BHM: A closer look at Black identity

DELMARVA – Afrocentricity gives African Americans the agency to identify themselves.

Happy Black History Month!

“Afrocentricity is simply the window in which African people view themselves and the mirror which is reflected out to societies and nations at large,” Professor Ezrah Aharone says.

Professor Ezrah Aharone, a Global Studies professor at Delaware State University 47ABC that Afrocentricity is how black people self identify whether that be politically or culturally. Expanding that, this is people’s role in the world, who they are and how people see and respect them.

Molefi Asante, one of the first to write content on the paradigm described Afrocentricity as giving Black people a sense of agency, where things can be looked at from a black perspective.

With Afrocentricity there’s a great challenge, Professor Aharone explains that Afrocentricity is often stigmatized. The DSU professor explains that when putting Black before nationalism, liberation or theologies, it has become negative when these are things people practiced throughout history. He says that instead of looking at Afrocentricity negatively, it should be viewed as a compliment to Western society. America would not be what it is without the contributions of black people today.

“At large, when in fact African Americans had been extraordinarily committed and loyal to what they call the American experiment when you consider the circumstances that we’ve undergone,” Aharone tells us.

Afrocentricity has been a great challenge in America because the self-authenticity of Black people has faced great barriers. Professor Aharone says Afrocentricity is relevant, yet little understood. However its important that Black people continue generating self authenticity.

“So Afrocentricity is something that is very much necessary in terms of being able to expand the black experience in ways that not just benefit African Americans and Africa in general but America and the world,” he adds.