Why?

ya got me on that one and when every thing camepolitical polite here this is the term that came up for the Black people dont know why! FOr after all ones born in the 1900 surely are just Americans!

LOL being a Canadian I could never understand that whole African American thing ESPECIALLY since its really NOT accurate if you think about it..For example, I'm black (mixed actually) but IF I were an American refering to me as "african american" would be WRONG....I'm not African! I'm WEST INDIAN...in Canada we just say "black" though thats on the street..I dont know what, if any, the PC term is back home....

The total insanity of the whole PC, "African American" thing has been on display a few times lately. Obama has been called, "Not really African American" even though his father is from Africa and his mother from America. On the radio awhile ago, some commentators were talking about a protest in Europe. One of them said something about how many "African Americans" were at the protest. I bet none of them were from America at all. ;~D Paul Harvey once told about a student who was calling out letters for something. She shouted out "I, as in... Native American". ;~D

I can only assume it has something to do with the early origins of American people, & the different colour & culture of African Americans. I believe their are Indian Americans & Mexican Americans. Not sure why white races dont come into this "rating" category. Could it be how African Americans came to be existing in American society? Then again, I am a direct descendant of a convict, one of the earliest settlers (white) in Australia. Although not slaves, most convicts weren't treated any differently to the original African Americans, and I am not called a "convict Australian"! Many Australians are called Aboriginal Australians. Interesting discussion.

This may be opening a can of worms for you, but I think the term African American is belittling to all Americans. If you are American then so be it, if you have to be special in some way just because of the color of your skin, then you have no business being in America or being American. Supposedly our great strength is our diversity, but being diverse does not give anyone exclusivity.

AMEN!! THANKYOU!! AMEN!! THANKYOU!! I couldn't have said it better whiteheather!! LOL Good job gal!! I have another one too, why is it ok to have all black schools and not an all white schools? Blacks can do it then why can't whites? Talking about segregation but yet it's the blacks that are angry and yet they start up all black schools. I would appreciate someone explaining that one to me.

As opposed to Native American? I do not know. I also do not know what I would be, as I am many things. Native American, Irish American, German American,but basically red white and blue American. Really, you and I know that that is just a substitute for the N word, in a way. it is still a way of keeping us all separate from each other.

This question has baffled me through the years as well. I also think it serves to segregate and promotes racist ideologies as well... and how come is it no Caucasians are ever referred to as African Americans? there are a lot of white people in Africa too... and are people of this lineage that are born in malaysia called African malasiians? are there those that go by African Portuguese? I would think that if i were a person of color (not sure what term is to be used anymore) I would not like to be pulled apart to a group identified this way. and how about those who are not of an African lineage - are they called african american solely due to the color of their skin?

We are still a very racist country. The civil rights era was only 60 years ago.