What is the Black German Experience? - Review of the Black German convention in New York

Photo: Authors Olumide Popoola and Philipp Kabo Köpsell

 The question “What Is the Black German Experience?” was the theme of second annual convention of the Black German Cultural Society of New Jersey this year. The convention was held in New York City on August 10-11 2012. 

The event was reviewed by Steven F. Riley of the website mixed race studies ."The highlight of the conference was Yara Colette Lemke Muniz de Faria’s keynote address, “In their Best Interest… Afro-German Children in Postwar German Children’s Homes” which explored the plight of so-called “War/Brown/Occupation Babies”—the children born of the union between white German women and Black American GIs after World War II. She described the systematic removal of Afro-German children from their birth families into substandard orphanages or foster homes, where many faced emotional and physical abuse. Her keynote touched on the story of Ika Hügel-Marshall, who describes her saga in her autobiography, Invisible Woman: Growing Up Black in Germany." Read the whole review at mixed Race Studies 

Last but not least were the live readings by Olumide Popoola and Philipp Khabo Köpsell , see the video of the full performance at Black German Cultural Society of New Jersey