Which Racial Identifiers Do Black People In The United States Use Now? (Selected Comments From The July 10, 2025 TabithaSpeaksPolitics Discussion Thread)

TabithaSpeaksPolitics, July 1, 2025
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Statistics as of July 10, 2025 at 10:26 PM EDT
Total # of views - 39,655
Total # of comments - 681

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a vlog and selected comments from TabithaSpeaksPolitics YouTube channel in which Tabitha corrects misperceptions about whether or not she is connected to several Black racial groups, movements, or lineages.

This post also presents some comments from that video's discussion threads about how they racially identify themselves.

The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes  

All copyrights remain with their owners

Thanks to TabithaSpeaksPolitics for her YouTube vlog and thanks to all those who are quoted in this pancocojams post.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/06/article-excerpts-about-population.html for a pancocojams post explaining the terms "Foundational Black Americans" (FBA) and the closely related term "Americans Descendants Of Slaves (ADOS).
 
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A QUOTE FROM THIS VLOG'S DISCUSSION THREAD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYxd63y1Bwo

"I'm getting a lot of people trying to connect me to FBA's Foundational black Americans.
I am not a .. I don't identify as a foundational black American. I Yeah. The the head of of 
that group. No. Mm-m. I mm- no, it's a no. Okay.

People are trying to connect me to um I believe that's American Descendants of Slaves. I'm not connected to that group either. Not at all.

Somebody asked me about the Nation of Islam. I'm not connected to them either.

Somebody asked me about um Hebrew Israelite. I am not connected to to that ...them either. I am not connected to any of these groups.

I am a Black American.

That's it. I roll alone"...

****

SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VLOG'S DISCUSION THREAD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYxd63y1Bwo

All of these comments were published on July 10, 2025. These comments are given in relative chronological order based on their publishing time, except for replies.

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

1. @poshscene
"Per the scriptures, we American Blacks are from the tribe of Judah, we are not even African. African come from Ham. We black Americans are from Shem (both Noah’s sons): It’s about bloodline. That’s why Africans look different and treat us a tourist and don’t like us either. We are not the same. So much more to this story but I’m going to leave it here…we were in Africa because in the land of Judah where we lived, we were taken over by Babylon in the scriptures of Kings so we fled to Africa to blend in and that why we were there and that’s why the Africans sold us out because we were not them. They are our cousins though but we are not African that s why there is no connection."

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2. @PrettyPowerfulAndPersevering
"I’m blackety black black BLACK AMERICAN"

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3. @precioustee19
"Black American all day in all ways  and proud to be!!"

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4. @candyfields535
"Thank you, Tabitha, for all your efforts. We appreciate you! 100%. I'm a Black American female expat living abroad.  I view your podcast everyday. You keep me informed. I'm not familiar with those groups. I was wondering what FOB stood for. lol...Tabitha, you keep rolling alone and focus on Black Americans. Full stop."
-snip-
"FOB" is a typo for "FBA" (Foundational Black American).

**
5. @dianneyung111
"I'm a 92 percenter.  Other than that I am a black American woman. Full stop."
-snip-
"92 percenter" - The percentage of Black women who were reported (by state's voter exit polls) to have voted for Kamala Harris for President in the November 5, 2024 United States national election. 

**
6. @mnat089
"I am a Black American woman.  I'm associated with momma, daddy & em!! LOL!!!"

**
7. @2good2leaveunow
"I am Black, like Tabatha, I don't belong to any of those groups mentioned. I am Black American and am a descendent of slaves and people who lived through the history of  lacks in America. I do not identify as African American. That term is vague as Africa is a continent. My culture is that of Black American. And yes, I can recognize the disrespect that Africans who look down on us and who think they are better as they run to the US for Black American dollars, screw up Black American festivals and talk smack. I am not here for the foolery."

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8. @greymatters7039
"THANK YOU!  I don’t know where all these factions cropped up from, but I’m an American who happens to be black. 

My family is multiracial and we’ve been here since the 1800’s comprised of free and enslaved descendants."

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Reply
9. @ShouttyCatt
"They cropped up specifically to create division. Think of how all the divisions happening within this country. Between the races, sexes, political parties, etc. It’s ON PURPOSE.

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10. @ShiningHawkHealing
"In 1988 Jessie Jackson made the announcement that Black People no longer wanted to be called Black. (No one called me or anyone in my family.)  His reasoning is that we as Black People would be more united with a name that represents a history rather than a color. It sounds noble and would be if it had any effect on our situation as a minority culture in this America. As a Black Woman in her 60's I have always been uncomfortable being called African American because I have never been African. I have always been Black and I have always been American. I love ALL people and I want to respect the culture of every person I meet. Preferring to be one thing over another is everyone's right as human beings. There should be no problem here. This Black woman, Tabitha chooses to be called Black American. She is a proud Black woman who knows what she wants. Why is that a problem?  We shouldn't get all twisted up and take off earrings because her choice is not your choice. As for Essence, it's like Harlem...gentrified. That is the way of this world. People will sell out their culture for dollars and then wonder why the culture dies out.  Peace and love to all.  Stay safe. Stay frosty.  Walk in Beauty.💚💚💚"

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11. @jacquelynjackson4346
"Tabitha I support and I stand with you. Im a black American woman two that is half Filipino bit I have always been a black woman...period"

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12. @Legally_Bomb
"Black American 🇺🇸 man here with 8 great-grandparents descended from American chattel slavery. We don’t need a group—we are one, already connected by blood. 🩸 We descend from the roughly 388,000 Africans forcibly brought to what became the U.S. Our shared lineage is our unbreakable bond."

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13. @precioustee19
"Black American all day in all ways  and proud to be!!"

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14. @miltoncraighead3659
"Thank you, Tabitha. I am a "Black American", not African American. An American of African descent."

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15. @Anthony-hs9wb
"I am a Caribbean born Black American."

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16. @hillarydaniel2936
"I’m black from the Caribbean. I consider myself Jamerican😂, but I identify very much with black America, and respect the struggles, but not with any of those groups you mentioned."

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17. @KevinGarris-b9o
"The only ideology that considers the overall collective, while making room for the individual expression of groups within it, is Pan-Africanism. The  native born Black American,, Nigerian, Trinidadian, Jamaican, etc doesn't have to throw off his individual identity, but recognizes his connection to the whole. Are there those who are divisive within the diaspora, sure, but we  exclude them from the Pan-African vision."

**
Reply
18. @lukewhite3033
"Obsidian Luke here. It took a while but your’s is the only comment that gets to the core. Divided we fail.  Every one of us have to account for our time on this passage called life. ❤"

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Reply
19.@KevinGarris-b9o
 @lukewhite3033  Thank you brotha, I see that as our only path forward.

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20. @lisawicks8205
"I’ve been saying this…. I’m a Black American woman…. And do not call me African-American either."

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21. @lindarussell1287
"Remember back in the day (To be young gifted and BLACK) I'M a black American ten toes down." 

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22. @NCT127stan
"I’m a black American woman my are parents black American and grandparents were black American and my great great grandparents were black American and  I’m’ proud of it.  Nobody has the right to tell me who i am.  And I am part of 92% in a red state."

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23. @Gerberdaisy77
"I am a woman of certain age and was never comfortable with the term “African American.”  I wasn’t born in Africa.  Most Africans don’t like the term either and I don’t blame them."

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24. @louwill2012
"Black Guyanese American here,  Black people, stop the division.. do not take a page from MAGA, and become, MBASGA- Make Black Americans Slaves Great Again? If this is about reparations, it is all yours. Trump said that the check is in the mail"

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25. @tomikkapershard1952
"I Stand With You ❤❤❤  I Am A Black American Woman 🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾 And Appreciate You Tabitha 10 Toes Down !!!"

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26. @chukwumaduru2435
"As a Nigerian American male!  I respect and empathize with the lived experiences of African Americans.  Thank you for your content!"

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27. @GrammaJamma4U
"You have every right to be who you are. I am a Black American, acknowledging my African ancestry, a descendant of both the kidnapped and the dispossessed.  I appreciate the Diaspora and Pan-Africanism as long as respect is mutual. We are connected but we are of many cultures, faith systems, and diverse histories.  When you come to this country I expect respect. When I visit other countries I give my respect. It has to be a two way street. We are a unique people stripped of our languages, religions, cultures and land. We recreated our selves through defiance, struggle, perseverance and a refusal to bow to erasure, while creating our unique linguistics and music genres. I am more than ready to appreciate those who appreciate us."

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28. @hipking23
"I'm black Caribbean, and I get your messaging Tabitha. You been true to your purpose and goals since day one. I support you 💯."

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29. @RBaldwinning
"I'm still trying to figure out why everyone is in such an uproar for us wanting to delineate ourselves. If you ask anyone in the diaspora if they are Black American, they will quickly correct you and tell you where they're from. The minute we proudly proclaim to be Black American, we're promoting hate and division. This has nothing to do with hating other people in the diaspora. Living in South Florida, I experienced the disrespect first hand on a consistent basis for years from people within the diaspora. Being told that Black American women were dirty, ratchet, and loud. That Bllack Americans in general were lazy and that because i worked hard and was educated that I must be Carribean - that is NOT a compliment. I would NEVER go to someone else's country and disrespect them like that. I experienced more insults from people within the diaspora than I ever did from yt ppl. Sorry for the long message but this is all real personal. I'm with you sis. Enough with the disrespect. Love to everyone but stop it with the nonsense!"

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30. @NotJustYet3579
"I'm just a black man in a hostile land.  That simple."

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31. @robertmartinjr.4537
"Im a American Born Proud Black Man. Nuff said💯💪✌️"

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32. @tinajoneswilliams4253
"I have always been Black, not African American, or anything else. As a teen in the 60s, James Brown admonished us to Say It Loud. I'm Black, and I'm Proud." Xoxo 💕"

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33. @GoldBonap
"I am a African American... that's it. Like Ms. Tabitha... Not just connecting to any group.  WE thank you ☮☮💜💜"

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34. @EELCA
"You have great support from the Caribbean. We stand with you and thankful to you for educating us on the black American culture. I wish immigrants would take the time list to your podcast and be grateful if the get the opportunity to live in the country that welcome them whether it's the US or any other country. Stay blessed sending love from the Caribbean 😊😊"

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35. @bigutz8335
"Why can’t people just let you be who you want to be. I am Black American. The group I am affiliated with is my Momma and the rest of my family."

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36. @thatonegirlelaine
"I am a Black American. Point blank, periodt."

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37. @celestephillips4832
"From the cradle to the grave, I'm a Black American Woman"

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38. @meep2253
"I'm a proud AFRICAN American descendant of Cameroon Peoples."

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Reply
39. @Royalgazlite
"​@meep2253 Some of us are a mixture, my father's side has mostly black foundational roots, but my mother's side is a mixture of lots of things. Yes we claim are ancestors came from Africa but majority of us our people have been here before slavery, some indigenous etc. So conclusion, we claim black as a culture! Our history is black American history. Not everyone elses ! Get it or this is still so complicated. The government put the label African American to identify, them from us!"

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Reply
40. @itachimistress
"I make white people say African American lol"

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Reply
41. @mariehernandez5878
"I appreciate you saying this.  I often thought the designation was presumptuous."

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Reply
42. @Royalgazlite
"@itachimistress 😂 I get it! Because the way they say "The BLACK'S " makes me want toooo 💪🏽💥"

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Reply
43. @itachimistress
"Exactly! I ain't time to side eye! 😂​ @Royalgazlite"

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44. @shaywilliams3358
"I am so with you I’m a black American even though I have Native American in my background and I have Irish American in my background, but I’m black and a black."

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46. @odesinadosunmu3923
"2:23  Yes! Canadians call themselves Black Canadian or simply black. Only those who actually have an African parent can we say Afro Canadian, but even then, we are black. I am glad to see more and more black Americans' identity as black American."

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Reply
47. @Tiff_76543
"On the census we are African American though."

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48. @SeasonedWoman1900
"What’s so strange is the entire world is fascinated with black Americans and our culture yet don’t want to give us our respect! I am over it too

I don’t know about everyone else, but I have always had a problem with the term African-American given the fact that we have so much other blood running through our veins European blood, Native American blood Latin blood all these bloodlines running through our veins which is basically America

I’m not putting anyone else down, but I don’t think black America owes anybody anything"

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49. @lakesharobinson111
"I am a Black American woman and I'm proud"

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50. @snookiejackson7602
"I am a Black American Man born and raise from New Orleans period"

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51. @swatkashamphotoimagery-n3e
"I am a Nigerian and there is NOTHING that will make me disrespect Black Americans! I honor you, I honor the pain and struggles that you have  had to face. I may not be received, and may be looked at with suspicion, but I'm not even mad at that - I understand. As for me and mine, we will fight for what you fight for."

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Reply
52. @johnwebb2442
"We Are Family, the African Diaspora."

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53. @TunTheOfficial
"🥺 I’m a black girl with Caribbean descent but I see y’all as my people being I been here all my life. Texas born"

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54. @msjay8668
"I’m with you. I am black America. Not African  either."

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Reply
55. @Tesha-A
"I so agree! Black America all day."

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Reply
56. @vindictivetiger
"I am a Black American woman... all of my ppl traced back 12 generations were all born here. My daughter has done extensive work on our family tree and we're blackity black black black only."

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Reply
57. @ValerieYates-m4h
"I am a Black American Woman, born here, fourth generation strong."

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58. @johnwebb2442
"I'm a Black American too.   I was born Black, I was raised Black and I'll die Black."

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59. @exiledfrommyself
"For as long as I can remember, whenever someone asked me, I would always say I'm American. I didn't need to include the black part because you can obviously see the color of my skin. I don't understand why we have all these different things now. It just seems like a way to divide us. The white racists don't care what we identify as; they're going to treat us all the same way."

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Reply
60. @1fortune2010
"Good for you, that you stated you're an American, however, I don't like the term "Black", because my skin color is not black and neither is yours, but I guess we have to live with this terminology."

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61. @kelvinbrown8131
"Proud Black man from South Central Los Angeles period ✌🏿"

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62. @Dot-t2k
"I support every descendant of Africans'  right to define themselves for themselves. 

I have been through all the name changes we experienced:  Negro, Colored, Afro American, African American, and New World African (which somehow never caught fire).

Identify (or not) how you want.

The only thing that matters is this:

STANDING AGAINST RACISM WHETHER FROM WITHOUT OR WITHIN.

Thank you, Tabitha, for your content."

**
63. @MariaRogers-xh5od
"I don't think foundational Black Americans are a group Tabitha, but that is how a lot of young Blacks are calling themselves! It's not a group, its a term!!! We are Black Americans, Foundational Black Americans call themselves Black Americans!!"

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Reply
64. @PPHDocumentaries
"Black American and African American mean the same thing. Black and African is used is used interchangeably in certain situations. And Black American And African American is used interchangeably. You don`t have to have been to Africa to be a African American. Africa is not necessarily where your born, its in you. Its a ethnicity. Ethnicity means shared ancestry shared culture and place of origin. It  don`t have to be all 3. I`m not telling you how to identify i`m just stating facts to get rid of any confusion."

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65. @catbaloo22
"I have never identified myself as an African American. As with most of us Americans who are Black (with a capital ‘B’) our ancestors were brought here from Africa but were stripped of almost every tie to Africa; the languages, the traditions, the cultures. Our ancestors had to blend the fragments saved from various tribes with the harsh realities of the cruelty of slavery and creat something new. Black American culture is a unique 100% American creation that has been contributing to and influencing all American culture since the beginning of this nation. Black folks in the United States today are about as African as white folks here are British."

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66. @mackadoo101
"Tell them Tabitha! I am not connected to any of the above. But what I am is A Black Proud American Woman...and that's it! Like it or lump it! My Ancestors were brought over to this country as slaves. We have heritage from all of that. But I personally am not from Africa, therefore I am not African. I am straight up American and happily a Black American Woman!"

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Reply
67. @peachesjohnson9387
"ME TOO 92% HERE ❤😊"

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68. @yvettewilliams5967
"Thank you Tabitha. You are a BLACK AMERICAN WOMAN! PROUD, STRONG, EDUCATED AND WISE! Do not join any of those groups, many of them have some real ‘hate’ issues. I saw a few talking some stuff. Continue to be yourself. No fighting with anyone. I am with you CARIBBEAN AMERICAN here."

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69. @sadiewilliams
"I'm a black American my daddy a black American my mama is a black American my grandpa my grandma are black Americans my great-great-grandparents is black American!"

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70. @violawood309
"Thank you sis, I actually had to look up a lot of these titles. We started off as colored, then negro, then afro American, then African American, then black American, and now foundational American...stop, just.....stop! Say it loud! We're black and we're proud!"

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71. @ricofrost3676
"Tabitha, you are actually an Israelite by birth as are all us so called black peoples who descended from slaves. This is 💯 percent facts and the Bible is our history book. All of the things happening now has been written in the Bible and once we as a people turn back to Our God Yah in heaven our deliverance is nigh…please check this for yourself"

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72. @tammhawk15
"I am a black American that happened to be foundational to this country."

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73. @CynFromMN
"I'm Blackety Blackety Black ya'll! I BLACK and I'm Proud!!!!!"

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Reply
74. @johnwebb2442
"Me too."

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Reply
75. @lwills8609
"Say It Loud!!!  This is me all day everyday!!!"

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Reply
76. @drkCapricornrose
"Say it again sis! ✊🏾💅🏾"

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77. @elanatyson2347
"I remember talking to someone from my past after many years who had at some point aligned himself with the Black Israelite movement, which I know absolutely nothing about . . . he told me that the first thing I needed to do was to get my passport in order, " . . . in case you have to leave this country." And he was serious. My response was that I have no intention of leaving because this country is where I am from . . . I am a Black American. Where am I supposed to run away to - Israel?"

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78. @sharonb.9128
"Got it. I will still consider myself an African American despite the black diaspora trying to treat us like or worse than white people. What I refuse to do is allow anyone to define me as “descents of slaves” as if we didn’t exist before we were dragged here. We are descended from the builders of civilization. I’m a descendant of much more than slaves"

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79. @Nemby2
"Regardless of where we were shipped, we were all BLACK!!!  As a people we were shipped and traded internationally."

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80. @maryjackson9816
"My ancestors were kidnapped from Africa.  Some African nations was involved in selling slaves.  I was born in America, with that being said, I am a black american.  If you're not, you do you"

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81. @lindah.2815
"First let me state I am a black american. Now. What the heck is a Foundational American. I didn't know we had all these different groups out there."

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82. @sabrinacheeks8876
"I'm a proud black American born in Texas...black like that...💙💙💙 92 percent 🙏🙏 God bless us all 🙏"

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83 @CLARA-j9o
"I love you, speak up im partly from the Caribbean diaspora and i respect black americans"

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84. @siennathique3779
"What-the-what⁉️ What’s going on? I must be missing something! We’ve got to get it together y’all! “United We Stand, Divided We Fall”!🙏🏾"

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85. @Kenwyfe29
"The groups are only a diversion and another way to cause confusion and division between the Black American community. Don’t fall for it!"

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86. @MALLYGEEZ1
"Im so confused by this convo. Why are different groups of black people getting bent out of shape by what other black people identify as???"

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87.@rayhunt6696
"What do you mean when you say you’re a  Black American? Are you of of Haitian Descent? Nigerian? Ghanaian American? They’re all black as well."

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88. @CoachAhava-0000
"Proud black American femme. i may be ethnically mixed yet i am culturally black. and proud.  Past groups had problems also and until the misogyny and self hate stuff is addressed I'll be blackity black black."

**
89. @fgurley1
"Agree Tabitha! Black American woman here walking tall through it ALL!"

**

90. @lyndapatterson850
"I have a sincere question for you what do you consider a black American? You know black is a color, where is Black land at? Do you know people identify themselves with a land culture and geography if you take the Chinese they have a land geography and culture ! When you say black , where is black land at?"

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Visitor comments are welcome.

White People's Memories Of "Eenie Meenie Miney Mo" & Some Other Racially Offensive Children's Rhymes

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents comments from a 2006 online discussion thread that documents some White people's memories of racially offensive versions of "Eeenie Meenie Miney Mo" counting out rhymes and/or some other racially offensive children's rhymes. These comments include the bloggers' memories about their reactions and others' reactions to and feelings about those rhymes.

The commenters who participated in this ablemuse.com/erato discussion are members or guests of that forum who are from Europe or the United States. 

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, historical, and socio-cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners,

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.  
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/05/versions-of-eenie-meenie-miney-mo.html for the pancocojams post "Examples Of "Eenie Meenie Miney Mo" Counting Out Rhymes In The United States" [latest revision August 20, 2023]

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/05/versions-of-eenie-meenie-miney-mo_5.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "Versions Of "Eenie Meenie Miney Mo" Counting Out Rhymes In The United Kingdom".

Also, click for http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/02/examples-of-eeny-meeny-miney-mo-in.html for Part I and http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/02/examples-of-eeny-meeny-miney-mo-in_17.html for Part II of a 2015 pancocojams series about "Versions Of "Eenie Meenie Miney Mo" Counting Out Rhymes In The United States."

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
I happened upon these examples today while searching online for examples of a completely different counting out rhyme (i.e. "Mickey Mouse Built d A House"). 

I considered not publishing these examples and comments and examples, partly because I have published several other pancocojams post on "Eeny Meenie Miney Mo" rhymes, but mostly because I detest racially offensive rhymes. However, I decided to do publish this post because it includes different comments on this subject and different examples than those which I've published before.

As is the case with other posts in this pancocojams blog, I use modified spelling for what is commonly referred to as "the n word": In this post I'm using the spelling "nig--r" * The asterisk indicates that the spelling has been modified, and that the original comment has the complete spelling of that word.

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SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT WHITE PEOPLE'S MEMORIES OF "EENIE MEENIE MINEY MO" & SOME OTHER RACIALLY OFFENSIVE CHILDREN'S RHYMES
This pancocojams post includes all of the examples and comments in that discussion thread about this subject. The word "selected" in this post means that there are other comments in that discussion thread that include examples and comments that don't refer to this topic.

I added numbers to these comments for referencing purposes only.

From .https://www.ablemuse.com/erato/showthread.php?t=810 "ablemuse.com/eato - Skipping/playground rhymes

1.
02-13-2006
David Anthony
Location: Stoke Poges, Bucks, UK

"There's a world of tradition there.

Anyone else interested?

Here's a couple for starters.

Best,

David

[...]

My mother said I never should

Play with the gypsies in the wood.

When I did, she would say

You naughty girl to disobey:

Your hair won't grow, your shoes won't shine

You naughty girl, you shan't be mine!' "

****
2.
02-13-2006
David Anthony
Location: Stoke Poges, Bucks, UK

"Well, Alan, may as well get this one down before it finally disappears:

Eeny, meeny, miny, mo,

Catch a nig--r* by his toe;

If he squeals let him go,

Eeeny, meeny, miny, mo.

YOU ARE IT.

 

I think there are many variations. Amazingly by today's standards, we thought nothing of it at primary school; it was just a counting rhyme.

Best,

David

**
3.
02-13-2006
Golias
Location: Lewisburg, PA, USA

"Here's the variation I remember from childhood:

 

Eeny Meeny Miney Mo

Catch a nig--r* by his toe

If he hollers make him pay

Fifty dollars every day.

O-U-T spells out goes you,

You old dirty dishrag YOU!

 

We thought nothing of that one, either. But this next one I knew was naughty, because it made me feel sorry for the one little quadroon or mulatto boy in our rural Alabama elementary school (first through 4th grades, 1935-9). Of course we children were thoughtless, but so were our teachers...good teachers and otherwise kind ladies but, in retrospect...thoughtless:

Nig--r*, Nig--r*, pull your trigger

Up and down the Coosa River.

Snotty nose, ragged clothes,

That's the way the nig--r* goes.

My mammy told me to choose this very ONE!"

****

4.
02-14-2006
Kevin Andrew Murphy
Location: San Jose, California, USA

"By the time it came to me in northern California in the late 60s/early 70s, it had become significantly more PC:...

 

Eenie Meanie Minie Moe

Catch a tiger by the toe

If he hollers, make him pay

Twenty dollars every day.

My mother said to pick the very best one and you are not IT.…"

**
5.
02-14-2006
A. E. Stallings
Location: Athens, Greece
…"As for un-PC nursery rhymes, this one seems innocent enough:

 

Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear,

Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair,

Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn't fuzzy, was he?

 

until you realize that Fuzzy Wuzzy was a term British soldiers used for warriors in the Sudan, see Kipling's Fuzzy Wuzzy."

**
6.
02-14-2006
Golias
Location: Lewisburg, PA, USA
…"If a fight began, bystanders would chant:

Fight! fight!

Nig--r* and a white.

Who's the nig--er*

and who's the white?"

 
**
7.
02-14-2006
Marcia Karp
Location: Outside Boston, Mass

"Quote
“We thought nothing of it"
[end of quote]

"Depends who gets to be one of us.

Best,

Marcia"

****
From https://www.ablemuse.com/erato/showthread.php?t=810&page=2

8.
02-14-2006
Michael Cantor
Plum Island, MA; Santa Fe, NM

"The Bronx version of the counting-out rhyme that David posted was:

Eenie meenie miny mo

Catch a nig--r* by the toe

If he hollers let him go

My mother said to pick this one

Out goes Y-O-U

 

Sometime during my childhood, "nig--r"* becamed "tiger". PC from the start!”…

****
From https://www.ablemuse.com/erato/showthread.php?t=810&page=4

9.
02-19-2006
Katy Evans-Bush
Location: London

..."Of course we used to do the counting-out ones too, definitely a tiger, and definitely there was an odd-even thing as to who you;d end up picking! There were several endings to eenie-meenie-miney-mo, and you could draw it out almost indefinitely if you wanted to pick a certain person."

****
10.
02-24-2006
Kate Benedict
Location: New York, NY, USA

"I don't remember the tiger replacing the N word in that little ditty but I didn't hear the N word version in my yard. My mother must have changed the word herself, teaching it to me thusly: "Catch a piggy by the toe." I look back on little graces like that and smile."

****
From https://www.ablemuse.com/erato/showthread.php?t=810&page=6

11.
03-28-2006
Julie Steiner
Location: San Diego, CA, USA

"[EDITED to group the innocent chants at the beginning, and the offensive ones at the end. An essay explaining why I chose to include the offensive ones appears a few posts down in this thread. Original post, re-organized:]

I'm late to the party, as usual, but I can't believe that no one's mentioned these yet:

[…]

OFFENSIVE RHYMES

Sung to "A-Hunting We Will Go"

My father is a German,

My mother is a spy,

And I'm the little blabbermouth

Who told the F.B.I.

 

My father is a butcher,

My mother cuts the meat,

And I'm the little hot dog

Who runs around the street.

There were many, many verses on this theme--I'm sure some of you know more of them.

[…]

Staring contest chants, in order of ascending cultural insensitivity:

THIS!

Is a VER-y!

SER-i-ous!

GAME!

[Chant faster and faster, in ascending pitch, while staring into each other's eyes, until someone breaks eye contact or smiles.]

My name is

Owl-Eye, Owl-Eye,

Chicken-Eye, Chicken-Eye,

Pom-Pom Beauty,

Don't Like Whiskey,

Chinese, Japanese,

Indian CHIEF!

[At "chief", each kid crosses arms in front of his chest

and stares into his opponent's eyes. First kid to blink,

look away, twitch, or laugh is the loser.]

 

My mother's Chinese.

[Each contestant pulls outside corners of own eyelids down.]

My father's Japanese.

[Outside corners of eyelids pulled up.]

I'm Chin-apanese.

[Each contestant pulls one eyelid up and one eyelid down, and staring contest begins--same rules as above.]

The latter rhyme lost all its luster for me when my schoolmates started using it (and the last quatrain of "Not last night but the night before," provided below) to taunt my best friend, Tamiko Kobayashi. Political incorrectness does have nasty consequences!”…
-snip-
This commented used italics for those words.

****
From https://www.ablemuse.com/erato/showthread.php?t=810&page=7

12.
03-28-2006
Marcia Karp
Location: Outside Boston, Mass

"Julie,

One consequence of having behaved badly when young might be to consider from then on the price of future behavior. This thread is a nice memory romp; not much poetic sensibility here, but every discussion need not have it. Is it worth joining in the fun to once again not be aware that not everyone finds stupid racism to be acceptable? Political incorrectness is a lying use of language -- a use that people who are concerned with language and how it can be used to distort might challenge; a more accurate description of your rhymes might be hateful.

You post is not the first on this thread that has moved me to reply and I mean this for the others, too. The child you were behaved self-centeredly and unthinkingly; he or she isn't my concern. Where is the adult who can acknowledge now that once again you haven't considered how others might feel, not about how PC you are, but about being treated as invisible or about seeing others treated that way? A wagging finger at your younger self doesn't show any real understanding. There are ways to discuss the nasty rhymes, but I've yet to see them here.

Marcia Karp"
-snip-
This commenter used bold font to that word.

****

13.
03-29-2006
Julie Steiner
Location: San Diego, CA, USA

"Yes, Marcia, many of the verses I included are, indeed, nothing short of hateful. I certainly would not mention them to my own kids while they are at the age when they might revive these deservedly dormant "rhymes of insult and humiliation" by repeating them. Some antiques shouldn't be passed on to younger generations.

So why on earth did I pass them on to Eratosphere?

My purpose in posting them here was not to preserve such filth for posterity, but to see if others had a glimmer of recognition--"Oh, yeah, we used to say that one, too--how horrifying in retrospect." (I assume that members of this list will not be tempted to start--or resume--giving people wedgies at this late date; or to teach their kids this kind of hatemongering.)

I said above that some antiques shouldn't be passed on to younger generations. I do plan to discuss some of these rhymes with my kids when they are old enough to learn about the Chinese Exclusion Acts, the internment of American citizens of Japanese ancestry, and the laws which would have made it impossible for me to marry their Chinese-American father in California only a few decades ago.

The all-purpose rhymes of insult and humiliation are not too distant from the ethnic ones, though; they are all pathetic attempts at self-empowerment by insecure people. They're all shorthand for the same message: "Circumstances or my own shortcomings keep me from the degree of success to which I feel entitled, but I needn't feel inferior if I can demonstrate that someone else is less worthy than I am."

Granted, that's not as catchy as "See my thumb? Gee, you're dumb," but it's one explanation for how so many people could have found Hitler's scapegoating so appealing. He tapped into the powerful urge to feel superior by tearing others down. I do not wish to believe that such a negative urge is universal, but it certainly permeated the childhood culture of many of us. If we are to change that culture for future generations, we need to recognize what is innocent nonsense and what is ugliness in nursery-rhymes' clothing.

I am truly sorry that I did not provide more context for the more hurtful chants and rhymes I shared. My intent wasn't to giggle over what a naughty little "politically incorrect" rascal I was, but to show that, as I said in my original post, political incorrectness does have very real and very nasty consequences. I will attempt to remedy that lack of context in my original posting.

Thank you for having the courage to speak out against hate-mongering when and where you see it.

Julie Stoner
-snip-
This commenter used bold font to those words.  

****
14.
04-03-2006
Katy Evans-Bush
Location: London

… "I'll just point out for anyone who hasn't read page one of this thread that Julie was far from the first person to post "offensive" rhymes. I'm just sorry she felt the need to go back and re-order her thread, post a disclaimer etc. Are we censoring our own experiences now???

And as to our own children, let's trust them: we used to say these rhymes and we KNEW they were figurative. You can't censor children's exploration of the world; you can only hope to guide their conclusions and even that not indefinitely.

[...]

It's also worth realising the extent to which these archaic rhymes (eg the nig--r* ones) helped us to make sense of the racism we could see around us: pace Robin's childhood observations, I can remember being mystified by racism when I discovered it - and horrified when I encountered racial hatred, which I did in the form of a school friend's parents (unfortunately I was on a trip with them at the time, so I was stuck. Strange holiday.) I can't imagine what would have happened to me at home if I had said the N-word; but then I was far too brooding a child. Maybe I do remember Paul saying it and getting spanked (well, there ya go!).".

****
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Visitor comments are welcome. 

Names Of Dances That Are Mentioned In Black American Girls' Foot Stomping Cheers

Edited by Azizi Powell 

This pancocojams post presents examples of foot stomping cheers that I categorize as "dance style "foot stomping cheers.

"Dance style" foot stomping cheers are a small sub-set of foot stomping cheers*. "Dance style" foot stomping cheers provide opportunities for girls to show off their foot stomping and social dancing skills, Every dance style foot stomping cheer contains at least one dance of a dance or the name of a dance move/step.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric and socio-cultural purposes 

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those whose memories of these foot stomping cheers are included in this compilation. 
-snip-
Click the tag below for other pancocojams posts about foot stomping cheers. 

****
DANCES MENTIONED IN FOOT STOMPING CHEERS
**
I've placed the foot stomping cheers that I've come across into these five different sub-categories:
-Introduce Yourself (My name is __) cheers
-Dance style foot stomping cheers
-Bragging/confrontational cheers
--Romantic relationships cheers
-Sports, games, and miscellaneous cheers

Many foot stomping cheers are combinations of more than one of these sub-categories.

The examples in this compilation are "dance style foot stomping cheers" or combinations of one or more other sub-category/sub-categories of foot stomping cheers.

These examples are presented in relative alphabetical order based on the first letter of the cheer's name.

The dance names are written in italics the first time that they appear in each of these cheers.

I believe that all of the dances or the dance moves/dance steps that are mentioned in these cheers are either actual names of R&B or Hip Hop dances or are names of dances or motions (steps) that are the girls chanting these cheers (and possibly other people in their communities) made up or used as referents for particular dances or motions.

Additional versions that I have collected for some of these cheers don't include any names of dances/dance motions.    


A, B

AH BOOM BOOM TICK
Hey Posse, YEAH break it down with the carwarsh
Yeah I said, A BOOM BOOM TICK, TICK A BOOM TICK (x2) (while doing the carwash dance)
Hey Posse, YEAH break it down with the Unabomber
yeah I said, A BOOM BOOM TICK, TICK A BOOM TICK (x2)

I actually think this one was strictly a DC thing.
-_ConcreteRose, Aug 09 2012, http://forum.blackhairmedia.com/i-went-downtown-to-get-a-stick-of-butter_topic345408_page4.html [This website is no longer available.]
-snip-
A commenter named Wynter in that discussion responded to this comment on that same date that "we use to sing this in elementary school and Im from NYC".

**
A BULL DOG
A Bull Dog
A Bull Dog
A Bull Dog
My Name is Mellie (Yeah)
I came to show you Show you
How I rock a Bull dog A Bull Dog
And first you shake it (Don't break it)
And the[n] you roll it (Control it)
Then you pop it (Just Stop it)
And then you disco (Like Sisqo)
And then you dog it (Don't hog it)
Then you shoot it (Don't miss it!)
-Mellie York, Jun 24, 2017, https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/black-girl-rhymes-what-was-yours-growing-up.1196979/page-2 "Black Girls Rhymes. What were yours growing up" 
-snip-
This blogger indicated elsewhere in that discussion thread that she is from Brooklyn [New York].

This cheer was written in capital letters. The words in parenthesis were probably chanted by the group except for the soloist. It's likely that the repeated words "Show you" and "a bull dog) were also chanted by the group except for the soloist.

The exact same cheer was posted in capital letters by dijah.love (Location: New York); Apr 25 2008; http://forum.blackhairmedia.com/lil-girls-hand-games_topic128043_page5.html [This website is no longer available.].  These two commenters might have been the same person. 

The name "Sisqo" helps establish a  date for this version of this cheer because, according to his Wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sisq%C3%B3 , the African American R&B and Hip- Hop singer whose stage name is "Sisqó" wasn't active until 1995. Therefore, a cheer with his name in it couldn't have been composed and chanted until 1995 at the earliest.

WARNING: Some of the examples in the lipstickalley.com and the blackhairmedia.com discussion threads contain profanity, sexually explicit content, and/or the "n word".

****
C, D

CANDY GIRL (Example #1)
All: Candy Girl.
All my world.
Look so sweet.
Special treat.
Soloist #1: This is the way we do the Bounce.
Candy Girl.
Group: Do the Bounce. Do the Bounce.
Soloist #1: All my world.
Group: Do the Bounce. Do the Bounce.
Soloist #1: Look so sweet.
Group: Do the Bounce. Do the Bounce.
Soloist #1: Special treat
Group: Do the Bounce. Do the Bounce.
All: Candy Girl.
All my world.
Look so sweet.
Special treat.
Soloist #2: This is the way we do the Snake.
Candy Girl.
Group: Do the Snake Do the Snake.
Soloist #2: All my world.
Group: Do the Snake. Do the Snake.
Soloist #2: Look so sweet.
Group: Do the Snake. Do the Snake.
--Tazi M. Powell.(African American female); memories of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the mid 1980s (audio recorded in 1992);

Each soloist is supposed to come up with the name of a different dance and perform the steps to that dance at the end of her solo. The group then also performs that dance along with the soloist. 
-snip-
The tune for this cheer was the same tune as the 1983 R&B song "Candy Girl" by New Edition. The group's words for that cheer are a slightly modified form of that R&B song's chorus:
"Candy girl
You are my world
You look so sweet
You're a special treat "
-end of quote-

 
In 2000 I observed members of Braddock, Pennsylvania's chapter of Alafia Children’s Ensemble (after-school cultural group) perform this cheer with the exact same beat, and tune, and the same words except that their version gave the names of  R&B/Hip Hop dances that were popular then.)

** 
CANDY GIRL (Example #2)
does anybody know candy girl? little girls i know still play it!

candy girl, oh my world
look so sweet, special treat
this is the way you do the "wop"(or the "snake", or whatever dance is cute that u know the name of)
candy girl, say wop,wop
oh my world, say wop, wop
look so sweet, say wop,wop
special treat, say wop,wop(and then move on to the next dance)
- bitsy196 (African American female; Los Angeles, California); http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=4123&page=4; “remember when?”; 6-25-2003
-snip-
All of the participants in this discussion thread are members of historically Black Greek letter sororities. Based on some of the comments that these bloggers wrote and based on some of their screen names, my guess is that they were remembering their childhood play in the 1980 or the early 1990s.

****
CHARLIE BROWN (fragment)
Charlaaaay a Charlie Brown, what you say now?
Charlaaaay a Charlie Brown.
Hey Shoewhore!
That's me. Foxxxy as I wanna be. Gon' slide to the side, gon turn that sh-t* around, gon break it on down with Charlie Brown!
Cuz you know that I can get down!
A--woooooooosh!
-Shoewhore, http://www.lipstickalley.com/showthread.php/43158-Hood-Cheers/page5, "Hood Cheers" 08-19-2006
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in that discussed thread.

**
DISCO (Example #1)
disco (stomp stomp stomp stomp clap)
(group) d-i-s-c-o thats the way we disco
(group) d-i-s-c-o thats the way we disco
(group) hey samantha
(solo) what
(group) sammy
(solo) huh huh
(group)what you gonna do when they come for you
(solo) im gonna roll my eyes
(group) disco
(solo) stomp my feet
(group) disco
(solo) talk my stuff
(group) disco
(solo) and do my freaky nasty
(group) what what!?
(group) and do my freaky nasty

(repeat till everyone has a turn)
-samantag1993; 6/29/05, cocojams.com [cocojams.com is the name of my no longer active multi-page cultural website.]
-snip-
This cheer used the tune for the hit 1987 R&B song "Bad Boys" by The Inner Circle. The line "Bad boys, what you gonna do when they come for you" is an often quoted lyric from that song that is also found in this cheer.

**
DISCO (Example #2)
[all] Disco 2x [repeat two times]
[group]Reeses pieces reeses my pieces
[group] (say sombodies name) what you ganna do when they come for you
(the person who's name was said says) i'm gonna step aside
[group] disco
[the person whose name was said says] roll my eyes
[group]disco
stomp my feet
[group] disco
and do the hilltoe ah ha
[group]and do the hilltoe.
-Ciera S.; (African American girl), 10 years old; collected by Azizi Powell, Pittsburgh, PA); May, 16, 2006
-snip-
Ciera S wrote the multiple words in brackets. I added the words "all" and "group" to clarify who was chanting at that time.  

**

DO IT! DO IT!
All: Do it! Do it!
Do it! Do it!
(Now) Freeze!
Now stop and let the first row kick it!

[The girls in the first row recite the next lines, the girls in the 2nd row stand in place in an agreed upon pose.]

First Row: With the “Drop Top”

[All the girls in this row do their own version of this R&B dance].

 Second Row: Do it! Do it!

[All the girls in the second row do their version of the same dance along with the girls in the first row. This imitative movement repeats while saying that phrase after each dance step].

First Row: And the “Roll Your Body”

Second Row: Do it! Do it!

First Row: Do “The Butterfly”

Second Row: Do it! Do it!

First Row: Bust “The stop”

Second Row: Do it! Do it!

First Row: Shake your rump.

Group: Do it! Do it!

Do it! Do it!

Freeze!

Now stop and let the second row kick it!

[Continue the same pattern as above, with some of the same dances and some different dances-“The Pop”, “The Crybaby”, “The Rodeo”]
-African American girls, 8-12 years old, Alafia Children’s Ensemble (Braddock, Pennsylvania), 1998; collected by Azizi Powell, 1998
-snip-
"Alafia Children's Ensemble" was a cultural program that I founded to introduce children ages 6-12 years to traditional African American game songs and to provide opportunities for children to share the singing games, hand clap rhymes, and cheers that they know with other participants. One after-school group in Braddock, Pennsylvania from 1998-2000. That group also included an introduction to djembe drums for children 9- 14 years old). A second Alafia Children Ensemble after-school group was held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1999-2000. In addition, Alafia Children's Ensemble staff held one time or periodic special programming events throughout a number of Black neighborhoods in Pittsburgh and some of its surrounding communities (1998-2003).  

****
E, F

ELEVATE YOUR MIND
elevate your mind
get yourself together
when i count to 3
do the "rock" with me...
I said a 1, 2, 3 do the "rock" with me...

repeat that last line 2 times then repeat the entire cheer until everyone puts a “dance” in…
-AKA2D '91, 12/29.2009; http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=4123&page=2 “remember when”

**

FLY GIRL (Example #1)
Group: Fly girl one.
Fly girl two.
Pump it up. Ayesha.
Just like you do.
Soloist #1: My name is Ayesha.
Group: What?
Soloist #1: (And) I’m a fly girl.
Group: What?
Soloist #1: I’m rough and tough
And I can strut my stuff.
Cause I can sway.
Group: She can sway.
Soloist #1: And I can even do the go go reggae.
Let it flow
Group: She can even do the go go reggae
Let it flow.

Repeat the cheer from the beginning with the next soloist who substitutes the name of a current dance step, always placing the word reggae after the dance name. Continue until every group member has had one turn as soloist.
- African American girls; ages 10 years Kinsley Association's Lillian Taylor Summer Camp, , Pittsburgh, PA 1992; collected by camp counselor) Tazi Powell (Hughes)
-snip-
Girls and boys from various Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania neighborhoods, but especially from the East End of Pittsburgh since that was (and still is) Kingsley Association's location. The East End neighborhoods of Pittsburgh consist of the Hill District, East Liberty, Garfield, and Homewood) attended Lillian Taylor Camp. Regrettably, That large camp in Valencia, Pennsylvania was sold by Kingsley Association in 2005. Click https://historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/object/pitt:705.2313.KA for a brief historical note about Lillian Taylor Camp. 
-snip-
"Fly Girl" foot stomping cheers have the same tune and tempo as the Boogie Boys' hit December 1985 Hip Hop song with that title.

**

FLY GIRL (Example #2)
Group: Fly girl one.
Fly girl two.
Pump it up, Shavona
Just like you do.
Soloist #1: My name is Shavona.
Group: Yeah.
Soloist #1: And I’m a fly girl.
Group: Yeah.
Soloist #1: I know karate.
And I got the body [pronounced “boh-day” to rhyme with “karate]
All you got to do
is put a move in the groove.
You jump side to side.
Front to back.
And break it down with the
“Cabbage Patch”
- African American girls, around ages 6-12 years, Lillian Taylor Camp, Pittsburgh, PA. 1989-1992, collected by camp counselor Tazi Powell (Hughes).

**

FLY GIRL (Example #3)
Fly girl one flow girl two, pumping up _ just like you. My name is _____ check, I’m a fly girl check. It only take one boy to rock my world. Cuz she can “sway” (repeats) she can even do the pop, bust it with the stop, even do the butterfly baby” (repeat) then you add dance moves to it like concentration. Whoever messes up the order is out. Pleaseee tell me someone remembers this? We stomped for the boom boom then clapped.  I grew up in the projects and ONLY played hand games with girl😂 yes I’m gay lol
-Scrillaholic, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-NKrzvqz_I&t=0s&ab_channel=Geneas "The 90s Cheers" [comment] This video is no longer available.

**
FOOTBALL
hening is our name and football is our game so hold the sugar do the freddie cougar and step on back and do the cabage patch
--talor and leelee; 9/24/2006, cocojams.com

****

G, H

****
I, J

JIGALOW 

Refrain (Unison)

Jig-a-low, jig, jig-a-low

Jig-a-low, jig, jig-a-low

Part I

(Call) Jasmine: Hey Stephanie!

(Response) Stephanie: Say what?

Jasmine: In-troduce yourself!

Stephanie: Know what?

Jasmine: In-troduce yourself!

[They exchange roles here.]

Stephanie: My name is Ste-phanie

Jasmine: Yeah!

Stephanie: I got the mucle.

Jasmine: Yeah!

Stephanie: To do the hu-stle

Jasmine: Yeah!

Stephanie: I do my thang

Jasmine: Yeah!

Stephanie: On the video screen

Jasmine: Yeah!

Stephanie: I do the ro, ro, ro, ro, ro-bot (punctuates each syllable with Do Do Brown)

Jasmine: She do the ro, ro, ro, ro, ro-bot (Jasmine imitates Stephanie's version of the dance)

 

Refrain (Unison)

Jig-a-low, jig, jig-a-low

Jig-a-low, jig, jig-a-low

 

Part 2

Stephanie: Hey Jasmine!

Jasmine: Hey what?

Stephanie: Are you ready?

Jasmine: To what,?

Stephanie; To jig

Jasmine: Jig-a-low?

(unison): jig what?

 

[Exchanged roles again]

 

Jasmine: Well, My hands up high, my feet down low.

and THIS's the way I jig-a-low

[Jasmine creates a stylized move on THIS's]

Stephanie: Well, My hands up high, my feet down low.

and THIS's the way she jig-a-low

[Stephanie mimics Jasmine's stylized move on THIS's.]
-The Games Black Girls Play: Learning The Ropes From Double -Dutch To Hip-Hop, Kyra D. Gaunt (University Press, New York, 2006, page 82);
-snip-
This example combines the foot stomping cheer "Jigalow" with the foot stomping cheer "Introduce Yourself".

"Jigalow" (also spelled "Gigalo") is [was?] usually performed as a partner hand clap rhyme

****
K, L

****
M. N

****
O, P

****
Q, R

ROCK THE BOAT
Rock the boat. Don't tip it over.
Rock the boat. Don't tip it over.
Hey, Aniya. "Hey what?"
Hey, Aniya. "Hey what?"
Can you rock the boat? "No way."
Can you rock the boat?! "Ok."
She slides. She slides. She do The Butterfly.
She dips. She dips. She shakes her little hips!
-ti55, Mar 16, 2008, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9QuTsAtQPY Aniya Rocks The Boat :-), published by ti55, Mar 16, 2008 [The lyrics are given in this video's summary of a preschooler performing this dance while her father chants the cheer off camera.

The "Rock The Boat" cheer has the title and tune as the R&B record by the Hues Corporation. That song was first released in 1973, but wasn't successful until its second release in 1974. 

**

ROLL CALL
Is the Midwest up in hea? I see some of y'all!

1) Roll call check me out, roll call check me out
My name is ____, check
I go to school, check
I know I'm cool, check
Cause I can turn around, touch the ground, get back up and party down. *We said this as we were doing it. My party down was usually a variation of the cabbage patch with lots of 'tude.
-DoublePlatinum, June 25, 2018https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/black-girl-rhymes-what-was-yours-growing-up.1196979/page-3 "Black Girls Rhymes-What Were Yours Growing Up?"
-snip-
"'tude"= "attitude" [i.e. "sassiness"]

****

S, T

****
U, V

****
W, X

****
Y, Z

****
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Visitor comments are welcome.

Calls For The Black American Community To Boycott The Essence Fest Because It Has Changed Its Focus From A Black American Women's Cultural Festival To A Nigerian Centered "Global" Cultural Festival

TabithaSpeaksPolitics, July 8, 2025
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnDtoL9CEKU "One Last Thing And Then It’s Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Programming!!" posted by TabithaSpeaksPolitics, Jul 10, 2025 

Among other points, In that video Tabitha provides information about The Solomon Group, an almost totally White American organization that has produced, managed, and promoted the Essence Festival.  

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest update- July 11, 2025

This pancocojams post showcases the July 8, 2025 video from TabithaSpeaksPolitics' vlog in which Tabitha presents the results of her online research as to why a number of Black Americans consider the Essence Fest 2025 that was held from July 4-6to have been a flop.

Information about Essence Magazine and information about the Essence Fest are included in this post along with selected comments from this video's discussion thread. Most of these commenters are Black Americans. However, there are also commenters from Africa or from the Black African Diaspora.

The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to TabithaSpeaksPolitics for focusing on this subject and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. 

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INFORMATION ABOUT ESSENCE MAGAZINE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essence_(magazine)
"Essence (stylized in all caps) is an American monthly lifestyle magazine covering fashion, beauty, entertainment, and culture. First published in 1970, the magazine is written for African-American women.[2][3]

History

Edward Lewis, Clarence O. Smith, Cecil Hollingsworth and Jonathan Blount founded Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) in 1968. It began publishing Essence magazine in May 1970.[4][5] Lewis and Smith called the publication a "lifestyle magazine directed at upscale African American women". They recognized that black women were an overlooked demographic and saw Essence as an opportunity to capitalize on a virtually untouched market of black women readers.[2] Its initial circulation was approximately 50,000 copies per month, subsequently growing to roughly 1.6 million.[6] Gordon Parks served as its editorial director during the first three years of its circulation.

In 2000, Time Inc. purchased 49 percent of Essence Communications Inc.[7]

In 2005, Time Inc. made a deal with Essence Communications Inc. to purchase the remaining 51 percent. The deal placed the ownership of the 34-year-old Essence magazine, one of the United States' leading magazines for women of color, under widespread ownership, rather than black ownership.[8] In January 2018, the magazine returned to a fully black-owned publication after its acquisition by Richelieu Dennis, the founder of Sundial Brands.[9]"...
-snip-
Here's an excerpt that provides some background information about Richelieu Dennis
From https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/richelieu-dennis-1969/
"A successful entrepreneur, Richelieu Dennis, was born February 25, 1969 in Liberia the son of Mary Dennis. Dennis grew up in Liberia during the civil wars, a time of violence and disruption. However, he was able to attend elementary and high school in Liberia and Sierra Leone where his family occasional fled for safety from the violence of Liberia. In the 1980s he attended Babson College in Babson Park, Massachusetts, a small college noted for mentoring entrepreneurs. In 1991 he graduated from Babson with a degree in Finance, Investment, and Entrepreneurial Studies.

Due to the Liberian civil war Dennis was not able to return to Liberia after graduation. He partnered with his friend, Nyema Tubman, and mother to create natural bath and hair care products for Black women. Many of the products they created were based on recipes used by his grandmother in Liberia. His grandmother, Sofi Tucker, was widowed at age 19. To support her family, she began making homemade beauty products and selling them in the local market. These recipes became the basis of Sundial Brands created by Richelieu, Nyema and Mrs. Dennis. Initially their products were sold on the streets of Harlem."...

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE ESSENCE FEST (Also known as "Essence Music Festival")

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essence_Music_Festival
"The ESSENCE Festival of Culture is the largest African-American culture and music event in the US.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] The annual music festival started in 1995 in New Orleans, Louisiana to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Essence magazine. The festival features artists simultaneously performing on a main stage as well as four standing-room only stages"...
-snip-
Most of this Wikipedia page features annual lists of concert line-ups. Here's the concert line up that is given on that page for 2025:

"Boyz II Men

Davido

Maxwell

Master P.

Buju Banton

Donell Jones

GloRilla

The Isley Brothers

Muni Long

Nas

Summer Walker

“Essence Flowers” - Jermaine Dupri Honors Quincy Jones"
-snip-
Only three of these performers-GlorRilla, Muni Long, and Summer Walker are female. Each of these women are Black Americans.

With regard to the men on that last, Davido is a Nigerian-American singer who lives in Nigeria and Buju Banton is a Jamaican singer. All of the other men are Black Americans.

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VLOG'S DISCUSSION THREAD
All of these comments are from July 8, 2025. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKOmKs1izCE

1. @carolbryan7494
"Tabitha, thank you for sharing this information on the Essence Festival.🥰"

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2. @shay-shay8012
"Bye bye Essence fest!  It was wonderful while it lasted! 

Thanks Tabitha for your thorough research!  Love our Black American people!💪🏾"

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3. @moniquemitchell6894
"So they chose to take over a renowned event that was established by us and represented our culture; to then minimize our involvement, influence, and representation. Wow! They could have done the right thing and embraced what we cultivated as they should have and then included elements of our African ancestry to bring us together. A this vs. that approach was misguided and divisive. Well now we know. Thank you for the deep dive into this Tabitha."

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4. @Ms.Peach77
"I am heartbroken.  Essence magazine was created by Black Americans for, and to celebrate Black American women.  The Essence Festival was created by Susan Taylor (a Black American woman) who was editor in chief.  For many years, I’ve enjoyed going to Essence Fest, our Black American culture, our food, our music and our people were all celebrated.  I don’t mind inviting our African brothers and sisters to enjoy our culture, but not take over what we built.  Wow, what a shame."

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5. @Commonsense-v4z
"They sold it to a company owned by wyt investors. Here in lies the problem."

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6. @Nifemum
"O wow. How did that take over even happen 🤔A Nigerian and a Kenyan taking over an original Black American Festival. That's crazy.

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7. @lexingtonwalker1174
"Tabitha, I am not Black American, but you are on point. We non-Black Americans need to appreciate and respect Black American culture and not seek to erase it in any way, shape or or form. The key word is "RESPECT"."

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8. @Kewlchick366
"THIS THIS Is So Disgusting and Disrespectful. A Liberian Man, and a Kenyan Woman Running a Black AMERICAN Festival 😐😞🙄It Sounds like a Extremely Bad Joke BUT Unfortunately Its Real. We Need to RECLAIM OUR BLACK AMERICAN Festival Without the ESSENCE NAME."

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9.@derekm4819
"Since the Essence Festival has been compromised/co-opted, we need to completely detach from it, and create another version of our own, highlighting Black American culture, achievements and business promotions. Creation is one of the things we do best."

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10. @Melbee500
"I AGREE 🎯💯"

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11.@avisrobinson452
"So, Essence Ventures will not be about the American Black culture. It's going to be about what THEY think American Black culture is without finding out what the American Black culture is. smh 🤔

Black America will no longer be the focal point. Horrible"

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12. @radmommact3683
"ALL SKIN FOLK AIN'T KIN FOLK"....

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13.  @TheTrevis_
"Aren’t these the same people that were warned not to engage with Black Americans? Who allowed this mess to happen? I am not happy because I was planning to go to The Essence Festival next year. Essence magazine was created for upscale AFRICAN AMERICAN women. No offense to our African brothers and sisters, but, WE…..BLACK AMERICANS, created this ecosystem for us because of the lack of Black AMERICAN representation in somewhat mainstream media. I’m so disappointed in this and I will not be supporting and this is EFFED UP. Come at me because I’m ready for it. I’m not the one!"

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14.@dorothymccaskill7221
"Tabitha also Essence excepted money ($300K) from target! This also could be a reason Black folks didn’t show up to Essence fest this year. "

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15. @momi1610
"So, that can be later sold off too? Other folks aren't the issue -- it's us. When many of us get to a certain level, we don't hold onto "our culture" or "our things." Black Americans, as a collective, have been trained to be staunch capitalists. We've also been trained to not see as much value in us as other people do. The Essence brand is just an example of many other areas where this has already been done."

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16. @christinerichardson1756
" @momi1610  This is true. Like BET! THROW MILLIONS AT US AND WE FOLD."

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18. @MichelleLove-uo7de
"@momi1610 this is it right here!!!  That’s what happened to BET. We can’t just sell our stuff off to people who don’t make our culture a priority. In fact, why even sell it off, pass it down to continue legacy and preserve culture!  As soon as our stuff gets sold off it gets watered down, diluted, and misvalued. Let’s stop this practice, immediately!"

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19. @Chiquita-lq8go
"I agree and it needs NOT to be sold to anyone if they are NOT Black American FULLY"

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20. @tondelayoperkins4895
"He better ask Target, we will quickly boycott"

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21.@nnolaa
"Not them colonizing Essence and undermining the Target boycott. That's so disrespectful."

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23. @neptunepisces
"92%er here and New Orleans Louisiana resident essence was absolute garbage even the locals said it was garbage it was in the off vibe it was absolute garbage it wasn't by us it wasn't for us"
-snip-
"92%" refers to the percentage of Black women who voted for Kamala Harris for President of the United States in the November 5, 2024 national election (according to exit voting interviews throughout the nation). 

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24. @Historia-10k
"That is really disappointing. I am Jamaican and admire the culture and tenacity of the Black American community. Essence focus should have been on centering the BA culture in the festival and bring the diaspora together. That's a mistake they'll regret and I would be offended too. That's like saying let's remove jerk chicken and other known Jamaican dishes from our celebration and replace it with Mcdonalds happy meal."

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25. @sabrinawilson5244
"Make them respect OUR CULTURE through the absence of OUR DOLLARS. Any disrespect will be dealt with accordingly no matter who you are."

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26. deborahgiles3649
"Essence Fest is a part of Black American life and history. Mr. Dennis, if you want to experience the full impact of Black American dollars on an international level, it would be prudent for African (Nigerian) people to not step on us as a people. We have paid our dues time and time again. You have shown us disrespect in our own country. An apology would be nice and inclusion in your plans to showcase black excellence internationally. Respect us and we will respect you. You had attendees this time, because expectations were high based on past experiences. We are protective of our unique heritage and culture. Please be mindful of that. You have every right to run your organization as you see fit; however, we will spend our dollars where we deem to be fit. Include us."

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27. @keishaj.2001
"Because he's made Essence Festival an African affair versus African-American two different cultures"

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28. @MzSparkle01
"We need to pull OUT‼️ Let them have that‼️ And, we CREATE A NEW SPACE‼️"

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29. @MrsBlack8998
"Wow! We must boycott!"

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30. @stargazer2.3
"And spread the word quickly."

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31.@renahgade1750
"“jollof vs jambalaya” speaks volumes"
-snip-
In Tabitha's comments about the Essence Fest 2025, she shared that there were no New Orleans food vendors, but one of the features of that festival was a jollof vs jambalaya cook off.  Jambalaya is a New Orleans, Louisiana specialty. Jollof is a rice dish that is popular in Nigeria, Ghana, and other West African nations. (There’s a friendly and not so friendly competition between these nations as to which nation’s jollof taste the best).

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32. @chickychic4644
"Where is the macaroni and cheese? The collard greens?"

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33. @jojoone1099
"Who goes to New Orleans to eat Jollof rice? Cultural festivals should reflect the local culture."

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34. @the2924lp
"OLD INFORMATION New Orleans vendors were  not invited last year so moving forward we should do the same as we did Target. STOP  GOING, STOP buying the magazine."

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35. @JocelynCamilleTV
"Whenever we stop inviting just any one to cookout, and start gate-keeping more this stuff will stop happening."

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36. @Aprioritynotanoption
"I’ve been saying this for a while.  Black Americans need to stop being so forgiving and inclusive and start gatekeeping more.  This is why you have all these other groups and communities running around claiming they created everything Black Americans actually  created and popularized."

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37. @nikkinanette8807
"I’m not African American, but this just doesn’t sit right with me. It’s not about excluding other Black people from joining—it’s about preserving the integrity and original mission of what was built. Some traditions should be honored, not hastily changed.

I truly wonder if the previous owners considered how quickly things might shift once it was sold to individuals outside the African American community. Unfortunately, one of the fastest ways to dismantle something meaningful is to alter its core purpose from the outset.

Inclusivity goes both ways—and what I’m seeing now doesn’t reflect that. This has been a long-standing issue with our motherland brothers and sisters, I truly hope the new leadership takes time to reflect and recalibrate."

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38. @stargazer2.3
"Its too late. The boycott is in full affect."

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39. @Sunkissed_Michelle
"I’m from the diaspora. Jamaica to be exact and I fully support you because I would not want anyone to come into Jamaica and change any of our celebrations we got going on. I’ve been to Essence Fest and I specifically went to enjoy the culture, music and food, so I can’t be mad about what you’re saying."

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40. @girlygirllocssoul
"Yeah… 6 months ago, I subscribed to Essence Magazine.  As a Black American, this will be a one and done type of subscription for me. Even the magazine’s vibe is off.  I miss Susan Taylor’s vibe for the magazine.  Such a shame."

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41. @apembertonfowler
"Our culture was built on our blood, tears, death,exploitation, and oppression. Like Langston Hughes said, “Everybody wants to sing my blues but nobody wants to live my blues.”  The world takes from us and we’re so generous that we say, come on in, we’ll share with you. Then we get shanked. Idk what to do about this, but I know I have to do something. I’m sick of being exploited and I don’t care from whom. Thanks Tabitha for educating me today. ❤️

✌🏽🙏🏽"

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42. @cihi5385
"Being going since 1998. Spent 25 years of my wedding anniversaries there July 5th. Haven't been in a few years since their are no old school artists that I love to see.

Essence is owned by Africans I think."

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43. @i-am-root
"Yes, that is exactly what Tabitha documents, you don't need to "Think it* now you can "know it" 😮"

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44. @marysabally563
"As an African woman i have great respect for black people all around the world especially black American, i just don't know why it so hard for us to believe that our culture are all the same let love each other please black people.

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45. @basbleupeaunoire
"@marysabally563  I love everyone, and I respect our cultural roots. But our culture is not the same.

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46. @betsy5889
"Yes Richelieu Dennis is African. Liberian ❤"
-snip-
This comment was written in response to Tabitha's statement that Richelieu Dennis is African and possibly Nigerian.

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47. @Sunrise6410
"Thank you, Tabitha! Essence was a BLACK AMERICAN MAGAZINE for BLACK AMERICAN WOMEN created by FOUR BLACK AMERICAN MEN. The Essence festival use to cater to BLACK AMERICANS! I'm over it."

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48. @EvanescenceEverythingOh
"NO WE HAVE YOUR MAGAZINES IN FRANCE IT WAS FOR EVERYONE WHO CAN BUY

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49. @jamessneed8789
"Boycott Essence Ventures until they get it right."

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50. @karenl7786
"I love my African continental, Caribbean and African Diaspora brothers and sisters. But we all have our unique characteristics and branches of culture. Why wouldn't you put African- Americans in charge of an African- American festival if you're going after African-American customers and "buying power"? Appreciation and respect must go both ways, or you WON'T get ours."

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51. @ZebraLens
"👆🏾😌This comment right here!!!🔥🔥🔥🔥"

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52. @MWilliams-iy5gf
"Standing on business Tabitha. Thank you always for presenting the FACTS with receipts. The truth will always prevail."

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53. @toddfrench600
"COOOOKKKK MRS. TABITHA! COOOOKKKK MADAM! COOOOKKKK!"

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54. @kellyknight1773
"Caribbean diaspora member here, and I don't feel no way about this because EVERYTHING you said is true. A lot of us are too damn disrespectful and try to take over Black Anerican stuff. That's why y'all have to GATEKEEEEEEEP! GATEKEEEEEEP!  GATEKEEEEEEP!

And what pisses me off is there is never an attempt to take over white people's sh-t*, which, if we're going to take that route, is what we should be doing."
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.

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55. @LeslieWilliams-z7x
"Just boycott it period 😢

What are they doing for us besides taking our money 💵 😢

Just saying and we know they don’t like us like that 😂

Yeah just saying 🤭🫡🌞"

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56. @butterflymcqueen1860
"At a Puerto Rican Day Parade - I deeply doubt there would be a cookoff between Gallo Pinto

(popular Nicaraguan rice dish) & Puerto Rico's Arroz Con Gandules.

Nicaraguans wouldn't THINK to do it - and Puerto Ricans wouldn't allow it.

Black Americans are a bottomlessly gracious & welcoming people, but therein lies the root of the matter: we hand out our highly valued support, and even Cookout invites like promoters used to hand out Club Flyers in the 90s.

"Givers need to set limits because takers rarely do." "

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57. @charletholley6536
"This made my stomach hurt. 

The festival will no doubt turn into a Nigerian festival moving forward.  Nigerians have historically “snubbed” (to put it nicely) American Africans.  They know damn well what our history is here, so Mr Denni$ is collaborating with other Nigerian$ to exploit/redesign the culture.  That is blatant disrespect. 

Given the current political climate Mr Dennis would have to mostly depend on our dollars. Will Nigerians even be allowed to enter the country.  Yes, there are many Nigerians in the US however, so is ICE.  I submit he hasn’t factored in how the melanin people of THIS land will shut it down.

Thank you, Tabitha for letting us know that moving forward Nigerian Essence Festival will be formally known as the Essence Festival."

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58. @Nopeimp
"I agree...We have our own Black culture which should be addressed in so many ways, food,art,history, health,businesses and to Love ourselves"

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59. @wildswan662
"I live in New Orleans and I can tell you for sure this year there were a LOT less people in town for Essence"

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60. @NaturallyAprilH
"It’s just not the same… Haven’t been since 2019. Noticed several vendors and entertainers cancelled their appearances"

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61. @kofoblue3172
"Y'all know what to do now that we know what's going on. I don't even need to spell it out."

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62. @sharonjasper5792
"YAASSSSS!!!! We Know The Assignment. We Got This."

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63. @chickychic4644
"Target was a sponsor. That’s a hell no!"

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64. @janetgmedia
"That part ☝"

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65. @liddie75
"They have been a sponsor for years.."

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66. @chickychic4644
"@liddie75 It’s time to say goodbye to Target! Bye!"

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67. @NaturallyMsTasha
"That was CRAZY after the political climate but now makes sense why they were booked."

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68. @KJWright1979
"Essence lost its essence in 2005 when Edward Lewis, co-founder, sold all his shares to Time (Magazine) Inc. We have to stop selling our culture to the highest bidder."

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69. @stephaniemartin9253
"Dare I say, are they the new colonizers? This is truly wild. I know so many people who opted out at the last minute. Now I know why…"

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70. @Starr601
"I agree 100%"

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71. @mercedes7566
"If he wanted our money, he would have a Black American CEO, and he would have created branches for Nigeria and Kenya. There’s no need to colonize what we built. I was planning to go next year, but after what I heard this year, I’ll save my money and do something else. I’ve already stopped supporting She’s Moisture and I’ve stopped supporting Essence Magazine because it just hasn’t been the same.
-snip-
"She's Moisture" = "Shea Moisture"-a product that is made and sold by Richelieu Dennis' company.

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72. @gretaberry4983
"Now you know what we’ve too do?  what is that! BOYCOTT."

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73. @heatherclark3632
"I haven’t been to Essence Fest in years but what I will say is if they change the “essence” of the festival our people will not support, it will go under. Full stop"

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74. @ZebraLens
"🙋🏾‍♂️🙋🏾‍♀️I am one of those people that missed it also! There was too much going on in social media, and not as much advertising from Essence this year, compared to previous years."

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75. @renahgade1750
"not that I was planning to go the festival but you’re right, usually you’d see information/promo of the festival flooding social media, how odd"

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76. @ronbrown2678
"Thank you Tabitha for shedding light on that because I was a maze of the response that I was hearing to it as well that it just was not the same..."

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77. @LFG-g2w
"Thanks for the info, Tabitha and now we know why the vibe was off at the
Essence Festival!!👈🤨"

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78. @palaviye
"I'm part of the diaspora and all I'm going to say is that this is not the way to go.

This is highly disappointing in the disrespect being shown. There are better ways to build bridges and unite the diaspora. Coopting a black American event is doing unnecessary harm to black Americans and to our relationships across the diaspora. Smh."

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79.inaluedke9779
"I stopped messing with essence a long time ago. I really stopped when I wasn't seeing any Black Americans at the top."

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80. @61msbell
"Well it's up to us as Black Americans to get our own fest started and not let them take our money for them."

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81. @dorothymccaskill7221
"Tabitha also Essence excepted money ($300K) from target! This also could be a reason Black folks didn’t show up to Essence fest this year."

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82. @NolaFlower
"Thank you for this.  As a native New Orleanean, we have been talking about the shift all weekend.  I welcome a Nigerian festival, but don't take our event and hijack it.  This is disrespectful"

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83. @Opune623
"I am a Nigerian and I totally agree with you. They should have incorporated African American history while highlighting Nigerian culture as well."

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84. @reneestevens7337
"They should have incorporated Black American history while highlighting Nigerian culture??? That makes absolutely no sense. Black American history/culture shouldnt have been incorporated. The festival should have been all about Black American history and culture. Nigerian culture shouldn’t have been included at all. Essence has nothing to do with nigerian culture."

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85. @Opune623
"@reneestevens7337 well that’s is wrong, when you acquire a company, it’s the new company’s discretion to incorporate anything from the old company. Most companies fire all the employees and hire their own employees. A good example is twitter, when it was acquired by the new owner, most of the twitter employees were fired. So I totally disagree with you on that one."

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86. @kevinmoten6566
"It's hard to complain because when essence changed ownership no black businessmen or women stepped up to the plate and bought it and took control. Someone from Africa saw an opportunity and bought it. You can't control what you don't own"

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87. @kimroberts2583
"Stop going and spending your money."

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88.@Gigi_Said_That
"I love you Tabitha❤ That  is an awakening. Black women built Essence Magazine. I was (canceling today)  a subscriber since the age of 12.  The colonization of Black American culture is wrong regardless of the skin color. Keep up the revelatory work."

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89. @tuwannaekpe8993
"Don’t leave out that Target was a sponsor for the first time which for me was a slap in our faces. Very good reporting Tab."

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90. @gkan07
"Thank you Tabitha for getting to the root of what’s happening! Also, I know how to withhold my dollars regardless of who is doing the disrespecting. Disrespect learned from the colonizers receives the same treatment even if dripping with melanin."

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91. @cynthiamanning8737
"Nigeria, you messed up.

 Essence Festival, for decades, was amazing.  Why couldn't you leave 'it' alone?  Why?

 Essence will go the way of Target.  We bust our behinds working nonstop to make things happen, and you want to push us aside and assume the position (like we won't care).🤨

 Well, you won't see any of our 1.8 trillion dollar economy."

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92. @nitaparker2056
"Never been to the Festival,  but in light of this takeover,  Black Americans should stop spending theirr money to support Essence in any capacity."

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93. @santaprice8488
"I reside in New Orleans, the vibe has been off for years, I was watching the reviews on how empty the concerts were every night.  Thank you Tabitha for bringing this to the forefront because we as black Americans need to know the real behind the scenes of why things are not vibing."

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94.@mamatee4489
"Support Black America, agree with your commentary and I am a Black African."

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95 @claudettebirden5267
"Ppl remember BET same thing what's going on with us giving up our ownership to others make it make sence"

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96. @SBanyo
"Oh well time for us black folk to get another festival. The Essence festival will not survive without us."

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97. @dr.g2628
"Just boycott Essence Ventures in 2026.  Nigeria will leave quickly in 2027 (Target is an example of Black American economic power)."

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98. @ipeefreely9865
"I stopped buying Shea Moisture, when he played in Black American women's faces with the disrespectful ad campaigns, before the company started marketing to non Black folks. I haven't been to Essence Fest either. I've heard similar complaints. Everyone said it was much better when Susan Taylor was leadership in Essence. And a lot of Africans are quick to separate themselves from Black Americans culturally and socially. 😒🙄"

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99. @marieh9627
"Same here. Once Shea Moisture let it be known they did not want to be associated with the ethnic hair section, I dropped them.  Everyone sells out—eventually."

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100. @cinnamonswirl99028
"Well Essence will be over if that is where they want to go. They must not know about US."

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101. @Randi-n4s
"Sounds like a FAFO boycott lesson is about to  ensue. 😊😊"

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102. @coursecorrection4105
"We are now speaking with our dollars. No one is owed our money. If we aren’t respected, we won’t be bringing our dollars"

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