Current Events > Is african american really the best way to refer to black people?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Because not all black people have african roots, right? Some may be from elsewhere, and I don't think "black" is derogative, so why change a term that isn't offensive to something that's inexact?

Do black people have an issue with "black"? If so, I can apologise and either close the topic or accept a moderation

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No, that was a weird push in the late 90's iirc.
Black is fine, just like white, as long as you aren't using it in a derogatory manor.

An acceptable example:
"I don't remember what the actors name was, but he's a tall black guy with a really deep voice!"

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African American or Black American are both just fine

Because not all black people have african roots, right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHC1230OpOg

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No, it's not. That's why ADOS has become a thing. Personally I prefer "Black American."

2Pacavelli posted...

African American or Black American are both just fine

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Is a person who is from Egypt an African American?
How about if they're from Ceuta?

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That's way too many syllables >_> Black, white, asian are fine.

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Nobody refers to me as a Scots-Irish-Cherokee American.

I'm just white with green eyes.

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YoungMutual posted...

Because not all black people have african roots, right?

Oh my

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African American is a dated term that should be moved away from. People are so scared to call Black folks Black folks that they call any black person African American regardless if they are from Africa or even America.

I find the term African American offensive personally.

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i love it when CE talks about race

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Slaya4 posted...

African American is a dated term that should be moved away from. People are so scared to call Black folks Black folks that they call any black person African American regardless if they are from Africa or even America.

I find the term African American offensive personally.

With that said.

Most black folks I know wouldn't set a foot in Africa,

Maybe get killed in some tribal war or by some wild animal.

Same with Australia.


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YoungMutual posted...

Because not all black people have african roots, right? Some may be from elsewhere, and I don't think "black" is derogative, so why change a term that isn't offensive to something that's inexact?

Do black people have an issue with "black"? If so, I can apologise and either close the topic or accept a moderation

you are incorrect. 100% of black people have African roots.

Fam_Fam posted...

you are incorrect. 100% of black people have African roots.

What about other colors of people?

Isn't it suspected that everyone originated from Africa?


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Doom_Art posted...

Oh my

Is there a problem with what I said? Or are you going the "all of humanity originated in africa" route?

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YoungMutual posted...

Is there a problem with what I said? Or are you going the "all of humanity originated in africa" route?

I feel it's incumbent on you to at least identify the origins of these black people whose roots aren't in Africa but are instead "elsewhere".

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No. It's the worst way. I know plenty of black people that are neither African or American so there's no way I'm calling them an African American

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Criminalt posted...

I feel it's incumbent on you to at least identify the origins of these black people whose roots aren't in Africa but are instead "from elsewhere".

I'm no expert, so if I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but there's Haitians and black people from European countries, Brazil or from islands not in the African mainland.

You could say that black people in these places can also be traced back to Africa, but I think it's going back to a reductionist all human life goes back to africa angle, and I'm sure that for black people in america coming from Haiti, Brazil, Europe, those roots are just as important if not more so.

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Wtf is this topic lol

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PrettyBoyFloyd posted...

Nobody refers to me as a Scots-Irish-Cherokee American.

I'm just white with green eyes.

Must be nice to be able to trace your roots.

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Some people use it to refer to literally any black person, even if they're not American lol. Which makes it even cringier. Brah, that guy was born and raised in London!
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wickerman posted...

there is a distinct unwillingness in our culture to acknowledge that people exist outside the classic race labels. You're either white, black, or "asian and pacific islander" (which is quite the blanket category, I might add, how do a pakistani, korean, samoan and eskimo belong to the same race?!).

There might be a category for multi-racial and a category for other in the census, but it's more like an after thought. And everything is designed for you to circle back to one of those classical groups. Oh, you're middle eastern? You're white! Oh, you're Uruguayan? You're white! But just for the census, for the average person out there white only means WASP... it's such a shit show.

It's weird.

I had a uncle and aunt who showed they native side more.

Darker skin, dark eyes and hair.

Friends thought my family had Mexican or South American in it.

My uncle looked like Pablo Escobar... (running joke in my family).

Had to remind them that he's Cherokee, not some Mick or Piper.


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YoungMutual posted...

You could say that black people in these places can also be traced back to Africa, but I think it's going back to a reductionist all human life goes back to africa angle, and I'm sure that for black people in america coming from Haiti, Brazil, Europe, those roots are just as important if not more so.

Ah, so you're thinking more of a "last port of departure for arrivals" definition.

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Doom_Art posted...

Wtf is this topic lol

Is african american a viable term over black people or not, and, do black people prefer it over "black"

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Criminalt posted...

Ah, so you're thinking more of a "last port of departure for arrivals" definition.

But I'm no expert, really, I may be using faulty premises here, feel free to correct

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Is a person whose forefathers were brought from Africa to America in the 15th century African American?

Is a person, whose grandparents emigrated from Algeria to the UK in the 1950s, who has moved to America five years ago, African American?

Is a South African of 100% Dutch lineage who has recently moved to the US an African American?

If these kids were living in America, would you call them African-American?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanesians#/media/File:Fenualoa_Tuo_school_children.jpg

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YoungMutual posted...

But I'm no expert

he did it again lol

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YoungMutual posted...

Is african american a viable term over black people or not, and, do black people prefer it over "black"

you're specifically talking about Black Americans, right?

if so, some Black Americans prefer African-American, some prefer Black, some prefer just American, and so forth.

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Thompson posted...

Is a person whose forefathers were brought from Africa to America in the 15th century African American?

Is a person, whose grandparents emigrated from Algeria to the UK in the 1950s, who has moved to America five years ago, African American?

Is a South African of 100% Dutch lineage who has recently moved to the US an African American?

If these kids were living in America, would you call them African-American?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanesians#/media/File:Fenualoa_Tuo_school_children.jpg

Yeah this kind of things is why I think it's an inconsistent term.

But I'm no expert (saying this seems to piss off @Doom_Art so I'll keep saying it, he isn't contributing anything to this thread anyways)

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Not all black people are Americans so I don't get Wtf is happening in this topic

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g0ldie posted...

you're specifically talking about Black Americans, right?

if so, some Black Americans prefer African-American, some prefer Black, some prefer just American, and so forth.

Makes sense

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wickerman posted...

there is a distinct unwillingness in our culture to acknowledge that people exist outside the classic race labels. You're either white, black, or "asian and pacific islander" (which is quite the blanket category, I might add, how do a pakistani, korean, samoan and eskimo belong to the same race?!).

There might be a category for multi-racial and a category for other in the census, but it's more like an after thought. And everything is designed for you to circle back to one of those classical groups. Oh, you're middle eastern? You're white! Oh, you're Uruguayan? You're white! But just for the census, for the average person out there white only means WASP... it's such a shit show.

I don't know.

I knew a few guys from Honduras.

They'd get pretty pissed if you called them a Mexican.


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PrettyBoyFloyd posted...

What about other colors of people?

Isn't it suspected that everyone originated from Africa?

yes, but what's your point?

African-American is really supposed to dileneate descendants of American chattel slavery from other black people of the diaspora and continental Africans. Black people from other countries often refer to themselves of their national origin.

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African-Americans are all black.
Not all black people are African-Americans.

Simple as that.

Also what black people are not from an African background .

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Fam_Fam posted...

yes, but what's your point?

Some suspect that white people was created by a mad scientist.

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Thompson posted...

Is a South African of 100% Dutch lineage who has recently moved to the US an African American?

You now that isn't the case. They are South African-American. Just like you would not call someone who moved to America from Ireland European American.

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cjsdowg posted...

Ireland European American

youd call them Irish-American

If you're referring to just Americans then African-American is fine. Saying Black is fine.

Just dont call us "The Blacks"

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Cool guy americans

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I4NRulez posted...

youd call them Irish-American

As said before.... I'm a mix of Scotch-Irish and Cherokee.

Don't know what the fuck I am.

Doesn't matter anyway.

I'm just here.

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Why is this only an issue with African-Americans.

No one does with the term Asian.

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I dont think Ive heard of any person getting upset that they were called African American instead of black or upset that they were called black instead of African American.


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The PC term for black African people of color on which there is concensus seems to change every 15 years or so. Just go with whatever at least 40% of your immediate social environment seems to go with, and you'll be fine.

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PrettyBoyFloyd posted...

As said before.... I'm a mix of Scotch-Irish and Cherokee.

You don't have to label it all. If you wanted too you'd still be Cherokee. It's your heritage and you identify how you want to.

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cjsdowg posted...

Why is this only an issue with African-Americans.

No one does with the term Asian.

Thats not true. There's plenty of asian people that dont like being called "Asian". Because it lumps them in a group and all the cultures are so diverse.

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SoIidLegacy posted...

The PC term for black African people of color on which there is concensus seems to change every 15 years or so. Just go with whatever at least 40% of your immediate social environment seems to go with, and you'll be fine.

"people of color" basically refers to anyone who isn't white.

so, an Asian-American, for example, would be considered a person of color just as a Black person would.

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