American not African-American or Black?

I keep it simple, I'm Black. LOL I only divulge ethnic detail if someone happens to hear me speak Spanish and question it, other than that I just say..."look at my skin and tell me what you think I am".

Regarding the video clip, technically Whoopi is correct. A person's "nationality" is reflective of the nation they were BORN in, regardless of their "ethnicity" and how they may feel about the country they were born in. "Nationality", "Race", and "Ethnicity", are three different things. So since I was born in AmeriKKKa, I'm American. I despise the principles this country is run on and the corrupt government, the mistreatment of the poor and the anything-other-than-white, as well as a myriad of other faults this country has but, I am American by birth. Only two people in my immediate family can claim "other" nationality, my dad and his sister. Everyone else in my family born in a different country is either not my immediate family or dead.

 

Black, because at the end of the day that is the thing people have been trained to see and is one of the most important things to people; not how smart, not how funny, not whatever the other ten thousands and one thing that make me a unique individual in society. This is not a poor me kind of thing its more of an observation of what i see in the world.

 

If anyone asks me, I tell them I am a Nigerian but technically speaking I am African-American

 

I personally don't see much of a different in black vs African American because it's used to mean the same group of people by many although it's supposed to describe African Americans. I am black and I'm American like Alton said ethnicity, race and all that means different things. I don't understand why others get upset when others say this, it doesn't mean I don't acknowledge who I am or where my people come from it quite the opposite. I can be a citizen of this country and disagree with and protest the way they unfairly treat others like me.

 

American.
I hate to have to agree with anything they say but that's always been my position.

 

I consider myself to be black or African American. Since it's obvious from my appearance that I have African ancestry. I think black Americans who like to think of themselves as "just American" are fooling themselves. That's not how the world sees us and it's certainly not how white people see us.

 

Black

 

I agree and disagree. It depends on the other country that's viewing Americans because simply being an American can be negative regardless of skin color.

 

What is that ?

 

Black all day long. The term African American is ridiculous. Its always interesting to me when Black folk are mum on white people born and raised in Africa who now live in America. These white people are African Americans. This is why at its core the term African American was just another way the NAACP and other Black organizations attempted to give Blacks more of a sense of pride by trying to establish a more current connection to slavery and Africa, which in itself is not a bad thing. Because they had the microphone and a pulpit...the term stuck.

Similar to how the term gay and now the gross queer, is being forced upon us.

At the end of the day, I say individuals have a personal right to be able to label themselves how ever they want. Who am I to say, "no you can't identify that way because I don't identify that way?"

 

I answer to both.

 

This pretty much sums up my thoughts on the subject.

 

I concur. Fuck Rachel Dolezal and Raven-Symone and their bullshit.

 

I agree with you in that it's not how white people view us
and that It's obvious that I am a black man with African ancestry.

But I never have and never will let them lessen me or my citizenship.
To my face at least.
On that I've always been uncharacteristically (for me) outspoken.

 

I agree with this point but its not the question. Black people can see me as a closeted DL f@g, that doesn't mean I need to change how I view myself in order to fit their description. Nonetheless I still agree with the point.

If they didn't discuss race; Whoopi's comment doesn't make sense because African American refers to race and in this context not a nationality.

 

You have a good point in that in many countries people have a negative perception of Americans in general but just by our appearance black Americans especially if you're brown skin or dark skin comes with the extra baggage of anti-black racism.

 

No doubt. Racism and colorism isn't exclusive to just Americans. Globally, light skinned is valued even among people of color.

 

I think black Americans are unique particularly those of us who are the descendants of the enslaved Africans have lost our tribal heritage and languages by coercion. So all we know of our heritage is we are from Western Africa. White Americans can trace their ancestry to countries in Europe. The Africans who immigrate from modern African nations know exactly where they come from and know their tribal roots. As for white colonizers who live in African countries I guess you can say they're African because that's where they live. But they aren't indigenous to Africa and I'd consider them to be invaders. When referring to them if say the specific country they're from if I know it. The same with black Africans because we know specifically where they're from. Or I'd say white South African or white Zimbabweans for example to highlight that they're not black.

 

I don't think the two examples are directly comparable but I see your point.

 

Right...all of this is the reason the term 'African American' was created, the problem is 'African American' is used as a blanket term for all Black people. There are Black people currently in America whose ancestors didn't come from Africa. Their ancestors migrated from South America, there are Black Americans whose ancestors came from Europe after their ancestors migrated from Africa (Moors). I think its safe to say the majority of Black people in this country have no idea of their heritage or ancestral roots, so to blanket every Black person as African American is no where near accurate.

Anywho...I think we are all kinda arguing the same point/s.

 

Black or American or Black American. I've been saying this for at least a decade. At this point, there's nothing culturally "African" about me or my family for at least 4 or 5 generations. Just because I may look like a few people living in Africa doesn't mean we're kin. I love those countries, the people, the cultures and the history, but even native Africans would view me an Alien over there.

 

All. Of. This.

When I was in college and had to deal with African professors at my HBCU who always complained about how we Americans are lazy, want everything handed to us, and don't want to work hard like they did, I knew that African American did not describe me.

 

Like Nas said on the track "Be a Nigger Too", "most Africans don't like us no way" listen at the .45 sec mark. BTW this is a DOPE ass song lyrically.

 

Many Afro-Latinos don't even like to claim being black let alone African ancestry but that doesn't change the fact they're part of the African diaspora. There are Black people who are citizens of European countries that doesn't change the fact they're also part of African diaspora. Black British and black French are reminded in their own countries that they're not white just like black Americans are reminded by the majority white population that we aren't white.

 

He makes a good point many people from African nations who immigrate to the US believe they are better than black Americans the same is true of Afro-Caribbean people. Racism is one of America's biggest exports. Many times they adopt the ideas and attitudes of whites and think all black Americans are stupid and lazy. Black Americans have also believe all the ugly things whites say about black people from the continent of Africa. That's how white supremacy works. In my experience I've noticed that's it's African immigrants who are "fresh of the boat." That have those attitudes those who have been in the USA for a while realize that they're n*ggers too by the way white people treat them. They become racialized and aware of what's really going on in a way they weren't before coming from a an all black or majority black country.