Why is it that most of the people that I have encountered from that part of the world do not see African Americans as Black. As a visiter in Egypt I have constantly been told that I am not black, I am Arab or Iranian. Is this simply a problem that I have encountered or are African Americans viewed by the Africa and the Middle East as being something other than black. Maybe this issue has something to do with the fact that I am light brown skin, but then again so are just about over half of the population of African Americans; most of my family are either peacan brown or light brown. It is even worst when I have visited certian parts of kenya, some even call me an American white man. I REALLY WANTED TO KNOW HOW IN THE WORLD CAN THEY COME UP WITH THAT CONCEPT BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING ABOUT ME THAT LOOKS WHITE!!!!!!!!
Andre
2007-02-07 11:04:16 · 4 answers · asked by Andre L 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
Most Africans don't see Black Americans as African/Black. What they see is that we're of mixed ancestry and our nationality is American.
Remember that back in the slave days, Africans were at war with other tribes and the conquering tribe took the prisoners of war and sold them to the Dutch and Portuguese who then took them to the Americas in the slave trade.
No black American whose ancestors have been here since the 16 -1700's has pure ethnicity and that matters quite a bit to Africans and Middle Easterners.
Black Americans are accepting of Africans and Middle Easterners but it is not visa versa.
I have a doctor who's from Morocco and he once told me that he's more African than I am. This seems to be the typical mind set of Africans and Middle Easterners.
Don't worry about it, we've earned our stripes.
2007-02-07 11:18:23 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The culture difference is too extreme to really see the similiarities amongst African Americans and Africans, Middle Easterners, etc...
I can't believe the person above me thinks that AA are accepting of Africans! You will be hard pressed to find an agreeing African!
2007-02-07 17:30:21 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Extremely interesting. I have a friend who is fair skinned Black, as am I, and she said an African told her she was a "half caste." Go figure. It's funny the different perspectives people have.
2007-02-07 11:19:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
there is no one drop rule there! Thus, if you look mixed you are not considered black!
2007-02-07 11:18:30 · answer #4 · answered by ivana s 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋