How Black Celebrities and Educators sometimes mis-educate
Monday, February 18, 2008 at 05:02PM 
Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. with Chris rock
Last night I was doing my usual channel surfing when I happened upon PBS and African American Lives 2. This is the program that began in 2006 with Whoopi Goldberg, Dr. Mae Jemison, Quincy Jones, and T.D. Jakes. The point at which I turned to the program Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates was sitting with Chris Rock discussing how much African DNA Chris Rock may actually have. Professor Gates asked Chris Rock something about why he thought Black people had European ancestry. Chris Rock’s response was “…my skin color…I’m not blue black.” Chris Rock believes he has European ancestry because he isn’t blue black. I was at first taken aback. But, wait, there’s more. Later, during the same conversation Dr. Gates mentions to Rock that it’s possible to trace his, Chris Rock’s, DNA to specific people in Africa. Just as they did in African American lives with Oprah, Chris Tucker, Ben Carson and others, he explained this could be done for Chris Rock. What came next blew my socks off. Chris Rock said he would love to be able to “email a hut.” EMAIL A HUT!!!! WTH???? I couldn’t believe my ears. Is this 2008? Black Americans still believe this kind of thing? To have someone of Chris Rock’s celebrity say something like this was incredible to me. For Dr. Gates to leave this in, not to delete it and let it air, is to perpetuate a stereotype that Dr. Gates knows is false. Dr. Gates spent a year volunteering at a mission hospital in Tanzania during his undergraduate studies, and he has traveled extensively throughout the continent of Africa, and he let this air. What a shame. Chris Rock , since Dr. Gates didn’t tell you, I will. We are not of various skin hues because we have European ancestry, Black people create every color on the Earth. To have European ancestry, Dr. Gates and Mr. Rock doesn’t necessarily mean caucasian/white. Black people are the original inhabitants of Europe and the rest of the world. Dr. Gates, Chris Rock please read Rasta Livewire. We should not continue to believe what is not true, even if a Harvard professor allows you to. We should ask questions of any and everyone no matter their station in life. As George Clinton says "Think it ain't illegal yet."
Reader Comments (5)
I bet Chris also has "Indian blood" in his family!! LOL
This isn't surprising considering most of the images we see of the African continent are of people living in substandard environments.
They don't go and talk to middle class Africans or college educated Africans. But that is their M.O.; the media does the same to African Americans. When they want to talk to a Black person on the street they don't go on a college campus or to a Black middle class enclave, they go to the nearest "ghetto".
I agree. I've met African people who have the same stereotypical views of Black Americans. To me, it all comes down to the images we are presented in the media. Growing up in the US, all I knew from the media about Africa is that people were starving and couldn't govern themselves. On the flipside, I've heard from African immigrants that American Blacks are all gang members and lazy. Both views are obviously wrong but they are products of the white owned media who honestly have no interest in displaying the diversity of Black life around the world. If you think you came from nothing, then surely you will aspire to nothing. I watched the episode with Chris Rock and found his reactions to finding out who he really came from rather touching.