If you think about it, it's kind of weird that people decided to call Blacks African AMERICAN. Being in the US didn't change their race, just their nationality, so they're biologically still African, amirite?

I live in Singapore, but that doesn't make my race Chinese Singaporean. My nationality is Singaporean and my race is Chinese, but people used African American to just mean race.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Not all black people came from Africa either.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Unless they're american?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

It's the same exact think as when people say Chinese American. They're just saying where the person immigrated from. It shouldn't be African American for black people outside of the U.S. I know black people who hate the term though and just tell me to say black instead of African American

by Anonymous 11 years ago

That's my point. Immigration doesn't change your race. If I moved to the US, I'd still be just Chinese, even if I get citizenship.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Oh! Alright, I wasn't sure if that's what you were saying, but then, yeah, I agree.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Biologically speaking we're all African.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Our ancestors were African. Our DNA has already changed, but I see what you're saying.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

What about Jamaicans and hatians?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Actually, most Jamaicans came from Africa pretty recently. I guess it's the same for Haitians, but I'm not sure.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Black people have come from New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, and Melanesia, not just Africa.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

In that case, both parts are wrong.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I do think it's weird to call black people African American though. They're just Americans to me, who happen to be of (insert nationality here.) Ex: My ancestors were Italian, French, German, Irish, and Native American, but I just call myself American and white.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

All black people eventually came from Africa. People tend to think that the black people in Jamaica were always in Jamaica. No, they came from Africa too if you trace back far enough. Though I agree that "African American" makes no sense. Just say black or ebony lol

by Anonymous 11 years ago

True, but if you insinuate to a Caribbean person that they're in any way African, they'll probably get offended.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

"Black people have come from New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, and Melanesia, not just Africa."

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I'm pretty Sure Africa traces as the starting point.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Africa isn't even a country, it's a continent... you never hear just European American or Asian American. It seems like it's always more specific- Irish American, Italian American, Japanese American. It's like they're lumping all black people into just a continent and not acknowledging each individual country... Plus, not everyone on the continent of Africa is black.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

1. Africa may not be a single country, but there would be a hell lot fewer African countries if they were all divided by race. Most Africans are Black, and all the different tribes and races are similar enough to be sub-races of African. Since White is a minority there, African refers to Black people and White African refers to White people if you want to make a distinction.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I feel like that's reeeeally generalizing everything, but whatever works for you!

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Besides there are a lot of people in and from Africa who aren't black who wouldn't be called African American, and also it's a stupid term because if you're afraid to say black and you meet someone black who's never been to America or Africa, it would be so weird to call them African American, but I'm sure it happens

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I don't think I understand this post, but "African-American" is just a really stupid term altogether. Why must the nationality be included? I don't agree with "African" meaning black either, since not people from Africa are black and not all black people are from Africa (disregarding everyone's ancestral background and referring only to where they were born). American or whatever else for nationality; black for race, or African if you must.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

That's pretty much what I'm saying. Most Black Americans did come from Africa with just a couple of degrees of separation over a few centuries at best. Even if they moved to America, they're still African. They are mostly the same race as they would have been if they had stayed in Africa, which is what I'm saying. You're right about the not all thing, but I'm talking about the majority. Form what you say, I think you're thinking the same way as me, how it makes no sense that 'American' is included in the race

by Anonymous 11 years ago

If black people are African American them I'm Irish German African French American

by Anonymous 11 years ago