African American

[Donatello]

I've wondered this for a while. Black people in the USA call themselves "African Americans". Just wondering if in other countries they are "African Canadians", "African Australians", "African Indonesians", etc.??

disclaimer (and i hate having to do this): i'm not racist.

[Filip]

Isn't the term "Afro American" more used than "African American"?
But no, I doubt that they say "African Australians" in Australia etc.

[Drex]

Here in Chile they're just blacks. We don't have race issues, so, they're like everybody else.

[Donatello]

yeah. i think we're the only country stupid enough to segregate ourselves even further........blah

disclaimer again: NOT racist.

[Jason Kidd.]

You have some problems man

[The GOAT]

Isn't the term "Afro American" more used than "African American"?

Actually I've never heard of Afro American but it sounds like something you would make up after hearing 'African American' and misunderstaning it

[Username123]

In Canada we call them---
African Americans
Blacks (not being racist)
and Dark Skin

[Cameron]

I've never heard "dark skin", but yeah Wisdom that sounds about right for here

[Ruff Ryder]

Isn't the term "Afro American" more used than "African American"?

Actually I've never heard of Afro American but it sounds like something you would make up after hearing 'African American' and misunderstaning it

Yeah, I hardly ever hear Afro American. IMO that sounds more racist.

I hear blacks, african americans, negros , dark skinned. Mostly "blacks" though, because we dont refer to whites as caucasian americans or something like that.

[The GOAT]

Yeah, "That black kid" or sth...

[J@3]

We don't really use any of those names here, most black dudes in Australia are either Aboriginal or Islander. Neither are racist terms, or racist sounding... generally they're just all refered to as people lol.

[Username123]

This is a useless post......................
i just wanted my post count to be 400

[Old School Fool]

Everyone who isn't technically African American yet have that skin color call themselves Black.

Like me, I claim to be 90% Black, But my Mother is Native American/White whereas my Dad had Black Roots.

[John-John Joe]

The reason why the term African American was coined in the states was to give black people a sense of origin. For instance, John Stockton is born in America right? but if asked, Hey what are you? He would reply, "I'm Irish" which would indicate that he has roots in Ireland.

Using this same rationale, Jason Giambi of the NY Yankees is an Italian. Some would say, well why even weigh in on the origin? Well, that's because unlike other countries, the United States has people from all over the world. And to merely say: I'm American; isn't really saying anything at all. The only TRUE americans are the Native Americans (Indians, though that term is incorrect) whose land was stolen from them by the Europeans.

With black people, they were brainwashed into thinking that Africa is something they should disassociate themselves with because that's what was done during slavery in order to control the slaves. Where as Irish people like Pat Riley or John Crotty for instance still have their Irish names, black slaves were forced to give up their family names and take on the names of their slave masters. (as well as language, culture, religious practices and a host of other things).

In the early nineties, there was a movement to use African American based on these principles. To reconnect with our former heritage and "reclaim" (if that's even possible at this point) our culture. Black is still very acceptable but "negro" and "colored" are very passe. In this age of political correctness it wouldn't be deemed as racist to use those terms per say but it would be extremely tacky to say the least.

[Drex]

Excuse my ignorance, but, I don't understand why is wrong to call black people in the U.S. "negro". That's how the Europeans called them in slavery?

[Filip]

Afro American but it sounds like something you would make up after hearing African American' and misunderstaning it

No, i'm sure that I've heard it several times on movies and stuff.

hear blacks, african americans, negros

What's wrong with saying blacks, I'm actually using that and colored person when refering.

[The GOAT]

I think the was for 'negros'...If he doesn't like those three, what else whould people call black people?

[Jay-Peso]

If I hear any body say anything towards color it's normally black but besides that you don't hear much a dat around here.

[Username123]

I am brown. And people refer to us as pakis...... I hate that Eventhough I am one

[Ruff Ryder]

I think the was for 'negros'...If he doesn't like those three, what else whould people call black people?

Yeah, thats right.

[Wormy10]

I think people should call them whatever they call white people (with the exceptions of "whitey" "cracker" "honkey" etc.), Americans for example lol i dont know

[Andreas Dahl]

1.Why do you need to call them something?

2. Why does most people that comes from USA call themselves American?
- Americans would either be the (Native) Americans or
- anyone that lives on the continent of america (North, middle and south).

[Old Mazzlow]

1.Why do you need to call them something?

because theyre not "white" therefore most people think theyre different so therefore people call them something. so naturally non-racist people addopted it too. yea it sucks
(i'm not black, i just think it sucks)

[Drex]

2. Why does most people that comes from USA call themselves American?
- Americans would either be the (Native) Americans or
- anyone that lives on the continent of america (North, middle and south).

Yeah, that's weird. They call themselves American, but I'm also American, just a little south of them . Anyway, it would be weirdier (is that a word?) that they call themselves United Statians or something.

[J@3]

United Stations... sounds like a TV network or something.