Actual definition is: any black person who is a descendant of black American slaves and lives in America. It is often incorrectly used to refer to black people who came to this country of their own free will from Africa as well as any other country is the world.
The second definition is any person who moves to America from Africa.
The second definition is any person who moves to America from Africa.
That man is a descendant of slaves, so if you want to be politically correct use African-American when referring to him.
by tarafirma November 05, 2009
Latest politically correct term for a black, Negro, colored American with even a minuscule proportion of African descent
Jesse Jackson is losing his position as chief African-American spokesman to the flamboyant Al Sharpton
by cornholio October 05, 2003
A rather inaccurate term, used to describe a black American. On paper, it seems fairly sensible as British- Asian would be used as an ethnic description of Olympic boxer Amir Khan, as he is British but has parents from Asia (Pakistan).
However, I don't need to tell anyone with half a brain there have been black people in the USA for hundreds of years who have about as much connection to Africa as I do to Bill Clinton just because I'm white.
Think: could you see 50 Cent playing Senegalese folk music, phoning a witch doctor or conducting a "rain dance" with his (mostly black, I presume) G-Unit rapper mates? Nah!!
No, so shut the hell up, Mr Politically Correct - you're playing into the racists' hands by using this definition! (See go back to Africa.)
Another result of the political correctness, which seems to have made about as useful a contribution to Western society as AIDS.
D'oh!!
However, I don't need to tell anyone with half a brain there have been black people in the USA for hundreds of years who have about as much connection to Africa as I do to Bill Clinton just because I'm white.
Think: could you see 50 Cent playing Senegalese folk music, phoning a witch doctor or conducting a "rain dance" with his (mostly black, I presume) G-Unit rapper mates? Nah!!
No, so shut the hell up, Mr Politically Correct - you're playing into the racists' hands by using this definition! (See go back to Africa.)
Another result of the political correctness, which seems to have made about as useful a contribution to Western society as AIDS.
D'oh!!
"Sorry, you can't say black, how about African-American?" - True statement made by a cop to a teenage friend of mine reporting a crime in the USA.
by SQUID May 09, 2005
An African-American is a “black” person that was born in America with an African descent. As an African-American I don’t really care about being called “black” or “African- American” even though some people do, and probably most of the people with this descent do. Just because we’re a different race doesn’t mean we’re not human, whether you’re “white” or “black” we’re all still American
by Howdidigethere? July 09, 2019
African-American is an (ETHNICITY), just as valid as Italian-American, German-American, Japanese-American Kenyan-American, Nigerian-American, Egyptian-America etc.
The Black Americans that are *descendants* of African slaves that were FORCED to come to America, NOT to be confused with Africans that (VOLUNTARILY) *immigrated* to America AFTER slavery ended.
The Black Americans that are *descendants* of African slaves that were FORCED to come to America, NOT to be confused with Africans that (VOLUNTARILY) *immigrated* to America AFTER slavery ended.
Not all Blacks in America are African-American.
President Barack Obama is NOT an African-American, he knows that his father is from Kenya and that his mom is American thus he is *Kenyan-American* his wife is African-American. Also American Blacks are called BLACK for 'general purposes' however, "African-American" for FORMAL purposes ie, job applications, legal documentation etc.
President Barack Obama is NOT an African-American, he knows that his father is from Kenya and that his mom is American thus he is *Kenyan-American* his wife is African-American. Also American Blacks are called BLACK for 'general purposes' however, "African-American" for FORMAL purposes ie, job applications, legal documentation etc.
by Ashcan May 09, 2010
1. A outdated problematic, non-universal racial term used to describe anyone of sub-saharan african descent residing in the united states. That doubles as a ethnic term describing people who descended from the slave trade in america or, identify with black american cultural ethnic identity residing in the u.s, whilst obscuring the ethnic identities of non-ethnic african-american blacks because of its dual use nature. Used interchangeably with the word "black" further exacerbating and creating social/racial/ethnic issues and tension.
A african-american in america may say describing their ethnicity may say "im half black and half brazilian" which really means im half african-american and half brazilian in describing ethnicity rather than race.
A person may choose to hire a afro-trinidadian person over the african-american black person due to stereotypes of african-americans which is a case of ethnic discrimination rather than racial discrimination.
A afro-jamaican or afro-latino from cuba may say he or she isn't "black" meaning he or she isn't african-american because the term is used interchangeably with the more popularly used term black to describe ethnicity.
A company may have a black history month lunch with "Soul food" widely regarded as Ethnic African-American Cuisine. However since it is usually interpreted as a play on a negative racial stereotype rather than a good will toward an ethnicity I.E "not all black people eat fried chicken!!!"
A gesture of goodwill misinterpreted, not necessarily because of ignorance but because of the constant confusion based on current terminology.
"African-American history" does not include the history of Haiti however a person of Haitian decent residing in America is labelled African-American.
A Afro-Barbadian is labelled a African-American in America even if he or she is not a citizen of the U.S
black black american negro negroe black people
A person may choose to hire a afro-trinidadian person over the african-american black person due to stereotypes of african-americans which is a case of ethnic discrimination rather than racial discrimination.
A afro-jamaican or afro-latino from cuba may say he or she isn't "black" meaning he or she isn't african-american because the term is used interchangeably with the more popularly used term black to describe ethnicity.
A company may have a black history month lunch with "Soul food" widely regarded as Ethnic African-American Cuisine. However since it is usually interpreted as a play on a negative racial stereotype rather than a good will toward an ethnicity I.E "not all black people eat fried chicken!!!"
A gesture of goodwill misinterpreted, not necessarily because of ignorance but because of the constant confusion based on current terminology.
"African-American history" does not include the history of Haiti however a person of Haitian decent residing in America is labelled African-American.
A Afro-Barbadian is labelled a African-American in America even if he or she is not a citizen of the U.S
black black american negro negroe black people
by Maurice Caldeira May 27, 2012
According to the United States government, African-Americans (Black Americans) are:
"Residents or citizens of the United States, who have biological origins in any black ethnic group on the continent of Africa"
What African-American does not mean:
1) It does not mean that blacks born in the U.S. are African. It means that these Americans are of African descent. A specific country of origin cannot be named because enslaved Africans were stripped of their culture.
2) It does not apply to people who come from Africa, unless they are biologically African (i.e. Black)
3) Legally it does apply to blacks from Africa, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.....as long as they reside within the borders of the United States.
"Residents or citizens of the United States, who have biological origins in any black ethnic group on the continent of Africa"
What African-American does not mean:
1) It does not mean that blacks born in the U.S. are African. It means that these Americans are of African descent. A specific country of origin cannot be named because enslaved Africans were stripped of their culture.
2) It does not apply to people who come from Africa, unless they are biologically African (i.e. Black)
3) Legally it does apply to blacks from Africa, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.....as long as they reside within the borders of the United States.
Notable African-Americans include Bill Cosby, El Haji Malik El Shabbaz, Martin Luther King, and Medgar Evers
Person #1 - Is a white person from Nigeria, who lives in the U.S., an African-American?
Me- Legally no they are not. That person would be considered a White Nigerian-American.
Person #1 - Is a white person from Nigeria, who lives in the U.S., an African-American?
Me- Legally no they are not. That person would be considered a White Nigerian-American.
by Amaru1971 March 10, 2008