the difference between african american and black

I believe that anyone who respects their culture can cliam said culture. Although your BF has never been to Africa, but his ancestors were from Africa that makes him African-American. Just like I have never been to Italy or France, but I claim to be Italian-French. What do you belive the difference between African American and black is? Is it an attitude, how you were raised? What defines the two? Out of curiosity, where are you from?

Well, I was born in US, but if anyone asks my background, I'd say, "I'm German, French, Hungarian, and Austrian." Even though I've never lived in or visited any of those countries. Your boyfriend is saying that his heritage is African-American, which it is. He is also black and I am also white, racially speaking (or formally - Negroid and Caucasian).

I feel the same way about being "Irish" and the obsession certain relatives of mine have with "Irish pride". Its a lot worse when St. Patrick's day rolls around.

this seems like it got into a very deep discussion, personally I would never call someone black, just because of my own respect for other human beings, which is what we all are. Don't we all bleed red? Skin color is just skin color, African American, Caucasian, Latino, Asian, it's all just terminology, if anyone asks just tell them you are human. Isn't that all that truly matters?

I also agree because everyone from africa has a different accent and everything . . . i feel very disrespect when someone calls me african. Us as real black people has lost our culture and our real backround but trust the truth will soon come out.

From my understanding towards language and cultural studies, African American is the preferred and more polite word to be called when you refer to any black people who lives in America. Of course the word black itself is not so bad too. They are just terms use interchangeably depending on how you want to refer to them. But remember not to use the word starting with the initial "N" which is widely used in the past. That would be disrespectful and insulting to the black people in America.

some blacks feel they are just black because thay never been to africa.and also some blacks feel wether they been to africa are not they are a american thats black born here.so it there choice what they call them self

I think that it's important to let people choose how to identify themselves racially/ethnically. As stated in previous posts, African-American generally means that a person's ancestry is from Africa. Some people prefer to say "an American of African descent," but "African-American" is less of a mouthful. Black is a skin color, and can include not only people who have African ancestry, but also darker-skinned people from Asia, South America, and other places. My opinion is that whichever identifier your boyfriend chooses to use is right for him, and you should respect that. Likewise, he should respect your racial/ethnic identity as well. I self-identify as a European-American. I have ancestry from France, Denmark, Wales, Holland, England, Germany, Austria, and Poland, and that's just what I know of. I do not identify as Caucasian. Caucasus, the city that Caucasian is named after, is in Russia, and none of my ancestry is from anywhere near there. I also don't like to identify as white, because my skin isn't actually white any more than your skin is actually black- we're more like pink and brown.

I agree with you as I'm white. Not Caucasian I hate that it sounds so gross. I'm not even white American. I mean how rude is that.Oh well, My niece was asked what color are you she said well, White and black and Indian. They told her to pick one. She looked at them and said ok today I'm black but tomarrow I will be White. She was talking to the police at the time. Got a $150.00 ticket. Silly young woman. So yes she is the same way as is the rest of my black family. Not a one of them say's that there African American. My white sister is the only one to say that she say's you say it out of respect. My brother in-law whom is black told her to nimd her own and that is what is wrong these day's you woman. I just had to laugh. Well, you have a wonderful day.

i pretty much see the term black as reference to anyone with darker skin. i agree with the person who responded that they are white but when asked about their backround they list off the countries they are from. i refer to even the lighter toned dark people as black. being on the subject, i think its funny that, I anyway, never think of Russians when I think of the term Asian! XD i only think of like Chinese Japanese Korean Thai etc etc...

I'm black. I do know that my grandmother is half indian....and since I am black I can assume that somewhere back in my genealogy there was an african. I don't feel any connection with Africa so I don't think of myself as an African American....I used to giggle at the term Afro-american.....since it made me think of may parents in the 70's. I guess I am just not particularly sensitive on this subject. What words other people shoose to use to classify me doesn't mean much to me. I am a milk-chocolate-brown american!

ya the most difference betweeen them is his own country africa is the largest continent.it is bounded on the north by the mediterranean in the east by red sea and indian ocean and in the west by atlantic ocean.and kilimanjaro is the highest mountain of africa (height is 5,895 metres) main river:nile,congo,niger,zambesi. largest lake:victoria. main minerals:gold,diamond,copper which is very good for people in africa ahahh. main products:cocoa,palm oil,groundnut,congo cotton, wheat,maize and wool. important countries:egypt,libya,somalia,congo,zambi,south africa,nigeria,angola,ghana and tanzania. main cities:cario,lusaka,cape town,mombassa,nairobi,adis ababa,salisbury,pretoria,etc. AND ABOUT AMERICA:(north america):is comprises maxico,usa,canada,greenland,central america and the west indies.on the west are chains of high mountains.climate varies considerably owing to wide range of latitide and altitude. climate:temperate and tropical. main products:cereals,tabacco,coal,petroleum,iron,manganese,etc. general industries:ship building. important cities:newyork,washington, san francisco,baston,chicago,maxico,montreal,ottawa.

The term African-American denotes that your ancestry is from Africa - not that the person actually was from there him/herself. Black has to do with the color of your skin, not the location where your ancestry was from. Howbeit, most Africans are of a black skin color, to one degree or another. So, in a certain sense they can be the same. It's like sets and subsets. Most African-Americans are black whereas all blacks are not necessarily African-American. The term, from my understanding, was created to help the blacks in America identify with where they originated - the continent of Africa - where they were then sold into slavery and transported to the United States. My husband, who is black, prefers to be called Ethiopian-American as he is a black Jew who knows that his family's origins were in Ethiopia [not that he's ever been there - that is not a requirement - only that his genealogy originated from there]. Using the term African-American is one way for a black person to identify with his/her heritage.

I also agree because everyone from africa has a different accent and everything . . . i feel very disrespect when someone calls me african. Us as real black people has lost our culture and our real backround but trust the truth will soon come out.