African American or Black?

Question

I'm just using AA because its two words over on for my paper, and it lengths my paper more.

But what do you use and why?

Answer 1

Black....

Why?

Because you can be WHITE and be African American....such as if you are from South Africa....

People are PC idiots.....

Answer 2

Black American is very noble.
The Black Americans have been part of US culture for centuries, and have a common bond of slavery until the Civil War.
Then, in the late 20th century, there was a wave of immigrants to America from African nations...people who were actually African, and did not have this cultural bond with the Black Americans who had been through it all.
It was like a collision of cultures....not black and white, but black African and black American.

Answer 3

Most of the time I say black. I say this because I rather be referred to as white than anything else... it sounds more human. I do use African American if I am writting something that only pretains to black people in America.

Recently when I googled looking to see how to cite a reference in APA format google provided a page that was saying if you are to use black or white you are suppoes to capitalize it.

I don't capitalize it because, I feel I am a person who happens to be white and they are people who happen to be black. I don't think they are Black and I am White. To me, by capitalizing it, it makes it out like we are different species or something. Doesn't seem right to me... but that's just me.

Answer 4

I think African American is the most appropriate term to use, because it not only defines a persons skin colour but it speaks of their ancestral background as well as their nationality. Black is simply a colour and does not necessarily reflect a person of African origin

Answer 5

Black because you could be african american and be white at the same time and what about afro carribeans? There black too but theyre not African Americans.

Answer 6

Lol that was funny and I will definitely use "African Americans" in my paper lol but I would prefer black though

Answer 7

I use DPCOGASSC because I'm a card carrying member of the Dolly Pond Church Of God and Sometimes Snake Charmers.

Plus, it "lengths my paper", whatever the hell that means

Answer 8

I always say African American because I find calling someone black offensive. I think it's because at one time many years ago calling someone black was meant as a slur on the person.

Answer 9

I say black. I may be oversimplifying it, but I'm called white, so I see it as the complement to that, quite honestly.

Answer 10

Saying African American is very stupid, because you assume the person is of african heritage, and living in America.

Which is less than a quarter of the world's population.