African American vs Black vs African American

[jccLove]

Hello Members and fellow SF's, I believe that this topic has never been discussed before, so I apologize in advanced if it has already been brought up. My sister's and I were talking the other day about race and nationality and where we as black people in America fit in. As I thought about the different terms we use to identify ourselves I began to wonder are they really representative of us as a people. What do we gain by using the term African American and why does it seem that using the term black is all of a sudden taboo? I have extremely strong feelings about this subject and I just wanted to know how other people felt as well.

[kiml122]

I have been in several discussions about this topic also. What I feel and, prefer is BLACK. I have been catching flack from some of my friends. Not that I dislike African-American, but I prefer black. To me that sounds stronger, if that makes sense. I know I will probably get some back lash on this, but hey this is me!!

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Peace
KL

[Sweetsista]

It's interesting that you brought this up. Just the other day I was with a couple friends, one black, the other of pacific islander descent, and somehow this topic was brought up in our conversation. For some reason or another, my PI friend stated that he hadn't known that "colored" was a
non-"PC" term until attending our university and having someone confront him when he used this word. He then continued to express his confusion because he did not understand what the problem was with using the word "colored". Initially I thought of how ignorance seems to pervade even the most seemingly "ethnically aware" populations. Then on the other hand I was a little confused myself. Why should categorical labels such as this be definers of our identities as black people? I've honestly personally never given it too much extensive thought. I've just pretty much always went with the flow. I was a negro yesterday, Black today, and I'll be African-American tomorrow. I know some people that get more offended if someone refers to them as Black instead of African-American than if they would if they were called the N word. Has anyone done any research on this? I'd be interested to know a little more about this and how it relates to the psychology of Blacks and how we have historically used these terms to somehow reflect our consciousness of being people of African descent.

[mizzkes]

I personally prefer to be called African American. That way, I pay homage to my African ancestry as well as to those ancestors who were brought to America to build this country. I don't like to use the term "black" because it sounds kind of archaic, like "negro". Then, I have a problem with simply using "American" because American is not a race, it is a nationality. Being the melting pot, excuse me, salad bowl that it is, I feel that it is necessary for "Americans" to recognize their original ancestry by placing that name, in this case, "African" in front of "American". Lastly, in writing, I often use "Africans in America".

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I'm not conceited, just convinced.

[Ania]

"What I feel and, prefer is BLACK. I have been catching flack from some of my friends. Not that I dislike African-American, but I prefer black. To me that sounds stronger, if that makes sense. I know I will probably get some back lash on this, but hey this is me!!"

kiml122, I absolutely agree! I guess because my family has that "Fight the power" and "Black Panther" mentality. I don't know. To me the term African-American means people who recently migrated from Africa.
Can anyone inform me of what the differences are? What do they mean? I think this is a very good and interesting topic for black people.

[PrincessELG]

I personally prefer African-American because it is a complete representation of who I am. I am an American decendant of the African diaspora. I am not saying that I do not refer to myself as black but to me the term African American brings a greater sence of pride along with it.

PS. Mizzkes, did you get the salad bowl reference from Johnetta Cole. I heard her speak and she used that term and it totally revoulutionized my thinking.

[Ideal08]

Originally posted by Ania:
To me the term African-American means people who recently migrated from Africa.

I agree!! I prefer Black, but I understand that African-American is more "PC". I would prefer people not be PC, just keep it real, and not be disrespectful, but whatever. I don't take offense if I'm called African-American, though. I just prefer Black. I am interested in whether or not anyone has done research on this, too.

[LadyAKA]

I fill out forms as Black or African American (depending on the form). I really don't pay attention to the terms at all, I am not offended by either. But I do agree with Ideal08 in that I would prefer people to be real with me and not Politically Correct! And I am not sure who would be calling me either black or African American anyway, If someone is saying LadyAKA is black, I must not be in their presence, so why do I care what they call me. I could tell them I prefer one or the other and they would just get it wrong anyway. I just prefer people to approach me and call me by my rightful name.

[onesavvydiva]

Hey ladies,

I have been giving a bit of thought to this topic for a few days now, and I just wanted to offer my opinion (it's newly formulated, so if it's a little sketchy... and long, bear with me). I started thinking about this the other day because of another incident that happened at work, and I think that I can tie the two together. I work with this young lady (who happens to be white), she's a couple of years younger than me, but since she's started working there, she has completely bonded with me, and she's very nice. One reason why I like her is because she's completely cool, and "multi-cultural", but she's not one of those type of people who are just "trying to be black", that's just who she is, and on top of that her name is Keysha...(maybe it's just me, but I have never met a white girl named kisha, then she spells it kinda funky, LOL). So I always say, "there's my favorite little white girl", and she always laughs about it.

THe other day, one of the other girls who works with me kinda got offended, she was like well, you shouldn't say that because what if she decided to say there's my "favorite little black girl", you wouldn't like that too much. I never thought about it like that, but I guess that would be kind of awkward, if not for me, for maybe someone who may have overheard like a co-worker or patient. THen she went on to say that we, as black/african-american/afro-americans, we have it too good, because we can say things that other races may not be able to say in a public setting. Just like we may be able to say the "n" word and SOME of us wouldn't get offended, white folks have no option of whether or not to say the word. Have you ever watched ComicView on BET, how they pick on white people in the audience, and the joke about how white people always fall in horror movies, or how white people can't dance, what if you were watching Improv, and they were making Black-people jokes, we'd demand that the show be terminated!

I know this isn't exactly tied in with the original post, but these are some of my thoughts on it. I don't really have a preference between the terms "Black", or "African-american", but it also depends on who the speaker is, and their context in saying it.

I know my great-grandmother( she's 81), still uses the term "colored", and no one would think anything of it because she doesn't mean any harm...but a few months ago, this gentleman came into my workplace, and in speaking he asked me was I saved, and I said yes. So he then asked me "Well, I don't suppose you have a church home, do you?" I said, "Yes, as a matter of fact I do" And he goes, well I am the Pastor of 'such and such', and we have a great number of coloreds in attendance in our congregation, we have career programs, and single-parent ministries, and ...." so he goes on to say that I should come visit his church sometimes...I said no, thank you, as I said before, I have a church home, I attend...where Senator ___ ____ is pastor" Which just happens to be one of the largest churches in the city, (black, caucasian or otherwise). And then I guess he got offended, and was like "well you don't have to start name dropping!"
That comment in itself showed me that his intentions weren't well-meaning, and I didn't appreciate his ASS-uming that I, 1) didn't have a church home, or that I, 2) didn't have a clue in what I was gonna do with the rest of my life (I have a good job now, although I am in school), 3) that I may be a single parent (although there is nothing wrong with it, why ASS-ume!) , and 4) that if I did have a church home, it was probably some hole-in-the-wall store front church (not that there's anything wrong with a storefront church, but why ASS-ume)

So I guess this is where I mean, it depends on who the speaker is, if it were my grandmother or another older person, or someone who didn't mean it in a condescending fashion, then I wouldnt take it to heart. But some people's tone and meaning give words a whole new (or archaic) meaning that IS to me, patronizing and out of date.

Anyway, I have taken up more that enough space in this topic, but hope ya'll get my point. Thanks for listening...well reading!

[Talaxe]

I really don't have a preference. I usually use black because it's shorter. I use African-American if I'm talking to white strangers.

We have to remember that all black people are not Afrian-Americans...

[mccoyred]

Hello SisterFriends in Greekdom. I hope you don't mind but I would like to express why I prefer the term Black to African-American.

The term Black (with a capital B) connects me to all those of African descent throughout the Diaspora. Africans in America are facing the same basic problems and challenges as Africans in South Africa, Brazil, England and South Africa so we should express our connection. I also see the term as encompassing those who are of (recently) mixed racial background who wish to identify with the struggle.

I also see the strength in turning a negative connotation (ie black is dirty, unclean, melancholy, etc.) into a positive and stressing it with capitalization. We as a people have a talent for taking a negative or less than ideal situation and turning it into a positive. I am sure we all can think of examples of that!

Has anyone found any aforementioned research on this topic?

Originally posted by Talaxe:
We have to remember that all black people are not Afrian-Americans...

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MCCOYRED

Dynamic
Salient
Temperate

Mu Psi '86
BaltCo Alumnae

[Talaxe]

McCoyred,

Different people who call themselves "Black" do not consider themselves "African-Americans." For example, some people from India consider themselves Black and when they say so, they receive strange looks. Most use the term "Brown" to distinguish themselves from us, although some have black skin. Also, many Haitians, people from various West Indian countries, and Jamaica don't consider themselves to be "African-American." Yes, they are Black, but not African-American. African-American is more of a cultural term that relates to people of African descent who live in the US as a result of the African diaspora. Jamaicans are Jamaican-Americans. This doesn't make them any less "Black." What about Black Latinos? They are not "African-American" either, but Latinos and social labels are another topic altoghether.

Only in the US are we so obsessed with labeling ourselves. You're Black, you're White, you're Asian, you're Indian (but not from India), you're Hispanic and non-white, etc. In South America, especially counties like Brazil people identify themselves as "white." But this doesn't mean the same to them as it would to us. I read an artcile in which a Black journalist from the US went to Brazil and only associated with the darker skinned (or what we would conisder "Black" Brazilians) his hosts (white looking) were offended because he brought his American way of labeling people with him.

One of my mom's best friends is from South America. She looks white, she married a Black American. She endured a lot of racism which she did not understand. She could not comprehend how we behave this way when in her home country people were "one." Her mother came to visit the US and I was surprised that her skin was darker than mine, she would be consider "Black" in this country. Just something to think about. This is all based on people's perceptions...colored, Black, Negro, African-American, what's next?

[This message has been edited by Talaxe (edited December 19, 2000).]

[mccoyred]

Exactly! Why limit yourself to being identified as an African in America? We, as a group, need to think globally and internationally. I see Black as a term that crosses political and territorial boundaries.

Even though African-American is now the PC term for 'us', I feel it is moving toward the negative connotations that Negro now engenders. Ever notice that as soon as 'white' folks notice that someone 'Black' has an accent, hence is not from the US (African-American) their perceptions change?

Yes, in many foreign countries, their classification is different than ours. In many Arab countries, most dark-skinned people are considered 'white' by virtue of their heritage as Arabs. I am not including these people in my definition of Black because they do not identify with our struggle.

BTW, don't let your mom's friend pull the wool over your eyes regarding race relations in South America. They have the same patterns of poverty, hopelessness and racial discrimination as the US. It may be different in form but the substance is stil the same (they were colonized and enslaved, too!).


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MCCOYRED

Dynamic
Salient
Temperate

Mu Psi '86
BaltCo Alumnae

[Lady of Interest]

I agree this can be a touchy issue for some people. I have picked up a lot of slack because I refer to myself as West Indian. I was born and raised in the islands. According to the American society once your skin is a certain color you are considered African American(black). I agree with Talaxe when she stated that not all blacks are African American. I come from a family of very diverse backgrounds and it seems to me that people are always trying to put us into categories. We are all human so, why should it really matter?

[sphinxpoet]

The Term Black vs. African American all goes to how do you perceive things. If you feel the term is offensive because of the negative connotations that come with being called Black then you have a problem with it. If you have a problem with African American it is because you have a problem with being classified as either African or American. There in lies the problem with that discussion. How are you defining race? What are its characteristics to you? This discussion can become quite confusing because are Latino's and Italians black, white or other.(Remember Italians have some African descent in them though not a strong as Latinos) does your race only limit to the country you are in(i.e. the Brazilians even though many are very "dark-skinned" consider themselves whites). Once one defines these issues then a better understanding of how and why people define themselves the way the do. The Problem with people of African Descent in America is that they suffer from what W.E.B. Dubois classified as "The double veil of consciousness" We at times find us trying to be another kind of person and yet fitting in to what we have defined as comfortable parameters(i.e. being black trying to fit in a "white" society). These problems will continue to haunt us until then.

Peace and Blessings
The SPhinxpoet