISTORY before the effects of colonialisation were felt. I believe it can be this way once more and also harbours much optimism to this effect.


Bantu-Kelani.

[Nemesis23]

I think he's just basically saying that no matter what your chromosomes say in detailing the wealth of your ancestry, even if it is mixed, you are still seen as a black person and should identify yourself as such.

A related issue would be a person who has both a black and a white parent, can speak of their mixed ancestry and claim with evidence that they are a mixed race person, but they are still seen as black so calling themselves "mixed" is pointless.  

[Yann]

i think it is more than that nemesis23
to simply say that once you have black ancestry that you are black, is a simplistic way of looking at the complexity of race relations that belies the reality. although africans come in a variety of phenotypes, none of which makes them any 'less ' african, the reality of the situation is that certain physical characteristics of black people yield different reactions and more importantly DIFFERENT PRIVILEGES.

As ayinde rightly stated

Everyone can make the claim to being African today especially because it is an indisputable fact that we all share a common African heritage, but it is Black Africans who have to deal with the worst effects of racism on a day-to-day basis even if many are ignorant of this fact.

as physical characteristics have always been the focus, while 'racially' we are african, 'phenotypically' we are subject to different experiences becasue of our 'degree of blackness (for want of a different term). while many of us would like to believe that all that matters is how we see ourselves, in terms of earthly imbalances it is often how we are PERCEIVED that is given more importance. while it is all well and good to say we are all equally black and african, the reality clearly shows that 'some are more equal than others' and it is how honestly we deal with this reality that will be the true test.