Editor's note: Historian and author Tiya Miles is a professor at the University of Michigan's Afroamerican and African Studies department and a 2011 MacArthur genius award recipient.
By Tiya Miles, Special to CNN
(CNN) -- In the documentary film "Black Indians," a man who appears to be African-American recounts his delight at eliciting shocked looks from strangers when he launches into a conversation with his wife in the Cherokee language.
Excellent piece on colorism and African American culture and identity. Good enough to earn my favorite accolade, "It speaks volumes" :)
An important article. I can hardly believe the racist comments still made today, in the year 2012 that when I was growing up was all futuristic and ideal (that’s why it was science fiction, I suppose).
At my grad school we were having some kind of diversity meeting, and I mentioned something about an African American community.
A black man, who overheard, turned to me and said “I’m not ‘African American’. I am black”. It was an important moment for me, I had always wondered how this new blanket term that painted so many people with the same brush would go over.
My ancestors were Slovakian and Romanian. I told SE already, I am saddened when I hear people discuss a “post-racial” world; I realize it’s a response to racism yet I love hearing about people’s ancestry and pride in it.