Should I stop calling myself black since I'm African and the only one in my family that is not in the..?

Question

..African continent right now? This is my third question regarding this issue and I promise not to post more about this issue in the future. Infact this time the question is in response to this one http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AoLhDBipb2Zaz.bnkASf4Nfz7BR.;_ylv=3?qid=20070928160111AA8g28t

What do you think?

Addicted To Abercrom…, yes I'm African butr which blacks are people talking aboutr when they say "blacks excel at sports but ... [fill in yourself]" etc. etc.

LikeI said befor, it's all become very confusing and understandably so. We are living in vey difficult times politically, economically and in every way. Alot neesds to be revised and very fast and this is where all the temporary ( I hope so) confusion is coming from. I will leave it at that 'coz I know you understand.

Illiana P., I don't live in America.

peaches6, I didn't say I was ashamed of being called black because that's what we've been called since I arrived where i live. And that's what I am. Even when I tried telling people that I'm actually brown in colour (even here on Yahoo Answers when I was still new on it) people said "nope you are black". I remember answering that we are not going to relearn colours as adults. Anyway it is all totally confused but I will not allow to lose myself, I know who I am.

baby_love_marybeth, I would love so much for that beautiful theory to be a reality but very very sadly indeed it isn't . Very sad. Very sad indeed.

allusian_fields, I have replied to someone above that I am African, living somewhere in Europe. All my siblings, parents, ancestors and relatives are on the African conitnent right now.

Jello's Revenge, I will be honest with you and tell you that it hurts very much for the following words to come from you: ".. many Black people attach too much importance to skin color. It isn't really important unless people make it so". I hope you could bring yourself to understand what people have to face from others on grounds of colour. That's all.

Exactly DJH, I am African. It's the race that is black.

Answer 1

That's the whole point of the word "black"; it's universal and doesn't matter where you come from or from which continent; black is black is black

Answer 2

No,

The phrase African American is either for someone with dual citizenship or a person suffering from an identity crisis.

I agree with Whoopie Goldberg. "I'm an American, just an American." If you ask her if she is black she will agree, but she won't admit to being from Africa because that means I would have to call myself a Portuguese-Irish American and I have never been to either country, nor do I want to.

If you are a dark skinned American who is not Hispanic then you are BLACK. You are not blue, pink, African, Spanish, Mexican, or a native of Antarctica; you are simply black.

If you call an Jamaican an African you have just insulted them so why aren't you insulted when someone calls you an African American. You came from America, you don't have an identity crisis, you don't have African citizenship and you don't have any connection with Africa except for an accident of history, and accident that I share and I am white. But, humanity evolved in Africa so that makes all of us in some part Africans. Is that as stupid as it sounds to me? I am not an African, I am an American, and you are too. You just happen to be black as well, just like I happen to be white. Is that really important? Do you really care? Is my answer less valid because I am white? Or is it more valid because before I care about the color of your skin I care more about what nationality you are? I have a lot more in common with a black who was raised in America than with any African.

In a society that is trying its best to be color blind saying you are an African American is just rubbing in the fact that you ancestors were taken as slaves by some body else’s ancestors. Not my Ancestors, they weren’t in the US at the time, but because my skin is white you want to lump me in with the category of former slave owners. Because I live in the South you want to do so even more, although I was born in Washington State and when I lived in Alabama they called me a Yankee, even though Washington wasn’t a state during the Civil War. Prejudice is stupid, and when you try to bring more attention to it you are only insuring that it will continue. I hate the term African American. The white person you met was right the only people who can call themselves African Americans are those that have dual citizenship with the US and an African nation.

Answer 3

If you're African, you're African.

I'm Australian who lives in America. I dont refer to myself as American.

I may have misunderstood the question - you are from Africa, and moved to the US recently? Or your ancestors were from Africa, and you are American?

EDIT : Well, technically, I'm not "White" either, but that's what I get called. I'm a cream/pale camel colour I guess. People don't call you "Black" because they actually think you are the colour BLACK. And Brown is generally used for people like Mexicans. Its just used to differentiate races.

Answer 4

No because you are black whether your in Africa or America..Now once you pledge allegence to our flag you are American and should put no individual country above this one..

What would be your answer if someone asked what race you are?

EDIT: Actually if your in Europe call yourself whatever you want..In America BLACKS keep a united front, things may be different there.

Answer 5

Ethnically, I am part Italian(mom) and Biracial African American and Irish(dad). I have always felt comfortable with black, mixed, biracial and at times Puerto Rican(even though I am not)!
Go with what makes you feel the most comfortable..I'm sure you're a beautiful person and that's what you should really hope people call you!

Answer 6

You are black, You are african, you are more african-american than the so called "african americans" on this continent. Even though like 95% of us have never been to africa.

Just call yourself whatever you think applies.

Answer 7

I like to say I am from Thailand, that way people know I can kick box and I'll kick you in the face if you step out of line. But actually I am born and raised in America and am half white, but don't tell anybody. Being white is embarassing.

Answer 8

Why do people who have their origins in Africa keep referring to that fact? How often do you hear individuals say ," I'm Australian-
American or I'm North America-American?'
You are a American. Why do you insist on separating yourselves by saying Black music, black literature, black entertainment,
black styles etc,etc. You are AMERICAN,
no more & no less. You were born here & you are legally American. Forget this nonsese about black, white or anything else.
We are all equal Americans regardless of color or origin.

Answer 9

No, because you're black. Your heritage is still African.
I'm African too but I'm olive-toned, and that doesn't change the fact that I know what I am. As long as it's the truth, the whole story behind it doesn't matter.

Answer 10

These 2 terms are interchangeable & it's whatever you prefer. Most black ppl aren't technically black, but the term derived from Africans who were so dark as to be called black.