Racism in Americanah

 

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a novel that exemplifies confidence, integrity, finding identity, and love. This post touches upon the racial implications Ifemelu faces and how she finds her identity through these experiences. 

Ifemelu doesn’t experience the complex racial politics until she moves to America to better her life. One of the first racial biases that she faces is with her hair, “I have to take my braids out for my interviews and relax my hair… If you have braids, they will think you are unprofessional”. This conversation between Aunty Uju and Ifemelu makes her realize how one must lose their Nigerian authenticity to be able to fit in and become successful. Ifemelu then starts to question her choice to come to America. Additionally, hair serves as a symbol in Americanah to portray her struggle for confidence and identity as a Nigerian immigrant and black American. There is inherent racism when black women are forced to relax their hair to look like white women’s hair. 

One of the most apparent experiences of racism is when Ifemelu goes to a party and was taken aback by someone saying, “race is not an issue”. Ifemelu’s honest and blunt reply to her “The only reason you say that race was not an issue is that you wish it was not. We all wish it was not. But it’s a lie. I came from a country where the race was not an issue; I did not think of myself as black, and I only became black when I came to America” This portrays her identity of not being superficial like her peers and saying what’s on her mind. 

These instances show how Ifemelu faces racism in America and how she stood up to people in her community and otherwise. Adichie used symbols, strong literacy, and characterization to emphasize the theme of racism.