So what the Hell is an African-American?

[-United Islamic Emirate-]

I know it's mean to refer to a black person. But not all black people are African. Some are carribean,panimanian,and even polyinesian and what about the Moroccans,Tunisans,Egyptians,Libyans,Algerians and South Africans(Dutch) Who don't messicarly look black or your traditional thoughts of African features. I think that the term African-American is a very biased term and should be eliminated for this reason.So what say you NS?

[Romalae]

Yes, it can be a problematic term, but I do not classify this as a serious issue. It's just semantics.

[Edgy Opinions]

African-American = ethnic identity based on enslaved ancestors brought to the United States

Black American = just any person in any group of Americans who identifies as racially black

[Luziyca]

African-American = ethnic identity based on enslaved ancestors brought to the United States

Black American = just any person in any group of Americans who identifies as racially black

This.

However, in Canada, the term African-Canadian is not used because blacks from the Caribbean who came here find that offensive towards them since it demeans their Caribbean identity. As such, the only acceptable term for both groups is really... black, quite frankly.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

A way many in the US use to refer to people of African and American ancestry in the country. It doesn't get more complicated than that.

[Distruzio]

Although I'm black I don't fit the colloquial descriptor of "african-american". My skin tone is olive. My father is a shade darker than me. Ethnically, we're both black (being Creole). Neither of us, however, can identify as "african-american", being sticklers for actual definitions... among other things.

Personally, I always lean on the side of preference. My fiance prefers black although she's dark skinned. She feels no connection to Africa and has no interest in claiming it. None of her family (all dark skinned) do. They're of Haitian descent.

So, it's up to the individual.

[Conserative Morality]

African-American and black are used pretty interchangeably in the States. Those from Morocco, Egypt, etc, would probably be considered Arab-Americans.

[Ndaku]

My siblings and I were born in New York, my parents were born and raised in the Congo; everyone in our family is from Congo. So technically we're true African Americans.

[Nuwe Suid Afrika]

It's a 'politically correct' term that we're forced to use in the United States.

I'm not sure about the rest of the world.

[Jamjai]

African-American and black are used pretty interchangeably in the States. Those from Morocco, Egypt, etc, would probably be considered Arab-Americans.

Even if there not Arabs
There are some black people that live there

[Cetacea]

Yes, it can be a problematic term, but I do not classify this as a serious issue. It's just semantics.

I've heard that at least one Egyptian-American was denied the right to register as "African-American" in the US, so its more than semantics

I know it's mean to refer to a black person. But not all black people are African. Some are carribean,panimanian,and even polyinesian ?

Polynesians aren't black, if anything they are Asiatic. You may be thinking Melanesians/Papuans who are a different group. The relationship between Polynesians and Melanesians has its own issues, although I'm not sure whether most folk in NSG would be aware of them...

[The 93rd Coalition]

Generally used as a term referring to dark-skinned peoples who were either dragged here by slavers and adapted to the new environment or were nationalized willingly. Honestly, I think it's rather nifty and I don't see why we have to change it. It's not exactly used as an insult - kind of like how if you known a "European" they aren't necessarily from Europe. If it does change, why not? But as it stands, I see no big problem with it.

[-United Islamic Emirate-]

Although I'm black I don't fit the colloquial descriptor of "african-american". My skin tone is olive. My father is a shade darker than me. Ethnically, we're both black (being Creole). Neither of us, however, can identify as "african-american", being sticklers for actual definitions... among other things.

Personally, I always lean on the side of preference. My fiance prefers black although she's dark skinned. She feels no connection to Africa and has no interest in claiming it. None of her family (all dark skinned) do. They're of Haitian descent.

So, it's up to the individual.

I'm Moroccan just today some one brought this to my attention about morocco being in Africa and all and I'm not black and had a discussion about this in real life and I felt this should be discussed here in NS. Also I agree with the Canadian system just black or non-black lol.

[Distruzio]

My siblings and I were born in New York, my parents were born and raised in the Congo; everyone in our family is from Congo. So technically we're true African Americans.

... I'd argue for Congolese-American. But, as I said before, I'm a stickler for actual definitions.

[The Emerald Dragon]

I personally call them Coloured.

[Ndaku]

African-American = ethnic identity based on enslaved ancestors brought to the United States

Black American = just any person in any group of Americans who identifies as racially black

Your definitions should be switched.

[Insaeldor]

Would Afro-American work out as a good compromise?

[Romalae]

Yes, it can be a problematic term, but I do not classify this as a serious issue. It's just semantics.

I've heard that at least one Egyptian-American was denied the right to register as "African-American" in the US, so its more than semantics

Like I said, it can be a problematic term. But it's still a matter of semantics.

[Flyover]

It's a 'politically correct' term that we're forced to use in the United States.

I'm not sure about the rest of the world.

Er. Not really.
Nobody has even been forced to say it, and it actually refers to -specifically- black people who identify with those brought over as slaves from Africa, while "black Americans" refers to black Americans as a whole. It's just a more specific term.

[Edgy Opinions]

African-American = ethnic identity based on enslaved ancestors brought to the United States

Black American = just any person in any group of Americans who identifies as racially black

Your definitions should be switched.

Why should black become an ethnicity and African-American become a race? That doesn't make sense.

[Nuwe Suid Afrika]

I personally call them Coloured.

I call them black, but in modern days a lot of people find these terms out-dated and offensive for some reason.

Or at least from personal experience they do.

[Ndaku]

My siblings and I were born in New York, my parents were born and raised in the Congo; everyone in our family is from Congo. So technically we're true African Americans.

... I'd argue for Congolese-American. But, as I said before, I'm a stickler for actual definitions.

There are some black Americans who know their ancestry very well, then you have the rest who do not know where they came from, but they still consider themselves African Americans. I don't know, it doesn't make much sense to me to call oneself an African American if they do not know which part of Africa their ancestors are from.

[Distruzio]

Hey man... like... <inhaaaaaaale> <choke> <cough> why don't we... like... just call them people, man?

[The Emerald Dragon]

Although I'm black I don't fit the colloquial descriptor of "african-american". My skin tone is olive. My father is a shade darker than me. Ethnically, we're both black (being Creole). Neither of us, however, can identify as "african-american", being sticklers for actual definitions... among other things.

Personally, I always lean on the side of preference. My fiance prefers black although she's dark skinned. She feels no connection to Africa and has no interest in claiming it. None of her family (all dark skinned) do. They're of Haitian descent.

So, it's up to the individual.

I'm Moroccan just today some one brought this to my attention about morocco being in Africa and all and I'm not black and had a discussion about this in real life and I felt this should be discussed here in NS. Also I agree with the Canadian system just black or non-black lol.

Arab-American?
Berber-American?

[Ndaku]

Your definitions should be switched.

Why should black become an ethnicity and African-American become a race? That doesn't make sense.

Hope my last post explains.