Christian singer Jamie Grace recounts being told she's ‘not black enough’
Christian singer and YouTube star Jamie Grace recounted some of the many times she's been ridiculed by those who've accused her of not being "black enough."
Grace shared the accounts on social media and posted a video on Instagram Wednesday to talk about the times in which she was told that she was "not really black."
“One of the most damaging things you can say to a black child, whether they have two black parents, two white parents, one black parent, one parent who is of mixed race," she said, are "things like intellect or articulation [are] ... associated with being anything but black. ... [T]hese things are more damaging than you may think,” Grace wrote.
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The Dove Award-winning singer said she was “thankful for a home that always provided a safe space” for her to be herself, adding that she was taught to “know that God chose my beautiful brown skin and all of the beauty that comes with it.”
"I made this video to tell my story in hopes of providing comfort and encouragement for anyone else who has ever felt like me," she continued. "While there are many times to provide education for those who may not understand the things I am saying, this ain’t it.
Two of the comments frequently lobbed at her were: "You're not black enough" and "You talk like a white girl." When her music started coming out, people told her she “sounded like a white girl on the radio” and were shocked to learn that she's black.
Grace encouraged her fans to seek out other resources if they have any questions about stereotyping and posted a video on the topic on YouTube earlier this week.
Another comment she recalled hearing often was, “You must be mixed to look this way.”
In recent years, some of Grace’s followers have taken issue with comments she's made about racial issues in her posts on social media.
In 2020, she revealed she’d lost followers as a result of being vocal about her encounters with racism. That same year, the singer shared her experiences with racism in the church.
“If I had known Jamie Grace was black, I definitely would not have brought her here …” she recounted in a post at the time, claiming that a white pastor said those words to someone on her team while they were setting up the singer's photo banner in the church's lobby.
That same year, Grace also confronted Grammy Award-winning Christian singer Lauren Daigle about her reaction to the death of George Floyd.
Grace challenged Daigle to take her comments and support for black people even further.
Jeannie Ortega Law is a reporter for The Christian Post. Reach her at: jeannie.law@christianpost.com She's also the author of the book, What Is Happening to Me? How to Defeat Your Unseen Enemy Follow her on Twitter: @jlawcp Facebook: JeannieOMusic
