Where Does Black Consciousness Begin? (Part I)

By W. F. Twyman, Jr.

Good morning from San Diego!

My younger son is home from Austria. He turned 28 yesterday and was absolutely surprised by friends and family on his rooftop. A surprise birthday party in the darkness of night! It was glorious and all praise to his girlfriend who pulled off the affair. We Twymans have been unimaginative about such things, so such is the benefit of new blood in our ecosystem.

My older son is headed to the mountains. As a family, we loved retreating from the city to the alpine forest when the kids were young. Our fondness for the clean air at elevation is profound. I hope his girlfriend appreciates knowing this part of us. Memories of mountain passages and underground gold mines and a pioneer cemetery too. For those who must have black people around to feel comfortable, the mountain town which we adore is 0% black. The Black Privilege Vibe

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“Non-blacks to the back” — lyric from Sexy Soulaan by Monaleo

Let’s try a thought experiment this morning. All non-blacks to the front. (pause) So, I am curious about Black Consciousness. I would like everyone assembled up front to ask ChatGPT to “generate the same photo 5 seconds in the future” hundreds of times. It could be any photo. Your Mom, your Dad, your Best Friend, your Wife, your Husband, your Child. Let me know when you’re finished.

(pause for about a minute or two)

What do you see? (audible gasp from all the non-blacks up front)

There is a phenomenon when using artificial intelligence (AI) known as The Diversity Attractor. “This was first discovered by Gene Kogan, who started with the Distracted Boyfriend meme…” Here is the meme which you will recognize.

What did Chat GPT produce after hundreds of generations of the same photo 5 seconds into the future hundreds of times?

Hmmn. Seems to be a skin color drift. Let’s try another example.

Here is a new original image of a lovely woman:

How does Chat GPT see the above woman after hundreds of generations of the same photo 5 seconds into the future?

Is it fair to conclude Chat GPT has a black consciousness? A fair question.

On the one hand, why not? After centuries of white supremacy, doesn’t it only seem right that AI would reimagine us all as black in appearance? Black people are already ahead of the curve on this one/smile.

There are non-ideological explanations for this pattern of a fade to black. The original images may have a yellowish tint which is enhanced after repeated generations. As the skin color darkens, the AI reassembles the image into facial features that better correlate with blackness. There is nothing nefarious here. Still, one wonders why the drift of even a lovely Asian woman results in a brown-skinned black man. What did your regenerated images look like? I am curious. The Claude Bias Attractor

Things that make me wonder.

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An Igbo Family

Why does black consciousness matter? It is an interesting question and not easy to answer at all. In fact, I doubt there is a single answer to this profound question of identity. Observe the handsome Igbo family above. We in the United States would perceive a black family. I see facial traits that match my family relations, more my Mom’s side than my Dad’s side of the family. The brown skin, the full lips, the smile, the nose — these people could be cousins. In fact, I am part Igbo which I like. I am many things but I like being part Igbo for some reason.

Is the reason black consciousness? And therein lies the rub. If this Igbo family resides in Nigeria, they would see themselves as Igbo first and foremost. They would not perceive themselves as black. Blackness is a self-conception which developed in America far across the Atlantic Ocean from Nigeria.

My consciousness of Blackness is multi-faceted. Sometimes, I am voluntarily conscious of blackness when I want to write an essay about race. I might observe something in my environment that strikes me as interesting from a racial standpoint. Other times, unnamed family members will impose black consciousness upon me which annoys me. I am too old to play race games. However, my default position in life is black consciousness switch turned off.

Here’s the sublime paradox — I am most like Igbos when I am not conscious of blackness. Igbos are not conscious of blackness by and large when in Nigeria. That may change when they move to America and enroll at the Yale Medical School/just kidding wonderful readers. Just kidding.

Right now, I listen to Rod Stewart and he moves me in song. I am raceless, devoid of black consciousness when in song. Does that make sense? My true essence is not black consciousness but something more, more human and eternal. Sometimes, I question whether I should write about black consciousness at all. Black consciousness doesn’t fit me. And now I listen to One Less Bell to Answer by Marilyn McCoo. See how it is the spiritual that moves me, not a consciousness of blackness?

There are over 1 billion answers to the question what is black consciousness. That is my best answer.

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Nikole Hannah-Jones

In terms of physical and facial appearance, Black Consciousness for me has always begun with people who are probably half black more or less. Observe Nikole Hannah-Jones above. Her Mom is white and her Dad is a black American. Most black Americans are perhaps 20% to 22% European in origin, so odds are Mrs. Hannah-Jones is around 60% European and 40% SubSaharan African in genetic heritage. For the curious, this mixture approximates my mother-in-law and my wife. My experience of black consciousness has been most informed by those of this mixture. This creates an interesting question for us to consider.

Will my sense of black consciousness (when turned on) be a unique blend of having grown up in a world of black Americans who are half white and half black more or less? I mean, think about it. There are exceptions because I really don’t live in black consciousness at all. I take individuals as they are. However, I see Rev. Lemuel Haynes whose Mom was white and Father was African. I see a familiar representation of blackness for me. I see someone who could have been a family member, a cousin of Grandma. I gaze upon the face of U.S. Senator Hiram Revels, U.S. Senator Blanche K. Bruce, U.S. Representative Joseph H. Rainey and I see familiar facial types.

Does one have a different sense of Black Consciousness if one’s association of blackness equals mixed people from the get go? It is an interesting question. Could it be that Black Americans of visibly mixed heritage are more forgiving of prejudice and bigotry, have a tougher skin about things? I am speculating and I think I am wrong. Hannah-Jones lets no one off the hook in her 1619 Project even though she is more European than African. Same goes for Angela Davis and Nikki Giovanni. (love the afros)

Once again, we can raise these questions but I doubt we will ever find one answer that fits all. I have dated women from dark-skinned (Old Money) to light, bright and almost white (Corporate Attorney). It was the personality that mattered, although my neural pathways recognized the familiar and the comfortable. Ergo my proposal of marriage to my wife who resembles Hannah-Jones. Who knows at the end of the day but it is good to pose the questions.

Always good to live an examined life.

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Brenda Y.

Where does Black Consciousness Begin? The woman in the above image is a direct descendant of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. She is about 22% black in her genetic heritage. And she is my third cousin. A delightful woman.

Brenda and I share much in common. We are both curious about the larger world. We both grew up in mostly white high schools. We share a certain non-conformity when it comes to questions of race and Blackness. Brenda was raised in a black American family and perceives herself as black which is good enough for me. However and sometimes, Brenda has encountered those who are unwilling to extend grace and talk about race with Brenda. Why? These individuals believe Brenda doesn’t look the part of a black American, so what can she contribute to the conversation?

One of the reasons I have retired from Blackness is dogma and slogan words, the idea that there is one way to be. There are over 40 million ways to be a black American. I stand with Brenda. She knows I am always up for a good conversation about blackness, unless I am bored with blackness/smile.

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Walter White

When the white mob descended upon his Atlanta home in 1906, the mob did not care about White’s pedigree. He was a n——- and that was enough to face murder. White was saved at the last moment as the mob was composed of cowards. From that moment going forward for the rest of his life. White knew he was a black American imbued with a steel black consciousness. As you gaze upon the face of White, do you see a black American?

“I am a Negro. My skin is white, my eyes are blue, my hair is blond. The traits of my race are nowhere visible upon me.” Of his 32 great-great-great-grandparents, only five were black, and the other 27 were white.^[9] All members of his immediate family had fair skin, and his mother, Madeline, was also blue-eyed and blonde. — Wikipedia entry for Walter White

White was around 12% black which roughly approximates the black percentage in the U.S. population. In a century or two after intermarriage and reproduction, the typical American will be 12% black and will resemble White. That is my argument. So, the question is raised. What will Black Consciousness mean when the average American resembles Walter White in physical appearance? Will the typical American have a Black Consciousness or something else?

Walter White resembled my Grandma’s Grandfather, Daniel Brown (1833 - 1885), according to family lore which is to say there were no physical traits of his African heritage on Daniel. Daniel Brown founded my black American family in the Hickory Hill neighborhood of Chesterfield County, Virginia in 1871. Thus, I have neural affinity for black Americans who resemble Walter White.

Others may lack said affinity for those who non-conform in physical appearance.

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Scarlett Johansson

To the best of my knowledge, Scarlett Johansson is 0% black American. Her genetic heritage is Danish, Swedish and Jewish. I loved her role in Marriage Story. A superb performance. Why do I picture Johansson in this essay about Black Consciousness? To make the point that, if even we cannot agree upon the beginning of Black Consciousness, surely there is a point in the human condition where Black Consciousness does not exist. One would not know this from the images regenerated by Chat GPT. All roads do not lead to Blackness, Black people and Black Consciousness.

Is there some mystical spark in Black Consciousness? Something only accessible to dogmatists and sloganeers? The answer to this question determines the crucial point. Some might argue either Black Consciousness exists or it doesn’t. And if that is the case, I definitely don’t have it. Others might argue Black Consciousness isn’t the sort of thing one can just drift in and out of. None of these theories provide a complete explanation for me.

Let’s agree that Black Consciousness is not binary. Black Consciousness exists on a spectrum. What separates the Igbo family from Johansson? Me from Johansson? Walter White from Johansson?

(To be continued and concluded tomorrow)

Good Day!