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African-American

The word given to black people as a way of making them feel less american then everyone else. Making them feel like they all belong or grew up in Africa when most have families that trace back to america in the 18th-19th century. Or 1700's-1800's for people who don't know.

- A word given to black americans only by other americans, not used in any other countries to refer to black americans.
Son: Why are brown people called African-Americans?

DAD: Because they're all African!
Son: Then why aren't we called European-American?
Dad: Because white people are true Americans.
by TheUrbainDict August 10, 2015
mugGet the African-Americanmug.

African-American

A term meant to describe Americans of African origin. The term 'Black' and its predecessor 'Negro' have fallen out of favor due to a plethora of reasons, most particularly the terms 'Black' and 'Negro' do not define a specific place since Asians could be defined as Black, see Vijay Singh, moreover the term Negro which fell out of favor decades ago because it failed to properly represent a place African Americans could relate to. The term 'African American' has fallen into the acceptable realm of a proper definition because it defines a place, it defines a region where Africans are one.
Which begs the question, why would Americans of African ethnicity WANT to assocciate themselves with a place other than America? Simply put, slavery, Jim Crow and continued disenfranchizement of African Americans has led them to create a moniker as a defence mechanism, a way to associate with others of their kind in collective objection to American 'White' culture as a whole.

The numerous entries on this thread detailing the ineffectual and unneccessary use of the term African American clearly shows the lack of understanding whites have about people of African ethnicity. Perhaps people should get to know an African American, get to know them before passing judgements and making childish and inane comments about how people choose to refer to themselves.
I am a proud African American. Irrespective of the fact that I have no relatives in Africa, the people in that region of the world are closer to me than any American of euro-trash ancestry ever will be.
by Franz Fanon February 8, 2007
mugGet the African-Americanmug.

African American

A Black person of African descent who is now an American Native. Many African Americans are Black and European threw slavery, hints, the Tran Atlantic Slave trade. Some, African Americans not all can identify will being biracial.
Black Americans who are citizens or residents of the U.S. who have origins in any of the Black populations of Africa and or Europe. They are African American or can be considered Black European. /Paraphrased from UrbanDictionaryUser - Act Right/
by ThatAfricanAmericanGuy March 11, 2019
mugGet the African Americanmug.

African American

Person with citizenship in America as well as EVERY African country.
I'm an African American who now has a million passports to prove my citizenship.
by Waradvisor July 10, 2015
mugGet the African Americanmug.

African-American

A human being with a direct line of ancestry to African, but was born in one of the Americas. It is not a term for any and all black U.S. citizens.
Correct: Some of the slaves in the past were African-American.

Incorrect:

Suzy: I made a friend, they're African-American!
Suzy's Mom: Oh, what part of Africa were their relatives from?
Suzy: Oh my god Mom, you're being so embarrassing, I meant black. Duh.
by poochie.butt December 27, 2015
mugGet the African-Americanmug.

African-American

1) The term mistakeningly used by people who see fit to walk on eggshells around a Black Americans out of fear of offending them. In reality, a person may actually offend a Black/African American person more because they assume that they will be offended by Black.

2) A term used to formally describe an American ethnic group. This specific group uses this term mostly in formal situations and Black in casual situations but most could care less about which one is used to describe them.

3) The only term used to describe an American ethnic group that is constantly debunked, although this particular American ethnic group are only seen as Americans when it's convenient.
1) Girl 1: Yeah that was such a cute Bla.... I mean African American guy!
Girl 2: You know, you don't have to say African American. Black isn't offensive.

2) Guy 1: Do you prefer Black or African American?
Guy 2: Either is fine, just not Nigger.

3) After the tsunami and earthquake in Japan, people noticed how organized and orderly the Japanese were. When speculators tried to use the comparison between how Americans reacted to disaster after Hurricane Katrina and how the Japanese reacted, these were the popular responses:
"Japan didn't have any looting because there were no Blacks."
"Only Blacks and Latinos were looting the stores"
"It wasn't Americans who did the looting, it was "African-Americans""
Why these responses? Because African-Americans are less American than all others and become American enough when it's convenient.

Rap=Black music

Blues=American music (although it was also made by Black/African Americans)
by MrSpeechie2010 May 30, 2012
mugGet the African-Americanmug.

African American

An African American is essentially a black person. Us white folk are expected to call them African American or we are racist. Many African Americans hate being called African Americans, but if a white person calls them black, they go all "wtf your a fucking racist you honkey" on them. As do the other white people. So, if your black, go ahead and keep calling yourself "black" "nigga" and "negro", but if your white you'd better not call them any of those things, because you are going to be called a racist. So be a good little honkey crackka and call those self-proclaimed niggas, white-proclaimed African-Americans, African Americans.
White Person: HEY!!! wazzup my black buddy!

Black Person(cross out) African American: DAMN YOU FUCKING HONKEY TONKEY CRACKKA RACIST!! You betta be callin' me & my nigga's African Americans ya hearrrrrr!!!!!!!!!

Later...

African American: Did you see that Crackka? He called me Black!! Nigga, I dunno how we even live in this white society. Damn boi! I get fucking harrassed by dem Honkeys every fucking day!! If I wazz white I would get A's instead of F's cuz Mizz Fucking José is such a racist too all us niggas! I bet they dont have to do no work!

Miss José: Boys, now, I helped you out here. I gave you a C instead of a D. Happy?

Good African American Boy: YES!!! I GOT AN A!!!!!!

*later goes on to be the next George Washington Carver*

African American: FUCK! A C! THAT FUCKIN' RACIST

* later goes on to be the next wanna be TI *
by rockstarrrgirlie March 13, 2009
mugGet the African Americanmug.

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