how many generations until you're not allowed to call yourself a, say, italian american?

Question

how many generations until you're not allowed to call yourself a, say, italian american and are just an american? if there is none then arent we all african americans since scientists think that the first homosapien was from africa? would it be wrong for me to write 'african american' on a job or college application? what if you're a white person born in africa and an american citizen? are you still an african american?

Answer 1

As soon as you become a citizen. If you are born here then you are an American, period... nothing in front of it. That whole "hyphenated American" thing is stupid!

Answer 2

If you are white and born in Africa you should by all means put African-American on a job application if it helps you get the job.

Answer 3

Here's the deal. If your parents were born in Italy, and came to America and gave birth to you, they are Italian American. You are not. You are American. You have Italian American ancestry, but you are American. In reality, most African Americans are just Americans with African descent. It's time for people to realize this. My family originated in Spain, but I did not. I'm not Spanish American, I'm just American.

Answer 4

Just an American whos family originated in Italy!

Answer 5

I like your last question best. And to answer that, I would say yes. In regard to affirmative action, census, and other racially based issues, you would still be white.

In regard to your first question, your ancestry will always be Italian for as far back as you can trace. So, your known ancestry is Italian.

We really will never know if we all descended from Africa. It is a reasonable theory, but for now, it cannot be proven. It would bother me to think of my wife as a distant relative of mine.