Paris and Negrophilia

Paris NoirOne of the issues I’ve been really wanting to study is the France and Racism. Now with the history of Black Paris, many African-Americans came to Paris hoping to pursue those dreams that the US initially denied them. In researching, I found France’s acceptance may have been for negative reasons. Although, Parisian history is accepting individuals as they are especially affording artists seeking asylum with the case of African-Americans this is due in large part to Negrophilia. The term "negrophilia" itself describes the craze for black culture that was prevalent among avant-garde artists and bohemian types in 20s Paris, when to collect African art, to listen to black music and to dance with black people was a sign of being modern and fashionable. The French were enthralled by the exotic and raw sensuality that these individuals brought with the. For example, the lovely Ms. Josephine Baker. I myself have not experienced racism during my stay in Paris. Nevertheless, Paris is still home to many African-Americans as well as African immigrants. Now what sparked my interests while in Paris were three things:

1) I am African-American. All my life I heard about how amazing the French were to black people.

2) In my French class prior to departing, I learned of the French banlieues. Banlieues are the French version of suburbs, but in reality they are pretty much ghettoes. But the French furiously refuse to consider them as such. I learned last year of the uprisings of youth in the banlieues due to police brutality, which is mainly racially charged. Interestingly enough, while I was travelling through the subway I saw to Afro-French police officers arresting two French Arab men. This was obviously racially driven and they way they searched these men without any such discreteness was absolutely appalling.

3) Finally, coincidentally walking through the subway, I saw spray-painted on the wall “White Power”, and underneath was written in French was “Kill the racists”. A French friend translated it for me.

Someone once told me no matter where you go or how far you racism will follow you everywhere. This has never been more true for me than now. My previous experiences made me very nervous in coming to Paris, no matter her history. Nevertheless, this experience has been enlightening that I feel no longer afraid and knowing that nothing is ever as it seems to be. Still, Paris is enthralling to me and wish to learn all that I can from the city. And although I may encounter such hate directly or indirectly wherever I go, my hope is to ensure that it will be different and hopefully better for the next generation.

P.S I have decided on my two books: Sarah’s Key and the Foreign Student… Ciao 4 now