African-American?

Question

Is it offensive to call a black-american, african-american? I don't see how it is. I just think people need to stop running away from their ancestry. I know some Filipinos who do not want to be called Asian anymore because they are from an Island. The true is they are of Asian ancestry and Spanish ancestry. Blacks refusing to be African-Americans while the truth is blacks from the U.S. where african slaves sent here. They may not be of entirely african descent but they do have african blood flowing their veins. Carribbeans, were the last african slaves brought to the Americas so they are still of african descent. I don't see why people want to deny their ancestry. The majority of Mexicans are of a blend of Spanish and Native American descent, how come very few actually identify as being so?

Answer 1

Is it offensive to me? No. Is it annoying to me? Yes. Just because I might have some bit of African blood in me from somewhere along the line does not make me totally African. I am Jamaican, Irish and Indian so I would prefer to be called black in terms of race. Seriously if you want to go that route, lets talk about evolution (which I don't even believe in) which claims we all originated in Africa so lets just call everyone African. Beyond that, for the most part we don't go around calling white americans some European American. Why is that those who aren't european have to be African American, or Mexican American or Chinese American ect? That's where it becomes annoying. I was born here so just call me American not African American, okie dokie?

Answer 2

It isn't offensive to call somebody black ,white,asian or whatever but it depends on when and how we say it.During tennis matches involving a black example Serena or Venus against a white but naturalized American,you will hear the commentators saying " the match is between America's Sharapova and African-American Serena or Venus Williams." is it so difficult to just call Serena or Venus Americans? Is it that,people are just comfortable with calling a naturalized alien their own than someone who has had his/her 2 generations or more born and bred here?
I am an African and won't expect to be called an American without African attached because i have my African citizenship and American but my worry is that,why can't white Americans call blacks Americans and just call Africans who migrated here on their own?

Your question is much of an arrogance.Not every black living outside Africa has slavery roots.Some Caribbeans have dark skin because of the weather.South America is somehow within the TROPICAL zone.Africans are black because it is centered in the tropical zone.Not all Africans are blacks,black Africans are originally from the sub-Saharan region and that's where the EQUATOR passes through.
I guess you need a lot of work on evolution but most "MUTATION" and "HEREDITARY"

Answer 3

It is not offensive to call someone of African descent African-American if they were born in the US. In fact, that has become the preferred description. However, sometimes there is misunderstanding if, for example, you used that term to describe someone of color who was Jamaican, Trinidadian, Barbadian, Antiguan, etc. That is because each nationality is so proud of their own country that they want to be identified as such.

Just because the person is "black" does not automatically make him or her African-American unless they were born in the US. As confusing and irritating as it may sound, think about this: If you were born in the US and went to the Caribbean, you would most likely not accept being called Jamaican, Trinidadian, Bahamian, etc since you were not born in those countries. You would probably make it clear that you are American, Canadian, etc. On top of that, in the Caribbean, there are different races, White (from any number of European backgrounds), Chinese, East Indian (Indo-Jamaican, Indo-Trinidadian), Afro-Caribbean people, etc. People often make the mistake of assuming that everyone from the Caribbean is of African descent and that is incorrect. You might hear them all speaking with the same accent, but they could be descendants of British, Irish, German, French, Indian, Chinese. Some could be blonde-haired, blue eyed people who have always married within their own races and kept their own sub-cultures alive within those other cultures. Would it make sense for them to claim to be African descendants when they are not? So in some cases, it might not be a matter of people denying their heritage. It is often a case of people being "put in a box" once they arrive in the US, which happens to be a society that is obsessed with race. Some of those people probably never even had to give much thought to what race they were prior to entering the US, then once they arrived here, they were forced to choose a race, choose a side.

Can you imagine being a white, blonde, blue eyed Jamaican speaking with a heavy Jamaican accent and having to constantly explain that you are not of African descent (your long line of family were Germans), or that you are not African-American? Or can you imagine being a Haitian-Chinese, speaking Creole and French and Americans are left wondering, "What the heck???" Who.....What??? You see, it is a very complex issue.

Answer 4

I think many people are missing the mark. African American is a term of racial and national identity and pride. Being American is our national identity. Black is purely a colour, just as White. These colours do not have a history tied to them such as Chinese Americans (Asians) or White Americans (Europeans). Titles are cultural. Brazil has tons of categories for people with African heritage, it is according to how light or dark the person is, if that person's hair is curly or straight.....Some India (from India) call themselves Black and they have no African heritage. Tiger Woods might use the term Afroeuroasian, some have a problem with it, but it is who he is and no one can take away his bloodline. If we really broke this into a science we would find most African American or Black Americans have traces of European blood, African blood and Asian (Native Americans) So what is really in a name? It is up to the individual I think. Some want to celebrate their racial heritage and others want to run away from it. At the end of the day we are human beings and no one has the right to define another's heritage. Many are doing the DNA test to trace their African tribal linkage. Oprah did it and found she had tied to Liberia.

Answer 5

So I have been talking about this with my boyfriend for a while, I am so glad you brought this up!!
I don't think they are denying their culture by any means! Why can't we all just be Americans?.. I mean you don't call me Irish American or Austrian American so why is there an African American. My opinion is that if you were born in and raised in the good Ol' USA then you are American whether you are white or black or whatever.... we are all American YES its that simple!!

Answer 6

I thought the the term was African American anyway. I'm just black.

Answer 7

No it is not offensive to call me a African American considering everything else I,ve been call all my life .Lets start with the N word ***** , colored, Black, the best one is Afro American this is funny so what your telling me is that if in the 60,s if black people did not ware their hair in a Afro this name would not have come about tell me what does our hair have to do with what we are every one is still trying to figure out who we are .. Let me help we are African Americans it,s that simple most of us have never been to Africa and most will never go there and most don,t know where Africa is on the map

Answer 8

I had a talk with this black girl about what she thinks of her origins. SHE ACTUALLY THOUGHT BLACKS ORIGINATED FROM HERE. LOL LMFAO I asked her how she feels about her african background. her exact words, " I ain't african.....most black people came from america."

Answer 9

Wait a minute.........

Caribbeans were the last african slaves brought to the Americas? I must have still been in Trinidad when this occurred lol....That is not how it happened.

Youre not very smart. Caribbeans were not BROUGHT here.

You have no claim here. You are European-American.


Furthermore; Why dont you go and HAUL YA MUDDA SCUNTS!!!!?

Lets see if the Whites and African Americans can translate that last one ;);)...

Answer 10

its not offensive, but it makes you sound .... well... wack - for lack of a better word (to a Black person).