The definition of “black love” is not a simple one because it has a multitude of meanings according to many different people.  To some it could mean a loving relationship between a black woman and black man.  To others it can mean the love shared within the black community through African American centered festivals, or movements that demand the equal treatment of black people.

An article in The Root, which is an online news and feature magazine, geared toward the African-American community, “black love” is a concept that calls for unification and togetherness. It is the strength among a group, all reaching for a common goal.

“Black Love” does not always have to be an intimate and sexual relationship. The concept of black love possibly flared when black people were being used and tortured as slaves. It was used to make sure the black community stayed together during difficult times. In addition it can refer to Black friendships that provide support, Black family members being there for one another, or groups like the Black Lives Matter movement who use their voices and protests to enact immediate change.

As a Black woman, I feel that Black Love is something the Black community needs to have. I have seen, but have yet to go through, the trials that my Black brothers and sisters have gone through first hand due to the color of their skin. We are in desperate need to gain the respect and equality we deserve, just like our privileged white brothers and sisters.

There was a time when it was illegal for a white man or woman and a Black man or woman to have a relationship, marry and procreate. Because historically the white community wanted to remain the superior race, and being with a person of color would lessen the superiority they had for 200 plus years. It was seen as an arrestable offense because how dare you love the person that we oppressed for 200 plus years.

Many states historically took into consideration the “One-Drop” rule. Which means if your family had one Black ancestor then you were considered Black. Therefore, if you were white with two white parents and you had a great-great-great-grandparent from the slave days who was Black, guess what, you were considered Black! What I am trying to say is our Black ancestors were brought to a country where we were hated, used, and killed for no reason. When we finally decided to fight for our rights we were great in numbers.

For example March 21, 1965, Martin Luther King Jr. led thousands of Black people from Selma to the state capitol in Montgomery to demand our right to vote, which we finally won. Therefore, if we marry outside of our own race it is promoting another race’s culture and not our own.

Black Love is beautiful and it has created change throughout history. We have power in numbers because at the end of the day we are all we got. Therefore, as a Black woman, and because of issues going on today, I would choose to not date, marry and procreate outside of my own Black culture. I would much rather be with someone that I know would support my race in the event we continue to be discriminated against. And that is not guaranteed if I were with someone of the white race.