Why are so many offended by the term "African-American?"?

Question

According to Stuart B. Flexner's "I Hear American Talking," p. 53, the term dates to 1863 and was "used by northerners, or to refer to free blacks during slavery."

I never really heard this term until the late 1980s. But I'm always amazed that many people have a problem with this term. I'm black, AA or American, I use all three to describe myself. I often hear "Why can't you just be American?" But I know that many people in America wave foreign flags and refer to themselves as Greek, Dutch, English, Irish, German, etc. Many people celebrate St. Patrick's Day and Columbus Day, two people who never set foot in the United States. So if that is acceptable, what is wrong with "AA?" I get the feeling sometimes that people think when you say you're AA you do so with anger and rage about past injustice. In other words, I'll tell you you're black, but don't say it yourself.

I ask this question seriously and I make these comments with absolutely no malice or racial hatred. Peace

Answer 1

to me the term a.a. just seems so self-righteous and outdated. my father is jamaican and my mother is caucasian. i would much rather call myself half-black than half-african-american.

i dont know, however, anyone whos offended by the term african-american. but, personally, i dont prefer it.

Answer 2

I am white and I have Irish, German, and Indian in me. Yet, I have to say I am white. I wish I could say I am Irish or German, but I have been branded "white". I have a sister who has two mixed children and her fiance is African American really. He is in Africal right now in the marines, and when he comes home, he is getting my sister and niece and nephew and they are going back to live for a while. I live in a community to where you either white or black. Some people use the term African-American. But my black friend told me that she was not African-American b/c she was not from Africa and it is stupid for people to say they are when only their ancestors were. So I don't know. I feel you completely. Who cares what the world says. If you like saying you are African-American, then be African-American. Your question can not really be answered because just when you think that people will give you a break, something always screws up. So I say forget what others think. If it makes me happy then that is all that matters. I hope I could help you.

Answer 3

That’s weird, because I have yet in my life in the United States been referred to as an American. OTHERS always apply the hyphen to me. So it now seems weird that those same others would be offended if I used it myself.

Which I usually don't. I consider myself black more than African American, because

1. My ancestors have been in American for a very, very long time. They are also a mixture of peoples not found on the African continent, and are pretty removed from the cultures that they may have come from

2. Africa is a continent. a large one. And unlike India, they haven't historically tried to combine themselves into one country. Ethiopia is very different from Malawi which is different from Kenya, etc. The use of the term "African American" just furthers the notion that Africa is a combined union of states, not a very diverse continent. I've always insisted that if i get called African American, then whites should be European American, Mediterranean American, Middle Eastern American, and "Asian" Americans should also immediately bring to mind those from the Indian subcontinent as well.

Answer 4

I don't think there is one reason why some people don't like it.
(myself not included...I just don't care...I will call people what they like.)
But I think some of the reasons are...first off, you don't always know who wants to be called Black and who wants to be called African American. I have used both and have been corrected. I have also seen the knowing smile when I use the words African American in the presence of an African American...which could make a person uncomfortable.
I think the other reason is that not everyone with dark skin is a decendant of Africa and there you get corrected by Islanders etc. You can't look at me and know I am an Irish/English American...so I think that is why we skip that in our caucasian American culture. It doesn't make sense. I mean who would know if I was German or Italian? Also there are many, many bi-racial couples and it is going to be harder to know in the very near future, who wants to be refered to as African American and who just wants to skip it. Heck, if we were to go there, my step daughters son, who is very dark skinned for a bi-racial baby should be called an African/Finnish/English American. But most people will probably call him African American.
Also, for the elderly, they have been through so many different "politically correct" terms that they don't even know what to say anymore. I don't think many of them have a clue that ***** isn't correct anymore than calling an Asian an "Oriental" is correct. But they are offended to have something they have known as correct be pointed out to them as not just wrong but offensive.
I think it is just a tippy toe situation and I also think it would help the situation (in a perfect world) if EVERY African American agreed to the words African American, because they just don't.

Answer 5

The term does not upset me... it just doesn't fit me. I am a black man.. born and raised in the United States. Defended her for 21 years...

I have never been to Africa, nor have any of my family members. Except those that came or were brought here (I don't know which) however many generations ago.

In the almost 5 decades I have been around I have been referred to as colored, *****, black and African-American... I'm not sure why we find it necessary to categorize people by race.

If I move to Mexico and change my citizenship what will I be called then? African-American-Mexican?

WOW... Double Hyphen!!!

Answer 6

Because the term means an African, who has changed citizenship to become an American, despite their color.
Charlize Theron for example is a good example of an African American. Born in S.Africa and moved to America.

In my opinion, blacks in America should just go by American, or if they want to be distinguished, they can then be black Americans.

African does not mean "black". There's some tribes in Africa who are not even black!!

Answer 7

I'm honestly trying to understand why you're having to describe yourself or remind people so often of your ethnic background. It sounds like you might have a chip on you shoulder...and don't know it, or you're close to having an inferiority complex. I can't think of a reason why you should, but if you're always in situations where you have to announce what you are, just do it without being defensive and move on. I really think you're worried about the wrong thing. Don't be so serious. Best wishes.

Answer 8

properly, every physique has their reason yet i'm not indignant of the two simply by fact I even have been talked approximately as worst. i'm the two. i exchange into born as a guy or woman of colour, so if every physique prefer to call me colored then that's ok. there are various colorings that has come from the colour black. Black is a formidable colour and it stands for power and sweetness. it is likewise a dominate colour. So in the event that they like to call me black, then that's totally properly to. i'm a African American additionally. My ancestors are organic Africans to the bone. even if the blood has been tampered with and there are different races in my blood, i'm a black African American woman it is merely happy to be a man or woman and so happen to be a man or woman. i exchange into born and has habitnated in u.s. all of my existence so as that makes me an criminal African American that may not be able to return to Africa simply by fact I even have never been there earlier. I even have discovered additionally that i'm not a guy or woman of low character yet of intense standards and huge expectancies out of existence which could love every physique in spite of the colour of their epidermis. in element of certainty that i be responsive to who i'm and that's all that counts.

Answer 9

Frankly, I believe that identifying oneself as a hyphenated American is somewhat divisive. I understand that this may not be your intent when identifying yourself as an -American. However, it does seem to imply that you are something other than a "Regular" American and, perhaps, should be afforded some additional consideration that the rest of us aren't.

Personally, I share Dr. King's dream where all men are judged by the depth of their character and not the color of their skin. Your ethnic heritage is probably pretty apparent by your physical attributes. However, I understand that sometimes it is appropriate to identify your race (although I look forward to a day when that information is irrelevant). In such situations I believe it more appropriate to use a categorization that is specific to race rather than one that divides us into sub-classes of American citizens.

Answer 10

Because the majority of Black people are American born. They were not born, no did they ever live (or visit) Africa. People don't refer to me as "Scottish Canadian". You don't hear people calling whites, Euro American...unless of course they are debriefing research experiements or findings.