? for our African American members

[ioneblair]

Or did the Jamaican blacks originally come from Africa?

LOL all blacks were brought across the Atlantic from Africa, they just were not all brought to America, the slave trade extended to all parts of the new world and the US (the colonies then) was just one part of the new world......

these parts across the Atlantic were originally inhabited by copious varieties of native peoples but black people were not among those natives......

 

[grinningghost]

LOL all blacks were brought across the Atlantic from Africa, they just were not all brought to America, the slave trade extended to all parts of the new world and the US was just one part of the new world......

OK, so if a Jamaican comes to America, does that still make him an African-American, even though he and his parents/grandparents were all born in Jamaica? Oh, what a tangled web we weave with these ethnic heritage titles!

 

[erinz]

I think part, or alot of the issue for African Americans is the word "black" and what that represents in our culture.

Check out this link. You might have to copy and paste it for it to work....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_(color)

 

[sha_lyn]

clicked on link.... says article doe not exist

 

[mamaprincess]

OK, so if a Jamaican comes to America, does that still make him an African-American, even though he and his parents/grandparents were all born in Jamaica? Oh, what a tangled web we weave with these ethnic heritage titles!

The fact of the matter is that blacks around the globe all have ancestory in Africa, citizenship is another matter.

 

[mamaprincess]

I'm with your DH!

My cousins were born and raised in Africa but are white. They moved to the USA a few years ago and became American...they are technically african american but aren't black, sheesh talk about confusing.

They I am sure were proud citizens of Africa but the vast majority of whites who settled in South Africa are of Dutch ancestory. Again citizenship and ethnicity are almost always 2 different things especially when you talk about people who are the descendants of those who colonized a land as opposed to being originally from that land i.e. the Dutch who came to South Africa many generations ago and people who are the descendants of those taken from their original homeland and deposited around the globe i.e. the black jamaicans, the black Americans, etc.
Other parts of Africa were colonized by other groups of europeans. There are french colonies in Africa, British colonies etc. Yes it is complex but worth looking into. This is all historically significant and I think all of our history is valuable. I am talking about our history as a human race. Our story.

When you talk about being an American or your cousins being from Africa you are talking about citizenship not ethnicity, when Blacks or say irish tack on African to the American or Irish to the American it is a means to show pride and acknowledge their ancestory. I have never been a citizen of Africa but I am a descendant of indigenous west africans. Therefore African is my ethnicity or at least a major part of it.

 

[Geronimo]

It must be incredibly hard for some people not too look at people of African descent as a monolith.

It's really not that difficult

African-Americans- people of African descent born in America as a direct result of thier ancestors being enslaved in the US.

most of the individuals that people think of as Jamaicans, Brazilians, Hatians, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, etc... (including Jennifer Lopez) ... have African Ancestry. Their ancestors were enslaved in those various places.

 

[ford family]

It must be incredibly hard for some people not too look at people of African descent as a monolith.

It's really not that difficult

African-Americans- people of African descent born in America as a direct result of thier ancestors being enslaved in the US.

most of the individuals that people think of as Jamaicans, Brazilians, Hatians, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, etc... (including Jennifer Lopez) ... have African Ancestry. Their ancestors were enslaved in those various places.

Really? No black people have voluntarily migrated to the Americas since the days of slavery? That surprises me.

ford family

 

[arminnie]

African-Americans- people of African descent born in America as a direct result of thier ancestors being enslaved in the US.

There are people of African descent born in America whose ancestors did NOT come to the U.S. as slaves. Many individuals came to the U.S. from Africa in recent decades as students or with work Visas (often from the oil industry). These immigrants are the parents and grandparents of children who were born in the U.S.

In the late 70s when I lived in Houston I knew several very educated professionals (had a couple as bosses) who came to the U.S. from Africa to work. They had children born in the U.S. They were African-Americans before the term became a substitute for black.

At that time there was some resentment in the Houston black community that the blacks from Africa (recent immigrants) would not have anything to do with them and that they thought they were "better". I don't know how widespread that feeling was, but I did hear it on several occassions. I took it as more of a class thing than racially motivated.

 

[Geronimo]

Really? No black people have voluntarily migrated to the Americas since the days of slavery? That surprises me.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are people of African descent born in America whose ancestors did NOT come to the U.S. as slaves. Many individuals came to the U.S. from Africa in recent decades as students or with work Visas (often from the oil industry). These immigrants are the parents and grandparents of children who were born in the U.S.

Again,
some people can only see "black" people as a monolith

Are they identified as African-Americans because the rest of society views them that way? Or do they identify themselves as Nigerian,Ehtiopian,Ghanian,Sengalese,Camaroonian etc...???

I know (and have known) several individuals that have immigrated directly from Africa.

Most (including thier children) view themselves as American citizens,but equally Nigerian,Camaroonian etc...They understand the term African-American from a historical perspective as it relates to this country. Very few identify themselves with the term African-American. Hardly any use the term "black" to describe themselves.

The rest of American Society may see & view all dark-skinned people as being excactly the same,but there is great diversity among Americans of African descent.

 

[luvthatduke]

I just want to say "Thank You" to all of those
who have offered such wise, insightful information.
This thread is a great education!

 

[TDC Nala]

My dear friend and neighbor hates the term African-American, since she is black, but European.

I have been wondering about that since I heard a broadcast about Oscar nominations some years ago in which actress Cathy Tyson was referred to as "the only African-American nominated." Cathy Tyson is British. Should she have been called that at all? If not, how should they have referred to her?

 

[Holly]

I also have a friend who is Black, and hates being called "African- American". She is from the Caribbean.

 

[Rella Bella]

I LOVE 'Chocolate', 'Vanilla' and 'fluffy'!!!

 

[mskani]

A black person is a person of African descent however many generations he may be removed. The majority of the people that make up the black population here in america are those descendants of the west africans brought here at the inception of this country. I honor their struggle and all they did for this country and all they did to insure that we would inherit a wealthy and awesome nation where oppurtunities abound. that is why it is important for this particular woman to identify as both African and American just as Americans with ancestors from other continents identify themselves as both irish, italian, german, polish american etc. I'm not so much a race as I am a daughter of those mothers that endured so I can live the beautiful life that I am living. I understand that. Being proud of that aspect of myself makes me more open to your greatness and our beauty as a whole. We all collectively bring so much complex history, so many strengths to the table. I am so proud of our nation. We are indeed the melting pot and that fact should be fully embraced not shoved in a closet. I say these words with nothing but love for every american of every bloodline. I am an American woman of African descent and I am equally proud of both.

AMEN. I totally agree with your statement.