African American VS. Black American

With so many people flocking to America, becoming citizens and starting their families here I have noticed this leaves room for confusion.

Because of the history of America there are some Black people here who have been born here and have an ancestory that dates back to the 1700's or further in some cases. For a long time these people, and I too, would refer to ourselves as AFRICAN AMERICANS. This label is true to a certain extent.

Yes we all are decendents of Africa and the Carribeans buuuut how can we refer to ourselves as African Americans?

Why would I dare say that?

Well because there are people who migrate here from African countries, become citizens and have children in America who are truly African Americans. They have the African culture, speak the language and can pin-point EXACTLY where they are from. On a genetic level African Americans and Black Americans don't have the same genome simply because most Black Americans have European ancestors too... So now what do you do?

To further add to the mix when you are dealing with immigrants and travelers who don't know the history of America and as a Black American you identify yourself as an African American the first thing they ask, and a very logical question is, "Oh, really what part of Africa are you from?" Some of them will even break out in French! Now you the Black American have to give a whole history lesson about slavery.

Time after time again I make other Black Americans angry because I openly communicate that I don't identify myself as African American but they don't understand why... This tells me they are not communicating enough with outsiders, or immigrants. They also must not know that there are people  African immigrants who have American children and they call them selves African American.

Things that make you go Hmmmmm!!!

For safety sake when I go places I try to say I'm American... 90 percent of the time it doesn't work, but it would if I were white...Whyyyy???