Why Are Africans and African Descended People Ok With Being Called Black?

I've been trying to tell people this for years! But it's one of those things that's so deep rooted in our culture people think it's "normal". "White" people are the ones who created those "black" and "white" labels and they did it because it makes them look good and us look bad. No matter how you flip and and bounce it "black" is a negative word. From the time we're kids we hear about the "black hat cowboys", "black mage", "black holes"...So when you grow up you start to associate the colors and it's negativity with "black people". Out of everything, this is what attracts the most racism to black people and positivity to white people....These color labels need to go, but they never will because no one sees the problem with them.

I wonder what makes you feel all people that you would describe as "African- American" have African heritages?

Why not use the term American of you are tired of all the descriptions?

White and Black folks have been in North America since the 1500's. I think it's time to ditch it all.

Matthieu De Costa was an explorer in the 1600's in Canada. Anderson Ruffin Abbottwas a physician from Canada who attended to Abraham Lincoln, not as a slave. Learn more, you will have better perspective.

How is it "understandable" to call someone white, but it's not understandable to call someone black? This is the dumbest question I have ever came across on here. You imply that it is not okay to call someone black because of the word's "literal implication" (i.e evil, devilish, bad)....aren't these nothing more than insignificant aspects of one's false perception? Black does not mean evil or devilish or whatever, especially when it comes to talking about people. White and black are just two terms used by society to distinguish between two different ethnicities, nothing more. To me, the term "African-American" is ridiculous and shouldn't be used to refer to anyone, unless that person is actually from Africa. I mean white people don't say, "Don't call me white; I am European-American." How ridiculous does that sound?? And If you want to get technical, couldn't all people be referred to as African-American? I mean if you believe that all people originated from Africa, which is something that has scientific evidence to back it up, it makes no sense to refer to a specific people as African-American just because their skin is darker. And you say that you have never seen a human with "actual black skin." Well have you ever seen anyone with actual white skin?? Like I said, the terms white and black (in relation to race) are just two words used to easily distinguish between two ethnic groups, nothing more.

But what about the rest of the world? American is a bit rubbish to apply to someone from the UK. Also, although pretty much all black people have their roots in Africa, many families have lived a long way from there for hundreds of years, so what would we call them? Or should we ask for each person's family tree?

I think you've overstated the negative connotations, it's not normally used as an insult either. It feels a bit like you're looking for things to find offensive. Life is too short.

This is one of the most longest and stupidest question I've ever read.I was considering reading all of this mumba-jumba until you mentioned about 'you can understand from white people's point of view why they label themselves as white'. That's where you through me off. White people think of themselves as pure, peaceful, angelic, wholesome, good and heavenly? Lol, you got to be kidding! In that case white people need to find another label for themselves. White people have that "Adolph Hitler-like" mentality. Everything white is right, blonde hair blue eyes is supposedly "superior". How can you come on this site with an account as for one day and talk about some crazy bull-sh!t like this? You can't be anything other than a white racist troll. White people put the label on Black as being evil. Black is a BOLD color. Black people have BOLD features...the nose, lips, hips and butts. There is no evil about the color Black in the eyes of a true "grass-root" nationality, whether it's our Haitian, Jaimaican, African brothers and sister we speak of. Even the watered down..Life originated out of the DARK Continent. White people was the creations of "JACOB" Jacob who is the father/creator of the (d)evil, a hot topic white people refuse to talk about or is in denial of. American Black Americans have been called from Sambos, N i g g e r s, N e g r a s, N i g r o e s to Coloreds by white people through the centuries until the Civil Rights Act. Black people wanted to get rid of those hateful slave names and labels. Once the American Black people settled on a name for their race/nationality coming from fore-parents of African slave descent, American Blacks prefered to be called either Black Americans, African Americans or just Black. Nothing is wrong with that. But, of course white people criticize it because Black people did it on their own without white approval. Now you come up with this bull-sh!t.

you are right there is no such thing as black and white as whites are more of a pink peach colour not actually white while blacks are dark brown however another ethinicity such as indians latin americans and south east asians have already took the title brown to describe them so this might cause confusion. and i think in america it makes ppl sound more foreign and not actually american if you say thier country of origin first. plus its easier to define ppl

For most sane and thinking black people being black is not a curse...and I seriously wonder why you have taken all this time if you are not black...and if you find it offensive don't use the term...I don't care about what is associated with black people and Google b/c it probably has been written by people who share your view and we have to stop accepting Euro definitions of us and our color..another, I don't care where you come from but if you have African black skin, you probably have black blood from Africa..and I know many ppl who do indeed have black skin..just focus on things that you can change but a term accepted by a majority of ppl is not something you can change...and think about it, no matter what we choose to call ourselves racists are going to spin it negatively..oh and when a company is making money, it is in the BLACK...stop worrying about trying to fit in or please white folks and work on US so that we have self determination and definition.

Many Black people from African heritages have been away from Africa for tens of generations. My family moved here in the early 20th century. Many Africans were here far before then. They are AMERICAN, or English or French. Black describes their color of skin! Not heritage. I have an African- American cousin. He's white! He's from South Africa. People like you are degreasers in society. All you want it is complete literal representation of everybody, while failing to lookat the big picture and understand what the hell is going.

Very True, and a very good point. The term "Black" has never

sat right with me. Mainly because of it's various negative meanings.

That is also why African Americans should stop complaining about

wanting to be called "Black" rather than African American. African

American is a more accurate portrayal and description, either that

or just lose the African tag altogether and be called American. But

of course Amerikkka won't allow that.

Most humans are just different shades of brown. People use terms such as brown, yellow, or black in order to know what they are talking about. We are aware of the fact that black people are not the actual color of black.