Back in 2014 Raven-Symone caused quite a controversy when she told Oprah Winfrey she didn’t want to be labeled an African American.
During a recent episode of the podcast Raven & Miranda, which is hosted by the former Cosby Show star and her wife Miranda Pearman-Maday they took the time to unpack the controversial moment. During the pod, she said the reason she felt the need to talk about the topic again is because recently on Bill Maher’s show, the tv personality reported on Idris Elba criticizing folks who are so caught up on race. During Maher’s show he compared Elba’s comments to Raven Symone’s 2014 interview with Oprah.
“When that aired I felt like the entire internet exploded and threw my name in the garbage. There was so much backlash from my community and others that misunderstood, didn’t hear the exact words that I said, and the exact words that I said is that I’m an American not an African American,” Raven shared. “A lot of people on the internet thought I said that I wasn’t Black and I never said that, there’s a difference between being Black and African. When I say that African American does not align with me…it doesn’t mean that I’m negating my Blackness or I’m not Black. It means I am from this country I was born here, my mom, my dad, my great great great …that’s what I’m saying the pure logistics of it. I understand my history.”
“I understand where my ancestors come from. I also understand how much blood sweat and tears they’ve soaked into this earth in order to create the America that I live in today – free, happy, taxpaying American citizen. I also know that when I’m in another country they don’t say, ‘Hey look at that African-American over there.’ They say,’That’s an American,’ plain and simple.”
Now this isn’t the first time Raven has addressed these comments, in 2014 after the backlash she also released a statement about the issue, which stated: “I never said I wasn’t black. I want to make that very clear. I said, ‘I am not African American.’ I never expected my personal beliefs and comments to spark such emotion in people. I think it is only positive when we can openly discuss race and being labeled in America.” Explaining her gripe over the African-American label, Raven said: “I’m an American. I’m not an African American; I’m an American. I mean, I don’t know where my roots go to. I don’t know how far back they go…I don’t know what country in Africa I’m from, but I do know that my roots are in Louisiana. I’m an American. And that’s a colourless person. I have darker skin. I have a nice, interesting grade of hair. I connect with Caucasian. I connect with Asian. I connect with Black. I connect with Indian. I connect with each culture.”