"BLACK or AFRICAN AMERICAN" mainly a question...

Reinventing_Me

I know someone is about to upset with this one, but y'all hve the right to be upset and i hve the right to ask.
SOOOOOOOOOOOOO why is it offensive for some to be called, "African American, Black, Black American, Afro American People of colour" but umm, the N word is used SOOO loosely?

Don't like the "N" word. I don't use it and I don't let other Blacks/African Americans to use it around me.

THANK YOU! Hate it. I also hate the B-word.

MiloBloom83

I refer to myself as chocolate awesome

FTW!!!

fabfindz05

I'm a black chick and I have no issues with being referred to as such. I certainly use "black" it to describe someone I don't know.

sisierra

I don't mind being called black or african-american, even though i prefer the latter. But I always get offended when people say "blacks", I don't know why, it just rankles.

Lone_Wolf70

How does anyone feel about the E word? Oh sorry, thought this was a thread about Eskimos.

bleacheblonde

It's interesting reading all the responses on this. I grew up in a very non-diverse area....there was 1 Asian kid and 3 African-American kids at my school, K-12. No joke. So I never quite know what people want to be called because I've had little interaction with people of other races until I was an adult. I just try to be perceptive and if I notice one term annoys them or pisses them off, I'll use a different one.

If we're going to refer to people as colors like "black", then I think we should be more accurate, like "raw sienna" or "milk chocolate" or "Mocha frappuccino." Or, in my case, "freckled pink." The world would be a lot more fun and descriptive that way.

EyeLikeTacos

ok, so someone who is from South Africa, they are of dutch decent. They immigrate to the USA. Are they African American?

African or African American is not exclusive to black people...

They can be White ya know

Marianeyda

Not black myself, but got my undergrad degree in African-American history (focus on Civil War era). I took several courses from the same professor since the school only had one in that subspecialty. On the first day of every class, he would start with an explanation of why he used the term "African American" rather than "black" history.

He reasoned that for a very long time, African Americans were denied their African heritage. During the slave trade, Africans from the same region would be intentionally split up so that they did not share a common language or common history that they could share together. They were told for years (even up to today) that they were lucky to have been brought here, that they came from a place with nothing to be proud of, from a history of savage heathens, that they'd be living in misery if they or their ancestors hadn't been taken as slaves across the Atlantic. On top of that, they were long denied status as Americans as well. They started out as property, then became free with conditions, then became legally equal, but continue to struggle for true equality. African Americans are often seen as mere hangers-on to the greatness of America rather than an integral part of its success.

So "African American" means something different than "black." It is not merely a way to identify someone's appearance, but a way to acknowledge their history, heritage, and contribution that were deliberately ignored and denied for so long.

Not everyone sees it this way of course. Many people are just fine being called "black." And it's sometimes ridiculous how the term has come to be used to describe any person of African descent. But I don't think it's ridiculous or overly-PC to use "African American" as many people seem to gripe about.

Just my perspective.

very nice said!!! we learn something today!

k8blujay2

I am not racist either, i am fair.

Whew. Glad you said that. It's always best for white people who use the "n word" to follow-up with, "I'm not racist either".

Referring to the time that I was insulted racially and fought fire w/fire. It really shows that either you have never been close friends with anyone black, or maybe they were raised different and don't use the word. IDK.

Danilee...I will go out on a limb and defend you for a second...

I totally get what you mean..There are few ...I mean a few white people who have been around black people soo damn long..it's as iff they are now part of the family...I myself have a white friend who we call the n word too..and he is allowed to use it among me and my family and friends...he is trully a black man in a white man's body...AND get this ...he from Texas.

Thank you I guess that some people just can't understand.

As a white person no I don't understand. I work with a woman who is like a mother to me and she is black... and if I called her that she would not only be hurt that I called her that (because she is not that) but she would think less of me... so no I don't understand either... but then again, I don't call my friends deragotory names of any kind, whether it's accepted or not.

Tann19

I am sick and tired of everyone saying they are something then american. If you live or were born in this country you are american.

If i was in germany would I say i'm ameican german?? See how stoopid that sounds! And yes I spelled it that way for a reason.

good one, I wrote a paper on that very same thing, USA is one of the only places that use that, it's just ridiculous

sassylm22

You asked for thoughts from "older" people and I qualify on that account. It is an interesting and important question. Way back when -- I'm thinking back to way before you were even born, the terms were either "people of color" or "Negros." But at that time, Caucasians were typically called "white." Now, I'm actually no more "white" than you are "black." I was always told my complexion was olive, which always upset me because it made me think of a sickly green shade. Yuch! And you, your hair is more black than your complexion. Actually, my hair was the same color as yours before it turned gray.

It was sometime in the 1960s as I recall that it was thought that if Caucasians were white, then Negros would insist on being called black. That was also the beginning of the phrase "black pride." A decade or so later, about the time the TV mini-series "Roots" came out, someone decided that black pride needed to incorporate a pride in the African continent. With that, came the African-American label. Why? We don't refer to Irish-Americans, German-Americans, Polish-Americans. But, the term stuck and left many with the same question you have. What term should we use? Besides, it seems silly to refer to anyone by a continent. There are many countries on that continent and it certainly makes a difference which part of Africa ones ancestors lived in just as there is a difference in racial traits between people from the USA and people from Mexico even though both are technically from the North American continent.

As for me, I try not to use any term except American, or American Citizen. Our census forms ask for race -- I write "American Citizen." Race or the continent of one's ancestors going back dozens of generations shouldn't matter, period! Sadly, it does. Maybe some day we can all just be people.

Of course, this is only my thoughts on the topic. I'm certain that others think differently and that's okay, too. Especially for those of different races. There is no way I can ever share the experiences of people in another race so I can't possibly wrap my thoughts around how other think and feel. Please forgive this shortcoming in me.

nicely said!

Awesome post!

Kick butt post!!!!!!

Laces_0ut

[but we need a term for when they are beind dscussed as a group...like for the upcoming election...How much of the black/african american vote can Romney get?

Don't bring politics in this please!

Especially from a party who does not even try to get the black vote...

it was an example of how we need a word to call black/AA as a group because someoone else said we should just call them by name.

fbmandy55

Also, if you were at work and said, "please go see the lady with 'red' or 'brown' hair at the front desk, would that be offensive?

Black, white, yellow, brown, purple or red are all descriptive, not derogatory words. I would think if that offended a person then anything would.

ElleBee615

*reads comments*


Interesting....


*sips tea and continues to observe*

tomomatic

Aflack (per skitty)


As the only Chinese guy growing up in a mostly African American neighborhood, I referred to everyone as African American rather than Black because being politically correct kept me from getting my *kitten* whupped. Even to the green card Jamaican born guys that were neither African or American.

One time in 6th grade someone started a rumor that I had used the N-word. Maybe they misheard something or someone wanted to instigate a fight. Some of my "friends" turned on me so quick. More or less the entire class erupted and I nearly got expelled defending myself... all in the span of about 15 minutes. I cleared my name but it was ugly.

Some people take "just a word" pretty seriously.

skinnyinnotime

I'm not black, but have worked with a lot of black colleagues, and they all use the term 'black'. I'm in the UK, and 'black' is actually the politically correct term here at the moment. It didn't use to be, which is why some older people can look shocked when people say it - mostly older white people, I find, who generally don't actually know any black people. The term used to be 'coloured' here, but that was deemed offensive because it suggests that white is the default and everything else has a colour. A lot of white people also say 'dark', which to me is a bit of a meaningless word - a white person can be referred to as dark if they get a sun tan!

On equal opportunities forms, people can specify whether they are 'Black English', 'Black Irish', 'Black British', etc. A colleague once refused to fill it in because there was no option for simply 'Black' or 'Black African'.

You're forgetting the options of 'Afro Caribbean' and 'Caribbean'.

cookadook

Seriously, it's like saying dude among each other, they call me nig-er as well. This is funny to me that y'all think I'm racist. It's like "Whats up my nig" Or My *kitten* so and so .... Have you really never heard this type of convo before?

I have. I'm white, my boyfriend is black. he calls me the N word all day long. He uses it as a term of affection and he uses it with our other friends and family. "That's my N***a" or something along those lines. I don't personally use the word with him or anyone else because I don't like the word and I think its just a disrespectful word in general. If he chose to use Cracker, I would be against that word as well. But it is commonly used in certain circles and in certain parts of the US.

And I never knew "people of color" was offensive, but I cringed everytime my grandfather would say, "Are you still dating those colored boys?" To me there is a difference between people of color and colored people or espcially colored boy... don't you agree? Maybe its just me.

sisierra

You asked for thoughts from "older" people and I qualify on that account. It is an interesting and important question. Way back when -- I'm thinking back to way before you were even born, the terms were either "people of color" or "Negros." But at that time, Caucasians were typically called "white." Now, I'm actually no more "white" than you are "black." I was always told my complexion was olive, which always upset me because it made me think of a sickly green shade. Yuch! And you, your hair is more black than your complexion. Actually, my hair was the same color as yours before it turned gray.

It was sometime in the 1960s as I recall that it was thought that if Caucasians were white, then Negros would insist on being called black. That was also the beginning of the phrase "black pride." A decade or so later, about the time the TV mini-series "Roots" came out, someone decided that black pride needed to incorporate a pride in the African continent. With that, came the African-American label. Why? We don't refer to Irish-Americans, German-Americans, Polish-Americans. But, the term stuck and left many with the same question you have. What term should we use? Besides, it seems silly to refer to anyone by a continent. There are many countries on that continent and it certainly makes a difference which part of Africa ones ancestors lived in just as there is a difference in racial traits between people from the USA and people from Mexico even though both are technically from the North American continent.

As for me, I try not to use any term except American, or American Citizen. Our census forms ask for race -- I write "American Citizen." Race or the continent of one's ancestors going back dozens of generations shouldn't matter, period! Sadly, it does. Maybe some day we can all just be people.

Of course, this is only my thoughts on the topic. I'm certain that others think differently and that's okay, too. Especially for those of different races. There is no way I can ever share the experiences of people in another race so I can't possibly wrap my thoughts around how other think and feel. Please forgive this shortcoming in me.

Awesome post!

Kick butt post!!!!!!

i'm too lazy to go find the original post, but i love this!

Lone_Wolf70

But what about Eskimos?

sassylm22

Not black myself, but got my undergrad degree in African-American history (focus on Civil War era). I took several courses from the same professor since the school only had one in that subspecialty. On the first day of every class, he would start with an explanation of why he used the term "African American" rather than "black" history.

He reasoned that for a very long time, African Americans were denied their African heritage. During the slave trade, Africans from the same region would be intentionally split up so that they did not share a common language or common history that they could share together. They were told for years (even up to today) that they were lucky to have been brought here, that they came from a place with nothing to be proud of, from a history of savage heathens, that they'd be living in misery if they or their ancestors hadn't been taken as slaves across the Atlantic. On top of that, they were long denied status as Americans as well. They started out as property, then became free with conditions, then became legally equal, but continue to struggle for true equality. African Americans are often seen as mere hangers-on to the greatness of America rather than an integral part of its success.

So "African American" means something different than "black." It is not merely a way to identify someone's appearance, but a way to acknowledge their history, heritage, and contribution that were deliberately ignored and denied for so long.

Not everyone sees it this way of course. Many people are just fine being called "black." And it's sometimes ridiculous how the term has come to be used to describe any person of African descent. But I don't think it's ridiculous or overly-PC to use "African American" as many people seem to gripe about.

Just my perspective.

so true!