How many African-Americans do you know actually consider Africa as a vacation spot? Not one... Even just for knowledge, just to know where they came from, just to get an idea of what that is; there is so much fear instilled in them that they wouldn't even want to go there to visit. You mention Africa, they start shaking.

The artist was born in Missouri, the US state where protests against police brutality targeting African-Americans erupted after the killing of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson last year.

On Talk to Al Jazeera, Akon shares his views on race relations in the US and speaks frankly about why he thinks African-Americans should understand Africa better.

He says: "Pick a project in New York, for instance: that's a five-star hotel compared to the environment I came up in…. They actually get money from the government, there actually are programmes that help the impoverished and the poor, and you get food stamps. I mean, they have it good compared to Africa...”
Read more: http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/...151008241.html

Someone remove the TB I'm on mobile and the wifi and Africa is slow

Many Americans in general feel that way about the African continent. I was watching a reality show where the contestants visit South Africa and one of them was "I had no idea that it would look like this." I was thinking what did she think it would look like? Huts and safaris?

The medias portrayal of Africa is damaging
I'm in Africa for holiday (Ghana), and there's KFC, there's restaurants, the Apple Store, Mango -- the average house here is bigger than the ones in London (where I live), there's literally everything
I even heard some white lady with an African accent

what show was this?

Overtime I am on plane from overseas and they get to our JHB airport they are shocked for their lives, they start taking pictures, like what were they expecting, we have better infrastructure than a lot of countries out there but as soon as people hear africa, its over.

A shame really

It was The Bachelor

It's funny. People want to think of Africa as this uncivilized place unable to advance like "The West". I'd also blame it on the lack of discussion about Africa in schools. I mean we hear all about are North America and Europe. And even dive into Asia and South America. But the only times Africa is brought up are because of colonial history and Nelson Mandela.

yup. The developed world's perception of Africa is so skewed. Of course there's poverty, but it's not one huge shithole made up of poor dirty villages

I'm guessing you're in Accra? Jealous, I wanna go there so bad

You're absolutely right
All I hear about is Europe is Powerful' and Africa was the victim. All we hear about is civil rights, scramble for Africa, slavery but Europe we hear about army, how they colonised the world, their revolutions, their wars, their strong leaders
It's all annoying

Yeah wtf boo!! Did you see Azealia's tweet?? She's Ghanaian!!
I love it here I get immense respect, the people here are lovely. Always saying good morning and complimenting you! The weather is lovely and the night life is great!!
I love Ghana so much I'm dreading going back to Britain honestly where I'm just seen as an ethnic minority

I've read that Ghanaians are lovely and friendly people, I'm so desperate to travel

So lovely!!!!!!! One day, you'll see the world it'll be worth the wait, see it like that

he didn't lie
i would try so hard to change the depiction of Africa in the media if i could

but traveling to Africa from the US is extremely expensive so a lot of ppl refrain from doing it

I don't remember ever delving into Caribbean and South American history in school. The only time Asia came up was in ancient world history.

as for most AAs not seeing Africa as a vacation spot, I can't say I'm surprised. Most in developed countries don't regardless of race, and add that to the fact that Americans in general don't travel much... especially as far as Africa.

A lot of actual Africans I know/people with African parents probably wouldn't even see Africa as a holiday spot. My Nigerian friend said it's not picturesque etc. Sad really

North African countries such as Egypt and Morocco are easily accessible from Europe and not much farther than popular destinations like Spain and Portugal yet few people go.
(Though to be fair they're more popular than African countries further south, my friend was in Morocco, but they're still nowhere near as popular as they probably should be)

Well, we need to research about some strong African armies/leaders, revolutions, etc. in the past and then spread word about them as much as we can on social media during 2016, to make up for people not learning about them at school.

i think when it comes to Africa...Egypt is like the only place people would most likely go to because of the pyramids

my Environmental Science teacher has travelled the world but refuses to go to Africa...that's sad

I would love to visit West Africa to see where my ancestors may have come from. Dakar is a beautiful city and I'd love to go there. Accra too.