African American Heritage Parade Brings 'Unity' During Time of Violence

Fear of the sellout is rampant among many ethnic and racial groups in the United States and Canada. When members of these communities enter positions of privilege, they indeed become objects of pride and admiration, but these feelings are often accompanied by a nervous uncertainty as to whether they will eventually "forget where they came from." The sellout has been branded with several epithets in the majority-white North American context. Most of the derogatory terms have referred to being or "acting white," which has been one of the constant characteristics of the sellout. Black sellouts have been called "Uncle Toms" or "Oreos," while South Asians have been called "coconuts" and Asians have been labeled "twinkies" or "bananas."

These epithets point to a deep-seated animosity towards 'race betrayers' who the host community regards as a traitor and an ungrateful free rider. In studying the fear of the sellout among black Americans, Randall Kennedy notes in his book Sellout that a sellout is "a person who betrays something to which she is said to owe allegiance" and can refer to individuals whose actions "retard African-American advancement.

The three-hour event included marching bands, floats and cultural dances. Newark Business Administrator Julien Neals called the event "an important fabric of Newark." He said the parade has become "a long-standing symbol of unity and a positive message."

Ralph Grant, vice president of Somerset Christian College's Newark Center, who also works with the parade's committee, said the event helps people recognize modern-day contributions by African Americans. "When you pull up to a traffic light, you should know that was an African American who invented that traffic light," he said. "When you push a baby carriage, you should know that was an African American who invented the baby carriage."

The event follows four days of violence in the city that included the death of an off-duty Newark police officer Thursday night.

Neals said that while the city deals with crime, it's events such as the parade that help bring "unity."

"The best thing we can do is respond to it and try to get the city back on track and keep the citizens' faiths up that there will be good things going on in the city as well.