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In the ongoing conversation about identity and heritage among the African diaspora, a growing concern has emerged around a concept referred to by some as the “$5 African.” This term describes Black Americans, often Native Black Americans (descendants of U.S. chattel slavery and Emancipated Freedmen), who adopt a generalized African identity without deep cultural, linguistic, or ancestral ties to specific African cultures. While this phenomenon is shaped by multiple influences, including academic institutions, social media, and cultural clubs, it raises significant questions about the preservation and recognition of the unique heritage of Foundational Black Americans, sometimes referred to as Soulaan.

The “$5 African” concept highlights how some Black Americans construct a pan-African identity, often driven by…