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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of The Black Detour.

To be pro-Black is to be for the advancement of Black people in the form of social, political, economic, and cultural issues. This means you are actively fighting for the advancement of Black people in all those domains. It is contradicting to be both pro-Black and in an interracial relationship. I don’t doubt that love can exist between you and your spouse, but love is not purely blind. Love is a function of your priorities and values. If your priorities and values are centered around your culture and Black identity, you will marry within your race. You can’t be pro-Black if your actions don’t reflect that ideology.

In response to a thought-provoking question on Twitter: “Black women, would you date a white man,” my response incited controversy. My reply was “No, I’m pro-Black. A white man can’t understand my struggle and definitely can’t love me like a Black man can. I want my children to be Black and proud of it. Black love is beautiful and I refuse to deny myself of it.” I then followed that statement by clarifying “I’m not insinuating that you can’t be half Black and proud of your Blackness. I’m just saying that I want my child to be fully Black & proud of it, which is my prerogative.”

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Non-Black men don’t understand the struggle or systematic oppression that Black people face. A non-Black man can only be sympathetic to my struggles with no deep level of understanding. Contrastingly, a Black man can empathize with me because we have faced and continue to face similar struggles. My pro-Blackness is defined by loving a Black man. I believe that is one of the highest forms of resistance against the system. It is my choice to prioritize and preserve my own culture and Blackness. This being said, if you date outside your race, I will question the degree to which you are pro-Black.

If you are mixed and a product of an interracial relationship, I recognize you may have identity issues regarding your race. However, if you fully identify with your Black side, you should also be held to the same accord and marry Black. I bring this up because it has been a common retort to my perspective. I address this to say that I have nothing against mixed people and this is not about mixed people. My tweet was not addressed to them, nor was it an attack on their Blackness.

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Many Black women are distracted by the belief that Black men do not love and support us as a collective. To those women I bring up the fact that 85% of married Black men are married are to Black women, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Some Black women even suggest that Black men cannot understand our struggles. I ask them: Ever think about the struggles Black men go through that we don’t understand? There should be an equal effort on both sides to gain an understanding. We should have unequivocal support for each other. You should want to see Blackness reflected in your spouse. As articulated by Dr. Umar Johnson, “There is no greater symbol of your loyalty to your struggle than marrying a man who shares that struggle.”

You can’t fight white supremacy and contradict yourself within your mating practices. The problem with procreation within Black interracial relationships is that it dilutes the Black race. The Black family in America is at risk of becoming obsolete. Our goal should be to uplift and empower the Black family. Marriage is not just about love, it is a political statement. A code of conduct needs to be established. In the words of Dr. Umar Johnson, “When you marry someone you marry their culture, their community, and their people.” Black people need to understand the implications of dating outside their race. You are not just dating a white partner, you’re dating their family as well. Culture, which plays a large part in our history, becomes diluted when we mix races. When we integrated, the appropriation of our culture was greatly increased.

Additionally, there’s generational value in keeping wealth within your own race. Black people are in a dire situation economically. Statistically speaking, “The typical black household now has just 6% of the wealth of the typical white household,” according to Forbes. When Black people were separated there was financial gain. For example, after integration, Black entrepreneurship and businesses declined. As a pro-Black person, you should want to preserve your culture and generate economic power towards your own people. We need the Black dollar to circulate within the community. If you’re pro-Black you have to understand that marrying within your race is part of the agenda of advancing socio-economic conditions.

SEE ALSO: Was Integration the Worst Thing To Ever Happen to Black People?

In the end, my place is with my people. I will continue to direct my energy towards the advancement and empowerment of Black people. I’ve never dated outside of my race and I never will. There is hypocrisy within preaching Black empowerment and dating someone who does not emulate that agenda. If you say that you are pro-Black, there is an image you must uphold, actions you must take, and a certain agenda you should have to preserve and empower Blackness.

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