How much of your heritage has to be african american to be considered african american?

Question

I would appreicate a percentage and/or fraction

I am not afican american myself so I don't care about semantics. Please leave out answers that deal with "humans originating from africa", "unless you were born in Africa your just an American" or "it depends on how you were raised". I want to know what percentage of clack you have to be to truthfully aswer african American on any type of offical form

Answer 1

Good question.
I do not know.
Here in Oklahoma, we've been wrangling with that question as it relates to Native Americans.

Some native tribes are a bit P.O.'ed that people who might have 1/500th Cherokee blood (or Creek, or Fox, or any of the Native tribes) claim that they are entitled to FULL benefits.

But back to your question (a good one, I might add)...I found a link that might address your question.
Yet, the focus is on DNA.
Which, I take to mean, if we could all be tested, we'd probably all find our family roots linked to one race in one place.

Answer 2

Back in the bad old days, it varied by state. If a state had a law that said AA's could not marry whites, or could not vote, or could not become an officer in the State Militia, etc. etc., then they would follow it with a fraction to define "*****", anywhere from 1/8th to 1/64th. Some laws would say "so much as a drop of ***** blood . . .", which would be incredibly difficult to prove.

Assuming 30 years per generation, on average, if you were this fraction, the AA in your family would be born:

1/2 = 30 years before you (ie, one of your parents)
1/4 = 60 years before you (one grandparent)
1/8 = 90 years
1/16th = 120
1/32 = 150
1/64 = 180
1/128 = 210

(If you had 3 AA gg-grandparents and 15 European ones, you'd be 3/16th AA.)

Today, for affirmitive action, they go with what you consider yourself to be unless there is an objection. If a blonde-blue eyed man named Olaf Olafsen claimed to be Black and applied for an NAACP scholarship, there would be objections.

From looking at children of friends who are in mixed marriages I'd say that anyone with 1/16th or less who considers himself AA (or Chinese or Norwegian, for that matter) is fooling themselves, and if someone who is 1/8th AA and 7/8th European wants to be considered AA he should probably introduce himslef as one.

Answer 3

Your race has more beneficial to do with the way you look, than who you extremely ARE. regrettably, that's in basic terms how that's continually been. in case you look such as you've African ancestry, then you definitely have continually been dealt with as African American in this u . s .. there isn't any "kin tree Card" that you'll be able to pull out of your wallet and use to reveal those that you're actual 20% this and 60% that and 20% this. that's all about the way you look. in the 50s and 60s, in case you appeared Black, you probably did not get to vote. no matter if you've been 30% black, 70% white. in case you had darkish skin and kinky hair, you probably did not get to bypass to the all-white college in spite of your household historic previous. that's all about appearances. that's secure to assert say that President Obama would not look White. So he has been dealt with as and considered as a a black guy all his existence. that's in simple terms NOW that he's president that each and each body is more beneficial in touch in exploring his historic previous. If he had develop right into a automobile mechanic, or a legal professional, or a clinical professional or instructor (not something incorrect with those) he'd in basic terms been considered as a black guy. no one ought to ask him about his parental historic previous before determining a thanks to label him. They base it on what they SEE.

Answer 4

Ever hear of "the one-drop rule"? One drop of African blood and you're considered black, but you must be one quarter Native American in ONE tribe to be considered a Native American Indian. Go figure...

Have you found an African American ancestor yet? Just curious...

Answer 5

Most blacks in America who were not born in Africa dont pratice African culture, becouse they are Americans and only know American culture. Now "African American" is just a name adopted for blacks by the whites when it became a crime to call them nigro. An african american must be born of black perents who are from africa or are decendants of slaves brought to America from Africa.

Answer 6

Hm. Good question. I guess I would consider myself at least part no matter what the fraction was. My b/f is about 25% Native American and that's all he classifies himself as because he doesn't know the fractions of his other heritage!! I consider myself Italian, though I am many other things.

Answer 7

My ancestry includes Hawaiian, Irish, European, Portuguese, and who knows what else. I do not consider myself anything other than American. Not Hawaiian American, not European American, etc... My parents and their parents were all born in America, therefore I am American. If you were not born of African parents (That means your parents were born in Africa...) then you cannot truly call yourself African-American. You are American. That is all. Do you speak Swahili? I doubt it. If you can't speak the native language, then you are not a native of that country.

Answer 8

43% or 3 or 4 generations

Answer 9

I'd say one percent.

All sources that I have ever read say that if one has any African heritage, he is considered African American.

Answer 10

To be a certain heritage, it has to have been found in previous generations that link you directly to that heritage and you practice their beliefs, religion, customs, OR traditions, there isn't a certain percent to claim it, it could be from 1% to 99.9%