About MeShorn Daniels, The Author of "I Am Not Your Black, America!"

I am a descendant of American Slaves (not "black"). I was raised in Miami, Florida. My mother was the greatest influence in my life; she discouraged me from relying on traditional irresponsible indoctrinations. She wanted me to become a responsible man; therefore, she made sure that I get recruited in the Army and serve as a non-commissioned officer which lasted for 21 years.

I had lived a life of isolation as a teenager, distrusting people, religions, and races. However, the Army taught me to trust my fellow soldiers.When I came back from Army Service, I realized that the community I was raised in had sold its soul in exchange for nostalgia of a supposed greatness in the past in the remote continent of Africa, trying to disown the fact that the American Slave ancestors' suffering was what led to them having such abundance of privileges in America.

Then, I looked at the possibility of getting into the medical field, although I had become discouraged since the career counsellor warned me of my low aptitude test score in the Army. So, I decided to re-educate myself and re-create myself, which ultimately led me to become a surgical technologist for 40 years.

In 2006, I started researching the true identity of my ancestors, and I came across Dr. Norris’s Shelton's "America's Little Black Book". That was when I realized my slave ancestors were not simply brought from Africa, rather they were bred like cattle and industrialized by the dominant majority culture and powers. Therefore I recognized that all labels given by force to my slave ancestors were manufactured, since Jamestown Virginia: African-American was a terminology that was originated by Rev. Jesse Jackson, which actually was totally misleading, as it would describe, not my slave ancestors, but rather Africans who gained American citizenship (similar to terms such as Latin American, Philipino-American). And the label Negro was a Spanish term that was used in South America to differentiate between the natives and European immigrants.

During the COVID crisis, I finally had the time to start writing my findings. In 2022, I retired as a University of Louisville surgical technologist and also from military, which had paid for my medical training.

So,the retirement gave me even more time to learn how to unlearn and relearn the history of my American Slave Ancestors, beginning with Jamestown in 1619.

As I continued writing, I had to revisit my lack of literary aptitude; in my youth, since I did not graduate from high school, I lost interest in academic studies. Later, I was even more discouraged to study as I was diagnosed with dyslexia. However, with the help of a writing coach, I finished the book. And I published it under the name " I am not your black, America!" in 2023.
2023 also marks the 27th anniversary of my marriage to Jackie,with whom I have raised two adopted children.

In conclusion, I must say that my book was not written for the demographics like me who have the same skin tone as me! In fact, it is written for America's dominant culture instead, who proudly call themselves "white" or pass as "white".

My intention for writing this book is to convey my new astuteness uncovering the color construct implemented by the dominant majority demographic. I seek to bring a new understanding that "We Americans and all humanity are created by the same God and are equal in value". That is the essence of God’s Lives Matter movement that I started; it challenges America to unlearn the past misunderstandings and help rebirth a new self-identity for ourselves. Together, we are our “Brothers Keepers”; we are to fulfill Dr. King’s dream, “Lead by Character Not Color.”

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Quotes From "I Am Not Your Black, America!"

"The irony was – I wanted to learn how to be black. So, I started hanging out with people. Learning how to be black, took me down some dark, dark roads. I had to learn how to use profanities. I had to learn how to drink, do drugs, talk swagger, and have multiple women."

"Don’t allow yourself to be consumed by the environment that you're born into. It takes us loving ourself to overcome it. You have learn to unlearn and relearn who you are!"

My own grandfather – rest his soul – married a woman simply so his children would be ‘black enough’ to fit in. And so, what drew him to my grandmother wasn’t love...he was only marrying Hattie Peebles for her tar-black skin. She was coal dark, as ‘black’ as you can imagine – and the symbolic value of that color is what attracted Louis Conley to ask for her hand

"I graduated, I became a surgical technologist, and in that dominant environment where no one else looked like me, I had learned how to navigate in that environment. The dominant European environment there, guess what they were telling me? “You’re not black! You don’t talk like it.”

"... a young man telling me how the Pharaohs were ‘black’. I asked him: 'Were these pharaohs good folk or bad?' He looked at me blankly and asked me why that mattered...surely, the measure of a man is more than just whether he was ‘black’ or not. We have become so ensnared by color, that we can’t see nothing else."

In The Press

"Affectionately known as Uncle MeShorn, Daniels’ book is an unfiltered, passionate, and compelling letter to the country he grew up in and served. At a time fraught with political and racial tensions, Daniels’ memoir is a thought-provoking and relevant read." -inmag.com

"In our world, labels are everywhere. Labels define us, others, and things around us. But how do these labels affect how we view ourselves and others? Retired Non-Commissioned US Army officer, MeShorn Daniels's mission is to create a paradigm shift in America away from color and labels towards accepting all humankind." -The Bob Jeswald Show

"MeShorn's Book is going to challenge you. Y'all got to read that. I don't care if you like him or not. Doesn't matter! You gotta hear him. You gotta read him and try to understand him. This is a very important voice. And he's not a fringe voice within the black community." -Corbin Seavers Show

"Emerging author MeShorn Daniels is a force to be reckoned with. In his debut memoir “I Am Not Your Black America”, attempts to debunk every label by which he and others have been branded. His mission is to create a paradigm shift in America away from color and labels towards accepting all humankind. This is a fascinating read for anyone who has every been labeled because of race" -Writer's Life