BLAXIT: SHOULD WE STAY IN THE USA OR GO BACK TO AFRICA?Since the ending of slavery in the United States, there has been an ongoing debate about whether Black Americans (the descendants of Africans bought and stolen from the shores of Africa) should stay on the land they built through hundreds of years of free labor or return to Africa, their ancestral homeland.
Over the past 150 years, there have been initiatives to have Black Americans repatriate to Africa but the majority of the population has stayed in the country. "Go Back to Africa" has been both the rallying cry of pan-Africanists, most notably Honorable Marcus Garvey as well as the taunting chant of racists during verbal and physical acts of hostility and abuse towards Black people. Some believe that we have rights to the land that the blood, sweat, tears, and lives were sacrificed to build and we should stay and fight for it despite rampant social injustice, inequalities, and continuous acts of racial terrorism. There are others who are adamant that our rightful place is on the African continent where we originated even though hundreds of years have removed our bonds and connections with the people and culture. The idea of a modern migration Back to Africa to escape the injustice and terrorism has been termed Blaxit or The Black Exit.
There are harsh realities of both options. With the new wave protests, injustice, and health disparities brought to light during the Covid-19 pandemic and the deaths of Back people at the hands of police and racists, more Black Americans are exploring their options.
Join our esteemed panel of speakers (including two who have migrated to Ghana), who will engage on the topic and explore the challenges and realities from the legal, social, financial, and cultural perspectives.
Live Broadcast on Facebook and Youtube Saturday, July 4th, 2020 1pm EST 10am PST 5pm GMT+1 |