Do You Consider Yourself An American As A Black Man? (No Troll)

[Actually6Foot3]

I wouldn't want to live anywhere else

My parents emigrated here from Guyana for a reason

 

[ISO]

The problem is you associate being American, with whiteness and cliche patriotic American shyt.

No, you nikkas are Americans.

 

[Noriega]

Nope, my parents are Panamanian

They just came here to get bread and help the fam still down there

 

[ISO]

Nope, my parents are Panamanian

They just came here to get bread and help the fam still down there

Do you plan on moving back to Panama then?

Most Americans came here to get bread and help the fam where ever they from.

 

[Noriega]

Do you plan on moving back to Panama then?

Most Americans came here to get bread and help the fam where ever they from.

Me personally? No, Chicago is all I know plus my Spanish ain’t where it should be

Maybe for retirement in another 50 years who knows

 

[videogamestashbox.com]

I'm dead serious. Since the past year or so after the election of DT I just consider myself a Black man in the USA. Meaning, I feel more connected to my Blackness and African people more so than the USA. I just acknowledge that I was born here, but won't ever be considered a real American. Hell, my own people don't even get treated like Americans. They call us terrorists and shyt (Assata Shakur).

It's not an either or proposition. Your needlessly conflating race/ethnicity with nationality

(Time stamped for convenience)
​

1. For me African is a racial designation, me using it has nothing to do with whether or not i'm considered a U.S. citizen. Why? Because the term African has to do with human lineage/heritage not nationality.

2. Sorry, as somebody who does a hell of alot of research when I'm talking about things; I don't follow the "Native African American" line of thought(that's as respectful as I can state it). The historical evidence(genetic, cultural, textual, etc.) is to strong against such an interpretation ...and i'll leave it at that.

My personal usage/perspective.​

African = branch(root) of humanity, human lineage, "race"
Black = phenotype(tropically adapted ...limb ratio, hair, skin, etc)
African American = Africans who are citizens of the U.S.
Ethnicity = Group of humans who share common means, ways, history, etc irrespective of "race"
(a person can also be of multiple ethnic groups simultaneously)

There is no "official term" for the ethnic group of Africans who have been in the U.S. prior to it's founding via the trans atlantic. Now there are "official terms" for subgroups like creole, gullah geechee, etc. but not for the entire group.

To be clear this isn't some wild conspiratorial issue against us. It's a rather bland and by the numbers issue. There is no "official term" for the ethnic group because there was never any real need for one(other African peoples were always absorbed into the larger cultural group). Simple as that.

SIDE NOTE: this is actually a problem that people who work with dna have when you read certain papers. Because "African American" is a grab all citizenship term dna samples that use it are not sure who they are dealing with.(This problem is detailed below by Dr. Shomarka Keita in the comments/notes attached to the following academic paper)

Spoiler: Dr. Shomarka Keita

A Note on Terminology for African Descendant Populations in North and South America
Posted by soykeita on 18 Mar 2012 at 12:27 GMT
Y Chromosome Lineages in Men of West African Descent


The phrase Legacy Afro-North American describes populations and individuals who are known or understood to be descendant of Africans who were brought to the United States via the Middle Passage, i.e. who are a legacy of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. "Legacy African American" could also be used. These phrases exclude Africans, no matter their geographical origin in Africa, who came by other means. This term would have parallels for South America and the Carribbean where there are also legacy populations (Legacy Afro-South Americans or Legacy Afro-Latinos for example).

The legacy status is deemed to have significance because of various known microevolutionary factors and likely epigenetic effects on these populations, which are socially defined differently in each country. (Remote African ancestry is not a factor in social definitions in all of the societies.)

The members of the legacy populations should not be homogenized with recent immigrants, something very important in health studies, irrespective of the definitions of census or bureacratic "race" notions. Another accurate designation for these groups/populations in the new world would include Middle Passage (or middle passage) Americans, with or without other descriptors (eg Middle Passage North Americans or Middle Passage Americans), because "Middle Passage" is restricted to those who came in this manner from tropical Africa. Other African peoples from Algeria to Zimbabwe have come to the US since the end of the great tragedy of the slave trade. They should be designated by their nationality regardless of phenotype and its assumed indicator or origin in the received racial schema and its erroneous basis (e.g.s. Algerian American). Nomenclature should accurately reflect a population or individual if the goal is to embed useful information in the terminology.

Conclusion​

Currently we have the official use of "African American" as an umbrella racial term then we have the creation of ambiguity by attempting to use "African American" as an ethnic term beneath the racial umbrella as well. Why? Because While that ethnic group does exist ...there is no official term for it.
(This ambiguity is reflected in academia as well)

This is similar to the whole "White Jamaican" thing. Short of the terms for sub groups like "maroons" and "rastas" there is no term for the total "ethnic body" of African peoples in Jamaica. As a result when people say "Jamaican" they assume "black people" but of course their are East Asian, Indian, etc. populations as well.

Predicted misunderstandings​

Spoiler: Predicted Misconceptions

Assumed question 1: So are you saying that the group who created american music, pushed for the civil rights all non white males enjoy, etc. is not considered their own ethnic group

Answer 1: No ...that's not what i'm saying

What I'm saying is that there was never any need to create a formal title for that group. Why? Because shy of immigrant hubs like NYC/Chicago/etc. there was never any need to distinguish between ethnic groups only "racial" groups. It's only been recently 1960s-70s that there has been a heavy influx of of various "African peoples" forming ethnic enclaves. Prior to this point people from the Caribbean, Africa, etc were "absorbed" fairly quickly.


Assumed question 2: Are you saying that the term "African American" is never used as an ethnic identifier

Answer 2: No ...that's not what i'm saying

The terms "African American" was meant to replace (colored, negro, black,etc) are racial designations. "African American" is a designation of race. With that said, when there is a need to differentiate ethnically between different "African peoples" in the U.S. people use it as an ethnic identifier ...(and I add)there by introducing semantic ambiguity. This country operates on racial designations before ethnic. The only ethnicity the census even tracks is Hispanic.





Assumed question 3: You do know there are numerous academic books/papers that speaks of "African Americans" as an ethnic group right

Answer 3: Yes ...See answer 2

This partly is what promotes that semantic ambiguity I mentioned. It's made even more conflicting because while sloppy ...it works ether way(Race or ethnicity) if i'm writing on the ethnic group it obviously works. If I'm writing on the racial group(in the U.S.) it still works. The sloppiness being that ethnic groups who have nothing to do with the event in question might get lumped in with the rest.


Assumed question 4: Why we gotta be called African Americans but white people don't have to be called European Americans

Answer 4: ! despise that fukk'n statement

We are called "African Americans" because we lobbied the press and government to be called "African Americans". If white folks want to do the same they are more than welcome.

My suggestion​

African = branch of human lineage / Race (also "African" on U.S Census)

African American = Ethnicity (Specific "Racial" ethnic group ...similar to "americo liberian" or "maroon")
Black = Phenotype (How you look)

(Time stamped for convenience)​

"Black tells you what you look like, it doesn't tell you who you are"
- John henrik clarke

"When all is said and done, dogs and slaves are named by their masters; free men name themselves."
- Mr. Richard B. Moore
The Name "Negro," It's Origin and Evil Use

 

[AyBrehHam Linkin]

Im an american of african descent

 

[Rekkapryde]

No. I am a descendant of prisoners of war who were sold into captivity and held in bondage in a foreign land. I am a New Afrikan, not an American. My nation is still held in bondage by the descendants of our enslavers.

While true, you step foot in any other country, they will instantly see and recognize you as an American period.

We also had a large role in building this bytch. So this country is as much ours as any one else's.

 

[JahFocus CS]

While true, you step foot in any other country, they will instantly see and recognize you as an American period.

We also had a large role in building this bytch. So this country is as much ours as any one else's.

I don't care what people abroad view me as, good for them.

I support reparations and the establishment of the Republic of New Afrika. That acknowledges the contribution of our ancestors to the material development of North America and puts a good share of it in our hands.

 

[RadaMillz]

I consider AA’s the real Americans, you’ll built this country from ground up. This sh!t is urs. Most of these cacs are refugees who recently arrived anyways.

Rejoice my true Americans

 

[5thbornpowerseed]

My people built this bytch...
This is my country...