Continental divide separates Africans, African-Americans

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Africa is not a country, and Africans generally do not live in trees or hunt game with spears. Nor do they all walk around in the nude among lions and zebras.

African immigrants to the United States say cartoonish caricatures and a Western media penchant for reporting on Africa's disease, hunger and war -- rather than the continent's successes -- trivialize their cultures. They complain they have trouble dispelling the stereotypes once they arrive in the States.

They concede, though, the myths run both ways and some say they were surprised to find their values more often aligned with those of white Americans than African-Americans.

"I have been laughed at because of my accent and asked all the ignorant questions," said iReporter Ajah-Aminata N'daw, 25, of Fall River, Massachusetts. "Questions like: Did I live on a tree? Roam the jungles naked? Have wild animals at home?"

N'daw emigrated from Dakar, Senegal, in 2001. She works in a hair-braiding salon and has met African-Americans who share her values of hard work and family, but in most cases, "we are raised differently, taught different values and held up to a different moral code." iReport: Read why N'daw is not African-American

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/07/14/africans.in.america/index.html?eref=rss_mostpopular

I wanted to thank you for broaching the topic in this group. As an African immigrant, now an African American, it's really good to read a broad range of views because of the larger number of young people here now. Unlike my experiences as a child of almost(don't want to date myself too much :rofl:) 30years ago when it seemed I was always the only one. It's a most read and I'm going to pass it along.
Thanks a lot.

The portrayal of Africa as a "country" full of starving savages should be perceived as an affront to everyone. They do the same thing with India and China: either they're dying of disease and famine, or flooding our call centers and shops with low-wage workers and cheap goods.

And people wonder why so many Americans are the most ignorant, insular people in the world.

ETA: I HIGHLY recommend everyone take the Africa quiz in the CNN article! :) I'm not even going to tell you guys what my score was. :(

mostly pertaining to the fact that Maryland and the Washington, D.C. area has a big African immigrant population.

We belong to the local Episcopal church. As a denomination, it is very, very white. Locally, it is very diverse, as immigrants from former English colonies who were Anglicans become Episcopals. Our church is about 25% Liberian. One of the most prominent members is Nigerian.

Some of the ladies wear the African dresses and headwraps, very lively in our understated church.

It is a wonderful community, and everyone does everything together.