African-Native Americans

      As the name states, African-Native Americans, are Americans with African and Native American ancestry. African-Native Americans, also referred to as "Afro-Native Americans", go through the same type of prejudice, if not more, than any other minority. They face the unfair laws against Native Americans that involve their rights to land and respect, as well as the pain and struggle of the African American race. The mix of the struggles of the feather head dress and the black power fist is what makes this race of people so strong.
       Unlike Afro-Latinos, Afro-Native Americans dont have to hide their heritage in order to be excepted. Instead, Afro-Native Americans deal with the struggle of proving their ancestry. In order to truly be considered a Native American, you must prove that you are Native by blood. In the Native American community, once you have proven that you are Native by blood you can claim the rights of a Native American. This process is further discussed in the online exhibit "IndiVisible- African-Native American Livesin the Americas."
     

What Ethnicity Are You to America?

       People around the world know America as the beacon of equality and justice. Though this may be true to some extent, America is very one track minded on how it views ethnicities and race. Although their is much diversity in America, people are only identified with one solid race, or the race that is most apparent. For example, a person may be composed of a complex racial pedigree by being Italian, German, and Swiss, but are only considered Italian, because it is the most apparent race to society. The problem with this is that society as a whole is completely neglecting to realize the background of those people that come from blended families; the most common being Afro-Latino persons. Afro-Latinos are often viewed by society as one race or another, but never a combination of the two. This is a struggle that is expressed in detail in Willie Perdomo's poem "Nigger-Reecan Blues." 
      America only realizes an individual as African American or a Latino, not acknowledging the fact that they contribute both cultures to society. By failing to identify those individuals as biracial individuals, the individuals will attempt to acculturate, eventually causing the extinction of blended races across America. Giving credit and simply acknowledging that they are more than one race would create a better sense of pride in diversity, thereby truly making America the melting pot that it is praised for being.