North Texas Daily

It was Issa Rae who sparked outrage at the 2017 Emmy Awards when asked by a reporter who she was rooting for to win.

“I’m rooting for everybody black,” she nonchalantly said.

Then came the backlash from those who do not — and probably will never — understand the concept of black unity.

It’s statements like, “If a white person said that, it’d be racist,” or the, “You only root for things because they’re black” (as if that’s a bad thing).

They believe it is nonsense black people would consider watching the upcoming “Black Panther” film just to support black films or actors.

Trolls on Twitter have been stealing pictures of white people assaulted from the internet and claiming interracial couples and other white people are being attacked at “Black Panther” screenings.

They can not fathom the thought black people only voted for Barack Obama because he is black.

They do not want to come to understand the reasons why black people root for themselves.

Considering the history in the division of African-Americans in this country, mixed in with the lack of history non-black kids learned in grade school, it is easy to see the disconnect. When you only dangle figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the faces of non-black people, it is easy for them to think only one black man ever made a difference and who should singly be celebrated.

Our roots are deeper than that.

News flash: everybody roots for their own race, gender and religion. It’s about the connection.

It almost feels like African-Americans aren’t allowed to root for their own so openly. How dare they, right?

With centuries of experiences, dating back to the day they were drug to this land from their own, how dare they now come together.

With the history of slavery, separating families and being painted by a nation after the Reconstruction Era that thought, “if we can’t own them we will make sure we demonize them,” how dare they root for themselves. With Jim Crow, murders of famous black leaders to show them who’s in charge and the constant idea that black people should just take their time with trying to obtain freedom, how dare they root for themselves.

Police brutality can date back to the ’50s, but even in the ’90s with cases like Rodney King, just imagine these types of scenarios that happened when social media wasn’t around to capture injustices against blacks.

Then trickle it down to the psychological and social issues it means to be African-American in this country.

Since laws have been made so that they aren’t three-fifths a person or have to drink from “negro only” water fountains anymore, racism subtly exists on the surface.

It means our children being sent home from school for wearing their natural hair because it’s a “distraction.” It means straightening our hair for the work place because it’s more professional. It means black women having to take abuse because if we react, we are just angry and bitter. It means black men needing to be careful every time they step outside their door because they are threatening.

Other minorities root for themselves, but it is only when black people voice their love for their talent, resilience and strength when others get upset.

From slaves singing uplifting Negro spirituals just to get through their conditions, to today with a simple superhero film starring an all-black cast being praised with hashtags like #WhatBlackPantherMeansToMe, African-Americans have, and always will, root for themselves.

Featured Image: Illustration by Austin Banzon