am i black or african american?

Question

what do you think? i say i am black and i don't agree with the term african american. it seems to me that american is implied when someone is black. i am not african, i have african roots, but i am not african. to me that's what black is: having african roots but not being from there. if you see someone who is black but they have a british accent, because they were born in England are they now african english, because they are not african american, or do they get to be just english?

i got one answer from a black person but i guess he wants to be refered to as african american bcuz he's mad at me, but someone said it, what i was looking for: if caucasians are almost always called white and hispanics have brown pride, what's wrong with being black?

Answer 1

I agree, it is easiest and most common to say black but then you get some of the others especially older ones who think that is slang and feel African American is more suitable.
I would say technically you are brown. I never understood it being called a black person just like I never understood it being called a white person, when more of a beige.
I shall deem you the Pretty Bronze Goddess :)

Answer 2

That's tough some Hispanics say they are brown. Some blacks don't like to be called blacks either. I've seen a few billboards where the prefix was x'd out to say American.I like the word Nubian/ princess or Queen. However queen can mean transsexual too .The word black sounds like it's militant cause of the Black Panthers Black Pride. Most really aren't that dark though. How about American African? Maybe we should just have color codes instead like numbers between 1 and 5 or 1.5. If I see someone that's hot or beautiful that's enough for me to describe her.

Answer 3

I agree with you. If you were from Africa and came to America... then you would be African-American. I say that you are a black American. I am a caucasian American. I have roots in England and Ireland but that doesn't make me English or Irish. I was born in America and I am American.

Answer 4

Very well put! There are two differerent ways that they look at it.
when America as discovered I guess there was only white people
with the aception of afican people which were enslaved by the spanish and brought over to america to work for the spanish and the people that landed here. wrong as it was it went on for a long time
until the civil war and the african's got there freedom, but in the procseethey moved to different parts of the world and intermarriages and that is most likely oart of your background in a nut shell as a lot of Black people I am not one to put a name on anyone. so it just depends how far back in history they qare looking. but do not let it bug you we are all the same just different outside accents LOL

Answer 5

i understand where your coming from. it's very true you don't hear people saying they are African English or anything of the nature. but it's easier and more politically correct to say African American as opposed to "black". some people would take offense, and we'd have to start calling Mexican Americans "brown" Caucasians "white" etc. but i'm only like a quarter "african" americans. but i perfer african american over black. although i do remember taking a census that said "african american" "black".

Answer 6

The term African-American is simply a term thought up by those who weren't content being called just American, or just black. Sad to say but that kind of stuff is helping to perpetuate the racism. Good for you, you are American or black. One is a race the other a nationality. Glad you can see past all that nonsense. But most of all your a child of God. God Bless.

Answer 7

I agree with you if a person is black then they are black and that's all there is to it,the worst offenders are them that call themselves Italian American they're either American or Italian and not both,but it's the same here in England everyone is English when they want benefits or free health care ETC but they are a different nationality when claiming racism or something similar.

Answer 8

Hilarious....this whole colour thing gets to me...I am white...but I am german....does that make me a Viking Canadian? You are not aloud to say *****, or black or brown...its so stupid I think. I love all people...but answer me this Why is there a TV station called BET black entertainment television....Imagine if there was one called WET...ooooooooo heads would roll!!! I say you are BLACK or brown what ever you want to be. You are also an American, well that is if you were born there or have that citizenship. I dont think we refer to people as African Canadian here.....lol...Black is a descriptive word....its so dumb this politically correctness. We should be what we want to be.

Answer 9

"African American" refers to americans who are descendants of Africans. It doesnt count if you're not living in or a citizen of America. Then you're just English if you were born in England. Race and ethnicity are two different things

Answer 10

You're an American! No black, no African, no nothing. AMERICAN!! I am an Italian born in America. I don't say I'm a "White Italian American". I'M AMERICAN...THAT'S IT. I despised people who call themselves African American. Your either African or American, not both. If I was born in Italy but became a citizen of US, I will be American. Make sense??