Why do they label some women as African American when they are not.?

Question

Halle Berry they have always said she was the first black woman to win an oscar but she is biracial (black father white mother.) Same with Rhianna (beautiful girl btw) Her father is white and her mother is black.

I did do some research maybe you should as well.

Rihanna was born on February 20, 1988, in a county in Barbados called St. Michael. She lived the life of a normal island girl going to Combermere, which is a sixth form school similar to technical school in America.
Born to a white Barbadian father Ronald Fenty and a black Guyanese mother Monica Fenty.

I find it how funny how many of the women who responded to this answer were angry about the question. It was a simple question and the anger that it caused some of you leads me to wonder why. As far as Rihanna her father is bi racial IMDB has it listed that her father is white but upon more research I found he is in fact bi racial.

Answer 1

It's not just happening to African American women. Racial differentiation in its entirety is an exercise in extensive simplification.

For example, stereotypes have us thinking that anyone with black skin in the U.S. is a descendent of slavery, and that white people are descended from privileged slave owners. In reality, many people have immigrated more recently from Europe, Africa and Asia. We tend to put people into huge groups when not everyone fits the bill. It's not always a horrible thing, but it's good to be aware of it.

Answer 2

because of the fact back interior the day we had to return up with something greater laptop then the N notice, then greater laptop then black, and then we've been given African-American, which now different ethnicities understandably choose to apply besides. So all of it stems from the theory that truly than calling a 'black' person an American, we felt the could call them an African American, and if their racial background is greater important than their usa of commencing place (which that's going to be because of the fact that's positioned 1st), that's logical that the comparable would be theory-approximately for different ethnicities. undertaking is fairly some communities do not understand they're surely being segregated from being an entire "American" with the help of those upload-ons and use them just to sell their own own background (that's great till the neonazi overhears you). We do could do away with those pointless labels, and all purely be American. purely uncertain if that'll take place.

Answer 3

Halle Berry is biracial however media and the general public identifies her as African American because that is the race (desides human race) that she can most closely identify with. Walking down the street one wouldn't say, oh she's white. No, they would see her as a women of color.

As for Rhianna, she is Bajan; from Barbados. She is not biracial....so some research before you make these types of statements.

Answer 4

They LOOK more black then anything, and this is coming from a fully African woman. Rhianna father isn't white by the way he's probably of mixed race. Look at her features she's definitely looks like a person of West african decent. As for Hall, she could pass for a East African (particulartly Ethiopian or Somalis). You know NOTHING about the black race and our diversity.

Answer 5

As a group white people have not been very accepting of someone who is of mixed black and white parentage.They have no problems in labeling a biracial person,as being black.. Black people on the whole have been more embracing. of biracial people They see in biracial people some familar physical characteristics that they identify with in themselves,and that causes them to embrace and label a biracial person as one of their own. Not all biracial people choose to recognize their black side.For those that do,they will more likely than not be welcomed into the fold without a doubt as being one of our own. It is like a welcoming home.

Answer 6

African American is a phrase that was invented to describe offspring of those who were transported as slaves from Africa and who had offspring with native Americans or Europeans The slave triangle was what the actual process was named. Simply put, African Americans have a lighter (some call mocca) coloring than Africans. Its a complete load of codswallop because we all in fact are the same under the skin. The skin coloring was only ever a reaction to nature, hence nature is the mother of all invention

Answer 7

People refer to Halle Berry as Black because SHE calls herself Black, and that is what her mother taught her. Problem? Get over it!

As for Rihanna, my sources say her mother is Black and her father is a biracial Bajan of Irish decent....Bajans look Black.

Stop looking for some excuse to cover your curiosity for ethnic women. So shallow...

Answer 8

The rules for years of DNA is this ..if you have a drop of African blood in your genetic make-up you are black this was the the rule Caucasian scientists/slave owners came up with in either case these women are black when they look in the mirror can they pass for Caucasian like a lot blacks did in the slavery era they know who they are unlike Tiger Woods who is oblivious to who he is

Answer 9

this comment is for the person who said that bajans look black. im not bajan but im from the caribbean and to say that bajans look black is ridiculous.
although the majority of ppl in barbados are black , there are also white bajans, asian bajans, mixed race bajans etc, same as in any other country. therefore bajans dont just come in the shade of black nor does everyone thats hails from the caribbean, we come in all colours.

Answer 10

Actually THOSE WOMEN SAY THEY ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN, probably because they identify with us. Your argument is stupid, There are women LIGHTER than Halle Berry WHO ARE BLACK, My mom is an example. Heck I didn't even know Rhianna and Halle were mixed until they said it. To me they look full black,
BTW
If they aren't black then I guess 50% of black women their color or lighter aren't black as well, because out of all the black women in America I'd say about half are their color or lighter. YOU LOGIC IS NOT GOOD.