Contemporary Connections - The Middle Passage and the Syrian refugee crisis (Group D Section 2)

Photo: The New York Times

Article: Longing for Resettlement

According to the article, “the world watches America.” Our politics and entertainment alike are taken in by people from all over the world. In his inaugural speech, former President Obama acknowledged this. America represents something to the whole world. The mythology surrounding our country is that we are a promised land that welcomes strangers. While there is skepticism of this from many (including many Americans), refugees still see this as their hope to escape their situation.

From the Middle Passage readings, we see a narrative of Africans coming to America. Equiano was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery, but he ended up becoming friends with an American boy and eventually adopting some of the culture, as seen when he converts to Christianity. He also buys his freedom, choosing to stay in England and contribute to the culture by writing his autobiography.

As discussed in the article about “Oceans,” black Americans have a shared past, even though some have risen above the stereotypical lifestyle into fame and fortune. The Middle Passage is part of our past, and African Americans are Americans, so their background creates part of the background of our nation as a whole.

America has become a country with a wide cultural background, with contributions from many cultures. Refugees bring a new culture to the land of multiculturalism.Though the circumstances between the African Americans and refugees are different, the cultural impact is the same. Both groups represent people of different cultural backgrounds coming to the US, and can be seen as different because they look different, or come from a different place. These people come from unfortunate circumstances but have a chance to become part of something here in America. Here, they can contribute their cultures and backgrounds to the whole of America.