I recently had a conversation with someone who mentioned to me that when asked where I was from, I said, “I was Nigerian.”She felt that it would have been more appropriate to say I was born and raised in New York with parents and family having been born and raised in Nigeria. Although my answer wasn’t necessarily wrong, it was somewhat misleading. At the point of time when answering the question, I did not initially make it known that my siblings and I are first generation. I, however, mentioned I was Nigerian but was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY.
Discussions around the idea and state of one’s identity is not new at all. Up till this day, I know I am American by birth, but I also know that I lived in Nigeria and although I don’t remember every aspect of the land, I am aware of the culture, my own language, the food, etc…I feel very much one with the customs as having learned it through family. I suppose I feel one with it enough to say at first introduction that I am Nigerian. Some may debate that claim and as explained earlier, it’s very understandable why.
I used that personal example to illustrate not only what identity means to me, but how it has shaped who I am today. The title of this topic, per se, is “African American vs. Black vs. American vs.” This topic comes from many conversations, readings, and personal experiences. Being from New York, I was blessed to be around a plethora of distinct cultures. Whether someone was Haitian, Jamaican, Nigerian, Guyanese, Bajan, et. al, I’ve seen a lot. While I’ve seen and interacted with such ethnicities, the one topic that always seems to come to the table is that of the designation: “African American”
Af·ri·can-A·mer·i·can 
[af-ri-kuhn-uh-mer-i-kuhn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
| 1. | a black American of African descent. |
–adjective
| 2. | of or pertaining to African-Americans. |
When I look at the above definition, I feel a sense of confusion and deception around the categorization. “A Black American of African descent”….Sooo how far back are they going to justify that African lineage? “Of or pertaining to African-Americans”…are they talking about Africans who now reside in America e.g, My parents? I don’t know….All I know is that the term “African American” bothers me. Without being trite, of course we’re all familiar with the timeline “Nigger to Negro to Afro American to African American.” The evolution of these terms were in part around being politically correct in addition to black Americans needing to find out just who the hell they were in this “white man’s land.” Without trying to go into a history lesson, yes, folks in the 70s were Pro-black and insisted on reclaiming their African roots that were stolen/hidden from them and ever since then African-American has stuck….The question that I have is, “Is this term still necessary?”
I have always believed an “African-American” to be someone who is perhaps from Africa and now resides in America or is at least one or two generations removed from Africa. That way of thinking may be flawed and I think I accept that but what I cannot understand is why some black Americans who are so many generations removed from Africa attach “African” to American. I always believed such individuals to be simply American. Moreover, some define African- American as being individuals of African descent. Biologically speaking, that would put just about everyone in the world under that categorization.
I forget what show I was watching some time ago…it coulda been Nova or some Life Science show on PBS what have you….These scientists took the DNA of kids from all over the world and tried to find similarities in their m-RNA, which has a lot to do with genetic expression. These scientists found that some kids who were white had more similarities in their m-RNA to some black kids than other white kids and vice-versa. Biologically speaking, we (and by we and mean Science) know we’re just about the same, but Phenotypically (physical traits) we still battle with what to be called and what is/isn’t politically correct. I sometimes wonder how the checked boxes from the Census Bureau will look 150 years from now. Will there be more segmentations or things be more streamlined?
I understand why the terminology/categorization “African American” exists today but I suppose I wonder if it is still present because black Americans are still trying to establish or retain their sense of identity in a land that’s still trying to figure itself out! It was rather easy (I don’t use that loosely) for Italians, Irish, Jews, Russians to be come “White Americans” and assimilate for sake of progress….Is keeping the “African”-American hurting black Americans? Many questions indeed….I’d love to hear what people think….
Peace,
~ Thesis
Reecie
thehonorable
Nice post… I have an opinion on this like everything else, but I don’t want to offend anyone
Most people I know are shock when I tell them I was born in Africa. Some of them don’t even believe me. I guess they consider me American and always assumed I was born in the US. I guess I can understand that because if you hang out with me or at least talk to me then you can tell I was raised in the US. But I’m not the type of person to distance myself away from my African heritage.
I term African American kind of annoys me but if black people wants to be called that then fine. It sounds better then the N word.
I think it’s unfair to say that your family had to be born in the continent of Africa within the last 2 or 3 generations for you to be considered African American. African American denotes a lineage and it has no relation to the number of generations one’s family has been in America.
There are African peoples around the entire world of the African Diaspora. It’s one thing to claim/acknowledge/take pride in your own more readily traceable African heritage, but its another thing to get into a litmus test into who is “African” enough and who isn’t. It’s also offensive to suggest that it is a term to designate people who are having an identity crisis or that we have no right to claim any sort of African roots in how were are classified. African Americans have an identity, just like Nigerians, Ethiopians, Jamaicans, etc. all have an identity. Our roots in Africa played a role in how we got to America and our struggle here, therefore it will forever be a part of us regardless of whether we are called Black, African American, American, or whatever else.
I don’t have a problem with someone who is African not wanting to be considered Black or even African American, but I certainly have a problem with anyone trying to tell me or anyone of African American heritage that we don’t have a right to be classified as African in some capacity.
I perfer the term Black American, that’s wat I am. I’m American, and I’m Black(really Brown, I’m just messing ya’ll).
I never did understand all these rules about race and ethnicity. There seems to be a double standard.
Why is is that we refer to some groups by where they are from? Anyone from China, Japsn, Vietnam, etc are all consider Asian, becuase they are located in Asia, YET, a Russian, is either consider White or Russian, yet Russia is in Asia too. Shouldn’t the same rules apply to Russians, as other Asian, or even moreso to African Americans, by definitation of the term.
Yet for black people, it’s all comes down to skin hue. We all get grouped in the African American label, regardless if we are from Africa, American, places like Trinadad, or Barbaos(sp?).
Here’s another good setup. Two Asian live in American and have a child, the baby is consider Asian, or a speific title, Japaneese, etc. Now If an American and an Asian have a kid, they are called Japaneese-American or Vitenameese-American etc..right Now, for the flip side…
If two Black/African people have a baby in child, the baby is considered Arican American. Now if a(n) White/American and an African have a baby, it’s still considered to be African-American; depending on the hue, unlike other races, where locatiion can be factored in.
What about Jews?, how can a someone’s religion be a race? But let’s not even go there, that’s whole ‘nother bag of worms.
The-XFacta on Jul 2nd, 2007 said:
Nice post… I have an opinion on this like everything else, but I don’t want to offend anyone
^lmfao Its ok I will do it for you
1) This post is soo generalized, shallow and fuckin ridiculous I’m not going to eviscerate it, for you “ethered yourself”
2) Well put Reecie
3) Filling out your gender and ethnicity is optional if you ever took notice.
Man of Color
-When you subscribe to being black, that means that you can be put into a position of having to justify the actions, the thoughts, the reasoning, of those simply because they have a skin complexion similar to yours. Accepting being black is nothing more than accepting modern tribalism. I’m a man first who just happens to be of color regardless of who wants or needs to put labels on me.-
Im not to sure how to answer this one really. Topics like this are some sensative depending on the person. Personally, Ive always looked at it this way.. Those who are from Africa look at African Americans as just Americans (those born in America) and frankly its the truth. But then again isnt it just a title one can claim for themselves or not?
i have thought about this subject quite a lot actually and personally, i can be called “black” or “African American” and not *really* be offended either way, because whoever is referring to me is working in a system that existed prior to them and is forced to use the terms of that system. …
However, both terms kind of bother me to a certain extent (in principle) in that the term “African American,” to me, lumps Africa all together and forces blacks in america to attach themselves to a whole continent even when that continent doesnt have a unified characteristic/culture etc. (”african names,” “african garb,” “african culture”)… I think we’re kind of in a bind in that sense because, yes, most of us can’t trace our heritage back to a certain place. and while i don’t believe in denying that we are close decendents of Africa, i think there comes a point in time when we need to focus on gaining our own identity here in america…
…which brings me to the term “black.” the problem i have here is that it is clearly a term meant to contrast with the term “white” (can there be “white” people without something to compare against? or “black” people, for that matter?). and as strange as it might seem, i think that all of the connotations with the color “black” effect how we are viewed and how we view ourselves. i remember as a child in elementary school, the students elected to have a mural in the front of our school be black. the principal then said we had to choose another color because there was something about the color black that made it a bad choice to represent our school. and i remember as a third grader, quietly thinking to myself, “well, im ‘black,’ so is there something wrong with me?” im using that story to say this (as unrealistic as it may seem): i think as far as identity goes, i feel that we, as a people, and completely ignorant of what other people think, need to name our own ‘race.’ it has been dictated to us for too long and comes with all the negative baggage. i think that would go a long way in determining our own identity in this country. …
and as a final note, i feel that people may think that “oh, he just doenst want to be ‘black,’ he thinks there is something wrong w/ being black.” not at all… i feel a great sense of unity with ‘black’ people and pride of my heritage… i just feel that we should take back terms used for us and dictate to others what our identity is. (i have absolutely no suggestions though, lol).
… sorry for the length
Honestly, I believe when it comes to the classification of race its all divisive. However, I personally African American is the better of the worse. Black is too generalized, its a color not my own, god sakes. Who the fuck is really Black, White, Yellow, Red etc., That shit sounds archaic. If your American and happen to be Black or of a African Decent, whether your specifically from an African nation , or be ancestry or Fresh off the plane, I’m going to consider you African American. It Makes a little more sense to me. I am Nigerian by parental descent, but born in London and raised Oakland/Bay Area, I don’t have time for my own identity Crisis or someone else’s. What could I consider myself, since I’m not a citizen yet? But have been raised in states a good 26 yrs give or take a couple of years. British Nigerian American maybe if I had to categorize myself for census purposes but wouldst trip if they called me African American or Black. It ironic because everybody in the England, is consider British but Indians are consider ni*(&&ers, Awkward. Nevertheless, everybody brings up valid points but its all about you and what you want to be referred to as anyway. “Whateva Floats your boat or find your lost remote”
I don’t what to have to do anything with Africa.
Africa Sucks.
I am an American, and I could care less about seeing Africa or taking part in Africa’s World Welfare programs.
The best genes are in America via slave trade, all the left overs are still in Africa.
I really doubt there are few African Americans, Black Americans or whatever who would have rather stayed in Africa or be a part of the slave trade lineage.
Would you still want to be in Africa mining diamonds, or stealing from your people, getting your clit cut off?
“”"I don’t what to have to do anything with Africa.
Africa Sucks.
I am an American, and I could care less about seeing Africa or taking part in Africa’s World Welfare programs.
The best genes are in America via slave trade, all the left overs are still in Africa.
I really doubt there are few African Americans, Black Americans or whatever who would have rather stayed in Africa or be a part of the slave trade lineage.
Would you still want to be in Africa mining diamonds, or stealing from your people, getting your clit cut off?”"”
——————————————————
WOW, Ingnorance is alive….
I don’t what to have to do anything with Africa.
Africa Sucks.
I am an American, and I could care less about seeing Africa or taking part in Africa’s World Welfare programs.
The best genes are in America via slave trade, all the left overs are still in Africa.
I really doubt there are few African Americans, Black Americans or whatever who would have rather stayed in Africa or be a part of the slave trade lineage.
Would you still want to be in Africa mining diamonds, or stealing from your people, getting your clit cut off?
You were already part of the Slave trade lineage from birth but their is much more to African Americans or as I sometimes say Africans in America then The slave trade. Anyways learn ya Roots for Knowledge of Self.
The revolution is what’s going on in our minds and not about changing white people. We don’t have to fight the power, we only have to create our own power and it starts with attracting it through removing the “opposites” game that we all have been taught to believe in. Once that happens, we will be mentally healthy enough to reality that no people can survive with their land and resources in the hands of others, and if we don’t work to have any, you can’t be a player. Empowerment will be the natural order once again and we won’t care one bit what others think of us because they will have to work with us, because they will need something from us. A piece of our economic pie.
The bottom line is, we are what our indigenous ancestors were. We are African! Whether we call ourselves American Africans or African American, it doesn’t matter. Asians are who they are. Whether we called them American Asians or Asian Americans. Try calling them yellow people and watch how they respond to such silliness. The whole imaginary game of “whiteness” and “blackness” is just a demonization trick played on dark hued people globally. It’s time for us to wake up! We are NOT anyones opposite.
I am sayian. So what does that make me!
African Americans are US citizens with visible Sub-Saharan African ancestry, the descendants of Africans who were brought to the US as slaves.
The term African American has political overtones. The term Negro (preferred by Martin Luther King) fell into disfavor among many black Americans. It had taken on an accommodationist connotation in the 70-ies.
The Black Power movement used Black as a group identifier—a term they themselves had repudiated only two decades earlier—a term often associated in English with things negative and undesirable, proclaiming, “Black is beautiful”.
In the 1980s the term African American was popularized by Jesse Jackson, and quickly adopted by major media outlets.
African American expresses pan-African pride and a sense of kinship and solidarity with others of the African diaspora. It embraces of the notion of pan-Africanism developed by Black thinkers such as Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. Dubois.
American Black conservatives shun term African American, preferring Black. To some of them, the usage of this term implies support for identity politics, affirmative action and slavery reparations.
Since 1977, the United States government officially categorized Black person (revised to Black or African American in 1997) as a person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. That means that since 1997 US government conferred the term African American on children of black foreign diplomats and black out-of-status persons.
Term Afro-American will be used less and less in coming years, replaced by African American. The growing number of people perceive it as racially insensitive abbreviation.
I am Black,not African american.I dont know or have any relatives from africa.I was born,grew up,and have history right here in the U.S.If someone pulls out the history book and plays the ancestor card, I will say F*** you.I know where I am now and have never been ,and thats all that matters to me.
well i was having a similar discussion again lol! we all know the solution but nobody is investing money into a referendum.
There is very possible combination for someone of african descent who is born and raised in the western emisphere. We always get into a history lesson anyway.
lol! I never intentionaly break down my heritage in particles, i go by the fact that what you see is what i am, my obvious French accent is another assertion of my cultural heritage.
The reason why there is a dispute between the urban word Black and the medical one African american is because AA have the bad habit to “smoothen” up their heritage,lol!the masquerade requires a lot of energy and comedy trust me those of you with personal biais towards the african continent , don’t wait until you are 30 years old you will be exhausted by then.
if black is black then it should not be brown afterwards it is silly to pretend it is an indicator of the origin one minute and act as if it is just a skin tone the next.
Here’s a thought from the other side…I’m white, born in Botswana and raised in the US. Am I African American? My black friends here love to introduce me as so, but mostly because they use my example to show how rediculous the term can be. When people ask me what I consider myself, I always say that I’m an American from Botswana.
My black brothern in Botswana wouldn’t consider black Americans as “African Americans”…mostly because they do not view anyone as an “African.” That would be the same as saying someone from Quebec is a “North American.” It’s a very odd term.
I can also understand how being called “Black” can be somewhat frustrating as well. I’m bald and when someone wants to point me out in a crowd, they always say, “He’s the bald guy over there.” It’s simply human mentality to want to communicate as simply as possible, therefore we move to the most noticable trait to describe someone…I’m bald and my friend is black. When I’m at home, I’m simply “the white guy.”
In this modern world where geopolitical borders are almost non-existant, it is increasingly difficult to describe ones-self as a under old terms. Be proud in who you are no matter what/how someone chooses to define you.
I was born and rasied in Zimbabwe and have a white friend who I grew up with in Bulawayo.
He considers himself to be African because he is. He is now an American citizen what does it make him?
i think if you ask any youth of today what they are they will identify first with their parent’s country of origin before categorising themselves as a citizen of a particular country. this is particularly evident in nationalistic sports such as soccer, predominantly, tennis and . these divisions are known for getting violent particurlarly if it is sport-related.
as for the asian thing, yeah im asian (but HMONG) but i get real frustrated when people put you into boxes knowing very little as they do in an ignorant way. when people prejudge you on your looks and say hey you’re so and so, i get mad, to the point where i cant give a fuck no more, move on and leave the idiot in his tracks mid-sentence. people assume that if you’re asian you are only one thing, chinese. no im not japanese either or korean although i have people numerous times say to my face you look like “them”. asia is a huge fuckin place. i don’t care how im perceived in these exchanges because ive have interactions mild to hostile numerous times. people come up to with mid-flight upper cuts and kicks to the face and kung fu moves hoping you’d react. sometimes i just stand still. others and most of the time, i did react. i broke their legs, arms, noses, necks. but hey thats what you get for watching too many bruce lee and jackie chan movies. no im not violent, i live my life and i do what i do. just trying to get to a better place. i dont need`to feel humilated, spat on. I treat people the way I like to be treated. But o matter how much you do that, people always try to step on you.
im influenced like every kid growing up. i like hip hop, i admire black soul and my favourite artists are black, ive dated white to black girls more than asians more so (i have my own personal reasons), i eat more european cuisine than i do my own, i play sports most asians are not known for i.e athletics, hockey, baseball, soccer (until last decade) but im hell as passionate about my people who have no country of their own. am i mad about that? no because it has dispersed us all over the world, USA, France, Australia etc. and given us opportunities beyond our dreams. do i struggle with my identity growing up? hell yes, i wished i was white. i wished i was taller, more athletic, have the innate vocal talents of the African bretheren. but do i act like i am a victim. no. never. now that im older i tolerate it more (the question of “where you are from/who are you”
and gain perspective by seeing it as an opportunity to educate people on my culture, history etc.
i concur with all of you and your thoughts. more tolerance for all.
yeah enough of a rant here. come back thesis.
i think if you ask any youth of today what they are they will identify first with their parent’s country of origin before categorising themselves as a citizen of a particular country. this is particularly evident in nationalistic sports such as soccer, predominantly, tennis and . these divisions are known for getting violent particurlarly if it is sport-related.
as for the asian thing, yeah im asian (but HMONG) but i get real frustrated when people put you into boxes knowing very little as they do in an ignorant way. when people prejudge you on your looks and say hey you’re so and so, i get mad, to the point where i cant give a fuck no more, move on and leave the idiot in his tracks mid-sentence. people assume that if you’re asian you are only one thing, chinese. no im not japanese either or korean although i have people numerous times say to my face you look like “them”. asia is a huge fuckin place. i don’t care how im perceived in these exchanges because ive have interactions mild to hostile numerous times. people come up to with mid-flight upper cuts and kicks to the face and kung fu moves hoping you’d react. sometimes i just stand still. others and most of the time, i did react. i broke their legs, arms, noses, necks. but hey thats what you get for watching too many bruce lee and jackie chan movies. no im not violent, i live my life and i do what i do. just trying to get to a better place. i dont need`to feel humilated, spat on. I treat people the way I like to be treated. But o matter how much you do that, people always try to step on you.
im influenced like every kid growing up. i like hip hop, i admire black soul and my favourite artists are black, ive dated white to black girls more than asians more so (i have my own personal reasons), i eat more european cuisine than i do my own, i play sports most asians are not known for i.e athletics, hockey, baseball, soccer (until last decade) but im hell as passionate about my people who have no country of their own. am i mad about that? no because it has dispersed us all over the world, USA, France, Australia etc. and given us opportunities beyond our dreams. do i struggle with my identity growing up? hell yes, i wished i was white. i wished i was taller, more athletic, have the innate vocal talents of the African bretheren. but do i act like i am a victim. no. never. now that im older i tolerate it more (the question of “where you are from/who are you”
and gain perspective by seeing it as an opportunity to educate people on my culture, history etc.
i concur with all of you and your thoughts. more tolerance for all.
yeah enough of a rant here. come back thesis.