So she's African? I don't get the part about Googling her?? The Barack stuff kinda seems misplaced in the write up, but to her point re what's in a name. I don't call myself nor do I refer to other black Americans as AA. I don't care what people are mixed with or where their parents are from…I say (and consider them) black.

Ohhhh, this is a really complexed argument!!?

I've been living in the UK since I was 8, lived before in West Africa going to an 'American School'…..it was all comfortable money and very multi cultural. So I have to admit I hate the way America has this whole 'black' thing, if you aren't fully!?

Yes, the UK is soo mixed that people know were they come from but I can't help feel that you end up having to cater to this warped perception of what being 'black' is….

When it really is just some 'americanized' version.

You're right, boo hoo, it is a complex issue. It's funny because I was just thinking about this the other day when I was wishing that I even KNEW my complete cultural background and history. I think that if more of us Blacks in the diaspora knew our background, it would be easier for us to come together. It may seem backwards, but I think that the 'not knowing' makes us all a bit more disoriented and less able to unite. But of course, the media wants to lump us all together when negative issues arise. I hate that sh**. Sorry Lauren.

I think its hard to compare a 'black' person's experience in america and one in a european or even latin american country. I think in comparison, black americans have alot more of largely indetified history, and because the black community went through so much together and have overcome so much and achieved so much together, I think we are actually alot more united than we tend to think. To my knowledge and correct if I'm wrong but places like England, France, Germany, and Latin America dont have the NAACP or a Martin Luther King, or Affirmative Action. I identify myself as black because I identify with the black-american community. Also, any other country you travel to, your black.

"Black unites us all, African American separates. You know what I say on those forms? I check other and I write in: STOLEN AFRICAN! That's exactly what we are!"

-Paul Mooney (Jesus was Black and so was Cleopatra, Know Your History)

I prefer Black too. I always refer to myself as a Black American and, like you Lauren, I only use African-American to mix it up in my writing.

I've always looked at the subtitle of "African" American as making me appear to be 'less' of an American than my caucasian American brethren. I am an American born and raised. I consider myself to be black and refer as such and you are correct JD; any other country you travel to do indeed consider you black.

So we all seem to be in agreement then, right?

So how do we send a memo to the media?

We prefer Black. My main annoyance with that is that since it's the name of a particular group, and considered a 'proper' noun, it should be written with a capital B!

I was always corrected in high school when I would insist on using a capital B when writing 'Black' on essays…I kinda sorta think that's part of why AA was important to our commty.

Don't jump on me for this, but I'd always assumed that "African American" was a way to signify that you have African roots (directly and recently) and that you lived in America.

I really don't care either way, but if pushed I would say I'm Black. Coincidentally, I am an African American, a Nigerian American to be exact, but I would not ask to be identified specifically as that.

Yeah I have always DETESTED the term, "African American". It wreaks of a false political correctness that people say to make sure they don't offend you. If we don't refer to whites as European Americans why do we get stuck with African American. Also, in day to day life whenever I hear white people use the term African American I always think they must not know any blacks intimately because if they did they would know that most of us don't require or ask for that title

Black. Initial-cap. I never felt it was necessary to go so far back in my historical origins (which is mad-obvious. "is it all over my face? indeed!) to find pride in my color. james brown's influence was enough for me.

JD: I'm pretty offended by your statement. Many blacks in other parts of the world have sufered SEVERLY, even more than you have.
Because of the colonialization of Haiti, Haitians are now eating mud for dinner. THey were also lynched and murdered by the Dominicans and other hispanic nations.
Blacks in Latin America are still trying to get affirmative action so they don't have to be treated like second-class citizens. In Brazil, many black people live in Shanty homes.
African-Americans are not the only people who suffered.
I don't care what people decide to call themselves, but if this is the pervasive thinking that AAs have about blacks from other parts of the world, then you can take the AA out of heritage please.
hairsmystory.com

i consider myself black too. african-american sounds pretty clunky to me. my father, however, says that i am one of the few true african-americans in existence because's he's from nigeria and my mom is a general american negro from central florida. good times in racial identity!