Posted: March 24th, 2023

My Personal Connection to the African American Culture

Introduction

The African Americans form a very important cultural group in the United States. Although a minority community in the country, the African Americans and their unique culture have greatly influenced the social life of America. Having had a chance to interact with the members of this community, I should acknowledge that they are very difficult to ignore, especially based on their culture’s huge impact on their own and other communities in the country. African Americans appear to have a very rich culture that has developed from their historical roots and through their interactions with other communities in the course of their life in the country. From a personal perspective, I have managed to interact with them and formed a connection with the African American culture, which I have found informative, educative, and spiritually uplifting.

Music

The African American music is highly admirable, particularly based on the traditional and religious connotations. It is not hard to realize that the music does not have a common origin, given that African Americans originated from different countries and different tribal groups. However, over time, they have developed a music style typical of the African Americans, which has important lessons and relays the message of hope to the people of the group and even others who find the music enjoyable. Within the African American music, the African pedigree is obvious in various shared elements, including syncopation, call and response, improvisation, percussion, swung notes, falsetto use, melisma, and multifaceted multi-part harmony. The music has a great deal of spiritual connotations, which makes it uplifting to any person with a keen ear for music. I have great experience with the music, which I normally listen to when I need spiritual uplifting. I have realized that the music is critical for the people belonging to this community as it has always provided hope following their enslaved history and the discrimination that ensued.

Clothes

While the African Americans use the same attire used by other communities in the country, I have realized that they have a unique style that exceptionally communicates their culture. The African Americans have a cultural dress, which has been an adorned aspect of modern fashion. Kente fabric is used in the making of the various traditional dresses worn by the African Americans. In addition, Kente strips can be seen in various other attire, including liturgical and academic robes, which provides evidence of the cultural relevance to the fabric. The African American dress, with a West African origin, conveys a traditional style, and mostly, the dress is used in the festivities but in different varieties. Therefore, whenever it is worn, it conveys an important message to the African Americans and the people watching them. I find the African American attire a symbol of decency, particularly fitting for religious activities, though it is worn for formal and informal occasions. The dress has been considered suitable for adornment during worship, particularly within the Black church, as it represents the most acceptable appearance for worship.

Sports

African Americans are among the majority participants in sports in America. In fact, it is palpable that they have propelled the country to an important place in terms of sports, including athletics. Sports appear to be one of the important elements of the cultural heritage of the African Americans. There has been a theory that African Americans have some characteristics that emanate through the hereditary process and as the interplay with their environmental reality, which has allowed them to become great sportspersons. Largely, I tend to believe in this theory based on the reality of seeing the members of this community excel in one sport after another, including racing, tennis, and football, among other physical engagements. African Americans appear to have a more physical capability that come naturally and one they have embraced, taking it as part of who they are. Clearly, sporting has allowed them to have their place in the social life of America because it has given them a sort of power which remains hard to match.

Conclusion

The discussion shows that African American culture cannot be underestimated. Any form of contact with the people from the community leaves a mark regarding the richness of their culture. Probably based on their unforgettable history, their culture is among the most spiritually-influenced than any other. From their music, clothes, and sports, the African Americans have developed a unique culture, establishing a significant place in America’s social and cultural reality. Through interacting with African Americans, I have realized that their culture connotes a unique expression of their reality and the power within them to ensure that their conditions do not define them. In essence, whatever aspect of the African American culture one is exposed to, it is easy to tell that it is a symbol of spiritual determination.