This is one example of the Pan-African flag, but this is generally a representation of African-American's Pan-African experience as it includes the colours of Pan-Africa, but incorporates the traditional template of the American flag.
Red for the blood that represents the people of African ancestry, Black for the people Green for the rich land of Africa |
About African-American. The ethnicity implies the joining of two separate continents unifying into one demographic. Although the term African-American implies the joining of these two cultures, the definition of what it really means to be an African-American is often accepted in its ambiguity. The hyphen implies the evident interconnectedness between two separate cultural identities, but also demonstrates that there are clear indicators that allow continental and therefore, cultural differences.
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Throughout history, there have been empires built upon the importance of lineages and tradition. Some of these empires still exist in countries like England, where the royal family still reigns over The United Kingdom. In cultures where heritage is still viewed as an important marker for cultural and social importance, the legacy of genealogy reveals significant messages about identity, transformation, and self-awareness. When comparing cultures that have strong ancestral records like those of many families living in Europe with African-Americans, much is revealed about the power of community, resilience, and adaptation. Although it is often a clichéd notion, the link between history and the present day can and does have a significant role in helping people understand their duty and place in the world.
. This idea refers to the “temporizing of essence” which describes a narrative heritage where there is a sense of |
This research design hopes to explore this idea by focusing on the experience of mostly African-Americans students studying at Marquette University. This topic will also feature a small number of other students within the Black Diaspora at Marquette University that are not African-American.
This ethnography was created to examine how the long-lasting effects of colonization and the lack of historical records have impacted the identities within the history of ancestry for African-Americans. Due to this, many families have lived for generations without knowledge of their lineage or their ancestral links like most other Americans, who have migrated voluntarily. While there are some ancestral ways to gain access to bridging the cultural gap, there still is a lack of research and archives to give a truly comprehensive history. Therefore, there is a culture that forms around the African-American experience as particularly unique and incomplete. My aim to examine how this sample of student’s identities have been supported or hindered by their known ancestors and to study how this has transformed or enhanced their cultural experience. |
This topic was constructed due to my own experience of attempting to discover my genealogy after my great-great Aunt Agnes, at 105 years old began telling me about her memories growing up. Her recollections inspired me to explore my own identity within the context of my own personal history, my own genetic journey through time and migration.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES:OBJ1: Explore the history of African-American ancestral knowledge
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Main Question: How does genealogy help to create African-American culture? |
Methodology
I conducted interviews with 12 Marquette University students to examine how they have adapted or grown with African-American or black culture. 90% of my interviewees were seniors who plan to graduate in Spring 2016.
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