Why are black people, called African American? Options

[Kontroll]

I never really liked the term African American, first of all because its just an easy way out instead of calling a person black. Because saying some one is black is closely related to racism, some how.

Technically all people who come from Africa aren't black. If you're Egyptian and you live in America, what are you?

Another problem is that if you're born in the US and you're black, then you're not at all African American. That term only denotes that you previously resided in Africa and moved to the US.

Please discuss to further my knowledge and understanding. Thank you. Oh, and if there is already a topic about this, then close this one. Thank you.

[hi-C]

I never really liked the term African American, first of all because its just an easy way out instead of calling a person black. Because saying some one is black is closely related to racism, some how.

Technically all people who come from Africa aren't black. If you're Egyptian and you live in America, what are you?

Another problem is that if you're born in the US and you're black, then you're not at all African American. That term only denotes that you previously resided in Africa and moved to the US.

Please discuss to further my knowledge and understanding. Thank you. Oh, and if there is already a topic about this, then close this one. Thank you.

I don't think "Black" is a racist term. I'm Black, and I prefer it over "African-American," for much of the reason that you stated above. My ancestors may have been from Africa, but I'm not. And what you said about Egyptians goes for white South Africans. They have more of a claim on "African American" that I do. (Also, I'm not quite sure about this, but it seems to me, since Egypt identifies more with the Arab world than the African world, that they would be called "Arab American.)

I remember this video we watched in English about how a lot of the black community was against reading Huck Finn, even though that book is AGAINST slavery. The important thing about that film (no matter how stupid) was that there were people who were still hurt by the use of nigger in the book.

There is such a thing as being anti-slavery but pro-racism. Take Uncle Tom's Cabin for instance. Stowe was decidedly against slavery, but look at her characters: the hero and heroine were two Black people light enough to pass for white, and the darkest character was also the most subservient one.