I Investigated Why Some Ethiopians Feel Like They’re Not Black or African
Joseph Fiseha
35,448 views
Why do some Ethiopians say they are not Black or African?
This is a question that has sparked heated conversations online — from TikTok and Instagram to X and YouTube. And as an Ethiopian myself, I wanted to go beyond the comments and actually talk to people.
In this documentary, I asked Ethiopians how they see their identity, what the word “Black” means to them, whether they consider themselves African, and why some people feel that labels like “Black” don’t fully describe who they are.
But this conversation is bigger than Ethiopia.
It touches on race, nationality, ethnicity, history, the African diaspora, and the different ways Africans around the world understand identity. For someone in Ethiopia, “Ethiopian” can feel like the most obvious answer. But for an Ethiopian living in America, Europe, or elsewhere, the experience can be very different.
So where does the difference come from?
And perhaps the bigger question is: Who gets to define what it means to be Black or African?
I don’t believe one person can speak for all Ethiopians — or all Africans. That’s exactly why I wanted to hear different perspectives and have an honest conversation.
Watch until the end and let me know what YOU think.
Are Ethiopians Black?
Are Ethiopians African?
Can someone be both Ethiopian and Black?
And does being African mean the same thing to everyone?
Let’s have the conversation respectfully.
If you enjoyed the documentary, subscribe for more stories about Africa, travel, culture, identity, business and the people behind the places I visit.
#Ethiopia #BlackIdentity #AfricanIdentity #Africa #Ethiopian
20 Comments
As an Ethiopian, am I Black? Absolutely. I just looked in the mirror, and I can confidently say that I am a Black Ethiopian man, and I thank God for it.
Am I African? Absolutely. I just looked at a world map and confirmed that Ethiopia is in Africa. Once again, I thank God for it!
Really It's like watering yourself down to identify by a color
We are all different from one another.
I Investigated Why Some Ethiopians Feel Like They’re Not Black or African
Joseph Fiseha
35,448 views
Why do some Ethiopians say they are not Black or African?
This is a question that has sparked heated conversations online — from TikTok and Instagram to X and YouTube. And as an Ethiopian myself, I wanted to go beyond the comments and actually talk to people.
In this documentary, I asked Ethiopians how they see their identity, what the word “Black” means to them, whether they consider themselves African, and why some people feel that labels like “Black” don’t fully describe who they are.
But this conversation is bigger than Ethiopia.
It touches on race, nationality, ethnicity, history, the African diaspora, and the different ways Africans around the world understand identity. For someone in Ethiopia, “Ethiopian” can feel like the most obvious answer. But for an Ethiopian living in America, Europe, or elsewhere, the experience can be very different.
So where does the difference come from?
And perhaps the bigger question is: Who gets to define what it means to be Black or African?
I don’t believe one person can speak for all Ethiopians — or all Africans. That’s exactly why I wanted to hear different perspectives and have an honest conversation.
Watch until the end and let me know what YOU think.
Are Ethiopians Black?
Are Ethiopians African?
Can someone be both Ethiopian and Black?
And does being African mean the same thing to everyone?
Let’s have the conversation respectfully.
If you enjoyed the documentary, subscribe for more stories about Africa, travel, culture, identity, business and the people behind the places I visit.
#Ethiopia #BlackIdentity #AfricanIdentity #Africa #Ethiopian
Do you consider Ethiopians Black, African, or both?
Where are you watching from?