TheMsTBennett who is “we”? And my comment by definition is additive so I’m not sure what your problem is. If you get my race a history month maybe we can divide what time we can talk about what races. Until then you are just picking a fight over nothing
On the other hand "black is not a monoloth and all our experiences are valid" doesn't get us any closer to the answer either. It's an obvious fact that was stated in a way to make it sound poignant.
@@TheMsTBennett why are you so Afrocentric you attack someone for trying to be inclusive. Lighten up. Why are you such a tribal person. Do you have some kind of self-esteem issue you have to cling to every group you think you're a part of?
Black is rather a (skin) color . I think African is our race. I mean you can say white, black, yellow. But I think there are 3 races african, european, asian . Everything in between is a mix.
Here in Bulgaria (in the South-East of Europe) we have a difficulty defining people. In many years our elders were using the N-word not knowing that it was actually offensive for afro-americans (because they heard it a lot in movies and so on).. /that was our granfathers and the elder fathers even/, because in our part of Europe we don't have many Black people. They might be stared on a lot (just of curiousity). This is mistaken for a racism.. which isn't. People trully don't know. And we do have racist people here too.. now.. I think we have settled on the word Black.. but I am often wondering if we should use a word like Black-europians.. African-europians.../that one seems a bit bizzare, because both are continents/. It's also very hard explaining to our elders that they are not-knowingly rude.. and trying to explain black friends visiting here that people are not calling them the N-word out of... not-knowing better.. I just try... try focusing on Black and Coloured... but.. in my native language Black sounds even more offensive than the N-word. ?yes it really does/.. and coloured might be a little... not-definitive as we have many gipsies here (which are differently coloured with white-towards-going-black skin colour..).. It's also very hard asking, because if I try to explain the problem.. people jump on me being offended. Please... examine my comment and your reply about three times and count to 10 before writing and publishing your reply. I tried doing the same. I'm sure people will think bulgarian are very racist. I think some of us really are.. especially towards the gypsy people though.. not that much towards the actual blacks.. and yes.. probably some really are towards blacks.. but...they are always going to be some people like that.. same as some black people probably are always going to dislike white people (not only based on history.. My county is not accountable for the slavery.. even if it's for other genosites and slav-ery based stuff..)
I always preferred saying Black, only because White people don't feel the need to call themselves European Americans, and my family has been here as long or longer then a lot of White people (since at least the 1780s). Saying African American to me is assuming that *American* is default White, and that I'm a hyphenated version of the default. I don't know this is just my opinion
@@bobbye.wright4424 Like I said in my origional comment, my family has been here for hundreds of years, and I have little in common with Africans other than skin color. And it's not like all Africans are the same either, there are thousands of tribes in Africa and many of them are as different form each other as Swedish people are from the Chinese. Black American culture has its roots in Africa obviously, but over hundreds of years these have left us a lot different from each other, I don't even have an ancestral homeland ie. country/tribe/language. Also given that Im Black American, I don't only have African heritage. I have South East Asian, Native American, and yes, White in me too. Wouldn't me identifying as African be denying those heritage's as well?
I agree with you, Americans of any race are still Americans. I would think people with dual nationality would be African Americans or European Americans. And normally it would be more specific like Zimbabwean American or Greek American. I mean that’s what make sense to me. But I also understand wanting to retain a connection with the ethnicity of your ancestors. Hence black Americans referring to themselves as African Americans
Yes by calling ourselves African American we not only have confused ourselves and everyone else but we are, ‘othering’ ourselves. As my national and political identity I am an #ADOS #AmericanDOS #AmericanDescendantofSlavery but Black for short😏
As an African high school student living in America, I always get called out when I tick "other" in the ethnicity category. Sometimes, black isn't an option. They just type African American instead. I'm black but I'm definitely not African American lol
@@gregoryglass9040 No he isnt. He;s whatever country he comes from hyphenated American Nigerian American. Labels can sometime fit others but it isnt for them
@@aperson7151 People like that assume all the wrong things/ Lets take the to latin american Haiti is a latin american country but are not latinos in the US. Italy where the whole notion of latin comes from arent latin people in the US. As you know there are people in africa who do not see themselves as african but identify as arabs only
People should learn the difference between race and ethnicity. I’m black because white people labelled my ancestors as black . However I see blackness today as my connection to indigenous African people living in north and South America, Africa , Australia,parts of Asia . My ethnicity is African American because of the rich culture my ancestors in the United States have created for themselves and I honor that . Not all black people are African American.
So you think black is you race? Sorry, but there is only one race for humans. You can't define humans by race... I know we use the word all the time, but we use it wrong. We are no dogs. But correct, not all black people are African American.
African is not an ethnicity though. African Americans are a mixture of different ethnicities, one AA may have Cameroon and another may not. Africa has hundreds of unique ethnic groups.
Serenity but we don’t know them, hence African being the easiest pinpoint of this ethnicity. For continental Africans (and many of the diaspora) it’s different. Ethnicity, language, and culture has been preserved. It differs even across the Americas where you see a heavy African influence in Central and South America culture than in the US, where we had to start all over and make a quilt of culture. Slavery and treatment of slaves operated differently down there than up here. AA’s cannot pinpoint lineage past slavery, past the greater region of west africa, we do not retain that privilege. So that is why the ethnic title isn’t more specific.
Oh snap. We got moms in the program too? AND she's a social scientist?! If this isnt black excellence, idk what is. I am loving this series and we're only 2 episodes in🙌🏾
At times when people ask me what race I am I say human, I usually get a laugh out them, but that's what I am. Now, my cultural experience is that of a black American.
Thank you. I’m black that’s my color. But it’s not me. I don’t mind when people say they don’t see color. All you should is is that I’m a human. Treat me as I treat you. I don’t identify with the “black” culture because my nationality is American. I’m apart of the American culture. And I hate when people make black a personality trait. We are not walking colors. We are humans that just so happen to be this color. And it’s skin. It just makes out appearances. It doesn’t make us
The problem with black in this context is that it excludes non-African blacks. Like Vijay Singh. He is not considered black by most American blacks even though he is definitely black.
Conversation with two coworkers that actually happened about 10 years ago: Black Nigerian: "Why do these people keep saying I'm African-American like it's bad to be called black? I'm not American." White naturalized American from South Africa: "Why do they get mad when I say I am African-American? I am more African than they are."
@Elle D We were a pretty international team, and sadly there were few Americans of any color who qualified to work there, so no. It was a cool place to work if you like accents (which I do). But every once in a while I'd be in a conversation like this one that was just a stark reminder that non-Americans sometimes just think differently.
Hey bill you are not more' African than any US born blacks especially considering the the way in which in which black South Africans were treated by you Europeans in South Africa remember Apartheid the Afrikaners in particular behaved like nazis and most of them are unrepentant about their past transgressions so enough of that arrogance.
Hi Maureen Jackson , thank you for your reply. I have to make two points back to you. For starters, I don't think you read what I wrote. The two speakers there were born in Africa, not the US. Their ancestors for generations were born in Africa. The white South African in the conversation had literally risked his life to fight apartheid throughout his youth before he migrated to the US. My second point is that if you're going to judge all white people as collectively guilty, including me as a white American, based on color of skin and ancestry rather than an individual's values, beliefs, and actions, then you are a racist by definition. You're saying the same things about white people that the nazi party said about Jewish privilege in the 1920s, and was the precursor to many German people seeing jews as inhuman. This is a terrible worldview and I implore you as one human being to another to open your mind and your heart to a better truth.
@BEEN BRACKIN Exactly they're Europeans they will NEVER be African no way they were oppressors and most of them supported Apartheid. Most of them are unrepentant and even today rarely interact with blacks.
@@maureenjackson2041 That's a sweeping statement and I don't know -- maybe that's true. I've never been to South Africa. Maybe you have and know better. But I have personally known and worked with both white and black South Africans. Nico, the friend I told you about above, was one of the 20% of the South African population who were anti-apartheid during the 1980s. He didn't talk about it much but one time, over a few beers, explained what it was like to be present at an anti-apartheid meeting when someone in a truck drove by with machine guns and lit the place up, with Nico cowering on the floor because he stood up for the rights of his fellow human beings. Not all white people are the same person and not all have the same beliefs and values. It's my understanding Nelson Mandela did an amazing job trying to unite all South Africans regardless of race. Seen Invictus with Morgan Freeman? Like that. I think it's a shame that even today, some people are trying to re-open old racial tensions. And yes, Nico considered himself African regardless of his skin color.
I hate that phrase. I can see your “color “ and still make a decision on who you are based on your actions. Your color is what you are not who you are.
@Shawn Macdonald So that's what they're calling gentrification these days! Those high prices sure do "scare" people out of the neighborhood lol (P.S. I'm only joking)
@@hannahjoyk Mel C, I guess we can't hang out because by Texas standards that constitute as a mob and others will get uneasy about more than 3 blacks folks together when they aren't related.
I like that this video draws a distinction between Black people asking “what do we call ourselves” and white people asking “what do we call you.” One is about community and one is about exclusion. I’ve seen a few fellow white people in this comment section feeling distressed about how this conversation never seems to resolve, because they just want to know what term to use in order to be polite/inclusive and using a term that some may consider “wrong” is scary and uncomfortable. Guys let’s focus: this conversation is not about our comfort. This is not a response to “what should we call you.” No one owes us a response to that question.
Weirdly, that speech was vastly reworded to sound “more black” by some random white lady in the 1890s. The original transcript of the speech is an astounding contrast. Not an “ain’t” to be found. She didn’t fit the stereotype, so disgruntled white people changed it.
@@emilysmith3594 This is so true!! That white lady wrote that mess 12 years after Sojourner gave the speech despite someone already publishing the original speech. You literally cant even read the 2nd speech because it was so poorly written. She NEVER said aint i a woman🤦🏾
What a disappointment that Thomas Jefferson, who had so many enlightened ideals, was such a racist. Nicely done and sorely needed. Thanks from an old white guy in Austria, keep up the good work, Scott
He was just following the Darwinian model. Which is still taught as fact in our pubic school system and colleges. Even though it asserts that anyone of the black race is less evolved. Let that sink in.
Yea good old Tommy Jeffs may or may not have been racist, depending on your definition. In today's vernacular, I'd say he wasn't, any more than scientists today are because they have theorems for topics they don't fully understand. He fancied himself a scholar.
The general consensus is that humanity gains enlightenment over time. Ergo, history in general is racist, prejudiced, and sexist. You will not find liberalism in the past.
@@annonnie Perhaps not in the European past. Let's not forget that there were a lot of other cultures back then, and some of the things they were enlightened enough to realize (e.g. two-spirit people), the West and the people they invaded/colonized still struggle with
(I'm white.) If RU-vid (and other forms of popular media) existed in Thomas Jefferson's time, I highly doubt that whites in America could've "gotten away with" slavery, or many less obvious forms of racial prejudice.
Imani Culver so why the white they didn’t say black Americans they say African Americans so you think who you are you are African if you was born in America no matter your name is African
The evolution of "black identity" has changed a lot in my lifetime. Negro, Black and African American. Parents nearly whooped up on my sister for referring to "black people" instead of "Negro" they thought she was being disrespectful. Her response was "do you want me to get beat up!"
@Karl Pilkington We are all on a purely biological level from Africa. That's where humans elvolved! But then it really doesn't matter, cuz cultural differences are what really matter.
I identify based on my culture. I'm Black American because I have no African culture. I am of African descent. But, I can't call myself African American if I live in the U.S., it would mislead people into thinking I'm from Africa. "African American" is a U.S. term. My niece's father is from Nigeria and her Mom is Black American. I would consider her African American because she will learn the Nigerian culture ( language/values). Race is a societal term that categorizes people based on physical and ancestral characteristics. Ethnicity is cultural.
Cup of Tea same... and have been told I’m “denying” my African roots by callin myself black American... I’m black... I’m American... other than obvious physical features I have no ties to Africa and I feel no need to force it! Ppl really love reaching!
@@jessicab331 Black is inclusive to not only African descendants but the Latin community and native Africans too. In my experience, African born are quick to acknowledge the difference between Black Americans and native African people. My bro-in-law has brought up a couple of times that me and my family are not from Africa. I don't really care about being born in Africa. Black people include native Africans but it's not reciprocated.
Cup of Tea There are plenty of African cultural survivals among African Americans-in our language, behaviors, artistry, etc. We are simply educated to believe otherwise.
I live in Denmark (but i am from Sierra Leone - West Africa) and we know the term African American to mean a black person from the United States, so if you told me that your niece was African American i would assume that she was solely from the United States. I think that the distinction between black American and African American is mostly relevant to The United States. Also i think that black is a universal description of our race - but in the US that description also houses a culture and different dialects (The black American culture), While African refers to a person that has an African nationality, like me that is a Sierra Leonean.
HowSway? My friend, please don’t take most of these postings or this video as consensus among African Americans or as a fully informed discussion. The tendency among many African Americans today (mostly younger) to make a distinction between being “black” and being African is a relatively recent tendency. During the 1960s, the was a surge of nationalism among African Americans (and among continental Africans as well). This led to the embracing of the term black as a rebuttal against the negative connotations attached to blackness. And blackness referred to African identity. So affirmation of blackness was an affirmation of African identity. This spirit of “black consciousness” involved an emphasis on Pan-Africanism. This discussion represented in this video and the comments is evidence of how assimilationist has gradually eroded the consciousness of African Americans since the 1960s. Americans-including African Americans-have a different level of respect for the ancestry of other Americans. For example, a Japanese American would not be considered a yellow American, nor does he have to speak Japanese or be born in Japan for anyone to recognize him as Japanese. It is generally understood that a Japanese American is a person who is American-born but of Japanese descent. Strangely enough, this general understanding is not generally applied to Americans of African descent.
I always say African American. I feel like saying black just meaning that my ancestry started in the belly of slaveships and bandage. But when I say african american....i can remember that my ancestors ruled the continent of Africa.
We in Brazil use the hole shades to describe someone. But nowadays they're importing that racial stuff from US trying to portrait a binary society right here. It's ridiculous because we are the most racial diversity country in the whole world.
Why is it that every non-white group need to add a qualifyer before the name American? Like African-American, Asian-American, and Latino-American. I've never heard someone call themself European American. It shows who cares more about race.
White person here. I was curious about their take on it. And I loved this video! I don't really think about people's races, but there are those who get really upset if you don't recognize them as being black or African American. But I know Africans too, their viewpoint is different, as well.
Melanin Goddess when you are a citizen in two different countries. For example, say she wants dual citizenship in Canada. She will then be Canadian and American.
It was funny; but I thought "ain't i a woman" meant white women were treated as precious and delicate in need of protection, but black women were treated roughly and just as bad as our men were 🤔
Love how you ladies teach with humor and mass respect for the diversity of thought. Self Identity is complicated and not based solely on genes. It includes culture in all it's aspects and the recognition from your community of origin. Genetically I'm a quarter Black, a quarter Native American and Half European. Culturally I'm of Puerto Rican origin and 100 percent Human. I bow to the genius of our African ancestors.
This was really enjoyable. Evelyn is a natural at this, and it nice to see how she's branched from her own RU-vid channel. I personally identify as Black because it is the descriptive that connects me to the diaspora, and people spread throughout the planet. However, just like the young lady in the video stated, I tell people to call me African-American because I don't want to deal with them calling me something I don't want to be called.
@GotAFedInAHeadLock So are white people dividing themselves from Europeans or wherever they descended from when they only classify themselves as white Americans? Why can't we just be black Americans too? If anything they are trying to make it sound like we are the "other" category and are not full Americans.
@Kd WHAT is your origin? Do any of these "African Americans" REALLY know their origin ,other than their black skin.?Most white people in England have no clue where WE came from ,but we don't keep on and on and on and on and on about it.
peaches they’ve been mass migration of Europeans to America, Irish , Italians and Germans. You don’t see the original white Americans trying to separate themselves from those European immigrants “just because their struggle is different “. Any white European immigrant who settles in America is deemed as white. It’s only Black Americans who try so hard to distinguish themselves from Africa or Africans. A lot of you do not want to be called African Americans just because you don’t want to be classified with continental Africans who are American citizens. It has nothing to do with you not knowing African culture
So, you have to deal with gender discrimination first ("she's just a girl...what do girls know?" "a woman's place is in the home" etc), and only after that deal with the racial discrimination??
Let’s not forget that WEB DeBoise was a big eugenics fan. He believed that Black women were not equipped to raise children with out being educated by white women. I never understood why My mom, born 1919 hated the man until I stated researching him.
gen nye Like many Black Christians, he was pro Black male. An issue that is still retarding our advancement. Anytime a culture hangs on to a myth of supremacy it is destined for eventual fail. Look at the pathetic ways white racists are presenting in order to maintain the myth of white supremacy. They are killing themselves and each other in droves. History proves that Mythology and superstition is always the mindset of uneducated and easily controlled people. Peace.
Native kids were forced into boarding schools where they got into trouble for using their native languages. They made them cut their hair & forced “Christianity” on them. The US Gov has been doing messed up stuff to POC forever. Still are (kids in cages).
Missy R Thank you Missy. Perfect example of the way Christianity, our government has messed over POC from the get-go. Many NDN adults are still dealing with the trauma from those boarding schools and work camps.
Learning black history has taught me so much about my own history. The history my side is not so quick to tell. I wish we would have learned this type of stuff in school. I think it would have made a difference on how & what we think about eachother & why. I know for me, so many of my opinions have changed. Thank y'all from Texas for making these videos.
By the way it's so beautiful to see three generations of African queens breaking down this knowledge Frost in this video. I absolutely love that, and you all did a fantastic job with your production value.
Honestly the only thing that makes me feel uncomfortable is when people say "Those Blacks" or "Those Whites". Idk why it just sounds kind of inhumane to me, like they're describing some breed of animal or something 🤣
Exactly, we are black for that reason f*ck a skin color and f*do Africa too, people act as if they and Arabs aren't who placed our ancestors into bondage, I'm black
My wife and I are white. We have a 8 yo black foster daughter. I remember asking her if her hair stylist was African American. She stared at me under her eyebrows for a few seconds, then said with an annoyed tone: “Um; you mean black?!” I said um, yeah. She said yes. When I met her hair stylist, I found out that though she is black, she has absolutely no African ancestor in her bloodline. Not one. It opened my eyes and I shared that story with my white friends who still think they’re being polite by only using the words African American.
The European definition of black is basically having majority ancestry from sub-Saharan ancestry. So how is she black without the ancestry?? Are you just describing the color of her skin?? Need moar info....
Sheena Bailey This means the hair stylist is either South American, North American (USA) or Caribbean and cannot find an African on their family tree as their family has been on the continents of America for centuries.
Corey Mayo She could be aboriginal from Australia. That’s why someone earlier in the comments asked. Aboriginal Australians also call themselves black. It is also a European definition because colonizers began calling them centuries ago of their dark skin.
I believe what Liij means is, she does not have any direct living Ancestry in Africa today, all of her relatives are here in America ……. I've done both 23andMe and Ancestry DNA test, both test tells me I have no living relatives anywhere in Africa, southeast Asia, or Europe ….. but related to many people in the USA.
But America is a (continent) so Afro Brazillians and other Afro Hispanics are technically "American decendents of slaves" as well. We are Afro-U.S. decendents.
Anybody who labels themselves black, African American or afro whatever is not protected by the laws and is considered property. Any oppression against you by a government is technically legal so they can steal all your land and say your from Africa when your people are actually indigenous or aboriginal to the land
I was once talking to a white American, and I said that I felt that the term 'African American' to my British ears sounded kinda racist because they weren't born there and it's weird for one group of people to qualify their American-ness. Like, to us you're all just American. The guy called me a racist- which is pretty laughable because he was essentially telling me my culture was wrong.
@@bonsummers2657 we never identify white people in America as European Americans, why not if we call black people african Americans? Just call them all americans. In Britain, we don’t defy someone who is black as African-British. :///
Wait... One moment the Christian sister says she doesn't feel using 'identifiers' is a good thing, but 3 seconds before IDENTIFIES herself as a Christian? You feeling that way is precisely why we want to use identifiers.
I always thought African American was like, from Africa to America, while Black was the word for Americans with African/African Latino ancestry. This was so interesting to watch and needs to be a class in school 😲
Both are terms created by my people (African Americans/Black). African American is someone who is descendants of North America chattel slavery. Black was actually created by Black Americans when people said we weren't African enough, so that's why started calling ourselves Black Americans instead of African American. Black American later shorten to black. Remember other groups just recently started calling themselves "black", because as I remember for the longest time all I heard growing up was I'm not black I'm (insert nationality/tribe name).
7:06 it’s funny that he said that b/c as an African who became an American at a very young age I do the opposite for the same reason. I always felt that the term African American referred to ppl with distant ancestry in Africa and a long history in the States. Never quite felt right using the term as it felt somewhat like I was stealing a culture and history that did not belong to me. I most often use the generic Black to identify myself... sometimes I also use Ethiopian American, African or just plain old American.
This made me smile so hard. I love how you take things that feel so complex to people and break them down in relatable ways. Inspiring brilliant beautiful women. ❤️
Your impersonations are my favorite part. Really brings to life the perspective you're talking about. You both are so talented. Subscribed, and good luck!
This series is going to be SO amazing! Thank you for helping us further understand our past, heritage, culture and identity in this country; despite our oppressors trying their best to erase our history. Thank you for helping us stand a little taller ladies!
The issue with people keep associating African American culture,accomplishments,celebrities,etc with the "Black" identity is that many people like to associate things from our community as belonging to anyone they consider "Black". Someone "Black" from Africa,Caribbeans,Europe,etc shouldn't be given props or assumed to be the same as African American just because they're "Black". That's like bringing up how much you like Koreans to an Chinese person, because they're "Asian".
Good music for the dance break! Sojourner Truth's ICONIC response sent me to thee floor! LOVE Evelyn already; great meeting Azie and Azie's wonderful Mother! #QueensQueening
How about we call ourselves "Afro-U.S." citizen or decendent. Remember America is a CONTINENT, therfore All Black Hispanics from central and South America are technically "ADOS".
I think black is more of a cultural identity and African American is more of a regional one. One can be "black" anywhere in the world (aka visiting Norway and Norwegians automatically know you're black but not necessarily from America)
I am 100 percent American. I am not an African. Just because someone is black does not make them African. My family has been here for hundreds of years and built this country.I have no family in Africa and all of my family is American, that makes me 100 percent American. I hate that I have some nationality attached to me that has nothing to do with me. White people who haven't even been in this country for a long time generationally speaking get the luxury of being thought of as " All American's." Yet my family has been here since the start of American culture and we are considered African- Americans. It's so rude and offensive. I am black and I am 100 percent American. Africa has nothing to do with me.
Hi I would add: african diaspora coming from the part of Africa where people do have dark skin as you have country in Africa where most of the population is white with arabic or berbere origins like Algeria Morocco Syria or Tunisia. Then you have other countries like Egypt or Ethiopa or Niger where their population have beeen mixed with arabs for many years so some have dark skin some light skin some look and in those countries some consider themselves black and some don't. Most of those countries are in the north part of Africa/closer to europe or North East part of Africa/closer to arabic countries. They are all Africans bit not all of them are Black.
@HereDianna ….. you are correct ……. I worked with a lady from Morocco ….and she considered her self Black ……. she even married a Haitian …… she could pass for light skinned Black, but her parents looked total Arab.
"Person of color" bugged the heck out of me because I'm old enough to remember when Black was beautiful and colored people weren't. But guess what! It's not my decision! As a white chick, I believe I shall call you "Azie" and "Evelyn."
As a white chick I always get in trouble when I want to describe a black person to somebody. „The tall guy ... with black hair.“ „Oh, you mean [white person]?“ Noooo, I just don’t know if he is comfortable getting called black, Afrogerman, African, or anything.
