Is He Really the First African American President?

[Lay_Lay]

Is He Really the First African American President?

1. We need to define "African American" before we can make an assessment of whether He is one or not.
2. We need to research each previous President's genetic bloodline, to determine whether or not each fits the definition we agree to in #1.


If the definition of African American is broad, then Obama is probably not the first African American president. If the definition is narrow, then Obama is not an African American.

One might propose that Zachary Taylor, just to throw a name out there, was actually the first African American President.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

According to the definition of "African-America" that I use (the descendant of West Africans brought as slaves to North America, and their slave descendants) he isn't. According to the US Census definition he probably is.

 

[Shekwan]

or

How is he not an African American president? The other guy clearly isn't black.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Lots of people with dark skin are not African-American.

 

[ComradeDavo]

Well his Dad was from Kenya. And he has family in kenya now. Last time I checked Kenya was in Africa. Obama himself is American. So combine the 2 = African-American maybe?

 

[woody60707]

/faceplam

It's sad that people still see race as anything other then a artificial cultural construct.

You don't have to be from Africa to be Afro-American

 

[Miles Teg]

Is he an African-American in the sense of the descendant of an African immigrant? Of course. He obviously doesn't have the heritage of the overall African-American community, save for what the common experience of the expectations and attitudes of white people. He's the first African-American president because he's the the first one that perceived as African-American. Simple as that.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Well his Dad was from Kenya. And he has family in kenya now. Last time I checked Kenya was in Africa. Obama himself is American. So combine the 2 = African-American maybe?

Maybe Kenyan-American, but how often do you hear the term "European-American"?

The OP could be answered with a lot less drama if people would just say, "I consider all Americans of immediate African descent to be African-American" rather than acting confused that other people might have other definitions.

 

[Lay_Lay]

IMO showing photos is not a valid way to define "African American." Can we get to a real definition? Or it may not be possible to define, in which case, no one should ever make the claim that he is the first.

The descendant of West Africans brought as slaves to North America, and their slave descendants. Getting better.

So, if my great great great great great grandpa was brought as a slave to North America, and every generation after married european white people, making me very white looking with a tiny bit of Weste African DNA inside me - that makes me an African American.

Zachary Taylor might be the first. Just using him as a example guys. I dont' really know his genetic makeup.

 

[ComradeDavo]

Maybe Kenyan-American, but how often do you hear the term "European-American"?

I fail to see why you are making a point out of this.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Zachary Taylor might be the first. Just using him as a example guys. I dont' really know his genetic makeup.

Actually, I admit this is just me, but I do consider "African-American" to be cultural, not racial. Thus Zachary Taylor would not qualify, but WEB DuBois would, because despite being white (15/16, the "one drop rule" really is meaningless) he identified with African-Americans (though I don't think the term had yet been invented).

And of course we all have African descendants.

 

[gangleri2001]

Eran is right. It's time for change. It's time for an American-American president

 

[EzInKy]

According to the definition of "African-America" that I use (the descendant of West Africans brought as slaves to North America, and their slave descendants) he isn't. According to the US Census definition he probably is.

Interesting. I was always taught that just as Irish-Americans are Americans who have Irish ancestry and German-Americans are Americans who have German ancestry African-Americans are Americans who have African ancestry. Now I can see possibly Kenyan-American, but why do you narrow the definition to slaves?

 

[holy king]

my god, guys he's black. thus part of a group of people that get treated as a common race.

 

[Arwon]

Just say "black". He's the first black president.

 

[RedRalph]

Actually, I admit this is just me, but I do consider "African-American" to be cultural, not racial. Thus Zachary Taylor would not qualify, but WEB DuBois would, because despite being white (15/16, the "one drop rule" really is meaningless) he identified with African-Americans (though I don't think the term had yet been invented).

Amd

well why dont you just say 'black' then?

 

[ComradeDavo]

Black American = African American as far as everyone who doesn't spend their lifes in CFC off Topic is concered, so lets go with that

 

[Arwon]

Wow, triple ninja'ed, and all foreigners.

 

[holy king]

epic crossposts.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Interesting. I was always taught that just as Irish-Americans are Americans who have Irish ancestry and German-Americans are Americans who have German ancestry African-Americans are Americans who have African ancestry. Now I can see possibly Kenyan-American, but why do you narrow the definition to slaves?

Exactly, we speak of Irish-Americans and German-Americans, not European-Americans.

Now, I am just saying that my definition helps clear up confusion, since of course not all black people are African-American. I accept that mine is not the only definition out there, but it seems that few of you understand my reasoning.