Do black/African-American people care if they are called "a black person"?

Question

I try to think about if I would care if I were called "a white person", and it doesn't bother me. However there seems to be this politically correct business where you MUST refer to such individuals as "African-American" and not "black".

What do you think? I hate using the term "African-American" because I believe ALL citizens of the US are just that.... not some hybrid. Otherwise, then I'd have to be called English-Irish-Austrian-American, I was born in the U.S., but so were most blacks.

Thoughts?

Just wanted to clarify that I am not trying to "label" anyone. It's just that it commonly comes up when trying to refer to or identify someone. It's an obvious feature that can be used to refer to or identify someone who would otherwise be non-descript.

Answer 1

hmm? This is one of those questions that can “start a lot of mess" (as my mom would say). I'm shocked you didn't get more racist comments (from people of all races).

The first step in answering this question would go to ask, "Why are we referring to people by their color/race/ethnicity/heritage (or whatever the heck you wanna call it) in the first place?" Hear me out…

This is my thinking:

When it comes to describing people, I use their "color/race etc..." as a last effort in my description. (If you do this, you usually never need to bring up one’s race.) The reason I started doing this is because I found that when talking to people about others, they would automatically mention if someone were "black" or "Afro-American" or what have you. That started to bother me. Another thing I starting noticing is people would tell me about their "black/Afro-Amer. etc..." friend, or co-worker when they were talking to me. I assumed they were doing it because I was black, and I was RIGHT! When I would ask people (obviously most of them were close friends) why they felt they needed to mention this person’s race, they couldn't answer me. I don’t think it had anything to do with racism.

(Disclaimer: Please be advised, my next statement is NOT meant to be racist although it might sound like it if taken the wrong way.)

As Americans, I believe we have been brainwashed to think that "White People" are just “people”, and people of other races/ethnicities/etc. need to be described by whatever race. Why? I believe it’s because the “White Man” (as he’s referred to by the original citizens of this country and MOST other Americans) is the one who “invented” (for lack of a better term) America. Now, I KNOW it’s a little more complicated than that and there are a LOT of people who will disagree with this statement and might say the “White Man” stole this land and forced “us” (the Black Man) to come over there. Well, the fact of the matter is WE’RE HERE!!! …and were it not for MANY great men and women of MANY different backgrounds, we wouldn’t live with the freedoms we live in now! (Can a get an “Amen”?!?!?)

I digress…

Bottom line: It doesn’t matter what you call somebody (if you call the anything). If you’re REALLY concerned, just do what I do. Don’t call them ANYTHING unless it just comes down to it. I close with an example:

I am one of two Kevin’s at my church. We are both at same height and we are both drummers. There are several things that distinguish us. You can’t say, “Kevin, the drummer”, because we’re both drummers. You can’t even say, “the short Kevin” or “the tall Kevin”, because we’re about the same height. However, I can be referred to as “Jennifer’s Husband” and he can be referred to as “Melissa’s Husband”. I can be “Zane’s Daddy” and he can be “Gage’s Daddy.” I can be “Kevin the Loan Guy” and he can be “Kevin the Policeman”. I’m sure you can guess which one people choose. Why am I the black Kevin? Because American’s are silly! Do I like mind being “the Black Kevin”? It all depends on who’s saying it.

Again, don’t call anyone anything. If it comes down to “the two Kevin’s”, be creative. If it comes down to color, consider whom you’re talking to. If you’re still lost, it never hurts to ask, but be sincere! I hope this helps, my friend! Be Blessed!

Answer 2

The fixation with race in America is unbelievable and not being an American myself but having been born in Africa, I'm baffled as to this fixation. I may live elsewhere but I'm 100% proud to be an African.

It's very noble that African Americans want to be identified with their "roots" in Africa. The reality is that they are not African but are Americans full stop. Just like an Irish American is not Irish but is an American even though his family roots are in Ireland. What's wrong with being called an American anyway?. As to the colour thing - it's just a colour "black" and "white". Before i get heckled about how it's more than that and it signifies segregation days well i'm of mixed race black and white and i'm brown and grew up under segregation in africa so know all about segregation and i maintain that it's just a colour and i can't see why anyone should be ashamed of being called "black" or "white" or "brown".

It's become an issue because people make it an issue, instead of just getting on with the business of living and respecting and celebrating each others' differences.

Answer 3

Personally, I could care less what you call me because I'm secure within myself. That having been said I use the term African American in my newspaper because of the young who might associate Black as being bad. An example: If a kid goes to school and hear about Black Monday, Black Sunday, Black Day etc. and how that means those were some of the worse days in American History then you turn around and call him Black won't he think its some wrong with being Black and therefore think its something wrong with him. If most things associated with Black are bad our youth could easily feel that they are bad also.

Answer 4

As an outsider (UK) I find it very strange and (quite honestly) wrong that Americans prefix their past onto their citizenship. At what stage will/do they 'become' Americans. I am not just talking about black people, but Irish, Italian, Polish etc. As you say CJP, I am glad my grandchildren are born over here, otherwise they would be known Irish/Indian/English/Italian ........

Incidentally, the most obvious thing about a white person is the fact that they are white and likewise with black people. The sooner the better for everyone and race relations people of all nations realise that fact.

Answer 5

It really doesn't make any different to me, but if it came down to would I rather be called Black or African-American, I'd choose to be African-American, I think of it as honoring your history.
And if you want to be called English- And so on- American, then that's your choice.
Sometimes I don't like being called black, because black is a color, and I'm not even black, I'm a yellowish color..That's the only problem I have with being called black.
Well atleast your skin color can be white, Whereas our skin color can never be actually "black". So why would you call us black?
A color of a crayon?
When you really think about it, we should all just be called AMERICAN.
And this is coming from a four-teen year old.

Answer 6

I agree with you. I don't like African-American for the same reason. Unfortunetly as a white American you are suppose to have a higher standard of vocabulary so that you don't offend anyone else. Basically, if don't use African-American then people think your prejudice. It's the polictically right thing to do. To say someone is BLACK usually sounds offensive if you are white person saying it. Of course if you are a African-American you can call anyone, anything you like and nobody will say anything to you. Free Speech you know.

Answer 7

Hmm. Well, I've never called anyone "african-american" in my life, but then I do live in Wales. The black people I know are mostly Welsh.

I do wonder at the term. It means taking a visual clue (colour) and making an assumption of origin from that. That's dodgy, surely? They might be black African, black Caribbean or even aboriginal Australian, for all you know.

Answer 8

Well, I personally refer to them as blacks. My sister has a friend from Morocco and I have a friend from South Africa and both are offended that blacks want to be referred to as African-americans. My sisters friend and my friend are white. The way I see it, I'm going to use the term that is polite and makes me comfortable. Some are going to get offended with black, some are going to get offended with African-American so it's a no win-win situation sometimes. Like I always say, not everyone is going to like me. Oh well. I can't bend over backwards for everybody.

Answer 9

Greetings!!!

"What shall we call him?" This has been questioned since January of 1865 and many outside of "ourselves" has come up with some colorful labels. Being 52, I went from being *****, to colored, to black, to African-American (and those were the good ones! (smile!) Nationality is the true question here and then these "labels" would cease to be necessary.

It's true that Americans born here are Americans, yet they have a National descent name ( English-Irish-Austrian-American) etc., because you are what your Forefatheres were...) and "ours" were stripped during the late 1700's.

Some of us has discovered and proclaimed our Nationality in Honor of our fathers and Mothers, and others haven't for whatever reasons. Yet your question has great merit because it may settle one of the greatest dilemmas once and for all!

Answer 10

the fact of the matter is that you'd be "safer" using African-Americans since it was a term chosen by them. "black" on the other hand was a term given to them and thus some people do not prefer being recognized a such. Even though on a large scale "african-americans" refer to themselves as "black" with each other. it is disgraceful that there are people who are hyphenated but it is not just "black" people it is also asian, natives, hispanics. if you are white in this country you are automatically assumed American. whether or not this is correct doesn't matter it simply just is. Also the government determines what people are considered: for instance.. just recently.. the people of (hawaii, tonga, guam etc...) were considered Asian American.. but they are now considered pacific islanderrs