The Term ‘African American’ Losing Favor Among Black Communities


The term African American is being shunned by segments of the African American community. The reason? many Black Americans who were born in the United States simply don’t hold any historical relevance to their families home in Africa.

The term “African American” grew in popularity in 1988 when Jesse Jackson made his run for the US Presidency but the term has come under fire recently. In one case a student sued his medical school after he was suspended because as a white person born in Africa he wanted his teacher to call him African American. In fact many more white born Africans have moved to the United States in recent years. In fact popular musician Dave Matthews is technically an “African American.”

One black business owner in Miami tells the Associated Press that the term simply doesn’t fit American born black residents who have never been to Africa:

“Africa was a long time ago. Are we always going to be tethered to Africa? Spiritually, I’m American. When the war starts, I’m fighting for America.”

That entrepreneur started the Facebook page “Don’t call me African American” which has already received over 800 likes.

In the meantime while 1 in 10 black people in America are born over seas they still find the term to be shrouded in “political correctness” rather then a term of cultural upbringing from a specific region of the world.

Do you think it’s time that we finally got rid of the term “African American” given the fact that a majority of black people are now born as U.S. citizens?

[Image via ShutterStock.com]

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