why are blacks called ''african'' americans but whites are just called americans?

Question

i've noticed that only black people and people who are decendant from other countries are called by that. whites were not originally from america either so why arent they called europeans americans or british americans?in my eyes regardless of where your culture descents from, if you were born in america, then you are simply american and nothing else. help me out.

Answer 1

The short answer is cultural conditioning.

When a person (or group) thinks that they are "better" than another group...more "important" than another group...when one group thinks that they are "separate" from another group, then it's easy to have a very "self-centric" view of the world.

Newcomers to North America saw themselves as "superior" to the natives here. Rather than choosing to see themselves as "connected" to...."related" to the natives, they chose to see themselves as "better than", "apart from" and "superior to" them. They then began their rape, pillage, destruction...."conquest" of this "new" world.

"To the victor go the spoils" says the quote. The conquerors began to write / re-write the history from their perspective. Instead of a "human-centric" perspective, we get a "euro-centric" view of the world. It has been this way since the first Europeans came here.

I appreciate your question. It shows, to me, that you are thinking. You are intelligent.

Instead of the logical position your question suggests, calling those of European descent "European Americans", let's start something new. Let us all be known by the only race we truly are: HUMAN.

If we MUST label one another, let the only label we use be "friend". Any other labels of race, color, country of origin only serve to highlight differences and draw "lines"...create separation.

I wish you Peace, friend.

Answer 2

B/c we whites are really boring, and unexciting. Coming from Africa or someplace else is really exciting sounding. Of course I guess I could call myself half german,little swedish, little dutch white American. But that would be too long don't ya think. Then I could call myself offwhite pinkish hues American. Would that help?
Real Reasson: I guess it's b/c hundreds of years about the Euripean American's brought over the African's from Africa. Then after the revolution and beyond the Eurpians adopted the whole African American thing. Since Martin Luthor was proud of his hertiage I don't see much of a problem. Yes I agree we're all Americans.
The end.

Answer 3

America is a very young country with very little long-term heritage (at least, in the sense of other countries which were settled MUCH longer ago than America). People like to have a sense of where they've come from. That's why you see people calling themselves "African-American," or "Asian-American," or "Irish-American," etc.

Everyone in America is, as you called it, descended from someone from another country. Even the American Indians are originally from Asia, (though from much longer ago, obviously).

Answer 4

Well, much of the impetus behind the use of the term "African-American" seems to stem from many years ago, in a desire by blacks and others to distinguish U.S.-born blacks as a separate cultural and ethnic identity.

Maybe the reason whites are called, simply "Whites" (based solely on color) is that their origins are from a wider geographic location.

Answer 5

Whites are a very large group of different people stereotyped and put into one neat catergory. It would be harder to play the race card if we werent lumped together like that. So its more out of convenice, 75 years ago Italians werent considered white, In fact, 75 years ago the Irish werent considered white. White is obiviously a term to lump the Majority together to place stereotypes upon people who couldn't be more different.

Answer 6

My husband has blonde hair and blue eyes and is an immigrant from Rhodesia-doesn't that make him an African-American? Actually, I think each new politically correct term is thought up to applease peoples feelings mostly and generalizes alot of people.

Answer 7

I call all Americas.. well American. I think its an old-fashioned term but I know some Americans who call themselves African American because they are proud of their African history.

Answer 8

as some of the fews few here point out, you are waay wrong.

The list can go on and on, if one really wished to.

PS if we're all just plain ol unhyphenated Americans, why do some Americans get treated differently than others?

Answer 9

that's true.. but it's for race reasons.. it use to be black and white.. but the African Americans didn't appreciate being called black so they fought for a more politically correct term and that was what was decided on..... now.. whites.... you'll see Caucasian sometimes.. and sometimes you still see white or white(non hispanic)

Answer 10

Because the majority of caucasians in the US won't call themselves Euro-Americans. Sounds too pretentious. And now, there are some caucasians who are from S. Africa wh call themselves African-American. Just depends.