Blackness in America and Around the World : Lineage, Power, and Belonging

What defines Black identity—and who has the authority to define it? Across the United States and around the world, the word Black carries histories that are powerful, complex, and often misunderstood. In Blackness in America and Around the World, E. Carter explores the role of lineage, history, and power in shaping how Black identity is understood within the African diaspora. Drawing on historical records, genealogy, and cultural analysis, Carter examines how different communities have formed their identities through slavery, migration, colonialism, and nation-building. The book also explores the lineage of Foundational Black Americans (FBA)—the descendants of those who endured slavery in the United States and whose history shaped the social, cultural, and political foundations of Black life in America. Rather than collapsing global Black experiences into a single narrative, this work invites readers to consider how ancestry, geography, and historical experience shape identity and belonging. At a time when conversations about race and identity are often simplified or polarized, Blackness in America and Around the World offers a thoughtful and historically grounded perspective. By examining lineage, migration, and the evolution of Black communities across nations, this book encourages readers to engage more deeply with the histories that shape belonging in the modern world.