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As probably one of the VERY few Africans posting (my dad is White and my mom is Ivorian), I simply state I'm Ivoirian American. Our good friend is White from Cote d'Ivoire, she would never say that she is African-American. First off, her parents immigrated in the 1900s from France. She considers herself French Ivorian. Lebanese people from Cote d'Ivoire would pick "White" in the US.
I've encountered very little hatred from African Americans. The only little bit was from one kid who was a douche. I'm very suburban Californian in the way I act. The kid, having just moved to the suburbs from the inner city, thought that only White people act that way...esp. not people from Africa.
This problem is really one for the older generation of both sides. Most young Africans do not face discrimination from African Americans.
SILVER SPRING, Md., Aug. 27 — For a moment, the Ethiopian-born activist seemed to melt into the crowd, blending into the sea of black professors, health experts and community leaders considering how to educate blacks about the dangers of prostate cancer. But when he piped up to suggest focusing some attention on African immigrants, the dividing lines were promptly and pointedly drawn.
The focus of the campaign, the activist, Abdulaziz Kamus, was told, would be strictly on African-Americans.
''I said, 'But I am African and I am an American citizen; am I not African-American?''' said Mr. Kamus, who is an advocate for African immigrants here, recalling his sense of bewilderment. ''They said 'No, no, no, not you.'''
What do you think about it ? Sorry for the old article, but African immigrants and Haitian immigrants population boomed, so I guess it's good to know more about it
Under which classification do you fall? How much time did you spend researching this for this article?
Don't you realize that African immigrants are just foreigners like any other to the USA?
Thank you both Jazzy and Cali for the insight. Cali, are you saying that blacks still cling onto the term AA because it helps them maintain a sort of identity? I realize your color separates you from other members in our society, but isn't there a more accurate and proper catagory to lump ALL people of color into other than AA's? It just seems so vague and outdated.
It's not just color that separates Black Americans from White Americans it's different experiences and histories and the based on those differences in experiences and history perception of certain events is often different. Also in some cases both White Americans and Black Americans may decide to self segregate from each other as much as possible.
As long as there are historical and cultural differences there is going to be a need by people to identify themselves based on those experiences and history.
No not really.
Some of my best friends are "Nigerian" they fit right in with us African/Black Americans. There is NO type of animosity between us & we are not jealous of one another.
I was told that as well. An old job I had, I was working with an immigrant from Cameroon and he was as dark as the night sky is, and he told me when he lived in Detroit, he had an African-American co-worker that didn't like him at all. He told me that the AA said to him, "You know why I don't like you? Because your people sold mine into slavery. And how dare you follow us here after what you've done!"
There is some truth to that..........As I have said many times on these forums, I used to think of myself as African pure and simple, though I was born here in the USA and my father's family - black and white - have been here since the 1600s. When I left my rural/suburban home to go to college, I was shocked that many African students or African immigrants to the USA were very disparaging of my claim. "What do you know about Africa? You're an American (true). You're just a Negro (untrue)." After really giving this some thought, I came to the conclusion that though I am truly of African origin from America and the Caribbean, and that it made sense to identify with Africa, I was not of the continent and could not claim it. But I could claim to be an African American, and that is indeed distinct from Nigerian, Senegalese, Egyptian or Angolan. And when I did confront my smug African friends, pointing out that their ancestors sold my ancestors to the Europeans, leading to the Middle Passage and cultural and biological hybridization, they understood that I had figured out many truths about the destruction and the diasporization of Africa, and that they, and especially our shared ancestors, were complicit in this destruction.
An African American is someone from the culture that resulted from the transaction of slavery. An African immigrant of true African ancestry - or especially his or her American-born children- can be assimilated into this
culture. So can an immigrant from another part of the diaspora or their children. President Obama and Gen. Colin Powell are perfect examples of this.
This is a very complicated topic. Don't forget for better or worse (usually worse) white colonists have been in Africa since the early 1600's. Also different history and attitudes depending on which country you are referring to. It would be a tad callous to try to convince someone that despite being between 8th and 10th generation Africans that they are not Africans merely because of their Melanin.
No........they are not Africans because they spent generations making sure (apartheid, etc.) that they kept themselves as far away from real Africans as possible while simultaneously exploiting the continent's human and natural resources. Now they want to act as if everyone on the continent is one big happy family? I don't think so.
North Africans, middle easterns and Europeans are "white" according to the US census.
Of course there is a few people from south africa that is white,Charlize Theron (blond) and Hugo weaving for example (the white evil agent of The Matrix movie).
I think charlize theron and Hugo have to check mark "Black" even though they are genetically "european" when they come to the usa.
Actually that's not true. Mitochondrial DNA testing can give you a very good indication of an individual ancestry and for people of African descent even their tribal origins. Based on tribal origins and the history of those tribes you can get a pretty good idea which region of Africa an individual's ancestors lived. Dr. Henry Louis Gates has used this and other techniques to trace people's lineages.
Two things to point out though, Jazzy...........not every AA has had his or her mitochondrial DNA done, and not all of us will be able to. Also, this doesn't work for every African American. Dr. Gates tried to use this technique to trace his African lineage..........and he was unable to find it.
Clue Number 3: Google clue number 1 and clue number 2
Clueless.
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