southern accent Archives - The Race Card Project

No, but where are FROM from?

November 18, 2022November 18, 2022 appearance, Birmingham. AL., Hampton, immigrant, Kimchi, southern accent, stereotype, Tina, VA, where are you from

Tina,
Birmingham. AL.

Nevermind the fact that I speak with a southern accent, that my attire is noticeably of American influence, or that my last name is German. When someone asks where I’m from and I give them the name of my hometown, this answer is somehow unacceptable, so I give them the name of my birthplace – Hampton, Virginia.

Being half-Caucasian and American born automatically makes me foreign in the eyes of many and I’m often met with remarks like, “Are you an immigrant?”, “Do you eat kimchi?”, and “in your country…”

Race is defined by culture, people, not the color of of ones skin.

The Art and Racket of Passing

November 18, 2022November 18, 2022 AAVE, African American Vernacular English, bi-racial, Cincinnati, culture shock, Native American, NC, OH, passing, southern accent

Raven
Cincinnati, OH

In parts of Eastern North Carolina the lines between black, bi-racial and Native American is blurry and sometimes nonexistent. I went to school with the great(x3) grandchildren of my family’s slaveholders. Our families share the same last name. Upon leaving I learned that my green eyes, light skin and curly hair were novelty to the rest of America. My southern accent is tissue paper thin, and I never really grasped African American Vernacular English (AAVE). People treated me differently; better. White men opened doors, white women spoke to me as if I deserved the tiniest morsel of their respect. Black men wanted my attention and black women reeked of envy. I could effectively be whatever/whoever I wanted outside of Halifax County; thus began The Art and Racket of Multi-Faceted Passing. Talk about culture shock.

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