The Root Published A List Of Where Black People Can Move To, And Africa Isn’t On It

I was browsing the web the other day when I came across an article on The Root titled, 5 Places Black People Can Move to When They’ve Had Enough of America. I clicked on the link immediately because I had been thinking about putting up a satirical post about where Black people could move to, so I honestly thought that this post might be like mine. But it was different.

Here are the 5 countries that were listed, in the order they were listed: Thailand, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Dubai.

Do you see anything wrong with this list, or am I over reacting? I find it very interesting – in a disheartening kind of way – that the author compiled a list of 5 countries for Black people to move to, and not one of them is on the alleged Motherland. How does it make sense for African Americans to relocate to everywhere except Africa? In what world does that happen?

I understand that this list is by no means exhaustive, and really, I don’t expect anyone at all to know all the countries in the world and be able to tell you the highs and lows of them all, but to compile a list, however short, of where Black people can move to and not mention one nation on the entire continent of Africa, it’s really crazy. And weird. And disturbing. Why is Africa not a viable option? Are there too many Black people there? Is it not developed enough? Do you not want to ride on elephants as the media would have you believe we all do? What?

Hong Kong and Thailand, really? Now, that’s funny. Go ahead and move there then. I understand when you compile a list and say that these countries are perhaps currently the most visited places, etc … that would make sense. But to suggest that Black people can move there and the supposed Motherland didn’t make the cut? Well, damn.

Every nation and every continent on earth has its own issues, including North America and Africa. I am not under the delusion that moving back to Africa will solve the plight of the Black people in America. If that were the case, then there would be no Africans because we would all be back home. I’d like to assume that most people would rather live at home. Unfortunately, some people – Africans and otherwise – cannot live at home for one reason or the other. But if there ever was a list of possible nations for Black people to move to when they’re tired of America, it is downright insulting to not include at least one African nation. Can you imagine a list telling Asian Americans where to move to when they’re tired of America and the list does not contain one Asian nation? You send them off instead to Jamaica, Mozambique, and Iran. What is wrong with you people?

This goes back to one of the problems I still face in America. After living here for 15 years, I still unfortunately feel invisible and left out of everything (because of being African). How many times have you heard an immigration conversation that involved Africans? It’s always about the Hispanic people. Are there no Asian and European immigrants, too? Black people seem to remember us (Africa/Africans) during Black History Month (February) when everyone dons on ugly African attires (but they don’t know they’re ugly) and walk around talking about wanting to find their history and blah blah blah. Come March 1st, it’s all over and back to business as usual. Africa, once again, ceases to exist on the lips of babes and we got back to those other Black people from that terrible continent where people walk around naked and live on trees.

Meanwhile, Black people should move to everywhere but the Black continent. Yup. Great idea.

And in honor of Africa, here’s a picture of a beautiful African cat. We hunt them, eat them, ride them as cars, live with them, and even procreate with them. That’s what people want to believe, no?