Is African-American still the correct term for blacks in the U.S.?

Question

I only ask because I've heard more than one black commentator in the U.S. point out that Barak Obama's African heritage makes him different - his family's "different experience" - from that of, apparently, other "African-Americans."

Answer 1

No I am not African American I am American My history sadly enough begins here so this is what I represent. Call me black if it makes you feel better, but I am as American as you. Obama may not have descended from slave trades, many other black Americans may have not either, it's not history that hunts us,we can chance that, but we cant for get it because it give us a understanding of our position in America today

Answer 2

no one will ever be satisfied with how to classify black people. I prefer black,myself, though it doesn't mean necessarily African-american...it just means black.
Barak was born and raised in America...he knows what it means to be an american, to be black and to be a black american.
No single kind of blackness can be declared as the most genuine or purest of the black experience....there have been mixed race people of black (african and american born) and white (european and american born) people since the beginning of America....so he is not so unusual as some might want to make him.

Answer 3

African-American is still the *politically correct term for black people in the U.S.* Notice that I used the phrase "politcally correct" instead of correct. There is no "correct" term for people with golden brown to ight brown skin in the U.S.
I just liked to be called African-American, because I really am one. My parents are from African and I was born in the U.S.
But that is my personal liking.

Answer 4

White people still use it, because they walk on eggshells. But black people like to think of themselves as black. The whole deal with Barak Obama is that he is not decendent of slaves - he is decendent of a native african. So, he does not have the same sense of heritage that goes along with the suffering caused to the slaves ripped from their homes and forced to live a life without freedom. Many black people (truly african-american) decendent from americans stolen from africa so not feel like its fair to consider Barak 'one of them'. Although I can somewhat get where they are coming from, I feel that this just perpetuates the suffering of the culture - instead of embracing everyone as one, and trying to build a future of cohesion - not building an even stronger wall of separatism.

Answer 5

Why call it anything other than American? My parents and brother were born in Belgium, now citizens here, we do not call ourselfs Belgian Americans. We don't call orientals Asian Americans. I know people that are of African American heritage that are as fair skinned as Caucasians, so why should they be called black. We are one nation, we do not have to define race, we are Americans.

Answer 6

I guess. But next time I am filling out a form that asks for heritage I will NOT check the "White" box (gosh, it so offensive!). I will write in my own box for European-American.

I really dont see why people make a big deal out of this and are "offended" to be called black. Are they ashamed of being black or what? I havent seen a white person making a big deal out of being called white. Thats what it is. People need to stop being big drama queens/kings and stop making life more complicated than it already is.

Answer 7

Neither. Have you noticed that no one is really BLACK? Good God, they would look like a coal miner or something. And when is the last time you actually someone with WHITE skin that wasn't an albino? I just don't understand why we can't all be Americans. (?)

Answer 8

That is because his father is African not American.