In order to understand what Afrocentric Clothing is about it is necessary to understand some facts about Afrocentrism and to understand the Afrocentric movement. Afrocentrism is a term created by African-American scholar, historian, and philosopher Molefi Asante in the 1980s.
The term was popularized by several books including The Black Athena: Afroasiatic Roots of Classical Civilization, by Martin Bernal. Afrocentrism is probably best defined by professor, author, and activist Maulana Karenga as “It is a quality of thought that is rooted in the cultural image and human interest of African people.”
Afrocentrists regard all blacks, no matter where they live, to be Africans and believe their views should reflect traditional African values. It is a political, cultural, and ideological movement that strives to preserve African identity, alter any beliefs that regard Africans as inferior, and raise the self-respect of Africans through-out the world. The Afrocentric movement calls for the recentering of African minds to traditional values. Afrocentrists strongly believe the self-determination of blacks has been extremely hampered by European colonialism.
The Afrocentric movement is not just about peoples views but it is also a call to action. It is meant to be a motivational force for addressing the social issues that hampers the African people from reaching their full potential. The movement can be seen in community efforts, political action, and economic advancement.