Essence Fest 2026 Was A Flop: Comments About The Demise Of This Once Great Black Arts Festival

Reese Waters, Jul 8, 2026  #blackculture #essencefest #neworleans

The Essence Festival of Culture kicked off last weekend in New Orleans and they did everything they could to erase the debacle of Essence Fest 2025. Michelle Obama sitting down with Keke Palmer, an Aaliyah tribute, Cardi B, Teyana Taylor and more. But that didn't stop the bad press, from Vendors feeling left out to attendees feeling shut out, to Black Americans feeling ignored.

The idea that Black American women have been ignored for the wider African diaspora, as reflected in new ownership was the theme online, as commentary poured in from NOLA. In fact, there has been talk of an Essence Fest boycott since last year and it only got louder. 

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases two YouTube videos about the failure of the Essence Festival 2026,

This post also presents some comments from the discussion threads of those two videos. Most of these comments are from Foundational Black Americans.*

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. Thanks also to all those who produced and published these videos on YouTube.
-snip-
*Foundational Black Americans (FBA) -Americans who have at least one ancestor who was enslaved in the United States before 1865.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/07/calls-forthe-black-american-community.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "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"

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM SHOWCASE VIDEO #1
These comments are given in chronological order, except for replies.

Numbers are given for referencing purposes only.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t-D4fu3Fuo&t=1007s

July 9, 2026

1. @Xrre343k7a3s
"I'm Gen X and was here the first year Essence came into being. It was always on the coffee table, in a half-fanned circle, and was a mirror of what my mom and her generation worked to achieve.. Essence has not been Essence for more than a decade actually. I can't say when it went south, but I know it hasn't been a source of authenticity and inspiriation for many moons."

**
Reply
2. @angel-delight-321
"I use to look forward to buying the Essence magazine in the 90s.

My favorite cover was the one with Tyson Beckford and Gary Dourdan, had me drooling for weeks 🤣

Gatekeeping has a purpose."

**
3. @oneshoewoo
"Thanks for the background info. They transferred ownership and didn't print it in their magazine. Long-term subscriber. Done!"

**
Reply
4. @RochellePorter
"Why would they print it in their magazine? The sale was well documented. Essence was sold in 2000 to Time, Inc. (a very white company) by its Black American publishers. Richelieu acquired it from Time in 2018 with the proceeds from the Unilever sale."
-snip-
Richelieu Dennis is a Black man from Liberia, West Africa.

**
5. @Wonderful6950
"Ebony, Jet, Black Enterprise, and Fashion Fair are gone and the 'investors' removed any memory of these companies."

**
Reply
6. @Gerberdaisy77
"Don’t forget BET."

**
Reply
7. @lynneanderson4255
"And it's so sad to see. I had no idea that this was going on with the Essence Festival.  I used to go back in the 1990s when it was called the Essence Music Festival."

**
8. @JP-jd8wr
"They say we don't have culture while they steal our slang, music, fashion, hairstyles, food, etc. Make it make sense."

**
Reply
9. @KimAnybé,  July 12, 2026
"Your music ? It’s based on African polyrhythms brought over by Africans and carried on by their descendants. Same with clave, call & response etc.

Your hairstyle ? Are you kidding? None of the box braids, cornrows, etc., are yours—you copied them from West Africans in the 1970s. No one in the African American community in the U.S. wore braids before 1970 and the Black Power movement. In Africa, braids had existed for thousands of years.

There’s an obvious lack of cultural understanding here, which explains these delusional claims."

**
Reply
10. @MsShannonashley,  July 14, 2026
"@KimAnybé And today it’s become the most globally recognized music, hair, fashion and style because of BLACK AMERICANS. Not some 500yr old alleged inspiration from Africa. You’re welcome."

**
11. @fee9043
"The Essence brand has slowly gone downhill since Susan Taylor retired."

**
Reply
12. @tlmurraywrites
"She was an editor, not an owner & she promoted the festival last year.  She's also first generation Caribbean, which didn't seem to be a problem during her tenure, but would likely rile the FBA's & such now.

The ridiculousness..."

**
Reply
13. @starrgranby6104
"@tlmurraywrites you made absolutely no sense.. but keep embarrassing yourself.  Susan understood and respected BA Culture."

**
Reply
14. @tlmurraywrites
"You completely misunderstood my comment. Taylor is AA AND 1st Gen Caribbean, which used to be non-problematic. In the current negative internet climate she'd get the same pushback as Dennis.

She's an amazing human & she absolutely supported EssenceFest last year."

**
15. @bahramshafighi
"I have no problem with who owns Essence. I have a problem with the fact that Essence is turning into Pan-African culture and not focused on Black American culture. I love my African ancestry. I love African culture in and of itself. But this particular event, Essence Fest, is not about Pan-African, it is about Black American,  and it needs to stay that way."

**
Reply
16. @lanoshajordan6722, July 10, 2026
"Yes, that's the issue I have with it."

**
Reply
17. @michaelwilliams8118
"Really now! Nothing wrong with Pan African culture. "Black American" culture has its roots in Africa. Food, dance and music to name a few."

**
Reply
18. @busimaseko4598
"@michaelwilliams8118   Yes but its not the same culture. Black Americans have had their own journey past Africa and deserve to hold that up without it being diluted by Africa!! Why is Pan-Africanism so rapey??!! always imposing upon group identities regardless of their protests? NO, Black Americans have their shared history apart and deserve respect and recognition for that for its own sake"

**
19. @CandieP
"Why are black Americans keep going to this?"

**
Reply
20. @bruny702
"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time."

**
Reply
21. @laykni
"Because they don’t know what’s going on now they only know what it used to represent and what it used to be"

**
22. @chosentowin1940
"Went last year!! Complete disappoint!!! Never going back!!!"

**
23. @ijgibbs
"Why are FBA'S still attending a festival that doesn't respect us at all."

**
Reply
24. @Drega001
"Like the BET awards?"

**
Reply
25. @lilithscar355
"Most people don't know what happened"

**
26. @ThekimG313
"Co opted = Highjacked . Haven’t people been paying attention to what’s been going on for a while now?"

**
27. @msprettys9216
"This was said last year, so why did ppl still go?? I’m not surprised at all.

**
Reply
 28. @VictoriaWinge
"Not all of us will be on code IMO."

**
Reply
29. @charlenea.davidson1199
"Maybe they were hopeful that the owner of Essence heard the feedback from last year and was gonna improve. 2nd chance."

**
@maoconn7
30. "Essence Fest is no longer ours. Definitely time for FBA Fest."

**
Reply
31. @bellacea6690, July 10, 2026
"Absolutely"

**
Reply
32. @missmichel-a, July 12, 2026
"This would be great. It needs to stay focused solely on Black American culture"

**
33. @sonene4416
"It was the same last year. It was all over the internet. I do not understand why so many people are there? This festival is not for Black Americans anymore."

**
34. @tlmurraywrites
"What aspect of it "wasn't for African Americans" applies this year?"

**
Reply
35. @theinvisiblewoman5709, July 10, 2026
" @tlmurraywrites well Target being there for 1 since it’s been largely boycotted by Black Americans. Also the lack of independent small business owners who are Black Americans (not African immigrants)."

**
Reply
 36. @tlmurraywrites, July 10, 2026
"@theinvisiblewoman5709  This was the 3rd year of a contract that predates the boycott.

 How do you know that there we "mostly immigrant vendors?" "

**
37. @zakiyahamahad7404
"The fact that Target was there during a boycott says everything. This is what happens when you don't gatekeep the culture."

**
38. @heysimmone
"They charged the small biz vendors all that money only to direct the crowd to the big corporate sponsors. Who didn't see that coming?"

**
39. @darylk9128
"A large problem for me is that other cultures that come to America have absolutely no respect for Black Americans or their culture ."

**
Reply
40. @reesewaters
"but yet want to mimic it and commodify it so badly"

**
Reply
41. @Worldcitizen92, July 10,  2026
"@reesewaters This make the argument worst.. the Liberian owner has an English name, which makes me think he belongs to the african american  that were resettled in Liberia... the nations first president was joseph jenkins roberts , an african american..african american established an elit that mirrored racial and class issues .. heavily opressing the indigeneous liberian. Check the history of liberia. he is y'all brother😂! Some ignorant africans may have this outlook on african americans but I remember africans being constantly bullied and diminished by blacks for years in the us (all the way til 2013 at least)... so when they retaliate, all of the sudden they are the devil.

****
July 10, 2026

42. @herFLYness79
"My auntie always talked about how awesome EssenceFest was. Now I won't be able to enjoy it. I feel like them folk ruined it on purpose 🤦🏾‍♀️."

**
43. @eboneeprice9908
"Essence fest I thought was a music festival branded for the celebration of and the uplifting of black women.  I was under the impression that there were panels and vendors to educate and encourage all facets of black women(ness)!  This year more than any year I would have thought the theme would be mental health, wealth and wellness due to financial attack that this administration has intentionally inflicted on black women.  But what do I know.  I have an issue with CBCF for the same reason it’s a party without purpose as well and black people do run this so here where are."

**
44. @deniseoates7147
"I stop going when they would only sell the concerts in a package and we like the option to attend one night only, way to control expense for trip. 

There are a few hotels on Bourbon Street and that would have to be crazy to be in that hot climate without A/C and the dark.  Hope no one was in the elevators when this happened.

I hate this setup for the vendors where they were basically by looking separated to the back of convention space.  They should not have the 3 large vendors be the first booths all in the same area as you walk in because it does not promote crowd flow, people should have to walk past the other booths to get to Tide and then they have to walk past other booths to get Target.  Basically, big major booths should be in all 4 corners to keep it from being crowded at entrance."

**
45. @shernette32
"I noticed in the last couple of years there have been little to no promotion and advertisement for Essence Fest."

**
46. @COACHERIC365
"Essence Fest MUST return to FBA LEADERSHIP/VISION... 🇺🇲✊🏾❤️"

**
47. @therealcatali
"Sounds like we need some new black festivals & magazines"

**
Reply
48. @ILoveReadingbooks2026, July 12, 2026
"Agreed, I believe the Younger generation will start this. One thing that I admire about the younger generation is that they wait for NO ONE. If they want to see the change; they do it themselves. Shout out to them forreal!"

**
Reply
49. @erosnectar5481, July 13, 2026
"I’m Haitian and i agree! This pissed me off… the least they can do is respect Black American culture! 😣"

**
Reply
50. @bluubird7077, July 13, 2026
"@erosnectar5481 I feel the same. Honor the culture."

****
July 11, 2026

51. @foodiegal9923
"The real conversation is why are you letting this happen? I keep seeing comments that say ‘they never let us have nothing…’ ‘they are culture vultures’.

Ok, well, time to have a hard conversation within Black American communities as to why you allow this to happen. I say ‘allow’ because there’s power in money but you are spending it in the wrong places and investing in nothing"

****
July 12, 2026

52. @sheanelson4769
"YOU KNEW THIS LAST YEAR"

**
53. @PTLV-xv3xs
"WHY DID WE GO BACK THIS YEAR!!  IT WAS BAD LAST YEAR. SMH."

****
July 13,  2026

54. @enyc9
"This might be the unpopular comment but... I'm not with the idea of just saying "ok" and creating a 'new' festival. No.  'We' have always had everything taken or stolen from Us and now THIS... From who?  No.  There needs to be a 'changing of the guards' in this situation.  Its ours, and should stay Ours."

**
55. @stephencooper1003
"Let's get to the meat of the problem . All that this lady was saying . Raised a question . How did black essence. A wholly owned black company. End up in the hands of Africa ??? Let's start with and answer that question.  Talking and going around the circle but not telling what NEEDS to be said. Everybody's complaining about what Africans are doing to essence fest. But again .  How did ownership end up in the hands of Africa???"

****
July 14, 2026

56. @JadenKaye
"I learned about this three years ago, but thanks for informing the rest of us. I grew up with Essence magazine from the beginning as a young girl and subscribed for decades. That ended when I learned about this sellout. My Lord, they create for us and then sell out to those who weren't interested in us, hence their efforts to create Essence, Miele, etc."

**
57. @forrestsmith3640
"ALL THOSE OFF CODE FBA'S!!! WE'RE NOT SUPPOSE TO BE PARTICIPATING IN THE ESSENCE FEST!!! ALL THOSE OFF CODE FBA'S STILL PARTICIPATING!!! WE ON CODE FBA'S , DON'T CARE TO HEAR YOUR COMPLAINTS!!!"

**
58. @coryjackson6944
"Oh well..

It was great when Susan Taylor was editor ❤️"

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 -  Essence Festival Is FLOPPING Hard: Black Americans Walk Away Unbothered

Liam Bernard, Jul 12, 2026

WARNING- This video includes some profanity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3FTgmwmMlE

These comments are given in chronological order, except for replies.

Numbers are given for referencing purposes only.

July 13, 2026

@kevinmodkins9623
"The Essence Festival has lost its Essence.👀"

**
@jenniferross3725
"Essence, Ebony. Jet magazine was everything to black ppl especially on the living room tables it was a staple and I use to order Essence magazines but those days are over"

**
@T.DelGado
"Once essence was no longer Black American owned I never watched again."

**
@menelikmorton8597
"Essence Magazine was founded by Edward Lewis , Clarence O. Smith, Cecil Hollingsworth and Johnathan Blount (1968) later published in 1970...for African - American's. Susan Taylor (Caribbean) was a CEO and Chief editor...of the Magazine. Yes, we should have bought it... Black American Freedmen/ women."

**
@vashtic8139
"I DON'T HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MAGAZINE OR THE FESTIVAL I FELT THE DISCONNECT YEARS AGO AND DIDN'T KNOW THEY HAD A NEW OWNER THAT NOT OUR ESSENCE"

**
@reynaldo7753
"Hey Blacks, Make A New Fest In Atlanta, Keep It FBA Only, Call It Atlanta Fest Get Some Positive Black Speakers & Entertainers, Bring Back The Time, SOS Band, Alexander O'Neal & Cherrelle, George Clinton & Bootsy & da Funk Mob, Bring Kendrick Lamar & Other Positive Rappers Like That To Uplift The Festival, AMEN❤️"

**
Reply
@trenee23000
"Definitely not Atlanta."

**
Reply
@nubiannile4606
"@trenee23000

Then where?"

**
@xanus34
"They said they bought it they could do what they want with it and we said OK, no problem. We don't need to talk anymore. Now y'all broke."

**
@AdamsE464
"Take the festival to Africa! We don't need it. We are forming the the Foundational Black American Festival!!"

**

@AbundanceCt504
"My black ppl we are not African. So please stop saying African American.

 

We are black ppl, Israelites, Hebrew ✊🏾. The chosen ppl of YAHAWAH 💪🏾"

**
@Chosen-1619
"As a delta native from Mississippi, recognize that New Orleans culture is not my immediate culture and I respect it. I understand that it is not my place as a Mississippi native to dictate New Orleans festivals like essence festival.  but for some reason our fellow FBAs who aren’t even from the south try to allow all these foreigners into our culture and look at the mess it caused! My heart goes out to my beautiful New Orleans natives because they are the real victims!"

****
July 14, 2026

1. @gwendolyncaughn9214
"Create another festival!!!"

**
2. @FBA_AllTHEWAY
"Too many tethers involved in traditional FBA events waters it down and it becomes WEAK! And it becomes boring, it puts me to 😴 sleep. I wish they would leave our spaces alone! WE NOT AFRIKAN! ✊🏾🇺🇸✊🏾🇺🇸"
-snip-
"Tether" is a usually at least mildly derogatory referent for a Black person living in the United States who isn't of Foundational Black American (FBA) descent.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/10/what-word-tether-means-to-foundational.html for the 2024 pancocojams post entitled "What The Word "Tether" Means To Foundational Black Americans (FBAs)".

**
Reply
3. @TheBoogeymansCousin
"New Orleans is and always has been a huge mixture of multiple cultures. American Blacks, Europeans, Africans, Haitians, Creoles, French are all a part of the NO culture. It's literally what built the city! There is no NO independent of everyone else's culture."

**
Reply
4. @Chosen-1619
"@TheBoog @TheBoogeymansCousin that to an actual NO native and see what happens. You’re literally talking about the early demographics of the city but you forget that the southern Louisiana culture which consists of cities like Baton Rouge and Lafayette have the same culture and none of the people groups you mentioned. The culture in that part is shaped by the low country elements and native black people at its base! Ever heard of Cajun country and the Bayou? This is why none of the groups you’ve mentioned have any significant connection to the culture there now."

**
Reply
5. @CreoleNOLAMix
"@TheBoogeymansCousin  Baby ain't no dam Haitians or African people live here in New Orleans like that" Florida n Texas yes, but New Orleans no"" You speaking on when some migrated here back in the 1800 century, but now nope"" New Orleans is mostly a predominant black Creole city which doesn't include Africans or Haitians... There is no community here for them tbh"

**
6. @saritamoorebansa4485
"I and my family/ friends, No Target and No Essence festival. Standing ten toes down!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️😅😅😅😊😊😊😊"

****
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Visitor comments are welcome.

One54Africa Podcast Comment Correcting Foundational Black American (FBA)'s Position That United States History & Culture Doesn't Include Any People From The Caribbean

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a comment from a December 2025 One54Africa YouTube podcast entitled "Black Brits vs Black Americans". That post corrects part of the Foundational Black Americans (FBA) position that people of Black Caribbean descent didn't contribute to Black American history and culture.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the commenter who is quoted in this post and thanks to YouTube's One54Africa podcast for providing a forum for these types of discussions.

****
SUMMARY OF THIS PODCAST AND ITS DISCUSSION THREAD
The name "One54 Africa" refers to the fact that the one continent of Africa has 54 nations.

Here's part of the summary of this podcast.
: "One54, hosted by Akbar and Godfrey, is a first of its kind podcast spotlighting the untold stories of African entertainers, athletes and business leaders. Through unfiltered conversations, this podcxast reveals the challenges and culture clashes of growing up African in America." -end of quote- Here's my overview of this One 54Africa episode and the discussion sub-thread that this showcase comment is part of: : This podcast episode focuses on whether Black Britons or any other Black people such as Black people from the Caribbean and Black Africans should be casts in theater, television, or movie roles as historical or fictional African Americans or should those roles be reserved for African Americans.

In addition to that subject, the comment that is showcased in this pancocojams post debunks the FBA (Foundational Black American) belief that the only contributors to "Black United States history and culture were Black people who were enslaved in the United States and their descendants. According to FBA*, this population doesn't include any people of Black Caribbean descent. Therefore, according to FBA, the only people who are FBA should be eligible for movie, television, or theater acting roles that portray FBA people (i.e. the population that is still widely referred to as "African Americans".

**** WHAT DOES FBA MEAN? Here's my brief overview of FBA (Foundational Black American) :

"FBA" isn't an organization but is a lineage based designation that is increasingly used in Black American social media and in other Black frequented online spaces, particularly in Black American social media..

According to FBA spokespersons such as its 2021 founder Tariq Nasheed, the referent "African American" should no longer be used and should be replaced with "Foundational Black American". "Foundational Black American" refers to a Black person who can trace their lineage to one or more ancestors who were enslaved in the United States. Black people whose ancestors were enslaved in the Caribbean or in South America aren't FBA).Also, Black people from Africa or Europe aren't FBAs.

Furthermore, FBA believe that Black people who aren't FBA (based on that definition) have a different lineage, history, and culture from FBAs. One derogatory referent that FBAs use for those non-FBA Black Americans, particularly those who came to the United States after World War II is "tether". "Tether" is used particularly used by proponents of FBA as a slur for Black people and their descendants who fled their homelands in the Caribbean, Africa, or elsewhere to emigrate to the United States.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/10/what-word-tether-means-to-foundational.html "What The Word "Tether" Means To Foundational Black Americans (FBAs)" for more information on this subject.

*Full disclosure: I use the referents "African American" and Black (Black American). According to the FBA definition given above, I would not be considered a FBA because I can't trace my ancestry to someone who was enslaved in the United States (My father who adopted in Michigan and I don't know his biological roots and my mother's parents are from Tobago and Barbados). Furthermore, I very much disagree with the positions that are held by Tariq Nasheed and other FBA spokespersons ****
SHOWCASE COMMENT

from @igotfiveonit7903, January 2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwOZ0elf_Za

"This is jealously

No one disrespected your fragile ego

It's so fragile

You saw someone make money and thought

"How can I benefit from that"

It's pathetic

 

These are individual talents

Black British people are not buying up land that black Americans own

 

You don't even own the job

But you are upset because someone from somewhere else can do it better

 

Trying to cut down the competition

 

FBA culture ain't even FBA culture and you ask people from New York

Is this American culture

 

They will tell you no

They ain't rocking with that Tariq nasheed BS

This is Bronx or wherever culture

 

Remember half of black British people are Carribbeans

We have cousins in the Bronx

My grandad died in the Bronx

 

We talk to these people

East coast

West coast

The West coast maybe FBA culture

But that east coast stuff is not FBA at all

Biggie

DJ KOOL herc

Lil Kim

Foxy brown

Cardi B

Nicki

All the stuff that are popular now

Is not American stuff

 

I don't know why these people won't acknowledge the Carribbean people who made waves in your community

 

Acting Sidney

First black man to win was a Bahamian

 

Slick rick

MF Doom

 

This FBA stuff is so ahistorical it's crazy and Nigerians and Africans like to push this stuff because they want Carribbean people out of the picture

Put as a Carribbean

I'm not letting Americans run wild with this

I'm going to keep you straight when your ego gets out of line

 

You FBAs are wilding

Go do research on the civil rights movement

Harry Belafonte

Frantz Fanon

Kwame Tru

You'll see numerous Carribbean leaders

Of course they helped as the Carribbean are just a collection of Islands right next to America

No beef Africans

It's just proximity

 

Maya Angelou was part Trinidadian

 

Collin Powell

Half of Mike Tyson

Floyd Mayweather grandfather

 

Every step of the way when there has been 10 African Americans saying no

There has been 2 Carribbeans saying

"Nah man, don't let em talk to you like that"

 

Again sorry Africans

 

We came out of slavery in the mid 1800's

100 years later a civil rights movement

That is one life time

There just wasn't much time

 

Africans only start leaving Africa in the 1980s in any meaningful way

 

The war in Nigeria and a war in Somalia

20 years later 2000

Everything is basically present history

 

An you notice most Afro Canadians are Carribbean

That's why drake is always doing dancehall

And half of the black British

 

To places in the British empire

 

Why am I teaching a history lesson

 

Do some research"

****
Which other people of Caribbean descent can you think of who contribute (contributed) to African American culture but aren't mentioned in this comment?

Which Black British people can you think of who contribute (contributed) to African American culture?

****
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Visitors comments are welcome.

Some Nigerian Americans & Some Other Black People's Opinions About The Yoruba (Nigerian) Word "Akata" (from a 2025 Nigerian American YouTube podcast)

 

One54 Africa and godfreycomedian

Dec 9, 2025  #one54 #nigeria #darrylvega

American Nigerians Called Akata

 “I get a lot of slack from Nigerians for not being a real Nigerian.” – Nigerian American comedian/actor] Godfrey [Daneschmah]

[…]

One54, hosted by Akbar and Godfrey, is a first of its kind podcast spotlighting the untold stories of African entertainers, athletes and business leaders. Through unfiltered conversations, this podcxast reveals the challenges and culture clashes of growing up African in America."...

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a Dec, 2025 YouTube podcast and presents selected comments from that podcast about the meanings and uses of the Yoruba (Nigeria) word "akata".

Some of these comments include the newly coined acronym "FBA" (Foundational Black Americans) and its definition of the English language word "tether".

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the One54 podcast and all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/10/ataka-is-mean-spirited-word.html for the  October 2011 pancocojams post "Akata Is A Mean Spirited Word".

Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/11/comments-about-referent-akata-other.html for the 2017 pancocojams post "Comments About The Referent "Akata" & Other Excerpts From A 2005 Book About Africans Perceptions Of African Americans by Godfrey Mwakikagile"

****
SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT THE WORD "AKATA" FROM THIS PODCAST'S DISCUSSION THREAD

(Numbers are given to these comments for referencing purposes only)

December 2025

1.@live.life.on.purpose
"1:33 mark. Nigerians are jealous of those who made it out of Nigeria.  Got it."

**
Reply
2. @kevinanith2713, February 2026
"jealous of what😂"

**
Reply
3. @powderedtoastfacekillah734, February 2026
"@kevinanith2713ask the jealous Nigerians"

**
Reply
4. @helenodiah9420, March 2026
"​@kevinanith2713exactly. Naija we do not envy eachother. We celebrate ourselves"

**
5. @nahnotatall4291
"4:15 = AKATA moment"

**
Reply
6. @AmeriNiiji1983, January 2026
"Godfrey spoke on Africans especially from his country xenophobia"

**
Reply
7. @helenodiah9420, March 2026
"​ @AmeriNiiji1983 he spoke on  South African. Nigeria has no xenophobia. We welcome. People say we are too welcoming. Get your story straight."

**
Reply
8.@Blackhaze3000, March 2026
"Attitudes like that was why African countries and many other black nations will never grow. Too busy judging and fighting with other black people who might be different from them instead of fighting with those other folks who are robbing ya’ll of your resources."

**
Reply
9 @helenodiah9420, March 2026
"@Blackhaze3000 Akata was never meant for Americans. It was for Africans who left the country and came back after many years. It simply means.  "Wild cat" it is not that serious. My friends call me "Akata " whenever I return home and we just laugh and merry. You guys ruined it on the US by spreading lies that it is a slur. Is "black panther" a slur. Since when?"

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Reply
10. @helenodiah9420, February 2026
"This term was originally intended for Nigerians who have returned to their home country and exhibit altered behaviors. My own siblings use this term with me, and it is not indicative of jealousy. Rather, it reflects a change in accent that has occurred due to living abroad. "Akata" translates to "Wild cat," similar to a black panther. It is not meant to be taken seriously. The dissemination of misinformation in America, suggesting it refers to cotton pickers or slaves, has unfortunately distorted its original meaning."
-snip-
This commenter repeated these same comments multiple times in this discussion thread.

**
11. @Johncampy
"I was born in lagos and lived there for 9 years . I still get told my accent is foreign 😂"

**
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12. @health2u605
"The word 'akata' never has been, and never will be used derogatively. Why would anyone want to twist a word used in referencing America to mean a disparaging way of referring to someone, or a group of peoples, other than he or she harbouring a malevolent desire to spread hate, disdain, division and derision.

In Southwestern Nigeria there are essentially two main ways of referencing the white man's territories: i) *Ilu oyinbo*, literally meaning 'the white man's country'; and  ii) 'Akata,'  comes into the wider picture in order to distinguish between Europe and America; they are both referred to as 'Ilu oyinbo,' to know which one of the Ilu oyinbos is being talked about, the affectionate term 'Akata' is always used for America, and never ever used in a derogatory way.

Whoever came up with such a mischievous misnomer should just go get a life, get closer to his or her roots (where they happen to be an 'original Afro descendant in America,) and learn how the culture functions.  ✌️🤜🤛✌️"

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13. @mussiedebrezion8198
"Oh yes it has and still does"

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14. @jameswatson5807
"@mussiedebrezion8198  it is like woke where the meaning is twisted. Akata in Nigeria is not derogatively,  the odd thing is in the UK.

Nigerians and Jamaicans had beef  way back in the 70s and 80s yet we have never heard of the word.  Akata we only found out via social media recent.

 Akata It is the name for a wild cat called a serval that has no home but it is used to mean a Yorùbá person who doesn’t know the language or culture, that meaning has been extended to African Americans or black people in general.

Akata- African American, Kokoye- Hispanics, Oyinbo- white people."

 **
Reply
15. @mussiedebrezion8198
"@jameswatson5807 akata is a derogatory slang for fbas ,i had Nigerian friends tell me this😂 personally and they were yoruba like my friend sunday ,I'm Eritrean i know this personally and even us Eritreans call fba barya which means slaves many times unfortunately so the lies have to stop period"
-snip-
"fba" = "Foundational Black American", a newly coined referent that is used by some people who were formerly known as African American"

**
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16. @jameswatson5807
"@mussiedebrezion8198  You did not read my comment because I stated  the word "Akata used in Nigeria is not derogatively"

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17. @jameswatson5807
"@mussiedebrezion8198  The slave thing makes no sense, when Africans enslaved each other. So it makes no sense."

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18. @mussiedebrezion8198
"@jameswatson5807 let's be honest 😂I'm tigrinya from Eritrea and we have never been slavs and we have written language since millena something the rest of Africans don't have since only recently"

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19. @tok1879, February 2026
"@mussiedebrezion8198 I'm Yoruba. And if your friend truly exists, he doesn't know what he's talking about. I've stopped using the word only because of the way African Americans perceive it but it's purely descriptive. It can be used both negatively and positively."

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20. @roybabineaux5353, February 2026
"@tok1879 you guys have never used it in a positive light when you use akata towards black Americans and it could be Malcolm X or Martin Luther King Jr. Let's not start lying now be real with yourself you have never heard Nigerians use akata in a positive light towards black Americans it is always in a negative light and that is a fact."

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21. @tok1879,  February 2026
"@roybabineaux5353 i don't know who you are. And you don't know who i am but it's crazy you're this certain as to how I used the world. The word as we used it was an adjective. You would hear usages like " I have 3 best friends: one is kokoye, one is akata and the last is naija." Or "my akata wife is gorgeous" it is purely descriptive. There are definitely usages that are negative as well just as you can use adjectives like "black" in a negative manner. I don't think that makes the word "black" a derogative word."

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22. @roybabineaux5353, February 2026
"@tok1879 you have a song from a Nigerian called stay away from the akata. And you say the akata are dumb and stupid you have never ever use it in a positive light ever. Let's not lie anymore to yourself the cats out the bag. To us akata is like calling us the n word they are one and the same now and if you use it in America you might get you teeth knocked out."

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23. @tok1879, February 2026
"@roybabineaux5353 there's no way you're this slow. I was today years old when i find out about this song from 5 years ago with less than 60k views.

Again I'm not arguing that there are no misinformed views that SOME Nigerians have towards black Americans even though there are going the other direction as well, what I'm saying is that the word akata is descriptive. It's very possible to use it in a negative manner.

Also you seem to be set in your conclusion as to what the true usage is. So i probably won't be responding to you anymore. Enjoy."

**
24. @eon001
"Same in the UK. And I've even heard about grown Nigerians that spend a few years living abroad, and they get called Akata."

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25. @Whatupna
"@executivs

And it's used in a derogatory manner as Godfrey demonstrated but if that's what y'all want to call your own people then good go on and do it but don't call other people that who don't want to be called that"

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26. @SttsSttts
"Or you are just a foreigner or adopted foreigner culture. My brother is full blown Rwandese but he was born in Germany, does not speak or understand our culture, everyone calls him German man or foreigner here😂😂, it's not because they are jealous."

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27. @corey22beardable
"​@SttsSttts jokes come with a form of truth and jealousy"

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28. @SttsSttts
"@corey22beardable it's not jokes though. Its the true. There is a cultural part in african nations that binds us all together. If I came and act or behave like German you will be treated like one. Culture is more important than looks in Africa I believe. This is why our parents make the effort for us to learn our culture, language and traditions even in foreign lands."

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29. @JohnWick-gl6mw
"@SttsSttts  Well said sir  🇰🇪"

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30. @kevinanith2713, February 2026
"@corey22beardable  I'm Nigerian and jealous of what😂"

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31. @juggmaneyatta4426, February 2026
"@SttsSttts im black american (Mississippi), but my grandfather was louisiana creole, he always talked to us about our african ancestors. Even taught us to speak kouri vini as well as bambara and french. I tell my friends all the time the problem comes when we as Americans visit african countries and expect american things and we behave as many americans would if those expections arent met"

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32. @StephanieMiller-z2q, February 2026
"@kevinanith2713if you didn’t make it out of Nigeria then you are deemed to be “jealous” if you did, then this doesn’t pertain to you"

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33. @killmongermyhero1169
"So wait they tell us to connect with Africa and go back home, but from the sounds of it Africans believe fleeing over here is the come up 🤔 so what am I missing"

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34. @James-x2y5u
"The U.S. is our home. We ADOS/FBA can't "go back" to a home the ancestors of some of our ancestors were ripped from but we as their descendants, never knew. There is value in connecting with the African descendants of our ancestors who weren't transported to North America, and if some ADOS/FBA want to remain in Africa for awhile, that's their choice. They are in the home of our ancestors, but their birth home is the United States of America."
-snip-
The referent "ADOS" (American Descendants Of  Slaves) was coined shortly before the referent "FBA" (Foundational Black Americans). Both of these terms refer to part of the population that is commonly called "African American". 

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35. @TessaMac-n9n, February 2026
"@James-x2y5u our ancestors were SOLD into slavery."

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36. @Keith-b6w2f, February 2026
"Because they ignorantly believe all of us are from Africa which isn’t true dark skinned people are everywhere on this planet"

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37. @LexRuger718, February 2026
"@Keith-b6w2f  Oh you one of them with an identity crisis"

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38. @Keith-b6w2f, February 2026
"@LexRuger718 far from it 😂"

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39. @007ohboy, February 2026
"@Keith-b6w2f Its adorable...you think youre a Native American.

What happened to being Egyptian? 😂"

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40. @Nickademas1, February 2026
"@007ohboy uh the mockery is a sign of your own ignorance. Please do research, these ideas while sometimes slightly misguided, are not so far fetched."

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41. @007ohboy, February 2026
"@Nickademas1 research BS? DNA is a thing. But dont let science get in the way of a good vibe, Dr Yakub. 😂"

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42. @Nickademas1, February 2026
"@007ohboy you've cleared up absolutely nothing then started arguing with yourself..."

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43. @killahroundz457, March 2026
"@007ohboy  oh you poor sweet summer child  you didn't know the DNA ancestry tests are for entertainment purposes only. Those aren't actually accurate you can look it up"

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44. @MsNathelia
"What do they call the British Nigerians?"

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45. @Henrymuglier92
"British Nigerians are referred to as "Britico" when we visit relatives back in Nigeria"

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46. @401Orisa
"@Henrymuglier92 Britiko was more recent and was more popular amongst older Lagosians who could differentiate between an Americana and Britiko. Akata is a general term and used more often.  An average Yoruba or Nigerians would label anyone whether Afro Asian, Afro Britiko or Afro American as Akata first. I gets called Akata daily as well. In short anyone who speak English with foreign accent even those born in Nigeriaare labeled as akata 😂"

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47. @401Orisa
"The same. Everyone born overseas are called Akata or JJC. Akata basically means Panther in Yoruba but derived for Black Panther party chapter in Nigeria. It isn’t derogatory at all but some just hate it and paint it as such"

****

January 2026

48. @powderedtoastfacekillah734
"So basically Nigerians who use that word are jealous of Nigerian Americans"

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49. @Moe_Lester_fromUptwn, February 2026
"Yep. Same with nonblacks using the N word as a Slur; insecurity, envy and you said it, jealousy."

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50. @badoousain9817,February 2026
"I don't know what it means specifically, but from my understanding and explanations I've heard,  it's not entirely jealousy - it's more like delineating - saying you're not born and raised in Africa. Your own family members can call you that, so it' not entirely derogatory"

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51. @Losomosso94, February 2026
"They are really jealous of black Americans when you think about it…

How they going to jealous of Nigerians and ignore the real group of blacks that made it all possible ?

Yall try hard but will always fail unless you keep it real every second every minute about black Americans"

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52. @powderedtoastfacekillah734, February 2026
"@Losomosso94 that’s not how it works

Nigerian Americans want to show that they’re also Nigerian…and Nigerians are gatekeeping because they think Nigerian Americans had it easier

You had to try hard to misunderstand the conversation as badly as you did"

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53. @Losomosso94, February 2026
"@powderedtoastfacekillah734 Nigerian Americans definately have called black Americans akata … talk that

You misunderstanding on purpose

And we all know why when it comes to black Americans"

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54. @powderedtoastfacekillah734, February 2026
"@Losomosso94 well go comment on that video…this video is about Nigerians and Nigerian Americans, sir"

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55. @TyTyBryant,February 2026
"@powderedtoastfacekillah734 it is stop lying"

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52. @powderedtoastfacekillah734, February 2026
"@T @TyTyBryant u could simply read the video title and avoid looking this way"

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56. @TyTyBryant, February 2026
"@p @powderedtoastfacekillah734 hat’s your opinion. I only deal with facts over here"

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57. @powderedtoastfacekillah734, February 2026
"@TyTyBryant  but…the FACT is that it literally says “American Nigerians” in the title, not Black Americans

But by all means please continue whatever you think you’re doing"

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58. @TyTyBryant, February 2026
"@powderedtoastfacekillah734  akata is used on blk ppl too by Africans so what’s the point."

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59. @powderedtoastfacekillah734, February 2026
"@TyTyBryant  the point is my comment has to do with the topic of the video and you can’t stay on topic"

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60. @TyTyBryant, February 2026
"@powderedtoastfacekillah734 I guess… just know Hamites and Israelites are not brothers just because they both have different shades of brown"

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61. @JosephHenry-x2z, February 2026
"@Losomosso94 yes I'd say so as a Liberian yes its a little jealousy and a little confusion. Go to these countries in the villages and see how they live, you'd think the projects in America is super nice after leaving.. so for us it's like you have all of this and still complaining. To us it's like your rich friend talking about idk what to eat my parents order too many different food while you had 2 hot dogs and ice for dinner"

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62. @Losomosso94, February 2026
"@JosephHenry-x2z I understand … i wish they picked morally strong leaders and geo political partners and built their sovereignty unite and unite Africa like a the AES… black Americans need you guys we have no power here. Global influence but no structural power"

Yah Bless"

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63. @MarloBanfield, February 2026
"@JosephHenry-x2z  The point is, whether you are in America or Africa, our people should not be enduring such suffering for the benefit of everyone else. We are stronger together!"

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64. @owohscorner
"I'm Bi-ethnic. My mother is Black American, and my father is Igbo-Nigerian. In the 80s and 90s, ALOT of West Africans congregated in the American south– not the deep south like Louisiana, but Virginia, the Carolinas and upper Georgia. And a lot of West Africans, men and women, mixed and married with the Black Americans in those areas.

Honestly, it could be an entire Anthropological study."

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65. @juggmaneyatta4426
"In places like louisiana and Mississippi west africans were there a bit longer because of the port of new orleans and france and spain controlling the territory at seperate times. I can trace my family all the way back to 1781 before louisiana was a apart of the US"

****
February 2026

66.@Cinquemendy9906
"In the Manjaku dialect (West Africa) Akata means to make it, to overcome, to reach an other side-shore-place-position"

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67. @Mo1683
"Stop lying. That’s the main issue, that it’s always purposeful misinformation"

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68. @13579hee, March 2026
"​@Mo1683 no, the truth of the matter is that they really don't even know the origins of that word"

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69. @killahroundz457, March 2026
"@Mo1683   but thats just simply not true tho, theres over 3,000 native languages in africa ,i wouldn't be surprised if  the same word has different meanings to different languages."

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70. @meesh2015
"@Ghe608
Every Caribbean parent and every African parent need to send their children home for summertime or winter time or both every year so they understand 💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿"

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71. @big-aimpalancapricenationi3217, March 2026
"If they can afford it.

My family couldn't although I got to go home once."

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72. @doublepromo8240
"Strange how "akata" is a popular word now because the movie ":Sugar Hill" with Wesley Snipes and Michael Wright was released in 1994 and there is a scene where to African men tell Romello (Wesley) and Raynathan (Michael) "we cannot do business wiith akata."  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybfv_17pyGo "

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73. @Mo1683
"Yet they always play dumb with it being a slur for Black Americans"

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74. @d.7203, March 2026
"@Mo1683 the movie was written by a Black American who doesn't speak Yoruba"

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75. @mrmystery871
"Akata is not a bad word. It came from the nigerian students in US universities in the 60s during the civil rights movement. Akata in yoruba means a panther. It was first used to describe the black panther group of that era. Nowadays it is used to describe all black americans whether nigerian american or not. As long as you are born and grow up black american, you are akata."

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76. @Them_kids_momma
"I suggest you not call Black Americans that."

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77. @MangoSlade
"Godfrey is still a tether!!!!"

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78. @boomboombaby9140
"A tether is a person that comes from or has ties to another country that looks down on , questions roots not accepting the truth , disrespectful to the people that made it possible for them to enter the country.😮"
-snip-
This definition of "tether" is from the FBA lineage movement.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/10/what-word-tether-means-to-foundational.html for the 2024 pancocojams post "What The Word "Tether" Means To Foundational Black Americans (FBAs)"

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79.@Moe_Lester_fromUptwn
"@boomboombaby9140 a tether is a wolf in disguise, godfrey isn't that. He calls out the bs"

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80.@MangoSlade
"@Moe_Lester_fromUptwn That tether is against reparations!!!!!"

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81. @BronzeSista, March 2026
"Godfrey is right.  On one post on Instagram.  We talked about how Godfrey stood on business, and he make us laugh. A Nigerian man said Godfrey is not one if us.  He doesn't even act like us, and he does an accent thats not a true Nigerian accent.   We Black Americans lit him up! You don't have the authority to tell  Godfrey he's not Nigerian.  We have to defend Godfrey because he is also American"

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82, @voba2558, March 2026
"That guy is akaterian, means that guy is from abroad"

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83. @warrenbfeagins, March 2026
"Every benefit and privilege FBAs have was paid for with Black blood and bodies in the ground. We were an enslaved MINORITY. Nigerians are a free MAJORITY, yet tell us about what we should be doing??? I appreciate what Godfrey is TRYING to do. Some will get it. I'm afraid most won't. These lessons Godfrey is trying to teach are about 60 years too late. Delineation gatekeeping and vetting is here to stay. FBA fam. ♥️🇺🇸💪🏿"

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84. @TheGhettoPhilosopher
"They asses lying because Many of those aficans that are here also say stay away from the akata and its not their own kind. They mean the Americans that were slaves Cynthia Orivo should be calling herself akata but when she used it it was specifically for us."

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85. @TheGhettoPhilosopher
"@helenodiah9420 man stfu with that tether bs. Tether had one meaning now it has another. Idgaf what you say it meant. Now it's a term about black Americans. Don't mess with the akata don't sound like don't mess with your fellow tethers. Save that lame explanation to someone who is new to akata"

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86. @JoeyIsaiah, March 2026
"The mindset in these comments is disgusting, we all need to come together as one instead of fighting each other keeping the distraction going, I'm garifuna-honduran American, when my parents came to America in the 90s and how most PEOPLE SEE AMERICA is how it was marketed as "THE LAND OF THE FREE" what Americans have to understand is that in our homelands the corruption is overt and the GANGS have taken over, hec our police walk around with rifles not pistols and you're saying stay home and figure it out? ARE YOU DUMB???? THINK LIKE THIS, America will soon go through the overt corruption and that's when civil war begins and when that starts there's not enough firearms to hold anything down, what they'll do is bac out their A.i powered firearms to put everyone in chec, then what's going to happen? THE AMERICAN WILL TRY TO LEAVE AND IMMIGRATE IN ANOTHER PLACE AND IMAGINE IF THAT PLACE HOLDS THE RHETORIC OF "FIGURE IT OUT IN YOUR HOMELAND" that is why that thinking is detrimental, now for the people who aren't Americans you have to understand and RESPECT THE BLAC AMERICAN for all of their work that people like you and I benefit from while they get no credit so their anger will always be justified, the fighting NEEDS TO STOP and we all need to come together in peace and fight THEM together instead of separate, we first fight bac in America by becoming self sufficient and STOP THE HEAVY CONSUMERISM"

****

March 2026

87. @graphicsRat
"From the tone of the word Akata I know it's a Yoruba word and the first time I heard the word used it was by relatives in the US who would tell stories about being timid and an African American (Akata) arriving on the scene and putting their foot down and getting the situation sorted out. The word suggests someone that either no-nonsense, sophisticated and not very traditional African. It is not intended to be a slur."

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88. @meesh2015
"Its actually a slur. Its a yoruba word that basically means animal that doesnt care for its kids."

****
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Visitor comments are welcome.

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

****
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.
-snip-
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).
 
****
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."

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

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

**
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."

**
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.

**
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.💚💚💚"

**
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."

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

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

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

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

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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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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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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."

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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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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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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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74. @johnwebb2442
"Me too."

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

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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."

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

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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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