Why are black people called African American when most haven't been to Africa?

Question

My Great, Great, Great Uncle was from a town called Wagga Wagga, but no one calls me a Wagga Wagga American.

Answer 1

I think it's dumb too. They aren't African. I mean, if you adhere to the anthropological theory, then everybodies ancestors were African. Culturally, they are so far removed from Africa that the name is meaningless. Also, I can guantee that every single African American (apart from those of recent African descent who's parents or themselves have emigrated to America) has some white ancestry. This is why the skin colour of African Americans varies so much. I find it odd that someone could call themselves African American when they are lighter than me (I'm half black and half white with some Portuguese on the black side).

It's an attempt to find an identity, but it's a fallacy. They might be black, but they are not African. Just like George Bush is white, but isn't English. Could you imagine if he claimed to be? Everyone would just laugh at him.

It's also a very short-sighted view. "African" is not an ethnic group. In fact, Africa has more ethnic groups than any other continent. I find the term "African American" to be, more than anything else, insulting to the inhabitants of Africa. You can't lump the entire population of a vast continent into a single ethnic group. In fact, the whole thing kind of smacks of racism. "Everyone in Africa has dark skin therefore they are all the same". That's what it seems like to me.

I'm mixed. My dad is white. My mum is black. She doesn't think of herself as African, because she's not. She's South American. Why would people in North America think of themselves as African? I just don't understand it.

Answer 2

First off you say Wagga Wagga is a town and if you didn't know Africa is a continent. BIG DIFFERENCE. So it would be meaningless if someone called you a Wagga Wagga because it's just a town not a Continent which is your cultural background. Just to give you some of our world history and geography. And African Americans Like Native Americans and Latino Americans and Italian Americans and Many other cultures are called what there ethnicity is with where they were born for example if your heritage background is Latino, African, Italian, European, El Salvador, Mexican or some other ethnicity you are called and distinguished by what your ethnicity is with where you were born. Even if you never traveled to the country are know where it is on the map your genes and bloodline still run back to your ancestors who were first Born and lived on another continent are in another country which we recognize in America. It's all pretty simple if you Knew your Geography, Ethnicity and World history.

Answer 3

Their ancestors were from africa, and people find it offending to be called "black". So they called them african americans. The reason way you aren't called a wagga wagga american is because there wasn't a large scale of wagga wagga people in america that many people didn't know of back then.

Answer 4

well Africa is a continent and Wagga Wagga is a town. you would be European American if its in Europe. I have no idea why we call them that because I am white and I dont mind being called white. they are black. but I guess its just the proper way of saying it, like I am considered caucasion.

Answer 5

They have agreed that they like it, (no doubt that will change) so where's the harm? I'll call you Wagga Wagga if you want.
If you think about it it's really a form of racist political correctness, that's the trouble w. subverting a language.

Answer 6

d'uh..
their lineage points to African ancestors (one of the big 4- asian, african, caucasian, aboriginal)..
Unfortunately, we have no wagga wagga..
If there is a continent that named wagga wagga..
(Plus your skin color and physical features are different from those 4)
then you probably will be called a wagga wagga american.

Answer 7

Many African Americans were decedents from people that did not chose to come to this country but were forced to by slavery. Although they have pride to be Americans they also feel important to recognize their heritage that was in many ways lost due to no records being kept or families being torn apart. While some may be bitter and it is a form of rebellion to not want to associate themselves as much with the country I feel that is very few. I fell it's more a cultural and getting in touch with their family history type thing however unfortunately many non-black Americans use it as a way to distinguish them from other Americans and that is wrong for we are all the same and all of us were descendants of foreigners of some country.

Answer 8

Assimilative policies of empires are applied always and finally most people of different origin are forced to accept that their ancestors were great people of this great land. But skin cells, which produce more melatonin, become a big and unexpected barrier for some supernation policies. E.g. A German family may forget their German roots when they are asked repeatedly to learn only French history, generation after generation. But a black child may look a bit strange when he will start to talk about "his ancestors Gauls"... A small cell wins against the whole poltical structure undermining everyones personal identity. LOL

Answer 9

People use that term when they don't want to say black. unfortunately, it is being used in the broad sense instead of by those that it really signifies. If YOU were born in Africa and became a US citizen, then YOU are an African American. Same for Irish, Italian , German, etc.

Now if your ancestors are from Africa (Ireland, Italy, Germany, etc) but you were born in the USA, then you are NOT African American. You are simply American.

Man I wish they would use it properly!

Answer 10

Actually an African American is an American that lives in Africa. I suppose it first began because most Black people are of African origin by their ancestors being slaves and brought here from Africa.