Black Man X - Do you take pride in your last name? Serious discussion.

[Big Daddy]

I never have.

I take pride in my family, my physical flesh family, yes........ but not our last name, and not what it essentially "symbolizes".

I have always viewed my last name as nothing more than a reminder of who used to 'own me'.

I know many Black Americans who take HUGE pride in their last names.

"I'm a Brown!" "I'm a Mason!" "I'm a Johnson!"

I've never felt that type of pride regarding my own last name.. and I'm not so sure if it's their actual NAME they have pride in, either, or like me, it's their actual physical family, the flesh attached to the name, that they so proudly rep.

Either way, I could never do it.

My American/CAC last name only makes me feel "branded", like former cattle. I'm walking around with my "owners" name still on me. I don't like it.

Anyone else not really take much pride in their last name?

 

[GetInTheTruck]

I recently found out that anybody with "van" in their last name has "noble" blood. Found that interesting.

 

[omnifax]

I recently found out that anybody with "van" in their last name has "noble" blood. Found that interesting.

Then that would be a lot of Dutch people. Many of them have van in their name.

 

[Aizen]

This is why renaming yourself (at least your last name) should be heavily considered for people who do not want as Africans/African descent to run around with European names. If you are lucky and can get your ancestor's last name, it is a no-brainer to change your name to that. If you cannot get your true name back, you'd need to think hard about what to name yourself. It's a chance to have a clean slate in a way and have a last name that actually reflects your heritage and culture.

 

[scarlxrd]

I hate my last name. It's of german origin and I've been wanting to change it for a long time, just too lazy to go to the courthouse. Plus, my wife's gotta do it too.

 

[DMGAINGREEN]

My last name is Atkinson , numerous white people have that last name which automatically leads me to believe that it was given by a slave master , I'm not even hesitant to change it because I don't fukk with my pops like that and want no connection to that p*ssy ass nikka anyway

Edit - http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ajac/mschickasaw.htm (list of largest slave holders last names)

ATKINSON, J. L., 43 slaves

 

[Big Daddy]

This is why renaming yourself (at least your last name) should be heavily considered for people who do not want as Africans/African descent to run around with European names. If you are lucky and can get your ancestor's last name, it is a no-brainer to change your name to that. If you cannot get your true name back, you'd need to think hard about what to name yourself. It's a chance to have a clean slate in a way and have a last name that actually reflects your heritage and culture.

I couldn't agree more.

You know what else, too? Walking around with our former owners names still branded to us cannot help but fuel that false and subconscious sense of 'ownership' white people still harbor to this very day.

It is evident when you hear them say things like, "Why do you need a Black this or that? Why does it have to be a Black thing, and not an American thing..."

Hispanics have their own TV channels, festivals, Day of celebrations, etc.. yet.. you never hear white people say that ^ type of thing regarding them being simply "Americans".

They're 'allowed' to have their own culture. Anytime WE try to have some culture of our own they throw in "race card" type rhetoric and try to level a charge of reverse racism against us.

And I strongly believe that whether subliminally or subconsciously, however you wanna describe it, I believe that having their last names is a huge contributor to that false sense of 'ownership' they still have towards us. It's not completely the reason why, of course, but I think subconsciously it plays a huge role in them feeling that way.

Just reverse the roles. Wouldn't you feel that way of people you used to enslave, a people without an identity anymore, were walking around with YOUR culture's last names?

I bet every single day cacs be like

..when they hear us taking pride in our last names, or even at the fact that we still wear them.

 

[Big Daddy]

My last name is Atkinson , numerous white people have that last name which automatically leads me to believe that it was given by a slave master , I'm not even hesitant to change it because I don't fukk with my pops like that and want no connection to that p*ssy ass nikka anyway

Edit - http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ajac/mschickasaw.htm (list of largest slave holders last names)

ATKINSON, J. L., 43 slaves

Damn breh..

about to do mine


Edit couldn't find my name in that link plus it tried to make me subscribe $$

 

[GetInTheTruck]

Then that would be a lot of Dutch people. Many of them have van in their name.

Yeah, Van denotes dutch nobility.

 

[3rdWorld]

I thought 'Van' also meant 'Of'..like Ruud Van Nistelrooy. is Ruud of Nistelrooy.

 

[omnifax]

I thought 'Van' also meant 'Of'..like Ruud Van Nistelrooy. is Ruud of Nistelrooy.

According to Wikipedia it can mean both. It says it can imply nobility and/or a relation to a geographic location.

 

[Akata Man Bromo]

My last name is one of the most jewish names ever...What did I do to deserve this

 

[Sandy_Cheeks]

Nope I don't and never will.

 

[smokeurobinson]

I have an irish last name. Went thru the whole "we have our slave masters name" phase as a teen. Never took it as far as changing the name like some Black people have done. Thought about changing it like I'm sure some Black people have done. In the end...You repping yaself. America kind overlooks the fact that Blackfolks have slave master names and thats just the way it is. We all have the option of changing our names to whatever we want like Meta World Peace. Am I proud? Well my Grandmother introduced me to love and she took pride in our last name. I know where it comes from and I also know the history of the world, how conquerors would rename those they conquered. Entering adulthood and taking on the world, I knew I was dealing with a society that overlooks Blackfolks having slavemaster names...So mentally I just work around it and encourage my immediate circle to do the same. My circle has reprogrammed itself from society...Like for instance, we all picture Jesus as being a Black man with dreads. Reprogramming is necessary as u get older... I look at it like, my last name is just what the Matrix knows me as kinda like how the Matrix new NEO as Mr. Anderson.

 

[Apollo Creed]

I`m 100% African but I feel y'all pain, what I find funny is when someone says I have an "odd" name, I`m like nah being Black with a European name is whats odd.