Why do people call black people in the US African American?

[Birdlegs]

I’m not African I don’t have any idea who in my family is African or when we came to America I have no ties with Africa. We don’t call white people European American so why am I African American I’m just a black American.

Just so we can avoid calling y’all black

It sounds more sophisticated

I don’t want to be canceled

I’m just used to it

Other (comment it)

[RolandCuthbert]

What "White" people choose to call themselves is their business. But what I choose to call myself be it "Black", African-American, African or Ferengi is no one else's business but my own.

In the words of Russell Means. . . when speaking about why American Indians choose to call themselves American Indians. . .

"When we met at our conference in Sweden back in 1972, we choose to call ourselves American Indians. And we will do so until we win our freedom. After we win our freedom we will call ourselves any damn thing we please".

Claim your own group identity, don't worry about what other people call themselves. Either respect them or not. The choice is yours.

[OddBeMe]

Iits currently PC, but I agree it should just be black Americans. You’re more American than most whites.

[Birdlegs]

I 100% agree with you

[menina]

I see it as way of saying that black Americans are not really Americans. They're assuming that only white Americans are American.
I'm not from the US but I hate that! I believe that white Americans should be called European Americans or Euro Americans.

[Birdlegs]

Do you see it as a way to keep us divided okay I can understand that

[menina]

Yes, that's how I see it. In my opinion this is based solely on racism and the belief on racial supremacy.

[DizzyDesii]

I don't know. I haven't looked into my ancestry either. I’ll take them calling me black or African American over being called the N word anyday

[Birdlegs]

Well yea😭 same here

[DizzyDesii]

Loll

[WhatTheHeckkkk]

I am not 100% sure, but all I know is that the terms have been changing all throughout history… Everyone knows the terminology used to call black people back then…
It went from “negro” to “colored” to “blacks” to “African Americans” to “people of color” and so on…


Mostly, I see it used because it sounds sophisticated and people are used to it.

[Birdlegs]

That definitely makes sense

[blackgaletiger]

I personally dont call my black friends African American but I do know some that refer to themselves as such and want to get African related tattoos because of roots even though most of them are from the islands. I guess its a way for black Americans to remember their heritage and their linage and roots. They don't see themselves connected to the colonized Americans. Majority I know consider themselves as blacks because language and culture plays a big roles between Black American and African American, A lot are connected to the idea but have no other relations other than one time in history people came from this part of the world. It is embedded in the American culture and education textbooks. The idea is taught and passed down and then the cycle continues.

[Anonymous]

From what I’ve been told, it’s because the natives that were here first did not look like the natives we see now. They were much darker in complexion, and different texture hair. They looked just like the African’s across the sea, which categorized them as “African American”.

[Birdlegs]

Ahhh so literally just “Africans from America”?

[Opinion Owner]

@birdlegs essentially yes! Or at least the natives looked the same as Africans over in that continent.

[Imsmurter1]

I think calling someone black is limiting. For example, I’m Chinese but I would be offended if someone called me yellow. I would prefer they call my Asian. In the same way I don’t think we should call African-Americans black. We should just call them as African-Americans because that’s the root of their ethnicities. As for white people I think Caucasian-American is the best term

[Birdlegs]

Well yea Asian is a race just like how black is a race. Asians are people hailing from Asia you said you know that you’re Chinese so it makes sense but I don’t know what I am without taking a dna test so I don’t consider myself close enough to African to hold the title. I have a friend who has 100% African parents he has an African last name and everything but he was born in the US so I’d call him African American but me? I have a French last name so I don't know I don’t relate to Africans in anything besides skin color

[Imsmurter1]

Well you’re ancestors may have come from Africa? Or maybe you can consider yourself Carribean? Also Asia is not a race….

[Fuentes]

There isn't even any lroof about how many of us even have "African" in us especially when their are so many different cultures that reside in Africa including europeans. So how tf do only 300k Africans are accounted for so what were the other blacks? How tf are we all African? Lol shit wild im from two lost sides of people.

[Birdlegs]

Facts bro shits really wild😭

[befuddle]

Negros didn't like being Negros so they became Colored. Then they didn't like that so they became Black. Then they didn't like that so they became African Americans. Then they didn't like that so they called themselves Niggas. Who knows what it will be next year. Call them whatever you want, they will never be happy with it anyway.

[befuddle]

The commies are trying to get them to call themselves People of Color now I think... So maybe you're about around the marry go round and they'll be some derivative of Black next. Maybe Blackened will be next.

[MTC29]

You can thank Jesse Jackson:

[Birdlegs]

Hmm that’s interesting I think it’s a bit different than saying Italian-American but they treat it as if it’s the same. Like I understand being proud of heritage but I don’t have any connection to my heritage so I don’t see a point of adding the African part. If I knew I was from Nigeria or something then sure but I have no idea so Jesse can have his African American label I’ll just be called black😭

[MTC29]

When I was still a small child, blacks were "colored". That fell out of favor in the mid-60's. My father's family arrived in Minnesota from Germany in 1835- my great great grandfather fought in the Civil War. Despite a German heritage, I don't consider myself a "German American." I have to more ties to Germany than you would if you had a Nigerian heritage.

If you look at the reverse: if I were to move to (say) China, I would never be Chinese. The neat thing about America is that all you need to do is to show up. Once you do, you just one more of the other 330 million Americans.

[Msputiton]

Same, cuhh.
I laugh when called African American

[Birdlegs]

Fr fr 😭

[josephinelcajon]

During the slavery era there was a need to distinguish between those slaves brought in from Africa and those born here of slaves.

[Birdlegs]

Hmmm I guess that makes sense

[mrkdvsn]

It's just the latest "politically correct" term.
Growing up I heard "Negro" "Colored" "Black"... as well as some slang terms.
I consider "Black American" to be the best term

[Birdlegs]

I agree with that completely

[DermalPunch]

I never got it either. The most accurate term for people racialized as "black" in America would be diasporic African unless they're NATIONALITY is actually from the continent of Africa. But then you have Arab, Indian and even white Africans so... I call myself a diasporic African because I have American and Caribbean ancestry.

[jshm2]

Because you are not Brazilian American, Costa Rican, and other places Blacks in America are from.

[Birdlegs]

But I’m just American I don’t know my ancestry I could very well be Brazilian or Costa Rican I just don’t know so I’d rather just be American

[Cubus]

I heard it was because they considered "Black" offensive. So political correctness.

[Birdlegs]

That’s what I’m thinking most probably say it to avoid offending people

[HighValue]

Because the government mislabels things. Just like Caucasian when in fact most Whites in the USA are Anglo, not Caucasian.
They also do it to divide people and increase the feeling of being separate and maintain racial hostilities.

[dustybiker]

There was a big deal of it in the 90’s. What was politically correct for modern forms and such. I think the mark was missed.

[exitseven]

They are not African Americans anymore, they are People of Color or POC for short.

[ragooo8]

General term for Americans descended from African slaves. For instance barrack Obama isn't African American, he's Kenyan American.

[888theGreat]

hmmmm

[007kingifrit]

it's just dumb left wingers trying to sound virtuous. i say blacks

[WhiteBoyChill]

Ya i say black people too

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

It's way for white people to keep blacks distinguish from them.

[WhiteBoyChill]

Why the fck can’t we just call them black people is beyond me

[Birdlegs]

🤷🏾‍♂️ I don't know bro that’s what I wanna know😭