Patriotism for Black Americans is paradoxical — it feels foolish to love a nation that despises you in return. Being patriotic would not spare my father from American racism; even in his early forties, after obtaining his Ph.D. in theology and deciding to earn his J.D., my father experienced blatant racism and taunting by his very own law professor. He acted oblivious as to not act “inappropriately” by responding in the way in which he wanted, afr…
Chidimma J. Michaels