By Pendarvis Harshaw


Spike Lee called it Jungle Fever, Tae Diggs calls it his way of life, and Black Muslims call it sac-religious. What is it about interracial dating that constantly promotes discussion in the United States of America? Shouldn’t love be accepted as love? Or is “love” used as a veil to cover a stigmata tied to the historic relevance of race and class in society?

To understand a current phenomenon, we must first trace the roots of the in this country: the Ante-bellum South. A time and place where enslaved Africans were a mere 3/5ths of a man on paper and less than that in reality. White men who created this unjust law, which gave birth to an unjust society, followed their own trend when they unjustifiably placed white women on a pedestal, just below themselves, amongst the top of a social hierarchy.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, below the poor whites and the indigenous peoples were the enslaved Africans. They were legally relegated to 3/5th of a man—and no mention of the portion of a woman they measured to be. No mention for the “nannies” who reared white children. No mention for the “Big Momma’s” who prepared three meals a day. No mention for the enslaved African women, some probably African Queens in their native lands, who were raped by men of European decent - men, who were created by God, but blinded by the man-made title of “slave master."

So is this payback? Jack Johnson, the first African American Heavy Weight Boxing Champion was known for his gaudy accoutrements, flashy attire, and lust for white women. Almost purposefully, the champ would flaunt white women at every event, much to the dismay of many whites. Johnson’s campaign took place in the early 1900’s—at least four decades after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, but the white backlash to his controversial affairs show that Lincoln’s signature did nothing.

In a satire film called "Don’t Be a Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood," Keenan Ivory Wayons presents a list of stereotypical “hood” characters, one of which is an Afro-Centric Brother by the name of Preach. There is a scene where Preach is at a party, seemingly scoping out a young black woman, when he makes the most socially taboo statement, “Excuse me my beautiful Ebony Queen, but could you please tap that white woman for me."

When Preach returns from his talk with the white woman one of his partners addresses him, asking what is he doing, Preach retorts, “My brother, the same thing the white man has been doing to us for years: fucking them.”

Now, with the consumption of the evidence at-hand, the obvious question is, when it comes to black men and white women, are black men taking the title belts away from white men or are they just fucking them? I suppose this answer would have to come from an individual involved in said relationship. However, in my mind, the obvious answer is that "love is love."

Unfortunately, the phenomenon we are discussing is not a matter of love for love's sake. It is a matter of history, social injustice, and class struggle. What is the one-thing high-ranking government officials, wealthy Fortune 500 executives, celebrities, professional athletes, and lowbrow pimps all have in common? Their need for white women. With all of this said, the less obvious question, and the more important question is: Where does this injustice leave the nanny, the big momma, and the African Queen?