RE The term African American

[brush]

80. I remember those times. IMO African American = Mexican American = Italian American = . . .

Last edited Sat Mar 5, 2016, 11:48 AM - Edit history (2)

Irish American = Latino/a American = Asian American, etc. Those terms are quite common so to me it's a non-issue.

African American is a term of pride of ancestry and came into more common usage when young people who had participated in and experienced the black power movement of the '60s, decided to define themselves on their own terms by calling themselves "black" instead of the ugly white originated term "negro" (often pronounced "nigra" by racist whites).

Many made trips to the continent (Africa) and found the people quite warm and friendly towards them, and the country they visited on the continent fascinating and not at all like the stereotypical and degrading "uncivilized jungle" images depicted in racist movies of the day like "Tarzan".

The term "African American", a further self-definition (and our business only really) began to be used in the late '70s-early '80s

I was one of those who made the pilgrimage, more than once actually, (Cameroon, Senegal, Gambia — it was considered a "must do", bucket list-kind of thing among young activists in the Bay Area where I lived then).

Now I used both terms, African American and black interchangeably and am proud of both.