Nappy Headed Black Child

Dual Consciousness in the context of my life is the idea that as a Black person in order to be successful i have to embrace 2 different cultural identities.

Through my public school and collegiate training, having a dual consciousness was celebrated and was often rewarded. I say it again I was rewarded for making myself more palatable less threatening to their sensitivities. When i was around my friends i was any other black kid in the crowd.

As i got older i found myself in an interesting situation, Because i was excelling in school (because of my innate ability and will to learn that EVERY CHILD HAS and my understanding that i had to behave a certain way to get the white teachers to like me and get the same attention and help the white students got. Regardless of whether it was true or not that how i saw it.) I could see that the students who didn't operate in a dual consciousness were having more trouble w/ teachers and other students. Mind you i was also in my schools "gifted program" the International Baccalaureate program where there were only 10 black people and 4 of us were males 2 didn't identify themselves as black. So there were really only 2 black males. Both of us were successful because of our dual consciousness.

And thats the trick w/ dual consciousness it equates success w/ whiteness or proximity to whiteness.

Thus those who do not follow that model have a more difficult time. At the time i didnt recognize it i was just doing what i need to do to succeed.

As I began to identify as Afrikan, dual consciousness became untenable because I begin to recognize how our Afrikan selves have been purposely suppressed.I began to see the white supremacy. To know my Afrikan Heritage and yet conform European paradigms to get ahead is contradictory who I am. My Afrikan self can be just as good/professional/intelligent/insightful as any white person and i worked extra hard to prove it because i recognize the system is set against my people.


I mean really how can a person be a mentor or speak about freedom and autonomy and help our people when conforming to the same set of rules that seek to suppress who we are. Its simply setting a bad example. I wouldn't follow anyone who didn't practice what they preached.

Think about the frustration that comes with being around and being nice to people who have no respect for who you are and having no choice to put up with or find another job because you put emphasis on acting white to get a job. Something that you will never be. Being contradictory invites chaos.

Dual Consciousness is a post colonial attitude. Stop being subjects and start being yourselves.

Be so amazing that you can't be stopped...