When does somebody become African-American?

amadeus · Apr 17, 2007

In the past 20 years, the word "black" has been substituted with the ridiculous "African-American." Yet, I'm unclear as to who these people actually are.

There are many Ethiopians living in Minnesota today, yet have cultural traditions that are not shared with the blacks (I personally prefer the term "colored" since there is so much intermingling of the races) that have had historical ties to the United States.

Are they included in this group, despite only having "race" to tie them together?

Bill3000 · Apr 17, 2007

Much like any other ethnicity - when the person identifes as such.

African American is an ethnicity, not a race. Heck, the concent of race sucks altogether. Being black would be a necessary, but not sufficient, condition. Actually, African American sucks as a term altogether for the ethnicity.

skadistic · Apr 17, 2007

Can a black desended from Spanish Moores be African American? What about one from Jamaca or Cuba?

Oruc · Apr 17, 2007

I think those Eithopians shouldn't be called African-Americans.
They most likely have a different accent for a start and I think you have to be descended from slaves to be an Afro-American.

skadistic · Apr 17, 2007

emu said:
I think those Eithopians shouldn't be called African-Americans.
They most likely have a different accent for a start and I you have to be descended from slaves to be an Afro-American.

If thats the case the numbers of afro-mericans just dropped big time.

Oruc · Apr 17, 2007

skadistic said:
If thats the case the numbers of afro-mericans just dropped big time.

Well what do you think makes an Afro-American

b etor · Apr 17, 2007

'african-american' should not be used unless they were BORN IN AFRICA.
do we say 'european american' for a white person who lives in the US? NO. gahhh.

JollyRoger · Apr 17, 2007

amadeus said:
(I personally prefer the term "colored" since there is so much intermingling of the races)

Are you colorless?

Oruc · Apr 17, 2007

b etor said:
'african-american' should not be used unless they were BORN IN AFRICA.
do we say 'european american' for a white person who lives in the US? NO. gahhh.

Its are country specific if they are from Europe

ComradeDavo · Apr 17, 2007

I prefer the term 'human'.

Phlegmak · Apr 17, 2007

The term "African American" is completely stupid and insulting to human intelligence. Unless of course, the African American person in question is from Africa and has become a naturalized American citizen; for example, a white South African, or a white Tunisian who becomes an American.

Desmond Hawkins · Apr 17, 2007

This reminds me of this black woman Colbert had on his show. She was trying to argue that Obama wasn't African-American, but rather African-African-American because his ancestors hadn't suffered through slavery and because he didn't appear to partake in black culture... Colbert ended up pwning her.

skadistic · Apr 17, 2007

emu said:
Well what do you think makes an Afro-American

I don't use the term. I find all hypenated American names to be disgusting. I never call myself Irish-American. I'm just American.

Desmond Hawkins · Apr 17, 2007

I wonder if a South African immigrant named like van den Klerk or something could call themselves African-American.

Che Guava · Apr 17, 2007

I thought this might be a thread about racist punchlines :mischief:

JollyRoger said:
Are you colorless?

That's my problem with the term, it seems to imply that white is separate from all those 'other races'.

For the main question, I'll refer to the king of soul, JAMES BROWN!

JAMES BROWN said:
A colored is a very frightened-to-death Afro-American. A Negro is one that makes it in the system, and he wants to be white. A n1gger, he's loud and boisterous, wants to be seen. Nobody likes a n1gger. A black man has pride. He wants to build, he wants to make his race mean something. Wants to have a culture and art forms. And he's not prejudiced. I am a black American man. Now you go ahead and print it.

As a default term, I like 'afro-american'...

Phlegmak · Apr 17, 2007

Sobieski II said:
This reminds me of this black woman Colbert had on his show. She was trying to argue that Obama wasn't African-American, but rather African-African-American because his ancestors hadn't suffered through slavery and because he didn't appear to partake in black culture... Colbert ended up pwning her.

Please provide a link to a clip of that video. Please. :please:

amadeus · Apr 17, 2007

JollyRoger said:
Are you colorless?

No, but the U.S. is generally speaking a white society.

amadeus · Apr 17, 2007

ComradeDavo said:
I prefer the term 'human'.

Yeah, yeah, you're a saint. :rolleyes:

Catharsis · Apr 17, 2007

Che Guava said:
That's my problem with the term, it seems to imply that white is separate from all those 'other races'.

Indeed, while blacks always stay roughly the same colour, whites go through a whole range: pink, red in the sun, blue-grey when cold, etc. I'd say that whites are more 'coloured' than blacks.

bhsup · Apr 17, 2007

WHen does someone become African-American? Just like with any other hyphenated American, when they choose to split their loyalties, becoming untrustworthy citizens. You are either African or American, not both. You are either Irish or American, not both. You are either Asian or American, not both.

When does somebody become African-American?

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