Why do people use the term African American?

Question

There is no such country as Africa-America, so what gives? African American is not a logical term. I am an American, but my ancestory is: Irish, German, English, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Scottish and French. You are either American (you were born here) or you are not American (YOU came here from another country). But, if you want to get scientific about it...WE ARE ALL FROM AFRICA! Even if you want to get biblical about it, WE ARE ALL FROM AFRICA!

Black people claiming heritage to Africa would not live there and I have seen with my own eyes that they are really not welcome there. In the Navy, I've watched these wannabees litterally laughed back to the ship from African natives. Like I said, you're either American or you're not...

casapulla...you need to take a pill, dude. The last thing I am in this world is P.C. As far as politics goes...I stand somewhere in the middle. Don't quote James Brown to me...I know his work and I admire the man (R.I.P.)
I also live in the middle of the "subject matter" and you'll have to fill me in on the -"harboring" some deep and hidden resentment- thing. I'm just sick to death of the whole P.C. society. Everbody needs to get a life, quit kissing everybody's @sses who get offended all the time and feel free to speak your mind without worrying about ANYBODY getting p!ssed off. And let's not forget that almost all of the slaves brought here were SOLD to the English by their own tribes!

By the way, people who are easily offended live a terribly sheltered life and have pretty thin skin and need to toughen up. I hear and see plenty of things I don't like every day and I don't make a case about everything that suxx.

Answer 1

I wonder that myself. If you were born in America, that makes you American, period. Besides, Africa is a continent, not a country and all the people living there are not black! Labels, Labels, labels, doesnt anyone ever get tired of all this people labeling and separations??

Answer 2

I dont think people are ashamed of being called African American Its just most black people in America never been to Africa most black people including Jamaican or whatever place you come from dont even have African customs so its like youre about as african as a german person fresh off the boat

Answer 3

I'm black, when asked my nationality I say black, even though i'm jamaican. I never use the term African American to describe myself. Unless it's on a application or something. I'm quite proud to be an American.

Answer 4

"People" use any terms they want... if you don't like this term, then don't use it. If you watch the nightly news.. you'd see that they use the term "black" and never African-American.

Let me try to speak to this Answer. Firstly, although you are trying to be as liberal and PC (yourself) with this topic, which is very ironic... we didn't "all come from Africa". Not only is the cradle of civilization in present day Iraq (that 'ol Mesopotamia) -- but the land-masses were more joined all those 100,000s of years ago, and what you see as Africa was not that way, even then (something people forget, when talking global weather.. but that's a different story). Let's just say that you are NOT from Africa, and call it a day.

An Egyptian is an Egyptian, and was an Egyptian for 4,000 years right -- when you drive in a NYC taxi and meet one, do you call him an African-American? (naahhh... and why not?) While someone here referred to Terry Heinz as an african-american she used that term for herself, as a way to attach something that absolutely doesn't connect. And, by the way, she's a Mozambiquan whose family FLED from black people, once that government was being wrestled from Portuguese colonial rule (her daddy-doctor took the family, then, to where apartheid was better cemented in South Africa). For her to even imply & use associations of that term, was an embarassment on more than a few levels. Want a designation for her -- it's Gold Digger.

You are American, if you were born here. Your skin color should not categorize you -- and that should be universally agreed on. BUT, let's not overlook what we are talking about. "Say it loud, I'm BLACK and I'm proud!!..." was NOT written by some white song-producer for a major record label, and after throwing a gangsta looking, mouthpiece behind a mic (for 'street cred').. it was written by James Brown on a NAPKIN and recorded the very next day. (That's as much an anthem, as you're going to get for the 60's.) Even beyond the white, detached suburban youth themes, that you have lovingly selected for you Yahoo icon.

The term is "black" and has been that way for 40 YEARS. The hypenated words/terms are the stuff of academia, of formality and of federal designation. Native Americans came first, then after... we went hypen-crazy in the mid-century. Now, you understand.. that there's no revolution over this term? It's Black. Get it? And you are not only not black, but you're not Italian-American, either. I am. But, while I've no allegiance to another county... I can't forget where my forebears came from. If Blacks want to call a continent Mother Africa, then so be it. If they want a hypen, they can have one. We live in melting pot, and this isn't the off-putting topic you think it is.. the reactions to REAL people, is the topic. And, I'm betting that you live in some area that's wide apart from the buject matter you're typing/asking about, right?

And P.S. -- who are YOU to comment on anyone else's claim or want for identity? you say that American blacks are less than authetic, because they were "laughed back onto the ship" in your Navy experience? well, well, well.. look at who is "harboring" some deep and hidden resentment, eh?

Answer 5

Well said. I can't understand why people try to separate races. The term African-Americans separate not only American blacks from Africa but American blacks from other American races (or mutts).

Though African-Americans doesn't have a bad connotation, it still does the same as other negative terms. My brother loves to use the term "******" to mean thug like blacks and "wigger" to mean thug like whites. With the exception of skin color, the terms are just the same. But it's used to separate people! With these kinds of thoughts, racism will never cease to exist.

Answer 6

Good question. But I think they call us that because unlike everyone else, we are unable to trace our roots. When our ancestors came here they were stripped of their heritage and forced to adopt to the ways of the slave owners, so most of us really don't know our ancestor's country (i.e. Nigeria, Sudan etc.), so they just say African-American. Italians are called Italian-American and not European American because they can trace their roots to their ancestor's nation but we can't.

Answer 7

Theresa Heinz-Kerry and Charlize Theron are African American. I am not African neither is 90% of blacks in the US and even their great great great grandparents. Therefore they are not African-American. My race is black and I am American.


That bull about blacks cant trace their ancestry and therefore call themselves African is bull since ALL people came from Africa and ALL cant trace that far back.

Answer 8

African American is meant to be a more polite term to refer to somebody who is black. I see calling someone who has dark skin black the same way you'd refer to somebody with light yellow hair as blonde. We make too big of a deal out of race.

Answer 9

IT IS NOT BLACKS WHO STARTED THIS TERM, IT IS OUR AMERICAN GOVERNMENT. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE.

In fact, most Black people call themselves Black. It is White people trying to be PC that say African American all the time.

The term was a replacement for ***** and colored. The only reason there was a need for any kind of term is because of Jim Crow laws. The government called us colored and negroe to separate us. WE DID NOT CALL OURSELVES THIS TO SEPARATE OURSELVES. The term Afro-American was introduced doing the begginnign of the civil rights movement, but it was highly misunderstood and was replaced by African American.

BBHEAD - You never cease to amaze me the kind of claims you can pull out of your butt and have people believing. Blacks did not start this term. Pay closer attention in school.

Answer 10

For the same reason people use the terms Italian-American and Japanese-American. They want to show a connection to their heritage, and since 90% of Blacks in the United States are unable to trace theirs, some use African-American. How does it affect your daily life?

P.S.- The majority of people I see who use the term African-American to refer to Blacks aren't Black.