It Needs To Be CED: Why Do I Call Myself Black?

For years, I have always referred to myself as a Black man as opposed to an African American man. People have questioned why have/do I do so and I always say that I’ve never felt comfortable with the African American title (As I discussed in a previous It Needs To Be CED) we were given many years ago. I know Black isn’t considered a culture and it isn’t even a proper description as far as skin color, but, I’m just assuming that since I heard Black growing up, it sounded much better to me than several alternatives including negro, nigger and any correlation of descriptions of people of color.

So…. Why do I call myself Black? Well, Black is the strongest hue of all colors and has/will always have the deepest shade/texture. Whenever you want to give another color more depth, usually you add Black to it. You can add most colors to Black and Black will still be the dominant color, if it even changes at all. Black letters placed on a white paper always gives the best look, hell, Black letters on any color makes the standard. Black is the most feared color in just about anything, but, it’s also the most mysterious (Black Holes, Robes, Magic, Cats, Spider, Panthers, Raven, Gothic, Sheep,Etc.). Even Black Friday is a great day for retailers! When you are ‘in the black’, it means you are making profits as opposed to losses. While playing pool, the very last ball you have to sink to win the game is the Black 8 ball.

Let’s take it to nature. The most nutritious fruits are Black (Blackberries, Black Cherry, Black grapes), Black rice has the most nutrition, antioxidants and vitamins of ANY rice. What’s the best beans to digest? Of course, Black beans….. Black coffee is the strongest…. I can go one and on with examples…..

Once again, why do I call myself Black? Well, because Black usually equates the best, the most mysterious, the most feared, the most resilient, the most nutritious, the best choice, simply put, because I AM Black……..