This posting was written in response to the following message that arrived to my inbox:

"... I know that they mean to be inclusive of Cape Verdeans, and do consider that we should, but you know that African-Americans do not consider Cape Verdeans as part of their group specially because it is understood as US born Africans, and most CV folks, with or without citizenship, even some born here, are looked at as Cape Verdean immigrants.... Were do we fit?"- (a Cape Verdean)

The Cape Verdean - Black Dilemma:
Should Cape Verdeans be Considered or Called Blacks, Africans or Just Cape Verdeans?

A small number of Cape Verdeans in America don't seem to like to be identified as Blacks or African Americans, expressions usually used in this society to refer to Americans of African origin. Additionally, the media in Boston seems to feed and support that idea by usually referring to us as Cape Verdeans and never as Blacks or Africans. “Are you Black/ African American? …I'm Cape Verdean, not Black!" This question-answer drill often happens in such type of scenario. Well, what are you: Black, Cape Verdean, African?

It's time for us to open our minds and realize that we probably would never be in this country if it was not due to the hard fight and struggle of black people during The Civil Rights Movement to have the same rights as Americans from European descent. So, we should be grateful to Blacks and proud to be identified with them. Being, identified as black does not mean we must do some bad things few African Americans do like drugs, crime, etc. We should look at the example of many great black Americans like Oprah Winfrey, Martin Luther King Jr., Baraka Obama, Deval Patrick, Andrea Cabral, Isadore Ramos, Ryan Gomes just to name a few of many, and let them reflect upon our lives.

In short, we should be aware of the fact that as, we say in our own language, "A UNIÃO FAZ FORÇA" ( United we are strong) and stop trying to stay away from identifying with black people because that's what we are, either Black Africans or Black Americans for those who are born here. Yes, we are Cape Verdeans like people from Nigeria are Nigerians or people from Jamaica are Jamaicans but we all are still black people.

Plus, consider this: who know our history better than us? Where did we come from? West Africa! What is the predominant race and culture in Cape Verde? African people and African culture, respectively! Just because we have some Portuguese in our blood, most of time a result of rape and sexual slavery of Portuguese Slave Masters to our African mothers, does not make us different from other Black or African people. To illustrate, the African people from Mozambique, Angola, South Africa or USA don’t deny their black identity because the Portuguese or British slave owners did the same thing to them.

So, let’s be proud about who we are: Black and African!

What if you are a "white" looking Cape Verdean with blue eyes like some of us from Fogo and Brava ? Should you be called black or African ?

hei guys!! you think that this issue should be a dilema? i really think, this is noting to be a big fuzz like you guys want to do, of coarse cape verdean should be considered african or black>> we shouldn't have any doubt about this!!! have any capeveardean that consider them self white? if have, i have to say they are stupid!!ahh i know why have this issue,because some capeveardean has this idea because some fogo or brava's people have blue or green eyes.But people put something in your head, we are and will be forever BLACK or wharever you want to say, while we are in that island and we born there we will be african>> capiche!!

I think we should discuss this topic because for example, I am a CV American from Fogo descendents; and I've heard some many confusing views about who Cape Verdeans are that I truly don't know how I should identify myself. And I'm pretty sure there are plenty of Cape Verdeans like me in USA, Portugal and other countries.
Any help ? Who are we ?

My 1st thought is do I want to be identified by Europeans: Than I would be black. Than I would ask do I want to be Identified as a person from a Nation in Africa : than I would be Cabo Verdiano. Than again do I want to be Identified as a society Example Latino: Than I would Be Krioulu. Choose what you want to be Identified as me I prefer Krioulu because My family has all kind of Hues and Hair/eye color and I am of them Krioulu.

primeru di tudu nu screbe na nos lingua, si keli e um problema ku nos. se nu casu nu kre pa otos sabis di nos problema entao ingles e benvindo.
tudu kenha ki e caboverdeano sabi ma nos e um raca mestico. kantu portugues descubri CV, el era um pais desabitadu. es trazi africanos (es tchomas escravo na altura)pa bem trabadja pa es. ku keli tevi un mestura. kes senhorios brancos ta involveba ku escravas ki ta trabajabas pa es.na kel tempo ka tinha chance di protejeba gravidez e por isso cedo o tarde quel escrava ta ingravidaba di se chefe(branco). muitas vezes fidjos ki ta nasci ta bem cu cor mas claro(devido a cientifico justificacao de poder de crommossomas de homi o mudjer). si cromossoma di homi e mais forte, entao menino ta nasci ku pele mas claro ou vice versa. e assim kel ciclo li continua ate hoje. kes criolo ki tem pele clara ou odjo verde e devido a ses antepassados ser europeu e ser cromossomas e forte. kes pele escuro e porque ses antepassados ser africano. por isso nu sta na meio(moda brasileros por exemplos). ma nu entantu pamodi nos pais ta pertence a continente africano, o que fazi nos africano e supostamente, si bu e di africa bo e pretu, entao anos e pretu, ka importa kal ke cor di bu pele(raca e cor e dos cusa diferente.

Eu li atenciosamentente todo o seu depoimento acerca do Caboverdiano ser preto ou nao.Eu na minha maneira de ver Somos CABOVERDIANos e nada mais.A nossa maneira de viver,a nossa cor de pele e os nossos custumes sao diferentes do africano. O branco nao gosta de nos,O preto nao nos consegue sustentar e ver,Entao quem Somos nos? Meu caro compatriota nao podemos esquecer a historia,mas somos Simplesmente CABOVERDIANOS,filhos de umas ilhas que se encontram no oceano atlantico lutando contra os intenperios da natureza e da vida desse povo cheio de esperanca no dia de amanha com a sua cara sempre levantada para o mundo. Um Abraco de Caboverdianidade. AMERICO BRITO

ok guentis entoa anos e branco? ou preto? so troca
anos e caboverdeano!! ok nhos adja ma europeus, latinos, asiaticos e otos africano ta tratano pa cuse? branco? ya deve ser!!na es ta tratano pa caboverdeano? qual q raca q nhos adja ma otos povo ta tratano? se cre nhos pergunta!! nhos pode catrata nhos cabeca preto ma oto raca ta odjano preto!!!

nhos bai studa historia ou nhos consulta enciclopedia nhos duvida ta caba!!! se tem algum raca q djoma caboverdeano nhos flam!!! mo ta flado cor de pele q tem e branco, preto, vermelho e amarelo >> ok na qual categoria q nu sta nel? branco? preto?vermelho? amarelos?ok nhos scodje um des e duvida ta caba

Cape Verde is part of Africa. Regardless of skin color, eye color or hair texture, our root is Africa. African women received the seeds of Portugal, Italy, Spain, Europe, etc.

I am proud to be Caboverdiano and I'm proud to know that my roots are firmly planted in Africa.

When Africans have children, we pull from our ancestors and so our children can have white skin and blue eyes to ebony black skin and dark eyes, but, we are all Capeverdeans.

In America, yes, I am black because this is the way this society views us. Jamaicans, Haitians, Dominicans, etc. all have their communities, but, in the larger community, we are not white.

Who of us can say that many of the African Americans named in some of the responses did not come to EUA by way of Cabo Verde, which was, after all, a stop over for slaves.

We may speak a different language and eat different foods, but we were all originally nurtured at the same breast: Africa.

Let's be proud and united.

I agree with you 100%

Cape Verdeans are not blacks; they simply Cape Verdeans. That's it!

Mas sera que um dia ess estupidez ta caba? B'sot cre passa mas uns 500 on ta escuti se cabverdianos e preto ou bronk? Ou ainda ninguem ca da conta que cabverdianos e so parvos que cor de palermas? i ainda por sima catem gente mas confundid, iguista,racista e tarodes como cabverdianos.Sim mim e 100% cabverdiano(a)e'm t'gosta d'nha povo mas ja e tempo d'bost prende aceita nos pa u'k nos `e...

Nos e pretos e basta . O resto `e conssecuencia de actos barbaro de quem proveita de nos antepassados .

Criol cabverdiano d'origem africano "e u'k nos e" Portugues ca ta conta ,foi simplismente uns desgrassodes que abusa e aproveita de nos descendente e que ate agora ta continua ta despresa nos povo. Por isso e'm ta estranha ovi criolos ta gava que es e raca de portugues ,e que es e portugues preto, ninguem pode muda u'kel e , mas es devia ter vergonha de identifica es mesmo como portugues preto

Que triteza a de vocês, com tanta coisa ainda por fazer para um Cabo verde melhor e vocês perdendo tempo discutindo se são Brancos, negros ou africanos.
Vamos dar as mãos e lutar para Cabo Verde ser reconhecido como um país de Gente trabalhadora, inteligente e evoluida, pois só assim poderemos desenvolver o nosso país e assim conseguir o respeito dos outros povos.
Mesmo sendo branco ou não nós não passamos de '' 2 class citizen '' pois somos de um país pobre.
Os japoneses hoje são reconhecidos não pela raça deles mas por aquilo que eles foram e são capazes de fazer.

Um abração a todos os caboverdeanos pelo mundo afora.
Eu sou 100% caboverdeano e luto pelo meu país.

Now I half Cape Verdean and half French what am I consided to be? In some parts of the wrold some people would consided me to be white because my mother is white. I am confused about this. I know that I'm never going to be consided as Black or as White because of what I am.

Amilcar Cabral always says that he is a proud African. If you're light skined that does not make you white.If you're white and born in Africa you are African of European descent.
You must identify with the Continent of your origin. Cape Verde is not a Continent.Europe-European, America-American, Asia-Asian, Africa-African.

When it comes to color and race, I work to promote a colorless world; a world where people will be recognized for being of the human species, and for their abilities, not for the color of their skin. The world can no longer be divided along color lines. There are probably as many people of mixed heritage as there are of one or the other race. The five or so choices given in an application does not accommodate everyone. When ever possible I do not choose colors or race, or I would write down multi-race, to send a message. My kids are half American of European decent and half capeverdean of mixed heritage (mestico). We do not and will not make them choose sides. Scientifically what they are is what they are. And they have a loving relationship with both sides of their families.

However, I believe for most people, who are choosing sides, science and reality is not the motivation. They are doing it out of anger, pride, prejudices, and a host of other issues that has nothing to do with the make up of individuals.

Yes, we must, at an appropriate age, learn history of slavery, holocausts and all the other tragedies in the world and work towards preventing their reoccurrences. But holding on to anger, prejudices, and pride prevents people from going forward and contributing to society in a positive way. Indeed, some become a burden to the society due to these attributes.

It is not a mystery or hard to know what you are. You are from the country or continent where you were born; or perhaps you have adopted a different country as your own. Biologically you are what your parents are. In reality, no one can escape or choose their gene pool. They are given to you by your parents.

End of slavery, and racial equality was not achieved by people of color alone. A great many European descendents joined the fight. Let’s not underestimate their contributions in helping to tip the scale in developing laws that ended slavery and racial inequality. Harriet Tubman, the runaway slave turned "Moses" of her people for rescuing many slaves and smuggled them north through the help of the Underground Railroad had many white friends in high positions which helped her causes tremendously. Underground Railroad was overwhelmingly white people.

So People, forget skin colors and races; look at substance, and issues that matter in the big picture. Position yourselves to be an upstanding member and a positive contributor to your community; and be self reliant people that help less fortunate amongst us no matter the color or race. Most importantly impart those values to your children. They will have to carry those values to the future.

It shouldn't really matter. The only reason we are so fixated on race is because we live in the Divided States of America. I wish we could let this debate go and just focus on our ethnic and/or binational identity as Cape Verdean Americans.

this isuue has been a ongoing problem for many people of color. not only cape verdeans, but many. the problem with capeverdeans is that they dont want to associate themselves with the label black, because people relate black people as being bad, with ugly features, and inferiority comes into the picture.
i just may say this one thing,
if you are non white and from africa (especially), you are considered black. no matter what you lool like.)

Wednesday, August

To Anonymous who said, “What if you are a “white” looking Cape Verdean with blue eyes...

You, my dear should be called a Wannabe...you want to be white.
If you are SO white looking, but NOT white, the government would have placed some type of symbol on your forehead by now. Obviously you have some inkling that you are black, or you wouldn’t be asking. White looking is not the same as being white.

If you are so confused about whether you or black or white simply visit a southern state, some of those white folk will help you figure it out.

I have lived in the southern states for years. What took me by surprise was the ignorance of people, namely black Americans in discriminating against me. I was more taken in by”Brancos” than “Pretos”. I am not white by any means. To not go or take this conversation in a different direction, I do have more respect for some people’s common sense than their intelligence.

I want to ask this question for anyone here that can answer it for me.
what did portugal for us? Nothing?
what did africa for us"..."nothing?

Before the answer can be answered, even the topic “Should Cape Verdeans be Considered or Called Blacks, Africans or Just Cape Verdeans ? The history of the islands is a sad story of both sorrow and triumph. The are many “Apellidos” in cape verde, some well known, Lopes, Mendes, Pereira, Cardozo and Levy would be like the ship's manifest of the "St. Charles," the ship that brought the first known Jews to New Amsterdam and began American Jewish history. But they are also the names of many people in the Cape Verde. Our history is full of diversity, and even our culture is not predominantely Portuguese or African. To break it down further, look at the islands and the diverse community in them. Santiago has the largest African community in cabo verde, but is Santiago the voice of the People? I think not. The majority of cape verdeans are of mixed heritage, albeit about 10 percent or maybe slightly larger are directly connected to the mainland. The rest have mixed. History has taught us that brutality has always been the norm. the so called whites have also raped and brutalized their own. now, as far as blacks go, look at mainland africa, is that also the fault of the whites. regardless of where we come from, or what constitutes a cape verdean man these days, we need to stop blaming the others for the past, lets just not let it happen again. i am proud of my culture, even through all that the women went trough.
Help me break it down.

What is cape verde -
Music – Combination of ????????
Culture -
Political Institution – African …… lets try it again
Literature -
Kriolu – almost 90 percent is based on portuguese
Portuguese –
Cuisine- I will not even go there, all
Architecture – should I even go there


Only by appreciating the ingredients can we appreciate the result, i.e. ourselves.

[quote="Anonym."]What if you are a "white" looking Cape Verdean with blue eyes like some of us from Fogo and Brava ? Should you be called black or African ?[/quote

My Name is Manu Sallah Omowale Al-Khidhr Mateus

Originally we were from the continent of Africa as it is so-called.

My roots go deeper then the Boa Boa tree. Members of my family came here thousands years ago.Later a few centuries back around 14 or 15 century we were brought to the shores on the South East Coast. Some know this as the Atlantic Slave Trade.

In order to understand the depth of all this I should tell you that my family tree is in Ethiopia The Ancient Cushite Empire. To make a long story short we gave birth to the world.

Genesis of human life sprang from the bowels of the big bang of our ball;meaning a planetary or celestial body.

I am a Caboverdean born in the USA.

My mother tongue is Creolu or if you will Kree-olu.

The ancient sage called the archipelago AZIJAH.

So that we might all be in the same page in the same book.

To understand the system of color code and for what reason it was done.
All you have to do is read the definitions by Webster's American College Dictionary. Classification of racism by some Caucaus Europeans.

The color code system is wrong and inaccurate.

The usage is a game and it looks like some folk have fallen for it.

Shame on you.

For our many students know this; if you are African in all its variables
colors or comlexsion, it will not describe who you are.

All Africans are not the same all Europeans are not the same all Asians are not the same etc.

You must read (Salah Mateus) on FORCV.com.

The Constitution Of The Republic Of Cabo Verde states Title II article 10
#7 "The State Of Cabo Verde shall be engaged in the effort the African identity,unity and integration and in the strengthening of acts of cooperation for the development,democracy,progress and well-being of peoples,for the respect of Human Rights,peace and justice."

Every country in Africa has a name by which the people are known and it breaks down into ethnic groups which some call tribes.

Be African,Be European or Asian etc.

It is your tribe that counts not your color,but if your stuck on that racist philosophy perhaps we can help you to see the light of day from the darkness your in.

In Cabo Verde we are men and woman take your choice of hue and we hope you are happy.

" If it is wrong we will make it right and if it is not right we will fix it"

Chern'o Manu Sallah[/b]

Finally I was able to decifer what you were trying to say. I am
somewhat idealistic, so please do not feel offended by what I am
about to say. The number one reality in our world is that white has
been viewed as being superior to black since the first man walked the
earth. Perhaps even when he walked on all fours. Of course, we all
know that this is a myth even though some people do not believe so. We can never totally erradicate that belief no matter how hard we
try. There will always be someone who will think he is superior because of the light pigment of his skin. On the other hand, rhetoric such as you have presented here does absolutely nothing to remedy the situation no matter how well intended it may be. As long as the problem is looked upon in those terms, its solution will not be achieved. I cannot see how all of this is going to help Capeverdeans to find their identity, and that is what is being discussed. This would be a more peaceful world if we could just live and let live. Can't the Cape Verde exist with people who see themselves as Capeverdeans or Creoulos rather than Africans or blacks? Why must they be either or? Many would be surprised to know
that the word "race" was eliminated from all public forms and documents in Portugal. That does not mean that racism does not exist there. Far from it. It means that one step was taken in diminishing this ancient problem.
What we should be doing here is to find another step we can take to
add our contribution rather than holding on to bad feelings and hates
that help no one.

Dr. Zack Souza

The question "whites??????" is perhaps indicating a blanket generalization
that should make one qualify one's remarks or statement. This is fine.
After all, the concept of "whiteness" has been undergoing multiple
mutations and resulting in diversity within whiteness itself.

Nevertheless, the dominant thinking and cultural ethos of whiteness is still permeated
with the scientific racism of the the 19th century that is attributed to Paul Broca, a French physical anthropologist, among others, that linked
Darwinian social evolution with physical differences/phenotype to create a
racial classification of that had on the apex the "caucasoid" and the
lowest rung the "negro" and australian natives.

The dominant economic and political group in the United States is "white"
and these whites still hang on to this racist or racialist
perspective, despite the silent majority of whites are not necessary
outright racist but are influence by this dominant group, like other groups
are. Despite the white liberal or radical or working class, they still
benefit the privilege of their whiteness. As Waltern Rodney said, power
remains "milky white". In the international context, there is a bit of the
variation with the rise of the middle class, especially in Asia. Japan
after all is part of the G-7.

However, the majority of the undervdeveloped, so-called third world, majority people of relative dark skin compared to Europe, are living in poverty, despite some of the elites being quite wealthy.

And in the United States of America, the economic bust of the cyclical up
and downs of the capitalist systems precipatates the resurgence of racism.
Simply, when the pie is small, blame the niggers, the mexicans, the
foreigners, etc and couple with the post-911 reality that has created a
binary struggle, reminiscent of the Crusades Against the Muslims, this is
supposedly a clash between civilization. Anti-immigration feelings,
xenophobia and racism usually intensifies with economic collapse, but this
is now intensified with the political and military war against the "Muslim
terrorist".

Lumumba

Thank you, so much, for your complimentary reply AND for your honesty as well as bravery in sharing what you were called upon reaching these
shores... I tell folks that I work with that my daughter was called such
names when she was in grade school, from 1st and 2nd graders on the school bus in the early 1980's and they scoff at me saying it cannot be so... that young kids these days do not feel that way... I have to prove it through my daughter AND open their eyes - AGAIN -that though Malcolm and Martin and Amilcar died for our freedoms... we are still not free from this scourge...

WHY do you think whites still don't "GET IT" after all these years???? ....and do you think we are now experiencing a "backlash"
of the racist acts/remarks... since this generations behind us truly feel
that this was all "fixed" during the civil rights movement?

Barbara

My dear people of Cabo Verde,

Please, do not be disturbed by the the lack of knowledge (ignorance) of those who do not know about Cabo Verde and its people. The problem was created by colonialism.

As Dr. Amilcar Lopes Cabral said, we were taking out of history by the colonizers for people of Cabo Verde (Azijah), mainly by Portugal.

This problem is not new, all people who have been colonized or enslaved
have undergone this trauma. Those of us who are old enough to remember, it was a problem between the so-called American Negro and the folks who migrated here from the West Indies back in the 30's & 40's.

The folks from the Greater Antilles the Caribbean Sea. Barbados and Jamaica, those that were colonized by the British did not like to be classified as Negros. The so-called West Indians would say we are not Negroes but we are British Subjects. I remember very clearly many of arguments on the subject. The American Negro would have a fit if you called him Black or African. They did not want anything to do with Africa.

they would say I can't ride my Cadillac in Africa and I don't have no bones in my nose. Please don't sweat the small stuff.

We are Caboverdeanos. the country is called Cabo Verde. However, there is a problem here, if they can't deal with that reality.

No we are not the problem for crime.

Manu Salah
To Be continued...