I'm white and I was born and raised in South Africa. I'm now an American citizen. Am I African American

Question

It seems that in American this term relates to skin color. As a white man from South Africa I am more African than most black Americans. Should I refer to myself as African American or would this offend black Americans? Can you help me resolve this paradoxical situation?

Answer 1

Yes, you are. You were born there, and I wasn't. I hate it when people call me African-American. It's like, no one is my family as been a full-blooded African for 300 years! I am not African! I don't know anyone there, and niether does anyone in my family. Jeez.

Answer 2

It most often relates to skin color but not always. I and my white ancestors have been in this country since the early 1800s. I call myself an American, not a white or European American. If you choose to be called and African American you might consider calling yourself a White African American so people will understand you are not Black African American who is light skinned, or just let them guess. Since you are a legal Citizen I would have no problem with calling you simply American. People loose the concept of what it means to be American. I feel personally that the only people who have a moral right to designate their origins is the American Indian and even they put American first.

Answer 3

If you are from South Africa you are an "African". You just happen to be in America. If you have parents from Africa and you were born in America then you would be an African-American. It doesn't seem right, but it is. The same is true if there is a black person who comes here from France, for example. He is French. If his parents came to America from France, he would be French-American. color really has nothing to do with it.

Answer 4

You are a TRUE African American!

I hate it when ppl call me African American, I have never been to Africa but I am an American! Just because my ancestors came from different parts of Africa doesn't make me an African.

Answer 5

In this day and age it probably would be OK to say that. But to be precise, an African American is really someone who wasn't just born in Africa but is African by race and culture. [meaning their parents and descendants were African] and they now live in America.

Answer 6

A friend of mine is from Algeria (which is in Africa) and he looks exactly like a white American. He still refers to himself as an African-American because thats what he is. You shouldn't hide anything.

Answer 7

You should refer to yourself as simply "American." My Grandparents did this after the took the oath of citizenship. They considered Belgium the "Old country" African American is a silly way to refer to someones skin color.

Answer 8

I think that you are more an African American than I am.

Answer 9

haha yea u right. u are african american coz u are an american from africa. i really dont understand why americans call us black people 'african american' in the UK they dont say, 'african british' . the real 'african americans' were the first black people in america, the black people now are just 'american' or black.
so technically u right..

but jus dont say that in public

Answer 10

well you would think you would be but in America its all about skin color so no you are not african american. you are jus white. i personally feel yu shud call yourself whatever you want. go ahead and call yourself african american. i mean really you are african and now also an american. =]