Do you think that they should change the "race" African American in the US?

Question

My main problem with this word is firstly, Africans and Black Americans do not look a like, at all. Secondly, the majority of the "African Americans" are not even from Africa. I mean, MAYBE their ANCESTORS were from Africa, like five hundred years ago, but that is just pretty stupid if you think about it. It is like someone claiming to be Mexican all because their great, great, great, great, great Grandmother was from Mexico. How come this does not apply to anyone else, but "African Americans" in America?

And for that matter, since the human race was formed in "africa" EVERYONE should be African. And I hate it how people refer to a contentient as a race. Africa is a NOT A COUNTRY OR A RACE. Anyone can be from Africa and they are STILL AFRICAN.

Answer 1

I knew some "white" people years ago who moved to Africa, for whatever reason..I didn't ask. They took their "white American" children with them, and while they were there, children were born. Now, these "white" children are true Africans, being born there. If these children would then come to America, and have children, would these children born in America, then have to be called "African Americans?" The whole thing is blown out of proportion, and we are all Americans, regardless of race, color, religion.. let's be proud of it and quit our nick picking. As long as we keep pushing ourselves away from others, we will be segragated.

The irony of the whole thing is, that true Americans are Canadians, Mexicans, and the people from the US, all from North America, and then we also have South America. All of them are Americans. Yet only the people from the US call themselves Americans. Canadians have the right to call themselves Canadian Americans, because they are. Same with the Mexicans, true Mexican Americans. And all of South America.
People born in the US are just "American" unless you want to call them United States Americans.
Let's just get off this whole name calling bit, and grow up. Until we do, there will be no peace amongst us.

Answer 2

I am still trying to decide if I like your question!!! Do you know why African American was chosen in the first place? What does Black American represent?? For that matter what does white american represent?? Here's the deal. Out of all the races or better yet ethnic groups that are here in America, African Americans are the only ones who don't have ties to the heritage. The term African American is thus used to give future generations somewhere to look back to when it comes to lineage. It was also put into play to generate some type of pride among an ethnic group that has been so devasted by its past, and I am not just referring to slavery. The more generations that pass, the more the struggles of my fore fathers are forgotten. And don't give me that crap about what schools are teaching. If my people had enslaved another ethnic group, history would have been recorded differently, don't you think. I have not heard anyone complain when Italian Americans, German Americans, Chinese Americans, etc. etc. are used. Most of the ethnic groups have a way to trace there lineage and thus have pride in where they came from. It is funny that you mentioned that Africans and African Americans look different. Could it be that being mixed in with many other ethnic groups has caused a change in looks. Let's face it, slave master made a few trips to the female slaves quarters. Over the years, the fact that interacial relationships have developed has lended to change in appearance. So why is it so wrong for a race of people to try to lay claims on where they came from? You say it's stupid to claim heritage through ancestory. Last time I checked, if your great, great, great, great grandmother was Mexican, then depending on the choices you relative's made you are atleast part Mexican. It just doesn't apply to African-Americans but anyone who wants to trace back their roots. I think that once again, the race of people who is always judge for their choices is African Americans. I think some of you would be happy if we went back to just calling ourselves colored again. Let it go, there are more important things than worrying about the identifying name to my race. I am not black, my skin color is brown but I am not a brown american am I? Africans have many different skin colors so I am cool with African American. My arguement holds true with White Americans too. But you see European Americans have the advantage of narrowing their ancestory to a specific country where as a lot of African Americans lose there heritage somewhere in the middle passage. I know because that is where my ancestory stops. No other records can be found so I guess I am stuck with African American.

And for the ignorant responder who dropped the N-bomb, yeah you got some black blood in you too. Your relatives was the main one trying to get so black stuff. Hell you probably been trying to get it too!!!

Answer 3

African American specifically describes Black Americans. It's a cultural migration back to the homeland that our ancestors were yanked away from.

Answer 4

There is only one race, and that is the human race. If we need to break it down, we should do so by calling us all Americans. If we break it down any further, we will never see each other as simply Americans. We will always see each other's small differences first.

Answer 5

I agree, I don't like being called "African-American" that is a stupid term that idiot Jessee Jackson came up with. Anyone who is born in America should be called American no matter your skin color.

Answer 6

Perhaps the choices should be
Caucasian
Mongoloid
*******
Mulatto
Quadroon
Octoroon

Or perhaps the model from apartheid South Africa should be used and the country should be divided into
White
Black
Or
Colored

Why should the Govenment be concerned with what race people are anyway?

Answer 7

That's it, past and today blacks we're not just anybody. We, our mothers, their mothers, and their mothers and fathers were tortured because they had black skin. Whites seperated and attacked blacks in the past because they had black skin. All blacks are a separate branched 5th generation (descendant) of Africans that were captured, enslaved and remained in America.

Answer 8

who says i call african americans that ? i call them Black..

I think people say African American because they think saying BLACK is racists which is NOT.

I'm white.. and they are black.. simple as that. if i have to start calling them African American.. then they have to call be European American.. or Caucasian.. and thats just retarded cuz i'm from the US.. just like them

Answer 9

KIS just call them American once they have American citizen or are born in the US.

Answer 10

If you were born in America, you are American. Nothing more, nothing less.

To continue to call ones self anything different would be self-repressing.