Can you really say that black people are really African anymore?

Question

In America, it seems most black people have white in them. They don't really look like Africans, at least the ones I have met in person or have seen on the TV. Most African Americans appear white or Native American to me. Am I wrong in coming to this conclusion?

In other words, they look black, but they seem to have a mix.

Answer 1

Africans on the Continent come in all complexions -- you should take a closer look at Africa. There are native sub-Saharan Africans with really light complexions. Africa is a huge diverse continent. Think of Somalia. Somalis are lighter than most African Americans and their features are very similar to asian. I seriously doubt that there are many characteristics among African americans that cannot be found in Africa.

Answer 2

Well, you also have to take into account a lot of African 'blacks' are not soley black either. Because of European and Indian influence a lot of Africans are mixed as well. But I understand the point you are trying to make and I agree. It's just an issue/term of being politically correct. I actually get offended when someone refers to me as African American because I feel as if they're trying to protect my feelings from being called anything else.

Honestly, as cliche as this may sound, we're all American. A black person in Costa Rica or Great Britain would just be Costa Rican or British. Why stress race, you know?

Answer 3

Well those that I see as black...well look black. Others that could be identified as a mixed heritage, then I can't quite tell and don't even try to guess what they are... Not my business anyhow.

Anyone who was born here is American, like the rest of us. It may not be a bloodline, but American is still our birth heritage. Most of them are probably no more truly connected to Africa then American whites are to Europe...we're all different people now...

Answer 4

No of course not! They have nothing which they can say that makes them African. They only do it to uplift themselves. They used to be called ni**ers, then they were colored, then black, then afro-American, now they are African-American. It is just the black persons attempt to place themselves higher on the human tree of life. When they wear those African getups they are trying to make us believe that they are somehow decended from some African royalty. I find it comical!The ones you see most on TV are VERY light skinned. Especially in commercials or in shows in which the networks want to have white viewers. The networks think that if they show a person whom you cannot really tell what they are it somehow sells better than if they were to use a black person who is say 400 lbs. very dark skinned long armed and has the facial characteristics of an African mountain gorrilla. Using these light skinned almost white looking blacks gets Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton off their ***, while at the same time saying that "yeah, we use blacks all the time on TV".

Answer 5

Black people are descendants of former slaves in the U.S. African Americans are people from Africa who have gained U.S. citizenship. At least 85% of blacks in the U.S. are 15-25% white, others are less or more. A third of the White population is Afro-centric.

Answer 6

Wow, what a good question.

I suppose that Black people in America will always be identified with Africa.

This is good because otherwise African-American roots would only be associated with negative aspects of slavery...rather than the richness of Africa and all its mystery.

Answer 7

I have a white friend whose father is from South Africa. My friend was born in the States, but he is first generation (on his father's side). Technically, he is African-American, but he's white. I do think this term is silly because the families of most people who apply it to themselves have been in this country for hundreds of years (albeit most by force). While I understand that we need to know this history in order to keep from repeating it, I don't think it should be obsessed over. All of us, both races, need to put it behind us in order to move forward. I think using this term keeps it in people's faces.

As someone else posted above, I am very proud of my Irish heritage but I recognize that I can no longer be called an Irish-American. I've been to Ireland and while much of their culture felt familiar, it was made very clear to me that I have no right to call myself Irish.

And anyone who thinks they are completely of only one race is kidding themself - we're all the product of generations of mixtures.

Answer 8

There is no race that is purely what it says. Do all of the Whites you have met, still look European? This isn't something that should be thought about when only referring to Blacks. You should take a hard a look to all races, when pondering that question.

Answer 9

Its this whole politically correct thing. I dont get why we do that, I dont call myself Irish American. I am an American, simple.

Answer 10

now you know that the slave owners did rape little african girls for two hundred years,but we are black African Americans no matter what way you look at it