Token Black Person: “The one Black guy [or girl] in a group of White people who hangs out with them to make [them] look cool. Or a Black male or female used by major media to create the illusion of diversity” (Urban Dictionary).
There’s no other way to state this other than bluntly. Being the "Token Black" kid sucks. We’ve all been there, and if you say you haven’t, then you’re lying or you’ve been lucky enough to escape the title. For whatever unknown reason, we’re always considered to be “all-knowing” of everything black. We constantly face questions such as, “Why is the n-word so bad?” or “What’s Soul Food?” The list goes on. In addition, for those of us who have endured the role of “Private School Token Black kid,” the level of ignorance and strange questions such as these only increases tenfold. Though it’s a weird kind of honor to be the spokesperson for your race, there comes a time when it becomes a difficult and emotionally exhausting role. Despite the downsides to being the Token Black person, it helps to find a bit of humor around it in order to keep your sanity. So, with that said, I dedicate this article of things only understood by anyone who’s experienced being the Token in a class, a friend group, or in life. Cheers to us, y’all.
You always have to explain anything that vaguely has to do with the black culture.
And you feel dumb if you explain it wrong.
Your friends always ask you and only you if you know how to cornrow hair.
You’re always the resident slang dictionary.
Your friends change the music in the car to rap pretty much whenever you get in.
People assume you know everything about every notably famous black person in history.
Anytime Black Lives Matter comes up in a conversation, people look at you to see what you’re going to say.
If someone says the full n-word in a class reading, then everyone automatically stares at you.
People are shocked when you say you don’t speak Ebonics, or when you tell them it's not even a real language.
Looking at the other black people in your class when someone says something out of line and telepathically all thinking, “What kind of foolishness is this?”
Being the only person in a room who can explain concepts like "microaggression" or "systematic oppression."
You’re always nominated for a rap or dance battle.
And you’re responsible for providing entertainment and rhythm at parties in general.
That moment in a diversity class when it’s totally silent for 10 minutes if you don’t answer the professor’s question.
Or there's the one kid who thinks they know everything about being black even though they're not black at all.
Being expected to keep up to date on every crime against the black culture featured in the news.
Always having to explain that the struggle of being black in America is, in fact, a real thing and isn't an exaggerated experience.
Your name is always mixed up with the other four black people at your school.
People always run their potentially racist or privileged ideas by you to make sure they’re “OK.”
Always having to be the only one who can explain the anomaly of curly, natural hair and the process of how to maintain it.
You’re responsible for explaining Kwanzaa every year without fail even though you don't even celebrate it.
Always having to tell people why they should avoid the latest culturally appropriated beauty trend, but they still do it anyway.
Having to constantly explain the difference between black, African, African American, etc.
Having to constantly restrain yourself from verbally schooling everyone around you.
And finally, knowing that despite everything, you're strong enough to endure this Tom Foolery.
