For African Immigrants, Bronx Culture Clash Turns Violent

[Stormy]

For African Immigrants, Bronx Culture Clash Turns Violent




The storefronts on a stretch of Webster Avenue in the South Bronx tell the story of local shifts as well as any census: a Senegalese-run 99-cent store, an African video store, an African-run fast-food spot, a mosque, several African restaurants.

The owner of Café de C.E.D.E.A.O., named for the coalition of West African nations, envisioned it as a community hub in the Bronx neighborhood of Claremont, where Americans would try his wife’s cassava soup and realize it’s not so foreign after all. But a year in, the owner, Mohammed M. Barrie, said he could count the number of American patrons on one hand.

Meanwhile, he and his customers have been taunted, he said, and his restaurant’s window urinated on. Someone tried to break into a diner’s car. Then there is the bullet hole in the front window, a mark from a gunshot through the window late one night last summer.

“Those people, they don’t respect African people,” said Mr. Barrie, a Sierra Leone native who settled in the United States in 1998. “I pay my bills, I pay my taxes, they still ...” He trailed off.

Down the block, Muhammed Sillah sat in front of the tiny Al Tawba mosque, eyeing the jungle gym across the street and remembering when he used to let his children play outside.

“Spanish kids, American kids — but no African kids,” said Mr. Sillah, a Gambian mechanic raising five children in Claremont. “We’re scared.”

Their fear and frustration are shared by many local West African immigrants, whose fast-growing presence in the neighborhood — and in the city over all — has been accompanied by increasing tensions with the local black American residents.

“They think they’re better than black people,” James Carroll, a retired Army specialist standing in front of a busy convenience store, said of the West African immigrants. “We’re supposed to be one community — we’re supposed to be able to get along — but they don’t give it a chance.”

Some of the tension can be attributed to cultural differences that all immigrants face, though the West Africans in Claremont, as conservative Muslims, have the added challenge of adjusting to a post-9/11 New York. But resentment and mistrust has escalated to actual violence, and, they say, left them feeling under siege.

After reports of nearly two dozen attacks on West African immigrants in the last two years, community leaders reached out to the police, who interviewed 17 Africans in the neighborhood and filed 11 criminal complaints. Two of those were deemed hate crimes, including an attack in June that left a Gambian immigrant hospitalized for eight days. They have made no arrest in either bias case, but a police mobile truck with a video camera now stands outside the mosque.

Claremont straddles the 44th and 42nd Precincts, two of the city’s most dangerous neighborhoods. This year, there have been 319 robberies in the 44th Precinct and 237 assaults in the 42nd. At the Butler Houses, part of a complex of housing projects that loom over the neighborhood, police sirens provide a background soundtrack, and residents of all colors and nationalities caution against walking around at night.

But the West Africans say the attacks on them are calculated. “It’s prejudice,” said Dembo Fofana, who said a beating in June by 10 to 15 men left him with broken ribs and internal bleeding. “It’s because we’re African, and we’re Muslim.”

Mr. Fofana, who came to this country 21 years ago, has not returned to his job at a bakery since the assault. He stays home, recovering, receiving disability checks and caring for his five children.

“There’s a lot of tension,” he said. “Just yesterday, someone said, ‘What would you think if I came to Africa and tried to take your property?’ I told him, ‘Brother, I’m not taking anything from you. I’m just trying to live my life.’ ”

The African population in the Bronx has grown considerably in recent years: the census reported 12,063 sub-Saharan Africans in 1990, while the most recent census estimate was 61,487.

In the community district that includes Claremont, black Americans made up 44 percent of the population, according to 2000 census figures, with 52.9 percent of the area Hispanic. African immigrants were nearly 10 percent of the population, a number likely to be much higher in the 2010 census.

The Africans in Claremont hail mainly from poor, French-speaking countries: Guinea, Mali, Senegal. Like immigrants across New York, many are here illegally, working long hours for little pay. Many work as taxi drivers, convenience-store clerks, fast-food cashiers — jobs that keep them on the street late at night.

But some say the Muslims deliberately hold themselves apart. A 37-year-old American man who gave his name as Dre pointed to the pavement in front of the mosque where the African men, easily identifiable in their beards and skullcaps, gather each afternoon. “If you don’t give praise to Allah, don’t go there,” he said. “It’s just like Afghanistan.”

Kantara Baragi, the imam of the Al Tawba mosque, acknowledges that insularity is part of the problem. “We don’t hang around,” said Mr. Baragi, whose delicate frame nearly disappears inside his long, flowing robes. “We just go to work. We don’t have a relationship with people here. They don’t know us.”

So community leaders organized two meetings this summer with police officials, politicians, community board members and housing association leaders. The goal, Mr. Baragi said, was “to let them know us so they don’t look at us like strangers.”

Zain Abdullah, an assistant professor of religion, race and ethnicity at Temple University in Philadelphia, says it is common for African immigrants to suffer harassment when they settle in traditionally black neighborhoods in big cities, like Detroit, New York and Philadelphia.

“Many African-Americans feel that the influx of Africans coming in represents a kind of invasion,” he said. “Culturally, African-Americans have always imagined themselves as Africans, or at least of African descent, but they might have never encountered Africans from the continent. The actual encounter is shocking.”

Mr. Baragi, the imam, says he tries to accommodate his neighbors. His mosque, which blends in with the other storefronts, does not sound the call to prayer through speakers because “we don’t need to force everyone to hear what we’re doing.”

Instead, five times a day, from the sidewalk or, when it is cold, from behind the front door, a man from Al Tawba sings the call in a voice drowned out by the rumbling traffic.

Down the block at Café de C.E.D.E.A.O., a young man walked in last week wearing a Yankees hat tilted askew, an oversize military-style jacket and baggy pants. He looked like any member of the crowd hanging out in front of the Butler Houses, but Fofana Alhusane’s outfit was calculated, a camouflage to hide his Gambian roots.

“African clothes are dangerous,” he said. “I used to wear them, but I saw a few people get beat up, so now I wear New York clothes.”

@ http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/ny...agewanted=1&hp

[James Phillips]

The work ethic of the newcomers from Africa shames the native-born, and makes them feel like failures, so instead of trying to learn from their example, working harder and becoming successful, they direct their misplaced anger against the Africans.

[seraosha]

“Many African-Americans feel that the influx of Africans coming in represents a kind of invasion,” he said. “Culturally, African-Americans have always imagined themselves as Africans, or at least of African descent, but they might have never encountered Africans from the continent. The actual encounter is shocking.”

Huh. That's really interesting.
Thanks for the article, it's an eye-opener.

[Sumadinac]

Originally Posted by James Phillips

The work ethic of the newcomers from Africa shames the native-born, and makes them feel like failures, so instead of trying to learn from their example, working harder and becoming successful, they direct their misplaced anger against the Africans.

IMO, the clash is not only due to the problem of difference between africans and afro-americans but it is also a religious clash, Christians/Muslims, as it was said in the article, most part of these africans are muslims.

Even among africans, those tensions are very common, just look at the situation in Nigeria; the country is in a state of civil war, southern christians and northern muslims slaughter each others.

[Ordie]

Originally Posted by James Phillips

The work ethic of the newcomers from Africa shames the native-born, and makes them feel like failures, so instead of trying to learn from their example, working harder and becoming successful, they direct their misplaced anger against the Africans.

That happens whenever new immigrants set up shop in marginal areas regardless of ethnic backgrounds.

[JJC]

Originally Posted by Sumadinac

IMO, the clash is not only due to the problem of difference between africans and afro-americans but it is also a religious clash, Christians/Muslims, as it was said in the article, most part of these africans are muslims.

Even among africans, those tensions are very common, just look at the situation in Nigeria; the country is in a state of civil war, southern christians and northern muslims slaughter each others.

It has little to do with religious differences. Bronx is not Nigeria or other parts of the world where Christians and Muslims slaughter each other. Black African American Muslims and Christian African Americans have been around in Da Bronx for a long time . This is just a cultural clash between a new immigrant group and the established group. I hope Al Sharpton will bring peace and love to Da Bronx...

[Havoc345]

As African-Americans/Puerto Ricans/Dominicans continue to flood out of New York City due to "black/brown flight" your going to hear more and more stories like this. It's been happening in Harlem for the last five years with longtime black residents feeling threatened by the increasing numbers of young white students and professionals in Harlem. This is all part of the larger gentrification process in the city. Whites move in for professional positions and access to CUNY schools, NYU, Columbia, Fordham and immigrants come from Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia to staff the lower end jobs.

Because of what I said above groups like Dominicans, Puerto Ricans and African-Americans are being pushed out because of rising property costs and their subsistence on welfare and their unwillingness to get an education after high school or do the lower end jobs, immigrants do. Their station in NYC's economy is rapidly disappearing.

[Ordie]

Originally Posted by Sumadinac

IMO, the clash is not only due to the problem of difference between africans and afro-americans but it is also a religious clash, Christians/Muslims, as it was said in the article, most part of these africans are muslims.

US is not Europe or Former Yugoslavia when it comes to Muslim / Christian relations.

American Muslims have been part of the mainstream for many decades. American Muslims are more diverse in terms of ethnicity, languages, and cultures. They also tend to be better off financially, educated with 60% home ownership and live within mixed neighborhoods and suburbs.

Freedom of Religion and expression is taken very seriously in our country. Therefore we don't challenge religious freedom and worship by imposing laws against headscarfs, minarets or the building of a mosque. We have a live and let live attitude in our country and it works for all concerned.

The issue in New York is not a new one when an arriving immigrant group set up roots through small businesses causing resentments with the locals.

[nubface]

About ten years ago my studio/office got shut down and our role was outsourced to overseas departments and things got a little rough so I picked up a job working 3rd shift at a certain fragrence bottling plant in north jersey to supplement my income. The majority of my coworkers were recent immigrants from the islands, latin and south america, mexico and a handful of russian and eastern europeans. There was however a small crew of western africans. I would usually take my 4AM break with one or two of them and after talking was shocked to find out that, like me, were working two jobs, but were ALSO going to school full time. When I asked when they slept, they laughed and said "never!".

During some of our conversations, when refered to as African-Americans, they responded with much anger and seemed insulted. They made it clear that they felt that native born American blacks were NOT African and were ashamed of what their cousins had become. Often they would call them lazy and laugh that they themselves spoke better and clearer English, among two to three other languages, than the American blacks.

/shrug

[FULL METAL JACKET]

Originally Posted by Havoc345

As African-Americans/Puerto Ricans/Dominicans continue to flood out of New York City due to "black/brown flight" your going to hear more and more stories like this. It's been happening in Harlem for the last five years with longtime black residents feeling threatened by the increasing numbers of young white students and professionals in Harlem. This is all part of the larger gentrification process in the city. Whites move in for professional positions and access to CUNY schools, NYU, Columbia, Fordham and immigrants come from Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia to staff the lower end jobs.

Because of what I said above groups like Dominicans, Puerto Ricans and African-Americans are being pushed out because of rising property costs and their subsistence on welfare and their unwillingness to get an education after high school or do the lower end jobs, immigrants do. Their station in NYC's economy is rapidly disappearing.

This is true, but usually with any immigrant group in the inner city, the next generation usually moves out to the suburbs. I see it right now in my neighborhood Washington Heights. This area won't be majority Dominican for too long.

[Rossdobby]

All that African American. Christian Jew Black African American crap is way to over done. If they were born in America you should refer to them as just Americans. Thats how we do it here I have never heard anyone say African-Canadian That doesn't make any fruccking sense. I might was well call my self American-Canadian, Better yet Christian White American Canadian. Thats a reason why there is still racism we still refer to them differently then even hispanics, Asians and Jews. I never hear Asian-American.

If I am walking down a street and I see a black or Asian guy and they speak good english then they are Canadian and I call them just that Canadians. However all the asians that come here that can't speak a word of english and run every store they can go **** themselves.

[Linedoggie]

Same same with Jamaicans that I knew when I worked at Rockefeller Center. They were insulted if you called them African-American as they thought American Blacks were Lazy. They would be hired as office cleaners and within a few years move up to Operating Engineers, HVAC techs, etc. while the guys from redhook stayed pushing a broom.

[Ordie]

Originally Posted by Rossdobby

I might was well call my self American-Canadian, Better yet Christian White American Canadian.

You must speak French
Ta soeur est tellement grosse que sa taille de ceinture c'est Equateur.

[Stormy]

I found this article recently on an African forum, there were various Sub Saharan ethnicities there along with Afro-Americans who were arguing, along with a minority of various North Africans and Afrikaners who were on the sideline. The debating parties agreed they have nothing in common or the similarities and interest are little, at least that's what many there believed. Their cultural perspectives, their social views are different in comparison, or displayed they don't share common interests.

[Universal_Soldier]

Originally Posted by Sumadinac

IMO, the clash is not only due to the problem of difference between africans and afro-americans but it is also a religious clash, Christians/Muslims, as it was said in the article, most part of these africans are muslims.

Even among africans, those tensions are very common, just look at the situation in Nigeria; the country is in a state of civil war, southern christians and northern muslims slaughter each others.

Most West African living in the Bronx are not Muslims. They are mostly Christians. That doesn't mean that there isn't a fair bit West African muslims more though. Most black African muslim immigrants are a of Somali and Sudanese and central African decent.