USA/Africa Dialogue, No 663: A troubled diaspora V

Bayo Omolola

Adjunct Faculty

Department of Developmental English

Baltimore City Community College

Baltimore, MD

The history of African-Americans as descendants of African slaves, unlike the history of Asians and Jews in America, carries with it agony, betrayal, negligence, lack of real and physical connection with African homes, hatred, disappointment and other uncountable vices.

The impaired psychology that this phenomenon has placed upon them is so strong that it can make many of them behave and react aggressively towards Africans in the United States. To many of them, Africans connived with the white slave masters, and that was why the white slave masters who went to Africa were able to capture and forced their ancestors into slavery.

Naturally, no one would feel pleased thinking that his or her great or great-great-great grandfather was captured and turned to a slave. No one would want to remember how his or her ancestor was chained, whipped and brought to America to do hard labor. No one would want to remember how white people lynched his people who struggled against slavery and racial discrimination. No one would want to remember other atrocities the white men and women perpetrated against his or her ancestor during the slavery period and after slavery. The psychological implication of slavery alone is terrible for anyone to bear. Africans in U S A should be sympathetic and develop a caring attitude towards African -Americans who need encouragement to overcome the trauma their history has heaped on them. How many times have we heard from them "You have history; I don't have because I don't know where I come from in Africa. I feel sad about it"?

While I agree that Africans and African-Americans should develop a favorite attitude towards each other, I would want the government of the United States to treat African-Americans as people with special need, who should receive more favor than the white people who control the economy of the United States. Reason: They have a kind of history that disturbs their mind, and the system is still not favorable to them economically and educationally. The United States Government should earmark substantial amount of money to develop the African-American communities, help them get rid of drugs, help them develop educational institutions, help them with soft loans for business, help them remold young people so that African-Americans can witness improvement in every facet of their communities.

The degree of development that African-Americans may have in America has implication for the development of Africa. Imagine what having an African-American as a president of the United States can do for Africa - favorable attitude towards Africa, positive reports about Africa, technological development of Africa, excellent bilateral relationships, undiluted understanding between Africa and United States, sincere interest in making Africa better, and so on and so forth. Failure of African-Americans will continue to determine what Africa will be because the United States where they are continues to rule the world. If many African-Americans are not part of the key role playing in the government, economy, technology, and education of the United States, it may not be easy for many African countries to make meaningful development that they deserve.