I am NOT African American

I am not African American!

I am proud to be black and see nothing wrong with the word black but what I have a problem is some African Americans and White Americans labeling me as African American. It seems they don't understand that not all blacks are African Americans. They don't seem to know or acknowledge that Blacks come in all shades, colors and cultures. The term black people can be referred to not only African Americans but to Black British, Black Canadians, Afro -Caribbean, Afro -Arabs, Black French (even East Indians are sometimes considered black). The term even prevents people who had ancestors or backgrounds from Africa but were of a different race or ethnicity to  not claim the term African American even though, these people may be truly African American more so than even “ Black African Americans”.

An African Woman

The term “African American” can be used as a means of controlling people of African descent and can cause division among not only “African-Americans” but among other ethnicites As an article called Some Blacks Insist - I’m Not African-American, Tomi Obara who was born to Nigerian parents stated, “Or is that the word that people who aren’t black used to described black people” (Washington 2012). This statement from Obara hints that some people of African descent believe the term is used to not only regulate, but to place all persons of African descent into one category.

Many people of African descent have the impression being called “African American” denotes they are descendants of slaves, and that is not accurate in all cases. The term “African-American” seems to imply, that if you have been categorized as an “African American”, at least one of your ancestors must have been a slave. This has shown to be true as suggested in the same article that was stated previously where Tomi Obara stated “that the label implies she is descended from slaves. It also feels vague and liberal to her” (Washington 2012). Not all people of color descend from slaves. Consequently, many people believe that it does not display who they are. Shawn Smith who stated in the same article ,“I don’t like African-American. It denotes something else to me than who I am” (Washington 2012). This is an example of how the term is some-times used as means of control. The term is also used as a means of control because it encourages “African Americans” to reflect on a distant past in Africa that they feel they no longer connect with. Gibre George stated “We respect our African heritage but that term is not really us. We are several generations down the line. If anyone were ship us back to Africa, we’d be like fish out of water” (Washington 2012).

Harriet Gibbs Marshall: An African -American educator

The use of the term “African American” as a label for all people of African descent forces some people to deny their culture and their contributions to America. For instance, Joan Morgan stated “forcing everyone into a name for descendants of American slaves distorts the nature of the contributions of immigrants such as her countrymen Marcus Garvey and Claude McKay” (Washington 2012).

Afro -Jamaican Marcus Garvey

Using the word “African American” is also a means of control and conformity because it forces other ethnicities to realize the fact that many people that are black come from many different cultures and ethnicities, and are not descents of slaves. The term is also used as a means of control to continue the structural system of prejudice and discrimination within the public sphere. For example, Joan Morgan expressed “people struggle with the fact that black people have multiple ethnicities because it challenges America’s original black-white classifications” (Washington 2012). The term “African American” is also unclear and confusing in reference to Whites who descend from Africa who now reside in the United States, because some people equate being an “African American” as a term designed for only Black “African Americans”. If one were to define the term “African American” according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary “African American is an American of African descent especially one of black descent.” While the dictionary stresses “especially of black descent,” it does not say one has to have dark skin to be considered an “African American”. As stated before, this term is also used as means to controlling who can be defined as an “African American”. This term is also applicable to people who are of White African descent living in America. In the article, Paulo Seriodo a U.S. citizen born in Mozambique was suspended from school because of a debate with classmates concerning whether or not he is an “African American.” Seriodo stated, “It doesn’t matter if I’m from Africa and they are not! They are not allowing me to be African-American” (Washington 2012).

Trevor Richards A White African American

The term “African American” must be reevaluated because it seems to be used to control and divide persons of African descent while persuading people of other ethnicities to conform to society’s notions of race. As for me I refuse to be label African - American, I know I am black but so are many people of different cultures. I refuse to conform to this society's box because though I am black and proud of it. I am not an African-American as my culture background is not African -American and as stated I believed that this term that is being used for all Blacks in America should be reassessed.

Afro-St.Lucians dancing the cultural dance of the island