Slavery to Liberation- The African American Experience, 2019a

295
involves interpreting the world from an African perspective. Essentially, Afrocentrists
argue that because of the demanding role that Eurocentrism or White domination has
played in the lives of Black people in America and globally, the manner in which they
view reality derives from a White perspective. For example, an Afrocentrist might ask
why African Americans consider a European-style suit and tie professional or business
attire, or why do African Americans speak English, with no knowledge of traditional
African languages? Instead, they would encourage Black people to question and
understand what professional attire and language consisted of in Africa before outside
groups like the Arabs and Europeans invaded the continent and imposed their Arabian
and European norms and traditions on Africans. The Afrocentric idea is that at all times
and on any occasion Black people should centralize and integrate African life, culture,
and traditions that existed before outsiders, especially Whites, changed the African and
African American reality. 35
The online radicals uphold many prominent Afrocentric scholars, organizations,
movements, and traditions in high esteem while using them as a template for
establishing how they believe Black people should conduct themselves. Afrocentric
scholars commonly referenced include Cheihk Anta Diop, Chancellor Williams, George
G.M. James, John Henrik Clarke, Amos Wilson, Yosef Ben-Jochannan, Joy DeGruy,
Frances Cress Welsing, Ivan Van Sertima, James Smalls, Leonard Jefferies, Mfundishi
Jhutyms, and Reggie Mabry. Along with Afrocentric scholars, race critics such as Steve
Cokely, Dick Gregory, and Neely Fuller Jr. are often referenced by the YouTube
activists. In their quests to achieve their Black liberationist goals, the online influencers
often integrate philosophical concepts from Afrocentric traditions especially Kwanzaa.
Kwanzaa is an African and African American holiday created in 1966 by Maulana
Karenga, an Afrocentric scholar, African cultural nationalist, and the leader of the US
Organization (US). The YouTube resisters often incorporate the tenets of Kwanzaa to
explain how they believe the Black community should operate free themselves from
their oppressed conditions. Kwanzaa is celebrated every year between December 26 th
35
Ibid.