This was such an amazing piece - I subscribed to your Substack on the spot after reading so many of your brilliant work. I grew up first in Nigeria and then the Seychelles and really resonate with your experience of knowing nothing growing up about the place we lived in, how colonialism was everything- the Seychelloise speak French as well as Seychelloise- and how living in Nigeria I remember being opposite a military barracks with men with AK47 guns standing guard. I was about 7 years old then. It’s released a lot of those memories for me reading your piece. Merci 🙏
I just spent a year abroad in Paris and the difference in the approach to diversity and the topic of race shocked me. Starting with the way my French classmates would defend laïcité as if it they were being paid by Macron, to realising that vivre ensemble requires one to be French first (ignoring the realities of being French Algerian or French Cameroonian for example…) To my French teacher saying that it is not polite to bring up French colonialism to old French people…. France is really something. Thank you for this piece!
Laïcité is the biggest scam of the French Republic. They refuse to see this concept evolve with society hence why we have such difficulties to deal with diversity.
That French teacher should be fired 🤣. I talk colonialism and slavery with my white 79 year old father, and he is challenged, and that's fine, too. He needs to know because he is a father and grandfather and his thoughts shape his children and grandchildren. I don't buy the idea that because someone is old, they can't question what they were taught to believe. We are made to learn until we die.
I enjoyed reading this. I had no idea the USA had a heavy influence on French when it came to the English language, like we in America are the ‘best’ a speaking it. 🤦🏾♀️
I’ve always admired the British, we studied Brit Lit to no end!!
I am glad that you learned about the not so positive side of America, Jim Crow Laws & the Civil Rights struggle.
It seems that black people across the globe go through the same experiences in one way or another. The only difference is the language & culture background.
We are influenced by the US because of the movies, the series, and the music. When it comes to American there are known, but we love our French authors, too, so there the influence is less palpable. I must precise that the program I was in was very specific. 'Section européenne'is very selective so it is not the experience of every pupil in middle and high school. I also probably perceived the US History in a certain because I am Black. My white counterparts probably didn't see it the same way.
That's so funny to read you studied British literature to no end. I guess some links with Great Britain are hard to cut in the educational system.
Exactly, we all go through similar experiences, but as we don't know each other we lack knowledge about the context and history. I have lived in four European countries, and being Black in each of them feels both familiar and foreign. And that's the foreign I want to explore because it then explains so many things about the way we live our Blackness.
You are so right about “After all, what makes history is people”. Very much looking forward to being introduced to the people you will be writing about.
Thank you so much for mentioning this book, I didn't know about! It will be added to my long list of books to read.
It is always fascinating to me to observe how such books are published in the UK whereas in France one needs to go in exile in the USA to have their work taken seriously and published. I don't mean to say the USA and the UK have greener grass, but there's definitely more efforts to publish work that challenges the usual historical narration.
Thanks again for sharing! Do you mind if I share your recommendatio in chat with a mention obviously 😊?
This reminds of the book Empireland which focused on the British empire. In essence it advocated for a dialogue- to discuss and acknowledge the totality of the history (the good and the bad) rather than pretend nothing ever happened.
I was taught this because I did this course, but people who didn't take will probably won't know anything about it or would have heard about it through films and that is if they are interested. Taking that course was an eye-opener on so many levels.
That's what I'm hoping for. Ever since our two conversations, I've been curious...pun intended, about the connections shared with Black people on the diaspora. What is similar, different, and how losing, fighting for, and regaining (in some ways) our personal agency has shaped our collective narrative.
I'm not sure how or when this will manifest itself in my writing but I know it will. Thanks, Emmanuelle for being my tour guide through this landscape I didn't even know I desired to traverse.
Your words really warm my heart because a lot of the writing I do is to bridge a gap I feel exist between various Black communities all around the world.
We share a lot in common, but we know very little about the context of being Black outside of our bubble. So, I am glad that my writing is making you curious.
The first story of that new section will arrive soon and I hope you'll love it!
This was such an amazing piece - I subscribed to your Substack on the spot after reading so many of your brilliant work. I grew up first in Nigeria and then the Seychelles and really resonate with your experience of knowing nothing growing up about the place we lived in, how colonialism was everything- the Seychelloise speak French as well as Seychelloise- and how living in Nigeria I remember being opposite a military barracks with men with AK47 guns standing guard. I was about 7 years old then. It’s released a lot of those memories for me reading your piece. Merci 🙏
Also to say that I shrink from the horror of how my parents were treated like royalty because they were white, that’s it. That’s the entire reason. 😱
Hello Sarah,
I am very much looking forward to publish that first story in July. So I can't wait to see you among the readers!
I just spent a year abroad in Paris and the difference in the approach to diversity and the topic of race shocked me. Starting with the way my French classmates would defend laïcité as if it they were being paid by Macron, to realising that vivre ensemble requires one to be French first (ignoring the realities of being French Algerian or French Cameroonian for example…) To my French teacher saying that it is not polite to bring up French colonialism to old French people…. France is really something. Thank you for this piece!
Hello Christabel,
Laïcité is the biggest scam of the French Republic. They refuse to see this concept evolve with society hence why we have such difficulties to deal with diversity.
That French teacher should be fired 🤣. I talk colonialism and slavery with my white 79 year old father, and he is challenged, and that's fine, too. He needs to know because he is a father and grandfather and his thoughts shape his children and grandchildren. I don't buy the idea that because someone is old, they can't question what they were taught to believe. We are made to learn until we die.
I enjoyed reading this. I had no idea the USA had a heavy influence on French when it came to the English language, like we in America are the ‘best’ a speaking it. 🤦🏾♀️
I’ve always admired the British, we studied Brit Lit to no end!!
I am glad that you learned about the not so positive side of America, Jim Crow Laws & the Civil Rights struggle.
It seems that black people across the globe go through the same experiences in one way or another. The only difference is the language & culture background.
I look forward to reading more of your articles 😃
We are influenced by the US because of the movies, the series, and the music. When it comes to American there are known, but we love our French authors, too, so there the influence is less palpable. I must precise that the program I was in was very specific. 'Section européenne'is very selective so it is not the experience of every pupil in middle and high school. I also probably perceived the US History in a certain because I am Black. My white counterparts probably didn't see it the same way.
That's so funny to read you studied British literature to no end. I guess some links with Great Britain are hard to cut in the educational system.
Exactly, we all go through similar experiences, but as we don't know each other we lack knowledge about the context and history. I have lived in four European countries, and being Black in each of them feels both familiar and foreign. And that's the foreign I want to explore because it then explains so many things about the way we live our Blackness.
You are so right about “After all, what makes history is people”. Very much looking forward to being introduced to the people you will be writing about.
Hello Titanium,
Thank you so much for mentioning this book, I didn't know about! It will be added to my long list of books to read.
It is always fascinating to me to observe how such books are published in the UK whereas in France one needs to go in exile in the USA to have their work taken seriously and published. I don't mean to say the USA and the UK have greener grass, but there's definitely more efforts to publish work that challenges the usual historical narration.
Thanks again for sharing! Do you mind if I share your recommendatio in chat with a mention obviously 😊?
Absolutely. Thoroughly recommend the book.
This reminds of the book Empireland which focused on the British empire. In essence it advocated for a dialogue- to discuss and acknowledge the totality of the history (the good and the bad) rather than pretend nothing ever happened.
Thank you, fascinating! Good to know America’s slavery history was taught, but not at the expense of France’s own history of racism.
Hello Ambata,
I was taught this because I did this course, but people who didn't take will probably won't know anything about it or would have heard about it through films and that is if they are interested. Taking that course was an eye-opener on so many levels.
Ah okay, I understand.
I learned so much today- thank you
Hello Schuyler,
I am really glad to see you enjoyed that story. Also thank you so much for always reading the newsletter and contributing to it.
I hope to see this series. I would love to learn as much as possible about Black Europeans. 💜
Hello Vickey!
I hope you will enjoy it, and that it will give more context about Black people in Europe.
That's what I'm hoping for. Ever since our two conversations, I've been curious...pun intended, about the connections shared with Black people on the diaspora. What is similar, different, and how losing, fighting for, and regaining (in some ways) our personal agency has shaped our collective narrative.
I'm not sure how or when this will manifest itself in my writing but I know it will. Thanks, Emmanuelle for being my tour guide through this landscape I didn't even know I desired to traverse.
Hello Vickey,
Your words really warm my heart because a lot of the writing I do is to bridge a gap I feel exist between various Black communities all around the world.
We share a lot in common, but we know very little about the context of being Black outside of our bubble. So, I am glad that my writing is making you curious.
The first story of that new section will arrive soon and I hope you'll love it!
Tuned!
Hope you'll enjoy the first story! Hopefully it'll be out on July 7th.
I’m sure I will!