Who is a Real African American?
In our family we are often teaching the concept that ‘you say what you mean and mean what you say’. We say this in the context of reminding our kids that if they tell another person they are giving them a toy, they don’t get to later take the toy back. We also say it to remind them that it is important to be clear in the words that they choose. For instance, they might say something like, “Will you get me a drink, please?” So I get them some water, and they say, “I didn’t want water I wanted milk!”
Good communication is hard enough, let’s make sure at the very least we are using the correct words. I say ‘say what you mean and mean what you say’ a lot because I want things to actually mean what the words are saying. If they don’t, I want the words to change to be more accurate. Language can be a fine tool, let’s use it with precision and not as a blunt instrument.
I think about this most often in the usage of the term ‘African American’. The first word is a word indicating that someone is from Africa and of course the second implies the same from America. The problem is this term is used for people with black skin whose ancestors one to ten generations ago came to America. The woman visiting from Nigeria is referred to as an African American by a journalist. The woman is by definition African but not American. The white man from South Africa who holds dual citizenship with South Africa and the U.S. should be called an African American or an American African. The problem is the term African American has been so misused that if I referred to this man as African American people would believe I was talking about a black man. Most likely, they would believe that I was talking about black American man descended from slaves who had himself never stepped on African soil.
Why has this happened? When I was a child my grandmother would refer to Negros. I was not able to distinguish this term from the ugly word nigger and thought she was saying something terrible. Being the all-knowing child I was I was quick to tell her she should not say that. I blush with embarrassment to think that I corrected her, especially now that I am grown and cannot remember her making one disparaging comment about black people. Anyway, there has been a progression of acceptable terms. I believe it went in this order: negro, colored, black, and now African American. In other parts of the world some of those terms are still used. My friend from South Africa tells me ‘black’ is used to describe dark skinned Africans and ‘colored’ is used to describe brown skinned Africans.
I did a quick search and found that I am not the only one who prefers the term black over African American. What a relief! It is hard always feeling like the lone person with a certain opinion. The following are two articles making the same point but from different vantage points than myself.
Going back to why we use the term African American. John H Mc Whorter of the first article implies it was Jesse Jackson that set this term out to keep it in the forefront of our minds that their ancestors were brought against their will to American, yet they have accomplished much since then.
I think when white people use this term, there are other reasons. It is certainly not because it rolls off the tongue. You have to be intentional to use it. I think white people who use it, do so in a sense to communicate he or she is a sensitive white person who is not racist against black people. This is not the conscious thought, but it is there nonetheless. Or as Mr. McWhoter says he did, they do it because everyone else did.
Anyway, I continue to use the word black, because I find it to be the most accurate. Sometimes the situation calls for more precision and I say black American.
As I hold out over the years, there will likely be a newer more acceptable term developed, and then I will be two terms behind. My all-knowing grandchildren will then have the privilege of correcting their grandmother, who they will never hear saying a disparaging remark about another’s race, in the correct way to refer to a black person.
