The other day, I made a post about what could be the solution to overcoming the fear and prejudice that exist among some Black and Korean people.  Part of what I wrote included the fact that the media sometimes puts out false information regrading both groups.  So to try and combat some of the information that is out there, I wanted to make a post about what are some of the things that people are told that are not true.  While not all people believe these rumors, many people do.  So here are some rumor busters that you may find interesting.

Rumor:  Black people grow tails at night.

Truth: Clearly, this is not true.  This was a story that was told to children to make them scared of Black people.  It was hoped that this fear would be passed on and that these children would grow up to hate and distrust Black people.  Sadly, the fact that this story still exist is proof that it worked on some people.  Thankfully, most people do not believe this lie.

Rumor:  All Black people that visit Korea are from Africa.

Truth:  Many Black people who visit Korea have never been to Africa.  Many are Americans or people from other parts of the world.  There are a number of Black people who are in Korea from Africa.  Some go to Korea to start a new life, others go for educational reasons and still some go just to visit.  But many Black people in Korea are in the military.  Others go to Korean for jobs in entertainment.  Still, many Black Americans, Britons and Canadians go to Korea to teach English.  For Black people in each country, the culture they grew up around can be different.  So it is usually best to ask a person where they are from before assuming they are from Africa.

Rumor:  All Black people are poor.

Truth:  Many are surprised to learn that many Black people are very rich.  And a lot of wealthy Black people are not singers, rappers or athletes.  Many own businesses, come from wealthy families and own a lot of property.  The reason some Koreans believe this is that the images they see of Black people are always of poor Black people.  But his is not every Black person’s story.  In fact, many are surprised to learn that most poor people and most criminals in the United States are not Black.  It’s just what they show you on television.  Wealthy Black people live all over the world, not just in the U.S. and Africa.  And many inventions that we benefit from today came from Black Americans.  So just like every other group of people in the world, Black people come from all different income levels.

There are many other rumors that some Korean have been taught about Black people.  In fact, don’t be surprised to see a part 2 of this post in the future.  But by understanding the truth about each other, fears will start to go away.  And hopefully by knowing the truth, it will help to set you free from the lies that cause others to hate as well.

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