Documentary explores lives of “Black Indians”
CVK
Anchorage Daily News has an article about “Black Indians,” a one-hour documentary that launches the second annual Native Film Festival:
If you were Native American, you were dispossessed. If you were African-American, you were enslaved. And if you just happened to be a mixed-race descendant of the two minorities, it was possible to suffer the worst of both worlds…
Even in modern times, black Natives have sometimes found themselves living as a minority among minorities, suffering a lack of acceptance in white, black and Indian communities alike.
Though according to the film, that tendency appears to be changing in recent years, given the increased incidence of multiracial marriages throughout American society.
Lyonside wrote:
Sounds interesting, and I loved most of the article….
But my stomach turned on this:
“”My son was asked by a reporter the other day why he was so good in basketball,” said Phil Givens, African-American and Cherokee. “And he told the reporter, ‘If you were black and Indian, you’d be good too.’
“I mean, some of the world’s greatest athletes were. Jim Thorpe was a Native American. Jesse Owens was black — and Indian. So we’re unique and special, and my kids understand that.”
———-
Dear God, it would have nothing to do with hard work, opportunity, or lack of other options to get “ahead” or get “out?” would it?
I HATE HATE HATE this stereotype regarding ethicity/race and sports. And isn’t this just “hybrid vigor” all over again?
I am friends w/ a family that is Black and Indian. The father and his daughter are both of mixed heritage, and are active members of a tribe based in NJ, they attend invitation-only ceremonies and powwows, etc. Are they athletes? Not so much… but they both have intense musical gifts (the daughter is a triple threat: killer Soprano, classical flutist, and composer/conductor). Is someone next going to say that this too is because they’re Black and Indian?
Posted 13 Jan 2006 at 10:53 am ¶
tmj wrote:
Well, I wouldn’t be too sure about that…though mixed couples and children are definitely on the rise, the 5 tribes have systematically been removing Black folks from the rolls for several years. Though many ppl have documentation of their native american history and speak the language, they are denied citizenship. This came about once tribes began receiving money from the government.
Posted 13 Jan 2006 at 11:32 am ¶
junkman wrote:
there trying kill the black blood
Posted 13 Jan 2006 at 1:10 pm ¶
Arissa wrote:
I am mixed with black an indian and the information is quite informative!
Posted 11 Feb 2006 at 8:40 pm ¶