Emmanuel Acho Called Out For “Generational Trauma” Remark During Podcast Q&A

Emmanuel Acho has come under fire for his claims that he doesn’t have “generational trauma” like many Black Americans due to his Nigerian lineage. 

During a recent interview with Van Lathan’s Higher Learning Podcast, the conversation between Lathan, 42, and Acho, 32, progressed into one about race, with the tone growing combative. 

A viral clip from the conversation began to make its rounds on social media last week, showing the former NFL star speaking about his experience as a Black person and claiming his Nigerian roots have barred him from generational issues and plight.

“When white people say, ‘Well, racism doesn’t exist,’ I know why they say that. Because I’ve been in them rooms when they’re saying that,” Acho said in the clip. “When I kick it with Black people and they’re like, ‘All white people are racist,’ I know why you’re saying that. 

“All the while, I have the privilege and luxury of not having generational trauma [of slavery], because my parents were born in Nigeria. So my method is removing some of the sting, because I don’t have that sting, and trying to deliver it in a manner that people can receive it.”

Van took offense to what the ex-athlete articulated and began to express how his rhetoric could be seen as divisive for Black Americans. 

“Let me tell you why what you just said offends me,” the podcast host began. “You’re saying that you didn’t have generational trauma, and you didn’t mean it this way, but you saying in some way, meaning that your delivery method to white people is going to be either more effective or more sanitized is, to me, dangerous, and let me tell you why.

“Everybody that you just named, and what you’re talking about, does what they do in different ways. I don’t think that any of the things that they do are necessarily harmful, but what I could say, is a Black man, a prominent one, acting as an emotional butler for white people, and serving them the most milquetoast, un-spicy, unseasoned brand of racial discourse and accountability possible, could definitely be harmful. Like, we’re fighting for our lives, and to me, having a conversation like that, at that particular time, it’s not that it’s a different method. Everybody has a different method. It’s that it’s the wrong method.”

Acho’s stance also garnered criticism from social media users, with some claiming he suggested, “he’s better equipped than Black Americans.” The Dallas, TX native hopped on Twitter to clarify his comments regarding his Nigerian ethnicity.

“I made no such suggestion, that was the reach the host of the show made and led the listener to. I stated my lineage to allow understanding for my predisposition to be *less* hostile. It was giving the listener insight as to why. Not implying I’m better.”

The Hip-Hop Homicides host quote tweeted the FS1 Sports host’s clarification and provided the clip where he talks about his lineage. He then questions the athlete on why he “othered” himself from Black Americans with his comments. Finally, the ex-Philadelphia Eagle claimed the whole interview was a “public set up.”

“I’m not sure what you intended to convey by stating your Nigerian background frees you of ‘generational trauma’ and takes the ‘sting’ out of your convos with white people,” Van expressed. “But it feels like your purposefully othered yourself from the descendants of slaves. Why?”

“Van, the entire conversation was a public set up,” Acho tweeted Thursday. “Your producers lured me into committing by misleading me about the topics of ‘conversation.’ You manipulated my relationship w/ Rachel in order to publicly air your grievances as opposed to preparing me for a productive dialogue.”

Listen to the full conversation below.