The Immigrant Experience and the Black Experience
By Jazzy of Because I Said So
Past immigrants came to this country seeking refuge from oppressive governments and economic freedom. For many of them they found their American Dream through hard work and education.
Today’s immigrants have arrived in America for many of the same reasons. But the genetic makeup of immigrants today has shifted dramatically from solely Caucasians to include a number of people of color and other ethnicities.
I imagine that most immigrants have a very forgiving view of America and an “I’m so happy to be here” (excuse the Coming to America reference) attitude. They may find it confusing and wonder why Black people have had such a difficult time adjusting.
America was our oppressor we had no other country that opened its arms and said come here and begin a better life, no other country to offer economic freedom. America to Black people is what so many immigrants ran from.
America for Black People only became the land of “opportunity” at the end of Jim Crow. So while, immigrants came to this country believing they could do better we have lived in this country hoping to achieve the same.
Whereas immigrants have had family businesses and the ability to accumulate wealth for decades to pass onto future generations, that was not to be the case for the America Negro. We are playing catch up, running a race where the leader is yards ahead. So if my outlook is different than yours please don’t think that I am ungrateful to live in this country just know that I sure as hell don’t feel indebted.
