My Opinions About The Black American Group Referents "African American", "ADOS" & "FBA"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post is presented as an update of a 2020 post that I published entitled "How "African American" Won The "What Should We Be Called?" Contest" (and other comments about the "African American" referent)." https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/09/how-african-american-won-what-should-we.html

That post remains in this blog. Visitor comments are welcome for that post as well as all other pancocojams posts. 

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all the online resources that I used in this post.
 -snip-
Click 
https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/11/what-is-percentage-of-black-people-in.html for the 2026 pancocojams post entitled "What Is The Percentage Of Black People In The USA In 2026? And Which State Has The Highest Number & The Lowest Number Of Black People?

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EXCERPT FROM THE 2020 PANCOCOJAMS POST ENTITLED "HOW AFRICAN AMERICAN" WON THE "WHAT SHOULD WE CALL OURSELVES" CONTEST"...

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/09/how-african-american-won-what-should-we.html

[Pancocojams Editor: This is a slightly revised version of an essay that I wrote in 2005 and published on the Mudcat Folk music discussion thread.]

written by Azizi Powell, September 11, 2020

"Once upon a time, as I'm sure that you're aware, some people of African descent in the United States used the referent 'African' to describe themselves. As evidence of this, one can point to the Protestant denominations "AME" (African Methodist Episcopal) and "AME Zion" (African Methodist Episcopal Zion).

Time passed. Time passed. And eventually some people of African descent preferred to be called "Negroes" (note the capital "n"). But other people in that same population preferred to be called "Colored". Actually, "Colored" could be considered an apt name for that population given the wide range of skin colors for individuals within our group- from white, and many shades of brown, to blue black. Perhaps for that reason "Colored people" is the group referent that was selected to describe us by one of our most active national organizations, the NAACP (The National Association Of Colored People). The term "colored people" remains in the name of that civil rights organization. However, while the word "Colored" aptly suggests the melanin in our complexions, that word doesn't link us to any geographical place. Therefore, some of us weren't happy with that name.

In the mid to late 1960s, the referents for Black Americans were really in flux. During that time, a number of African countries were becoming independent nations. For the first time that many of us were aware, the continent of Africa, and African cultures were getting some favorable press. Thus for a growing number of Black Americans it was a matter of pride to be identified with historical & contemporary mother Africa.

At that same time in the United States, the "melting pot theory" was being ditched for the 'multi-cultural' mosaic theory on how American culture is shaped. As a result of this paradigm shift, the mass media was paying more attention to the positive contributions that each hyphenated ethnic group in the United States provided to the whole.

If was therefore not surprising that eventually the terms "Afro-American" and "Afra-American" were added to the list of hyphenated Americans [although as per Americans' custom to simplify things, the two words came to be used without the hyphen]. Because of multi-culturalism you heard more about "Italian Americans", "Asian Americans", "Native Americans", and "Irish Americans". And you also heard about "European Americans", although I believe California's Latino Americans started using the group referent "Anglo American" instead of "European American" and the use of that referent has spread from there.

However, some formerly Negro, formerly Colored people argued that we should just use "black" or "black Americans' as our formal group referent. But everyone didn't agree. The contenders for the "what should be the formal referent for Black folks in the United States" were African, Negro, Colored, Black (or black), Afro-American and others but definitely NOT the "n word".

For a while "Afro-American" appeared to winning the competition to be chosen as our formal group referent & personal referent. But then a number of Black folks noticed that the beginning word for all other hyphenated population names in the USA referred to a geographical place-a homeland. And these same folks or others noticed that 'afro' spelled with a small 'a' was the name of a natural hairstyle that was gaining prominence at that time among some segments of Black Americans. Few brothers and sisters wanted their formal group name to be confused with the name of a hairstyle, especially not one that some Black folks had problems accepting. Black power was on the rise and activist Reverend Jesse Jackson and some other noted Black leaders began to assert that our group name should promote a connection with the glories of Africa past and the promise of Africa now and in the future.

What name would it be? "Why, 'African American' of course!" the leaders exclaimed. And the people followed their leaders' lead as people usually do.

So that was how "African American" won the "what-should-we-be called?" contest. And that is why "African American" remains the formal referent for Black Americans today.

[Sat on a pin. My story end.]

-Azizi Powell
9/1/2011 "
-snip-
That comment may not be clear about my view-then and now- that the racial term "Black" is the most frequently used self-identifier and group referent for people who are referred to (and usually refer to ourselves as) "African American".

My sense then and now is that "Black" (or "Black American") is the informal referent and "African American" is the formal referent . Also, I believed when I first wrote the prototype for this essay in 2005 and largely believe now that most Black Americans usually consider "Black American" and "African American" to be the same population. However, since 2019 the meaning of and use of those two referents is changing because of the "Foundational Black American" stance that they aren't African or that their ancestors' being from Africa long ago isn't as important as them being descendants of people who were enslaved in the United States. 

The followers of the FBA and ADOS movements believe that it's important for Black Americans to "delineate" (meaning to publicly declare their ancestry/lineage). Based on the online sources that I have come across, it appears the FBA/ADOS movements have negative opinions about Black people who emigrated to the United States from the Caribbean or Africa after the emancipation of enslaved Black people in 1865, referring to those people and their descendants using the derogatory term "tethers".

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MY COMMENT ABOUT THE TERM "ADOS" FROM THE "HOW AFRICAN AMERICAN" WON THE CONTEST" ETC. POST

This comment was added on September 11, 2020 to the "How African Amerian" Won The Contest" etc.pancocojams post: 

"I've just recently become aware of the term "ADOS". Here's an excerpt from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Descendants_of_Slavery.:
"Members of American Descendants of Slavery (ADOS) are descendants of enslaved Africans, their captors (European slavers), and the original inhabitants of the North American continent during the time of chattel slavery and the Atlantic slave trade. They are descendants of at least one ancestor who was forced into slavery within the established colonies in North America during the time of chattel slavery..."American Descendants of Slavery" refers specifically to the descendants of the enslaved people held in captivity in North America during the initial establishment of the United States (from the colonial era onward)."...

-snip-
Given that definition, I'm not an ADOS on my mother's side since my maternal grandparents were Black people from the Caribbean. (I've been told that my maternal grandmother's grandmother was White, but I don't know if this was true or not.)

Also, given that definition, I'm not sure if I'm ADOS on my father side since he was a light skinned Black man who was adopted as a child by a Black family in Michigan. This was way back in the 1920s. I've been told by a family member whose into genealogy that my father's biological parents were from New York City, but I haven't seen any written verification of this.  I believe that my father was adopted instead of fostered since he had the same last name as my paternal grandparents who I only met one time. Based on his skin color, I assume that my father probably had some White ancestry, but I don't know who or where. At any rate, we don't know if he had enslaved Black ancestors or not. 

Contrary to the ADOS movement, I'm proof that it's possible to be African American without having any known ancestors who were enslaved in the United States. And there's lots of other examples of how a person can be African American without having any known ancestors who were enslaved in the United States."

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MY COMMENT ABOUT THE TERM "FBA" 
[written by Azizi Powell, Nov. 2, 2026]
The term "ADOS" is rarely used now by the very small population of Black Americans who used it in 2020. That term has largely been replaced by "FBA" ("Foundational Black Americans"). My sense is that only a very small number of Black Americans in 2026 refer to themselves and other Black Americans as FBA online or offline. However, the number of Black people who use FBA online appears to be growing.

Here's some information about the term "FBA" (retrieved from Wikipedia on November 2, 2026)

Source #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundational_Black_Americans
"Foundational Black Americans (FBA) is a term used in contemporary social and political discourse to describe a subset of Black Americans who trace their ancestry to people enslaved in the United States. The designation emphasizes lineage connected to American chattel slavery and the historical experiences that followed, including Reconstruction, segregation, and systemic discrimination.[1]

Definition and usage

The term "Foundational Black Americans" is used by some commentators and community members to distinguish descendants of enslaved Black people in the United States from Black immigrants and their descendants. It is often invoked in discussions related to identity, historical continuity, and policy debates surrounding reparations and resource allocation.[2] 

Usage of the term has appeared across media platforms, including television segments, political discussions, and online discourse.

[…]

Public discourse and criticism

The term has generated debate among commentators, journalists, and political observers. Supporters argue that it provides a framework for recognizing the specific historical experiences of descendants of enslaved people in the United States, particularly in discussions related to reparations, representation, and social equity.[9]

Critics have raised concerns about the term's implications, arguing that it may contribute to divisions within the broader Black population or oversimplify complex histories of migration and identity. Media coverage has also linked discussions of the term to broader issues such as misinformation, political discourse, and identity debates in digital spaces."....
-snip-
I don't (can't) identify as FBA or ADOS because 

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Source #2

From AI Overview

The term "Foundational Black American" (FBA) was first coined and published in January 2019 by media personality and author Tariq Nasheed.

Overview of the Term

Definition: It describes Black Americans who are direct descendants of enslaved Africans in the United States, distinguishing them from voluntary Black immigrants.
Origin: Tariq Nasheed introduced the acronym and concept on social media and digital discourse in early 2019 as a lineage-based identity.
Context: The term emerged alongside discussions regarding historical continuity, resource allocation, and the reparation movement.

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II. WHEN DID "NEGRO" BECOME SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE?"
From http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2010/01/when_did_the_word_negro_become_taboo.html
...." When did the word Negro become socially unacceptable?
It started its decline in 1966 and was totally uncouth by the mid-1980s. The turning point came when Stokely Carmichael coined the phrase black power at a 1966 rally in Mississippi. Until then, Negro was how most black Americans described themselves. But in Carmichael's speeches and in his landmark 1967 book, Black Power: The Politics of Liberation in America, he persuasively argued that the term implied black inferiority. Among black activists, Negro soon became shorthand for a member of the establishment. Prominent black publications like Ebony switched from Negro to black at the end of the decade, and the masses soon followed. According to a 1968 Newsweek poll, more than two-thirds of black Americans still preferred Negro, but black had become the majority preference by 1974. Both the Associated Press and the New York Times abandoned Negro in the 1970s, and by the mid-1980s, even the most hidebound institutions, like the U.S. Supreme Court, had largely stopped using Negro."

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III. OTHER COMMENTS WITH A FOCUS ON THE TERM "ADOS"
A. Here's a comment that I added to a discussion about what group referent are used by Caribbean people living in the USA:

"I think people should take with a grain of salt (meaning not automatically believe) what any one Black person from the USA says about which self-referent/s or group referents people of African descent (including people of Caribbean descent) use in the USA.

I don't believe that there is one definite answer regarding the questions:

1. Which referent/s do people use for themselves if they have some Black African descent and they are from the Caribbean and/but they live in the United States?

2. Which referent/s for themselves do the descendants of those people so described above use if they were born in the USA and/or they live in the United States?

And when can those people and their descendants legitimately refer to themselves as "African Americans"?

I think that personal choice plays a BIG role in which referents ALL of these people can legitimately use.

On a personal note, my maternal grandmother was from Barbados and my maternal grandfather was from Trinidad. I have no recollection of them EVER referring to themselves as "Bajan" or Trinididian" or "Caribbean". My grandfather died in the late 1950s and probably referred to himself by whichever racial referents for Black people in the United States were being used at that time [Negro, Colored People]. My grandmother died in the 1980s but because of her age and because of custom, she probably also referred to herself as a "Negro" or a "Colored" person. I have no recollection whatsoever of my mother, my maternal aunt, and my maternal uncles ever referring to themselves as "Caribbean" or "Black Caribbean" or "Bajan" or "Trini" or "Trinidadian". They also used/use whatever racial referents for Black people were currently being used in the USA.

Note: my mother and two of my uncles were born in the USA, but my aunt and my other uncles were born in Barbados. But, to my knowledge, that didn't effect how they referred to themselves. Also, I believe that my maternal grandparents and my maternal aunt & uncles who weren't born in the USA had green cards, but I don't know if they ever became USA citizens. But my contention is that my relatives who were born in Barbados used the same self-referents as many Black people born in the USA i.e. "Negro", "Colored People", and later "Black" and "African American".

Although I'm a Black "Unitedstater" who has some Caribbean ancestry, I have NEVER referred to myself as "Caribbean" or "Afro-Caribbean" or "Black Caribbean". I now use the referents "African American" formally and informally use "Black" or "Black American". However, depending on the circumstances, I might also share that my maternal grandparents were from the Caribbean and I might also share which Caribbean nations they were from.

And the two times that my daughter [who is 3rd generation Caribbean on her maternal side] went to the Caribbean festival "Caribana" in Toronto, Canada, she purchased and waved a Trinidadian flag, mostly just for fun.

In my opinion, more people should recognize that there are multiple ethnic groups among African Americans. "Caribbean" is an ethnic group/s. So is "Creole" and "Gullah" and so, for example, is "Kenyan" or "Nigerian" when people born in those nations live in the United States and their descendants are born in the United States.

Sharing information about my Caribbean ancestry doesn't mean that I'm less of an African American. It just adds more information about my roots"
- Azizi Powell, http://afroeurope.blogspot.com/2012/06/video-hip-hop-on-trial-hip-hop-doesnt.html ; 7/5/2012

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B. Azizi PowellJune 2, 2013 at 7:58 AM

After re-reading this post, I want to add these comments:

The term "negro" with a lower case "n" is sometimes used by African Americans in writing & in speech as a pejorative. A "negro" (lower case) is a male or female who puts his or her interests ahead of other members of his racial group. He is an "Uncle Tom" (This pejorative is sometimes shortened to "Tom"). She is an "Aunt Jemima" (although the term "Aunt Jemima" is much less often used that "Uncle Tom", and I've seen instances in writing where females are called "toms").

I do not refer to myself or anyone else of any race or ethnicity as what is now called "the n word". I don't use that word and don't fully spell it out. I don't accept the notion of re-claiming that word and REALLY don't like it when anyone regardless of his or her race/ethnicity uses it.

By the way, I recognize that there are multiple Black ethnicities. For instance, there are numerous ethnic groups in Africa (I prefer the term "ethnic groups" to tribes. How often do you see or hear "tribe" used in reference to White Europeans? Why is that term only used for People of Color?)

I also recognize that there are many different types of African Americans such as African Americans who are of Gullah descent, or specific Native American descent, or specific Caribbean descent, or a person who is of mixed Black/ other race or ethnicity (which most African Americans refer to as "mixed). In the USA, "mixed" people who have some Black ancestry are considered by most Black Americans to be Black.

In addition, I consider that other African American or other Black ethnic groups are those African Americans or other Black people who are Afro-European because they were born in Europe, or specific South American descent etc.
I'm aware that Australian indigenous people and
some people from Melanesia consider themselves to be Black and therefore I consider them Black too.

Actually, my position is that anyone who considers themselves to be Black, and anyone who considers himself to be African American regardless of their skin color, hair type and other physical features is Black.

Also, with regard to people who are of mixed racial ancestry (particularly persons who are of first generation mixed racial ancestry), it seems to me that that person should be able to accepted by other persons as a member of both races/ancestry. But given the still widespread existence of institutional racism and the widespread existence of personal racism, it's likely that if that person "looks Black", he or she won't be fully accepted as a member of a non-Black race or ethnicity.

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C. Azizi PowellJuly 2, 2013 at 5:51 PM

Here's one way to understand the difference between "Black" ("black") and "African American":

Think about the relationship between males and people. All males are people but all people aren't males.

In the same way, according to the definition of that term that people in the United States use, all African Americans are Black, but all Black people aren't African Americans.

In other words, "African American" is a sub-set of "Black". There are far more Black people in the world than there are African Americans.

For the most part, "Black" refers to people with some Black African descent, although people can debate what "Black African descent" means. I wrote "for the most part" because there are Black people in the world-in Australia, in India, in Melanesia etc- who aren't of Black African descent...but, if you go back far enough, everybody is of Black African descent.

For various reasons, some African Americans (Black Americans) don't like the referent "Black". However, I consider "Black" (spelled with either a capital "B" or a lower case "b") to be an informal referent for the population of people who up to the mid 1960s were referred to as "Negroes" (always spelled with a capital "N"). And I consider "African American" (always spelled with capital "A"s) to be the formal referent for that population."

***

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Do Africans Think That Black Americans Are "Diluted"? (selected comments from a YouTube video discussion thread)

COOPSCORNER, Jan 31, 2025  JOHANNESBURG

Live from Johannesburg, South Africa! Mr. Jackson Cooper aka J-Coop tackles a very important question "What do South Africans think of Black Americans?". These answers will truly SHOCK you. Check it out... Enjoy!

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents a sample of comments from the discussion thread of a 2025 YouTube video about random "man on the street" style interviews that a young Black American conducted with random students from a Johannesburg, South Africa university. This post focuses on some of the comments in that discussion thread that focused on two of those university students in separate interviews* describing Black Americans as being "diluted".

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to COOPSCORNER for conducting those interviews and for publishing this video.
-snip-

*Here's the Google Search results for the term "man in the street" - "A man-on-the-street interview is a type of informal interview where journalists ask random people questions in public places to gather opinions or reactions on a specific topic. This method is often used to capture the pulse of the community and provides diverse perspectives that can enhance storytelling."

Click 5:32 for the complete interview for a Black female student from Zimbabwe who said that Black Americans are "diluted and polluted". That part of her comment begins at 5:43. In response to the question "How do you view Black Americans"?, that student said "Okay, when it comes to us and black Americans, we are just two different groups. We are strictly from South Africa, from Africa, the roots of Africa and I feel like they are sort of like diluted in a way, polluted in a way"...  

(I didn't understand what this student said her first name is. The video captions didn't give that first name, but gave "Sambata" as her  surname.)

Click 9:17 for the beginning of the complete interview with Evans, a Black male student who was born in Zimbabwe. At 9:58, In response to the question "How do Zimbabweans view Black Americans", Evans said "Black Americans aren't really the same African as we are African. We view that as though oh no they're diluted". .

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XeK0MhRqxs

All of these comments were written in February and March 2025. These comments are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

1. nondumisobuthelezi4570
"As a South African, i find words like DILUTED & POLUTED to be so disrespectful."

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2. @papaomphile5094
"As i south African i sonehow got really annoyed when the Zimbabwean dude and the tall girl associated Americans with the word "diluted" thats disrespectful. We love and learn from our Brothers & sisters in the states ❤"

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3. WayneKitching
"I'm a South African and I cringed when the girl said about about Black Americans who have lost their culture but developed a unique culture."

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Reply
4. @benjaminsmith2287
"Only two people said that. And we are diluted compared to Africans. I liked how varied the responses were."

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5. @QueenBee-il1oj
"I agree on one hand the words DILUTED to describe African Americans is disrespectful. But on another view many of us do not know from what part of Africa we originated.  What Africans in the diaspora and what Africans on the continent need only to understand 1 thing and that is that we ARE BLACK AND PROUD.         James Brown theme."

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6. @Kii_J
"Calling us diluted yet the whole world including SA 🇿🇦 follows our culture is very interesting. America culture is black American culture as a whole."

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7. @tolucontent3795
"💯 agree..  that’s only that persons view not every African"

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8. @missqt48
"Why do a lot of FBA/AA/ Black Americans get triggered by ONE persons opinion?

How you gonna get on the WM internet and be mad at one person opinion 😄😄😄

If y’all had emotional intelligence you could rule the world! But very emotional people don’t go far in life!"
-snip-
"FBA" = "Foundational Black American" is a new term that refers to Black people who can trace their ancestry to at least one person who was enslaved in the United States. 

A similar referent, ADOS, (American Descendants Of Slavery), was first used online for that same population around 2016, but you rarely come across that term online anymore. The referent FBA began to be used online shortly after ADOS began. but FBA appears to be increasing its online use (my guess) particularly among Black people under the age of forty. .

snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/06/article-excerpts-about-population.html for the pancocojams post entitled "Article Excerpts About The Population Referents "ADOS" (American Descendants Of Slaves) And "FBA" (Foundational Black Americans)".

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Reply
9. @jbell73986
"She called us polluted"

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Reply
10. @jbell73986
"And how the hell do you think that happened? Smh"

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Reply
11. @sharadawilliams6394
"I perceive ‘diluted’ to mean that we have little of our African culture. I think about how the Yorubas in Brazil still practice their Yoruba culture. I’m not privy of Brazil’s relationship with enslaved Africans during the TAST; how the enslavers treated them but here in America, our ancestors culture was stripped by their enslavers so what do expect. At least some of us have the desire to connect with people from the continent and learn but the disrespect from some of you can be a deterrent that has caused some FBAs to delineate. If it weren’t for my belief that you are our siblings was instructed, per Scripture, not hold a grudge against you, I would do the same thing.  Accusing us of being proud while you’re over there basically boasting against us hypocritical. Our culture was birthed out of struggle and adversity."

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12. @linthexplorer814
"Hi I am sorry I needed to comment.. as an African who grew up in the US the fact that Africans in the motherland use the terms diluted and polluted to describe African-Americans is so disrespectful.. black culture is so beautiful it’s so unique. It’s so diverse and it should be celebrated and it should be taught . I wish both sides would learn about each other’s histories to understand each other’s walks of life. & also at the end of the day as black people no matter where we are in the world we will fight similar battles so why put each other down because of different geographical locations? You will see that we have a lot more similarities than  differences. Thank you Cooper for these interviews. They are very insightful."

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13. @mel-bp1kp
"Diluted and Polluted she is speaking for herself not all of us hayi that was wrong."
-snip-
"Hayi" = South African exclamation that means "No!" [addition and correction welcome.]

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Reply
14. @gwendolynallen3218
"I like how he pointed out their hypocrisy and delusions. Dressed like us but we are white washed. What does that make you? 😂"

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15. @FBA-Reddawg2.0
"Salute to the two lovely south African Sista's in the green and black that didn't pre-judge FBA's off something they so on t.v. obviously 🤦🏼‍♂️🤷🏼‍♂️as for the few misimformed S.A.'s who said black Americans are "diluted" y'all need to go get y'all minds right ASAP😂🤨🤷🏼‍♂️ we created and molded  our very culture in America that got it out the mud fr that our ancestors built from scratch ❤️ 🔱 🖤💪🏼 some of these ppl have no clue what they even talking about  whose "diluted"🤨 Educate yourself before you speak next-time, black Americans set the trends that the world follows respect that fact just pay homage ✊🏼💯 education was for free this time sheesh respectfully 🤨🧐✌🏼"

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16. @ConnorDelport-ff3dw
"Wow, the disrespect through ignorance is embarrassing. Black Americans have a culture of their own, they don't have to be tied to Africa to be an authentic"

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17. @mtuflani
"This is a great video if anything on the diversity of opinions. Everybody has a culture. Those who say that BAs have lost their (African) culture need to understand that they have their own "unique" culture now which was formed through great adversity and now the results have has greatly influenced the globe. And it is rich and BA's should stand on it with pride. Just facts. Let us celebrate each other's wins from both sides and unite. It is not that deep. We can learn a lot from each other when we share cultures and become even stronger as melanated people"

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Reply
18. @pholilemhlanga8664
"We need to dissect the term Culture. We understand African American's were ripped off their African heritage, cultural norms, spiritual practices etc. The "diluted" term comes from the unfortunate circumstances African Americans face.  We need a longer discussion and learn more about each other. This is a great topic Mr Jackson, Thank you for opening communication channels."

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19. @mzinformation8602
"I love my African people,  especially South African,  but many will never understand 2hat itnis to be black in America until they've been black in America.  It's not the worse thing in the world, but it's a terrible feeling knowing that you are hated, feared,  misjudged,  and misunderstood. You can't judge all based on what you see and hear in the media. The diluted polluted was rude. Lol. Of course we're diluted.  We've been mixed with the blood and accents of our ancestors masters. Lol. Come to America and go from state to state.  The accents are different and so are some of the ways. Meaning many blacks in different states maintained some of their African roots a d traditions, but we see ourselves as one"

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Reply
20. @benjaminsmith2287
"I don't think mixed is what is meant by diluted. I think Westernized Africans is what is meant by diluted. The Africaness of a people whose ancestry started in Africa has been diluted/polluted."

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Reply
21. @benjaminsmith2287 Feb 2025
"The "diluted" comment made sense to me. I took no offense to it. Your comment makes sense to me as well. But there is a non-mainstream Black American that is a great presence too and shows more depth IMO."

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22. @MissKittyKilpatrick
"Diluted and polluted. Some people just say any foolish thing."

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23. @oyunazone6283
"Wow, Calling us Diluted, Confused and people with no culture is craazzzyy Work. I mean, didn't our Music genres like Jazz, Blues, Hip Hop RNB and Rock N Roll not help shape music all around the world? what about the trends we set like our fashion and Dances, The Inventions we made, Or how our ancestors built AMERICA with their bare hands? What About being Literally One of the top athletics groups in the world today? Our Social, Political AND Resilience Influences that even helped Black south Africans?! Soul Food?!  Like I can Literally Go On. We Know Who we Are...its just sad that after all this, a lot of these people still act like they don't. Whether people want to act like they know us or not we're still gonna keep moving mountains. God Bless."

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24. @SoulBuddy2222
"I am a black South African, and I agree with you about black American culture. But please understand that they are talking about culture in the narrow sense of the word and not the broad sense of the word.

When they talk about culture here, they mean cultural heritage handed down from generation to generation, including language and spiritual practices.

Even though many black South Africans have been westernized or americanised, they still follow certain cultural practices, like honoring and celebrating their ancestors etc.etc.

In my opinion, there is no right or wrong, it is just what it is. For example, majority of South African Indians lost their languages and adopted English as their home language, but retained their Hindu and Muslim religions, Indian cuisine as well as other cultural practices. I am also aware that there is a very small African American group, who were less westernized than the majority (there is a unique name for them, which I've forgotten). Based on their lifestyle and culture, they would relate more to Africans than most black Americans. The same applies to some of the blacks in the Caribbean, who retained a lot of their African heritage."

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25. @cHAWELO3
"Wow didn't expect people to be offended by the word diluted. As a black South African woman, I guess I understand as it's like saying you're not Black enough. You also have to take into consideration we don't see culture the same. To me it seems Black Americans regards culture as music, food, clothes, style, people and pioneers who sacrificed and shaped the strong heritage that they possess. Black American culture is so strong and undeniable. I could be wrong in many ways and open to correction😂😂😂 . As Africans, culture means something else to us. It's bloodline, clan names, spiritual vibrations, ancient traditions, languages, ideas, a genesis, legacy,etc. The food, clothes and physical stuff is semantics. But our roots are who we are."

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26. @Pheloooooo
"I think we're confusing culture and tradition, food, music, arts, style etc is exactly what a culture is, tradition is something that's passed down from generations and they've done just that with theirs, the only thing that wasn't passed down was their language(but maybe we can say they do😂cause only black americans speak english the way they do)they have african spirituality in their black american culture too except many of them don't acknowledge that side, which is how that too might die one day but if you go to New Orleans, that place is africa for real😂so spiritual and see a lot of african culture. We have to be careful not to be disrespectful with terms like not black enough, those people didn't ask for the history they have and we SANs have a lot in common with them too, black is genetics and they are black guys🤷‍♀️I think we could learn from each other hey, they come here n teach us how to make money, we pour in where they can't like finding their language, tribe etc plus they lived in 1st world country seeing ⚪️ people do things to keep them oppressed, they could show us those loopholes here in Africa"

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27. @cHAWELO3
"@Pheloooooo  You make fair points. I have never been to the U.S which is why I gave my perspective of Black America from not only what I have seen on TV but history documentaries, proud Black American artists in different mediums of art, books,etc. I had no idea that African spirituality is practiced by Black Americans. While I can believe it's also hard to believe given some of the things they say about Africa and how a lot of people say they don't know much about the continent.

Just to clarify I wasn't saying they aren't black enough but that us making statements that they are diluted can be perceived as stating that they aren't "black enough". So I understand why someone would take offence to such statements even if we claim there is no ill intent behind those words.

Learning from one another is essential now more than ever as white supremacy keeps popping up. Our unity benefits ourselves and the world."

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28. @vividratsculpordwarf
"We’re all colonized.  There is no difference. Our cultures in Africa have a western influence"

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29. @Tytrades
"Most of us are diluted but you can say the same about many Africans"

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30. @JaimieWinston-l1l
"I think another word should have been used tho"

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31. @JaimieWinston-l1l
"I kinda understand , but it’s not our fault our history was lost"

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32. @jessharris8294
"As a black American..I’m not offended. I get it… our black culture is very western"

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33. @Onetoomanytimez
"Might I say as a black American(not by choice) to be referred to as diluted is beyond ridiculous. We have an African presence here and African communities and we don’t speak this way. I’ve worked with different Africans from different tribes and they are nice people. But they do say Africans feel like they are the REAL black people. I personally feel like it’s a blessing to be born in your native land where you are the majority. However I think they might be so privileged by their circumstances that they ignore how we actually ended up so “diluted”. And to not have to bother yourself with the details (our history)just proves my point even more. We have an identity crisis because there’s a war on race here and we are constantly reminded of who we should be instead of who we are. We spend more time defending ourselves than living our lives. It’s a constant fight and it’s exhausting. My wife and I talk about moving to Africa a lot to escape. She has Cameroon blood and I I’m (black,native Chickasaw, Cherokee, and I have some Irish blood as well). My family were apart of the 1921 race massacre here in Tulsa,Ok. We have culture here but unfortunately it’s riddled with violence and barbarism by the hand of our oppressors. 

You would be surprised to know how much black people here resonate with the African diaspora but I can tell by Some of their responses that they prefer we learn their culture even if they choose to ignore our history. They sound pretty intelligent for the most part but there is a lot of ignorance present as well. They seem to be so proud of themselves that intern they devalue us it’s a shame. Being African American is more of a geo-political term(by way geographical disposition)to us but you guys say it like it’s our identity or nationality . They would be surprised to know how white washed they sound as well. Our history brought us here but our blood lineages is stretched abroad just like you."
-snip-
I reformatted this comment to increase its readability. 

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34. @shaunstorm9967
"South African here , y’all aren’t diluted   Yall just evolved according to being in the heart of the west  . Y’all went through horrible things and yet you persevered . Sports , Music and Hollywood are your domains of dominance but bet that’s not all you have accomplished, your culture is mainstream and your contributions to building the Us’s military along with it’s scientific monopoly is a testament to your excellence and potential . We are honored to call you brethren and sisters . We pray and move towards a future we work and live among each other .❤"

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35. @TheIntrovert83
"Thank You. That comment made me angry. ❤🖤💚"

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36. @agangproductions1042
"I'm a SAcan who has travelled America a bit. Black Americans  have their owñ culture, survival skills and hustles. I think we should respect and understand that they had to create their own culture as Black Americans , we shouldn't expect them to be African cos they know nothing about that and there is nothing wrong with that, infact we should sympathize with them for being stripped of their names, heritage et al. I wish they can be open to learning more about other nations and stop being ignorant.  Traveling from their side could help a great deal ( even travelling within America could open their perpective a bit) .

Remember, America is good with markerting itself so, be open to learning about the real porverty striken, homelessness, joblessness America too. Aweee!"

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37. @SamraySimon-fy7sq
"Pan-Africanism all the way, y'all!"

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38. @alvinedwards434
"This was good! Especially that last interaction. Each one, teach one! Love that. I understand why some would think we lack heritage or we are "watered down", but what they may not understand is Black people in America influence much of what the world is doing. Style, music, and culture. The world follows our lead! I blame media though, because they only show one side of us, but there are many brilliant Black minds here in the States that dont get highlighted. This was dope though! Keep it up, Jackson! Salute!"

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39. @TsweloMolema
"Black Americans are African by blood and no one can take that heritage away from them. There's a shared narrative (in this video) that they are lacking in black culture “diluted.” I believe music expresses their blackness more than anything from the polyphonic jazz in New Orleans, African American Spirituals, songs that came out of slavery all resemble a part of Africa and the ultimate expressions of blackness (similarly in SA, miners created gum booting as a mode of communication that later became a form of expression and art, we have struggle songs, deeply invested in local forms of jazz, our church song that are sometimes European melodies translated to our languages.) We South Africans love our cultural food; black Americans have that too. There’s differences in the expression of our blackness but that’s what it remains… BLACK. I would’ve thought that the average South African would be more sympathetic in this regard. Great video, love the approach you’re taking in understanding the local culture."

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40. @Azrael-s2z
"For South Africans it’s easy to spot the difference between coloureds and blacks and black Americans. They aren’t the same, the reason many South Africans view them as “diluted” is a cultural thing. They see black Americans as being heavily influenced by western values and customs, they have formed their own culture in America. For me the problem is, media shows some of the worst parts of black Americans and they are portrayed as racist or self centred. Many people mistake what the media shows as the majority of black Americans, but I have met some black American immigrants and loved my interactions with them and as they were my clients I had many interactions with them for 3 years. They are definitely different than their african brothers"

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41.@tommytremble3910
"Imagine a South Africa calling ANYONE white washed 😂"

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42. @benjaminsmith2287
"To be honest, Black Americans are western people with a bit of Black, sometimes Africanish, spice on it. So, we kind of seem like other Americans to a lot of people outside of the USA."

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43. @uncommon1170
"I think the problem is South Africans have learned about African Americans through the media and Hollywood.  The media has predominantly painted us in a negative light.  I am so proud to be African American because we are multi faceted, we are extremely talented, we are resilient and I could go on forever! Now the problem as far as us relating to South Africans is that we come from the USA which has influenced the globe, everyone learns about our country but unless an American has a special interest in another country, we can go our whole lives never even thinking about most countries.  We live in a melting pot and can easily experience so many cultures at home in the states.  Most of us didn't even grow up knowing anything about  South Africa.  I am glad that content creators are educating us on this beautiful country.  I'm thankful to Coop for the hard work he's doing out there. God willing I'll be going this year."

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44. @johnnieolivier1010
"A very insightful video. It's sad that a lot of the young people you interviewed lack the knowledge of the history of black Americans. The influence of black Americans in music, fashion, politics, entertainment, etc is reflected world wide. Black American innovations is so underrated, it's sad because in every sphere of industrialisation the foot prints of black Americans is visible"

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45. @TraveLAttitudes
"The reverse is true regarding African Americans when it pertains to the history of Africa. I’ve come across countless AA who are clueless on the Colonization of Africa"

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46. @MelissaToday
"The dialogue would have completely different with older more experienced, more educated adults. But good to see what young people think."

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47. @cohesivesouls
"Exactly the youth perception is totally different!!!!"

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48. @adoro-ble521
"Yeah or a mix of both"

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49. @oohbabybloo
"These are smart young people. I guarantee if you ask the same question for non-college student not educated or poor the answers will not be the same. "

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50. @eporter8213
"I think we all need read more about each other’s history to get a clearer picture of Black Americans and South Africans."

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51.@junkworks-ok6sg
" "Diluted" & "polluted" is a vile way of describing people."

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52. @michaelsmith8947
"Crazy huh?"

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53. @leszjacobs1637
"It’s not to offend. Africans and black Americans are culturally different that’s just a fact"

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54. @Thesincereservant
"This is a great video on a topic which needs to be elaborated on.

Are we forgetting our forefathers was striped from their land, brought to a foreign land, renamed and brainwashed of their heritage.

Fast forward, the children of the enslaved return to the land, lacking knowledge of who they are, what tribe they are from and no knowledge of their heritage, just to be looked at as foreigners by their brothers and sisters. WE ARE ONE, and the day we get this is the day we can build in all areas of life.

Do Chinese return to China and they say you’re American Chinese?

Do Indians return to India and they say your British Indian?

It’s time our people wake up and unite because we are all one.

Acts 7:6

And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years."

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55. @Thesincereservant
"@ If a person is born in London but both parents are chinese, is that person Chinese or British?"

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56. @MsUbhejane
"@Thesincereservant  Chinese descent and British nationality. There’s a difference between Genealogy and Nationality. I don’t know when the confusion happened, this was never a question. Also the fact that you were born in a certain country doesn’t translate that you will automatically take that nationality. Countries have different laws regarding citizenship and nationality."

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57. @QLivin
"@Thesincereservant  Stop comparing us to immigrants. We have had an ethno genesis. We are American not African."

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58. @nanas1319
"When it comes to disclipline I think there is no difference. It is instilled from an early age to respect elders, take care of family and the elderly. I think based on that we can find common traits among the black americans and south africans."

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59. @tommytremble3910
"This chick called us “diluted and polluted” and said we weren’t the same (people). But let a black American be critical of Africa and speak about them like they’re less then and we’d never hear the end of it or how we’re so self hating. If we not the same like y’all keep saying then it ain’t self hating. It’s just hating ignorant lames who happen to share your skin tone. 🤷🏾‍♂️"

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60. @mfundisombhele3856
"In every society you will always find foolish people & some will be the opposite ...so I hope Americans wont take some foolish opinions that some people have given in this platform.As a South African, I am extremely disappointed by some terrible choices of words used to describe Black American as "'diluted,polluted & white-washed"  that was so unintelligent of them!"

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61. @thepresidentialking9190
"We are not diluted versions of you guys! You have been lied to! 🫳🏾🎤"

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62. @jkelly1418
"Diluted?! Polluted?! I see why FBA stand on business the way they do. Blacks/FBAs we really only have us 🤷🏾‍♂️ "

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63. @ramerehoward9964
"Why is that just about half of the option mind set is that Us Foundational Black Americans are confused cause we know who we are why are We always under the microscope, why are we the lineage everyone likes to give there opinion on 🤷🏾 it must be something unique about Us 😆"

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64. @jkelly1418
"@ bet, I don’t speak for every FBA, there might be some that share the opinion of the interviewees but y’all are gonna call us diluted/polluted because we established our own culture."

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65. @tolucontent3795
"That was 2 out of the 10 people he interviewed…  every Africa doesn’t feel that way …"

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66. @lozi4163
"Show me videos of black South Africans leaving SA to America and interviewing young black Americans in universities asking them about South Africans, i mean we saw how ignorant old black Americans were regarding the Tyla issue let's not act holly. Until we come there and interview your young people in colleges then you might need to get off your high horse"
-snip-
A number of African Americans were very critical of Grammy award winning South African singer Tyla saying that she is Coloured and not Black. The Coloured category in South Africa is very different than the old, no longer used referent "Colored" as it was used to refer to African Americans. Read comment #70 below.

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67. @TheIrieman15
"Can't have it both ways. You guys are the most visible and influence black culture so you will be the most talked about."

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68. @ramerehoward9964
"@TheIrieman15  we shouldn’t get so much negative energy from other melanated kindred when we have always shown support & respect to our melanated kindred now us FBA’s have got feed up with it and are in straightening mode."

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69. @mandisamthembu9230
"I don't think very highly of black Americans after they attacked Tyla  for calling herself Coloured. My thing is people were refusing to be teachable, it's a race that is valid here in South Africa.. Our traumas are really not share you guys.. Pissed me off honestly, but we move 😅"
-snip-
A number of African Americans took exception to Grammy award winning South African singer saying that she was Coloured and not Black. However, it's important to recognize that the South African referent "Coloured" isn't the same thing as the old, retired term "Colored" that was used in the United States as a referent for African Americans. Some Black Americans (prior to the 1980s) referred to themselves and tp other Black Americans as "Colored" as a way of emphasizing their mixed racial ancestry and de-emphasizing their Black African ancestry. Tyla wasn't doing that in June 2024 when she shared on "The Breakfast Club", a very popular African American radio show/podcast that that she is "Coloured in South Africa and Black in the United States".  https://ew.com/tyla-addresses-her-racial-identity-never-denied-my-blackness-8663341 

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70.  @shanicescheepers1487
"Love the video Coop. I think you should probably get an older crowd for this topic maybe 10+ older, these students are still trying to find themselves, some just came out of school and might still need to learn more about what culture is.

Also I think the coloured topic is another one that confuse Americans because not all coloureds come from black or white dads some of us already have a long bloodline of mixed males because I read some of the comments on the coloured opinions in the video and it’s still misinterpreted as u have a black dad, ur black💀

Speaking for myself here, my dad has khoisan ppl in his bloodline where a netherland white male came and then a xhosa and then his coloured dad and then him and it became coloured because when it cane to his dad a lot of the san, netherland white and xhosa traditions and believes  were intertwined with each other

My mother has khoisan, netherlands white and cape malay(her dad) family where a lot of muslim and indian believes are mixed so being coloured here is not as straightforward as black and white u guys are forgetting the indigenous and oldest group of people in South Africa, the San. That’s why I say being coloured comes from a long bloodline of different believes and cultures that were mixed and made one.

Just to add we kept the Scheepers(Netherlands) Surname because my grandfather was a son to a single mother(who was also a mixed race woman)"

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71. @Christocentric_Lifestyle

"Guys please don't take offence of anything being said here. These are random people expressing their opinions, and they don't necessarily stand for all of us. And most are pretty stupid to be honest."

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72. @KamanoPilane2
"They're not stupid but are kids expressing themselves on their experiences"

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73. @TheDiaryofaRhubarbie
"Diluted and polluted gosh that hurts. I want to react to this but, idk. I do agree we are not the same."

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74. @Mattilainen45
"Black Americans qnd coloureds both generally have some European ancestry, so they're kinda similar in that regard."

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75. @evamathebula4448
"The opinion that black American culture is diluted or that they don't have culture is very common among afrikan not just south afrikan and its very wrong I see this rhetoric on twitter all the time. I say this a s a South afrikan. First how they dance, music their dialect AAVE, how they cook the foods during thanksgiving different from others is the same country, their music, is CULTUREEEEE. n we have appropriated most of it globally. I'm not sure if everyone do it but when they get married they jump a broom. A tradition they created because their marriage wasn't recognised during them dayz. And we pay lobola.

Just because they can't trace their tribe from Ghana or Nigeria from literally multiple generations and live or speak what that trobe is doesn't mean they are uncultured. Traditions and cultures are created and evolve. We have also evolved in our culture and traditions as well. Does that mean we're diluted now? No. Anyway it's all❤❤❤that's my 2s"

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76. @apextraxx2903
"@18:39 This is the problem. They don't seem to realize that in America WE ARE THE CULTURE. That's why you see people around the world dressing and imitating us. The food, the music, the CIVIL RIGHTS black people enjoy across the world started was achieved by us and advocated for by us in other places, MULTICULTURALISM was not a thing until we fought for it here and integrated and then heavily advocated to end apartheid in Africa, sports heroes that broke racial barriers and created a path for athletes to compete and make millions in America, the thousands if patents & inventions etc etc etc.....we are Not Africans living in America, we are Black Americans that built America...THE CULTURE AND THE FOUNDATIONAL PHYSICAL THINGS WERE BUILT WITH OUR HANDS... during and after slavery.

 

With that being said y'all have some adorable woman.😀"

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77. @mamadeebuildsahouse
"Point of correction: it's not Wits it's Vats! Secondly those few people aren't good sample. I say this as a South African American who is Xhosa."
-snip-
This comment refers to the nickname of University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.

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78. @MsMak03
"@mamadeebuildsahouse  it’s pronounced ‘Vits’, like ‘Bits’"

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79. @KamanoPilane2
"You can't say people aren't good example when bcoz they are not sharing same sentiments as you. What's proud South African American Xhosa? 😂😂😂 Waitse la re tshegisa."
-snip-
Google translate from Xhosa to English
"Waitse la re tshegisa" = "You've been making fun of us."

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80. @mamadeebuildsahouse
"@KamanoPilane2  No, i understand that. I feel like there is always a versus being created which isn't helpful. Many South Africans aren't exposed to americans, they rely on what they see on television which is very skewed and often a misrepresentation. So, i wanted people to know that the sample does not represent us as south africans. And for me personally, I've lived with Americans for more than 26 years.  and ordinary americans and you will be shocked how lovely they are." 

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visiting comments are welcome.

Byron Donalds' "Jim Crow" Comments And YouTube Comments About Byron Donalds Being A "Tether" (A Black Person Whose Ancestry Isn't From The United states)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about United States Representative Byron Donalds' (Republican-Florida) June 2024 comments about Jim Crow.

This post also presents a urbandictionary.com definition about the FBA (Foundational Black American) meaning of "tether". This post also presents selected comments from a Reese Waters video about Byron Donalds' Jim Crow comments.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/06/article-excerpts-about-population.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "Article Excerpts About The Population Referents "ADOS" (American Descendants Of Slaves) And "FBA" (Foundational Black Americans).

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
People who are members of or supportive of the ideology of FBA and/or ADOS believe that the fact that Representative Byron Donalds is of Jamaican/Panamanian descent (as indicated in his Wikipedia page*) is pertinent to his statements about Jim Crow. They certainly have a point, although I believe that you don't have to be FBA/ADOS to learn about and to recognize the evil of Jim Crow laws and Jim Crow attitudes.

For what it's worth, people who use the terms "ADOS" and/or "FBA" wouldn't consider me eligible to a member of either of these population groups. That is because I am Black Caribbean on my mother's side and I can't trace any enslaved Black American ancestry on my father's side. (My father was adopted from New York state by a Black family in Michigan. I believe that he was Black/White racially mixed, but I don't know anything about his ancestry.)

I consider myself to be pan-African in ideology and I'm highly distrustful of the motivations of the founders and spokespersons of both the ADOS and the FBA movements/lineages.

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*From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_Donalds
..."Donalds was born and raised in the Crown Heights neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn.[16][17] One of three children, he was raised by his single mother.[16] In 1996, Donalds graduated from Nazareth Regional High School in East Flatbush.[18] Donalds is of Jamaican and Panamanian heritage.[19][20]"...

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BACKGROUND - BYRON DONALD'S "JIM CROW" COMMENTS
From https://www.politifact.com/article/2024/jun/10/fact-checking-byron-donalds-jim-crow-comments/ "Fact-checking Byron Donalds’ ‘Jim Crow’ comments on Black families, conservatism" by  Louis Jacobson and Samantha Putterman, June 10, 2024
"Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., a prominent supporter of former President Donald Trump, recently tried to draw Black voters to Trump’s side, but a comparison he made involving the Jim Crow era drew criticism from Democrats.

At a June 4 event in Philadelphia, Donalds compared today’s Black culture with that of the Jim Crow era, when Black people in the South were subject to multiple forms of state-sponsored discrimination. Jim Crow laws were enacted over several decades following the end of post-Civil War Reconstruction in the late 19th century and formally ended with passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act in the mid-1960s.

"You see, during Jim Crow, the Black family was together," Donalds said in a recording published by the Philadelphia Inquirer. "During Jim Crow, more Black people were not just conservative — Black people have always been conservative-minded — but more Black people voted conservatively. And then (the Department of Health, Education and Welfare), Lyndon Johnson — you go down that road, and now we are where we are."

Donalds’ mention of Johnson refers to increased federal efforts to fight poverty, which some conservatives say provided incentives for the breakup of families.

Leading Democrats criticized Donalds’ statement as lionizing the Jim Crow era. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, called out Donalds on the House floor, saying his comparison was a "factually inaccurate statement that Black folks were better off during Jim Crow. That’s an outlandish, outrageous and out-of-pocket observation."

The Congressional Black Caucus, which consists of House Democrats, demanded that Donalds apologize to Black Americans "for misrepresenting one of the darkest chapters in our history for his own political gain."

Vice President Kamala Harris weighed in May 10, saying, "It’s sadly yet another example of somebody out of Florida trying to erase or rewrite our true history," referring to a controversy over a proposed rewrite of some Black history standards for middle schools in the state. "I went to Florida last July to call out what they were trying to do to replace our history with lies. And apparently there’s a never ending flow of that coming out of that state."

Donalds defended his comments on MSNBC, saying he was not being "nostalgic" about Jim Crow but was trying to make the narrow point about Black marriage rates and a stronger conservative identity.

During the Jim Crow period, he said, "the marriage rates of Black Americans were significantly higher than any other time since then in American history" and that since then, "they have plummeted."

Some Democratic characterizations of Donalds’ remarks were overbroad. But experts told PolitiFact that Donalds’ remarks about Black Americans’ families and conservative identity were thorny in their own right.

[...]

There is some statistical evidence to support Donalds’ claim about Black marriage rates being stronger during the Jim Crow era. However, it omits a lot of important context, experts told PolitiFact, including the role of broader social, educational and economic patterns."...

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DEFINITION OF "FOUNDATIONAL BLACK AMERICAN" (FBA) AND THEIR MEANING OF "TETHER" 
From https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Tether 
"Tether

AS Defined by FBA's

Background Information: FBA (Foundational Black Americans) refers to the LINEAGE OF Black people who are the descendants of those blacks who were enslaved during the period of U.S chattel slavery. Those include:

-native born indigenous black Americans

- Black Freemen

- the 3% or so of Africans arriving during the American slave trade and mixed in with the natives.

Tether refers to a subset of black immigrants arriving mostly after changes to the 1965 Naturalization and Immigration Laws, whom appear to have an Anti-FBA, sociopolitical agenda to replace them and undermine their efforts to pursue protections legislation, long overdue reparations from the U.S Government, and other resources that were originally earmarked to benefit FBAs. FBA's interpret the actions of these "tethers" as traitorous and treasonous since they were primarily responsible for fighting to have the 1965 immigration laws changed and amended to allow black immigrants an unprecedented pathway to citizenship in the U.S. NOTE THE DISTINCTION being made: A "tether" does not refer to "ALL" black immigrants as suggested by the hyperbole of those black immigrants who would be considered "tethers" by FBA's. This only refers to those insurgent black immigrants who move to undermine the efforts of FBAs.

A black immigrant acting as a tether will frequently undermine the efforts of FBAs

by July 3, 2022 [no screen name given]

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SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT BYRON DONALDS BEING A "TETHER" (FBA MEANING OF THAT TERM)
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJceGvENBiA "Byron Donalds & Black Conservatives Run Out of Atlanta Cigar Shop, Reese Waters, July 2, 2024

[summary statement]
"Byron Donalds didn't get the message the first time?!? Two of the most prominent Black Republicans in Congress gathered in a deep blue suburb of Atlanta to mobilize Black male voters and make a pitch for why they should consider voting Republican.

In a two-hour discussion, a crowd of close to 100, mostly Black men, sipped on cocktails and smoked cigars on Wednesday night as they filled a local cigar lounge to hear Reps. Wesley Hunt (R-Tex.) and Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) lay out their positions on everything from immigration and school choice to the future of Black families and Black conservatism. And they were NOT haviiAng it.

The event, billed as “Congress, Cognac and Cigars” and moderated by former ESPN host Sage Steele, was the second in a series of gatherings about why voting Republican benefits the Black community, and part of a broader outreach effort to shore up support among Black voters for former president Donald Trump as he runs for a second term.

But the questions and repeated interruptions from attendees throughout the event put on display that while many Black men in the room and across the country might be disenchanted with President Biden, they aren’t automatically voting for Trump this fall. Instead, Donalds and Hunt, serving as messengers for the Republican Party and Trump campaign surrogates, were faced with uncomfortable conversations from a largely Black audience who were not feeling the Black conservatives. Give it up for ATL yall 👏🏽👏🏽zzz"

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[Pancocojams Editor's Note: This compilation quotes almost all of the comments about this subject in that discussion thread that were published on July 2, 2024 and July 3, 2024. As of July 3, 2024 at 6:55 PM there were a total of 254,227 of views for that video and a total of 3, 224 comments in that video's discussion thread.]

July 2, 2024

1. @harveyhotdog5085

"Bryron is not Black American"

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2. @chadwickmitchell7067
"Neither is Wesley"

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3. @reneem3895
"His ancestors weren’t even here during the Jim Crow era, but he has some strong opinions about reparations.

It’s very offensive to have people that did not have the black American experience, inserting themselves in something that has nothing to do with them."

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4. @nicollettenyob
"Makes sense."

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5. @ronaldhull8057
"@reneem3895 Someone should ask him what year his mother entered the US! He's never answered that question."

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6. @thelovelycamille528
"@reneem3895 I feel the same way. I can’t stand these 1st/2nd generation immigrants telling us about “our” history here in America."

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7. @DreamGirl650
"Byron Donald is Jamaican. He doesn’t have an African American perspective. It’s easier for him to throw us under the bus."

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8. @Thisisjustname
"Seriously, I wish more people would bring this up. He doesn't have the loved history of the US to be talking about what period was implied to be better for black people."

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9. @gusmacker919
"Byron Donalds is a tether. He’s of Jamaican and Panamanian heritage. He doesn’t come from the soil. He has no Freedmen lineage. He doesn’t speak for the grassroots FBA."

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10. @Mike-di3mo
"Byron is not a descendant of black American slaves. That why he had no problem signing bill for that statue."
-snip-
"That statue" refers to a statue of confederate General Robert E. Lee. 

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11. @thickblacklinenet
"He's non-FBA. They not like us. Cut the check. FBAB4U"
-snip-
"Cut the check" probably refers to FBA'd demand for reparations. 
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12. @simssaber7503
"Byron is an immigrant, not for us."

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13. @aquabone8118
"WE ARE NOT A MONOLITH!"

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14. @autobotdiva9268
"why did the foundational black americans show up to this immigrant talk anyway?."...

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15. @emilystevens6335
"Tethers are DESPERATE for us to return to sleeping and vote for Kamala/Biden. Years ago when I saw the devastation to FBA men after Kamala/Brown reign I CRIED.  It was so shocking to see them homeless and dirty on the streets in Large "

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16. @ClubQRoundDeux
"3:04 From what I understand his mother was not born America. So he isn't really a descendant of American slavery.

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17. @msjube
"Byron Donaldson heritage is not from American  chattel slavery. He is Jamaican/Panamanian."

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18. @ignaciofuentes2642
"Was Byron's family even in this country during the Jim Crow era?  Where is his family from?  Is he really a Black American?"

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19. @sanduskyohiobro
"Byron Donald is Jamaican not Black American"

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July 3, 2024

20. @jhalahnw1916
"Byron Donald isn't even a foundation black American. He is 1st or 2nd generation caribbean."

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21. @roseiswine8294
"Bryon is not ADOS..."

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22. @Prettygirlbelike
"these are black immigrants thats why"

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