Why call yourself "African American" and not just "American"?

Question

My family is Irish, but we don't call ourselves Irish Americans. I'm an American plain and simple. E-Pluribus Unum...Out of many, one. Or is it?

Answer 1

Exclusion versus inclusion. This hyphenated Americanism runs counter to the dream of one people and only hurts the ethnic groups who refuse to embrace this great country. Your point about E Pluribus Unum sums it up. Out of many one. Not out of many . . . many more. As Lincoln correctly said "a house divided cannot stand." The dream of America is the pursuit of freedom and a better life, not the pursuit of victim hood.
?Really "Irish Girl"?

Answer 2

I guess it would be a good way to unify the real native born Americans if we could get everyone born here to call themselves one name an American, and it would be a good start with the Afro-American culture, that way we can defuse the rise of the Hispanic element that are foreign and protest? Don't you think?
Or the other immigrants as well? It would be like if we were guests in their homes or country, we don't have those liberties now do we? so yes I agree. But I do believe the African American is saying to us that it is them first before the immigrants because they are deserving of this more than the others and they are tired of being over looked for the influx of the mass immigration of the hispanics to over throw their heritage here after all this time, don't you think it is a way of defending themselves? It might take some time before they drop that hyphenated word usage but we could help them you know by supporting our own people white black green or blue? The ones born here? I am a Native born here and I don't run around telling people on applications or in a common conversation to address a subject, Good luck

Answer 3

Great question!!!! I've always assumed it meant to be a term designed to separate "blacks" from "whites" as some form of protest. It should be noted that the term is mostly used by whites who "don't wish to be offensive" so they walk on eggs around blacks. This is a different form of racism, so I think that it is a racist term. I am American, though I am first generation American born. My Mother was born in Germany, but I will never call myself a German-American (being proud of ones German heritage is open an invitation for the weak minded to yell racist anyway). It is used by a political faction to constantly remind we whites of slavery. Therefore it is a term that is in no way "inclusive", just hostile. No one alive in America has ever owned slaves, and unless the black person is a recent immigrant from Africa, no black person alive in America ever was a slave. The term offends me because I see all citizens as Americans, I don't care where they came from. If they are here legally, they are Americans. They are very welcome to hold their national origin sacred and celebrate it,as well. That is what makes America the great nation it is. I refuse to feel guilty about slavery, no one in my family history ever owned slaves in the new world. If I wanted to feel guilty for something I had nothing to do with, I'd remember that , just maybe, I had distant relatives that were Nazis.

Answer 4

it's just another way to say black... is it that big of a deal?

I'm sure they call themselves American too... but it's just another way to describe themselves... it's not like you have to use one or the other?

you just said your family is Irish... why do you separate yourself from other Americans by saying that you're Irish?

let me guess? you're not separating yourself, you're just describing your heritage? right?

maybe that's all they are doing when they say African American?

you can say your Irish... and American... can they be African American... and American? I think so... I can't think of a reason why not?

I think you see a divide, where most people don't... you're creating definitions in your head basically...

the very root of America is being free... why can't they be free to call themselves what they want? most don't even care if you use African American or black?

I've never met any black people that think "African American" doesn't mean you're not still an American? which seems to be what you're implying?

Answer 5

Because it is better than all of the other derisive terms that have been used for us in the past. We were not the ones who originally began to label ourselves, we've been labeled in this country from the onset and continue to be so... For example if a school shooting happens in a majority white school and the victims and shooters are white, then no background information is typically given. On the other hand if there is violence in a majority African-American or black school (i don't really care which term is used) news articles always mention the race. It is not what we choose to be identified by, this is what this country has chosen for us. When I stop being introduced as "the black friend" or having comments made to me that I look good or I'm smart for a "black girl," then I suppose those terms will begin to fade away.

Answer 6

It's an alternative to the 'N' word.
They tried different things like Negroes and "colored people" or "people of color" or Black men, and the term Afro American or African American sounded more dignified or respect full. What would you call a white person who immigrated here from South Africa ???

Answer 7

you're no longer severe are you? Your "ninety 9.9% of blacks" statistic sounds unrealistic. There are African immigrants who come to the U.S. extensive-unfold so component a million is unproven. Plus archives are lies, no you are able to nevertheless properly count quantity a particular inhabitants, purely generalize with fairly suggestion. i think of you purely pulled yours out of your a**. Your 2 component Whites are called whites, Asians are called asians what the hell?! you purely reported those with a shade than a human beings descended from a continent. it style of feels notably common. after all Asians are no longer longer observed Oriental, it grow to be replaced to Asian American because of the fact Oriental is offensive (sounds like a form of rug...). Do you in addition to mght question using the words hispanic and latino/latina? Is it preferential therapy that they get 2 names? What approximately community human beings? maximum of them somewhat be called by way of their tribal names somewhat than Indian or community American... considering you're white, why might you care. it is not your concern you're in basic terms making it one.

Answer 8

because as much as i want to be just another American, most whites(not including you) will refuse to see me as such because of the color of my skin. now, over the years racist attitudes have added different components of discrimination to the American constitution. while as of now most have been removed, there still remain racist codes in the constitution chief of which is the 1% rule which states that any child with even as small as 1% black blood is automatically black. that means if a black person and a white person have a racially mixed child together, that child has at least 1% of the "dirt" black race so he's automatically denied any of his white heritage because that is a "pure" race. as long as rules like that exist all Americans will never be equal.

Now back to the question, why African American? because its less insulting than ****er, *****, co*n, and even black because were not chalkboard black, were brown and in some cases really dark brown. but yeah i have a lot of respect for you for asking this question. it takes a real person to ask a real question.

Answer 9

I call myself American. And when I refer to my color I use "black". Black is better term because it refers to blacks without stripping us of our American identity. The term African-American implies that we'll never truly be American because we'll always have a hyphen attached to us.

Oh yeah and what's wrong with ***** and Colored? They used to be polite terms until the 70s when some idiot randomly decided that they were wrong. And now "people of color" is acceptable but not "colored"? Give me a break.

Answer 10

I say black...call me racist if you want, but I have never met a black person from Africa. If I can be called white, then it is my right to call a black person black. It's not offensive. And I don't expect people to call me European American. My ancestors are from Europe, but I'm proud to be American.