"Explores the extent to which historical definitions of race continue to shape contemporary racial identities and lived experiences of racial difference"-- Provided by publisher
Yaba Blay Livres
This work challenges narrow perceptions of Blackness as both identity and lived reality, exploring the diversity of what it means to be Black in the US and globally. It raises fundamental questions about the essence of Blackness: Is it biological or a matter of consciousness? Who defines who is Black? In the US, a Black person is defined as anyone with any known Black ancestry, a concept rooted in the "one-drop rule," which emerged with the arrival of enslaved Africans and became law in many southern states by 1910. This rule served to uphold White racial purity, categorizing individuals strictly as either Black or White. A century later, the book examines how these historical definitions continue to influence contemporary racial identities and experiences of difference. Featuring 60 contributors from 25 countries, it combines personal narratives with striking portraits, offering testimony to the richness of Blackness. Contributors self-identify in various ways but see themselves as part of a broader racial and cultural group. Many have faced questions about their identity due to not conforming to stereotypical images of Blackness, often being asked “What are you?” or “Where are you from?” Their experiences illuminate the complex realities of Black identity, revealing multiple possibilities for understanding Blackness today.