Millions and millions of Africans were captured and sold into slavery—you and me, Celie! And whole cities were destroyed by slave catching wars. Today the people of Africa—having murdered or sold into slavery their strongest folks—are riddled by disease and sunk in spiritual and physical confusion….
Why did they sell us? How could they have done it? And why do we still love them? (57.4-5)
Nettie reflects on how evil done in Africa by Africans has brought evil back on themselves.
They are the blackest people I have ever seen, Celie. They are black like the people we are talking about when we say, "So and so is black than black, he’s blueblack." They are so black, Celie, they shine. Which is something else folks down home like to say about real black folks. But Celie, try to imagine a city full of these shining, blueblack people wearing brilliant blue robes with designs like fancy quilt patterns. Tall, thin, with long necks and straight backs. Can you picture it at all, Celie? Because I felt like I was seeing black for the first time. And Celie, there is something magical about it. Because the black is so black the eye is simply dazzled, and then there is the shining that seems to come, really, from moonlight, it is so luminous, but their skin glows even in the sun. (58.1)
Nettie begins to revel in the color of black skin, to feel the pride of her heritage.
I think Africans are very much like white people back home, in that they think they are the center of the universe and that everything that is done is done for them. (65.2)
Nettie recognizes the vast cultural differences that separate her from Africans, even though they have the same color skin.