[carpartsho]

There was a recent experience in my class. My teacher wanted us to tell the class a little bit about ourselves and what are some common questions people ask us. One girl said a common question people asked her was what her ethnicity is and she said he was Black, both parents are Black though she has other heritage, but she's still Black. Most of the non Black students and the teacher(who is Russian) looked really shocked. My friend who is East Indian said she thought she was Mexican. I knew the girl was African American, but it was the non Black students who seemed to be stunned. I'm African American and I know we can have a rainbow of phenotypes and some of us could almost pass for other ethnicities. Have you encountered Aframs who you thought was another ethnicity?

[LxtdK9i4]

There was a recent experience in my class. My teacher wanted us to tell the class a little bit about ourselves and what are some common questions people ask us. One girl said a common question people asked her was what her ethnicity is and she said he was Black, both parents are Black though she has other heritage, but she's still Black. Most of the non Black students and the teacher(who is Russian) looked really shocked. My friend who is East Indian said she thought she was Mexican. I knew the girl was African American, but it was the non Black students who seemed to be stunned. I'm African American and I know we can have a rainbow of phenotypes and some of us could almost pass for other ethnicities. Have you encountered Aframs who you thought was another ethnicity?

Most non African Americans stereotype us as having a West African phenotype, like nappy hair, big lips, and dark to medium brown skin etc, and the majority of us are similar to that phenotype. But I've seen Aframs, especially in my area, that look Southern European, East African, East Indian, Polynesian, Caribbean Latino, Pardo Brazilian exc. Our range in phenotpyes is huge.

[HagsPusia]

Have you encountered Aframs who you thought was another ethnicity?

I've met some Aframs that I thought were Hispanic or Middle Easterner on first sight.

[kenowinnumberss]

Not sure if this counts or not, but I have a friend who's half black, half Anglo Euro and he looks pretty Euro except for his hair.

[Bejemoelemymn]

I've only met two that I know of, one looked mulatta/caribbean hispanic while the other pred. euro (like 60%). I don't really get surprised by "light skinned" african americans, I only get surprised by those with non-ssa hair textures. Then again, i don't think I've met any quadroon/off-white looking aframs

[BodeOmissemia]

Most non African Americans stereotype us as having a West African phenotype, like nappy hair, big lips, and dark to medium brown skin etc, and the majority of us are similar to that phenotype. But I've seen Aframs, especially in my area, that look Southern European, East African, East Indian, Polynesian, Caribbean Latino, Pardo Brazilian exc. Our range in phenotpyes is huge.

I think African Americans are one of the most well known ethnic groups out there due to being citizens of a superpower and all the exposues via the media and entertainment. This being said, I would guess most people (especially non-Americans) would have some hint as to their diversity in phenotype. Public figures like Halle Berry, Obama, Prince, Snipes, etc. all have different phenotypes.
I would like to see the expression on the faces of some if they show them the president of the NAACP.

[dayclaccikere]

I think African Americans are one of the most well known ethnic groups out there due to being citizens of a superpower and all the exposues via the media and entertainment. This being said, I would guess most people (especially non-Americans) would have some hint as to their diversity in phenotype. Public figures like Halle Berry, Obama, Prince, Snipes, etc. all have different phenotypes.
I would like to see the expression on the faces of some if they show them the president of the NAACP.

They'd think he's "White". But alot of people where shocked when they found out that Ted Williams(The Man with the Golden Voice") was Afram, he doesn't fit the stereotype at all

[JonatonM]

There are many out there. The thing is that they are mistaken for something else.

[thomaskkk]

Never experienced it. I've met some that looked "mixed", but never to the point of being mistaken for "southern European" or "East Indian".

[kaysions]

They'd think he's "White". But alot of people where shocked when they found out that Ted Williams(The Man with the Golden Voice") was Afram, he doesn't fit the stereotype at all

I thought he was Mexican until I watched his mother on youtube

[lagunaEl]

Never experienced it. I've met some that looked "mixed", but never to the point of being mistaken for "southern European" or "East Indian".

Here's a few examples of East Indian or Southern European looking Aframs. You just wouldn't expect them to be Afro American at all.

[PilotJargon]

they are considered aframs because of the 1 drop rule
If that did not exist they would not be considered black

[chelviweeme]

they are considered aframs because of the 1 drop rule
If that did not exist they would not be considered black

But "Black" is not a phenotype descriptor in the US, as it is in the rest of the world. To be "Black" in the US is to be a descendant of West African slaves in the United States of any phenotype, and these four people above are more "Black" to me than a West African immigrant who was not apart of slavery in the US.

[casinoboneerer]

so i wonder are "white" americans with "black" blood also considered "black" or "white"
shit gets complicated ...
what about the ones who "pass" ....and in the eyes of others they are only "white"
is being african american more to do with "accepting" that you have "black" in you?

---------- Post added 2011-03-22 at 01:45 ----------

But "Black" is not a phenotype descriptor in the US, as it is in the rest of the world. To be "Black" in the US is to be a descendant of West African slaves in the United States of any phenotype, and these four people above are more "Black" to me than a West African immigrant who was not apart of slavery in the US.

yeah i feel you my best friend said i wasn't black, but african....at first i was like WTF...but then i understood where he was coming from....thing is i been in the United States all my life, so im not even an immigrant. so it does gets complex with surveys and applications... but to save myself the trouble i try to skip over that part and put "other", other days i dont care and just put "african american." it all depends lol. i guess at the end of the day the people who write applications dont really care what type of "african" american one is.... all they care bout is phenotype i guess

******also do you consider caribbean people "black" or do you see them as totally "distinct" given they also have the history of slavery, but not in the US
the crazy thing is i know some african americans who see "west indians" and "africans" as the same group of people, which is kinda confusing to me.

[igs00r]

so i wonder are "white" americans with "black" blood also considered "black" or "white"
shit gets complicated ...
what about the ones who "pass" ....and in the eyes of others they are only "white"
is being african american more to do with "accepting" that you have "black" in you?[COLOR="Silver"]

If a White American who has minor African ancestry, calls him or her self a White American, and passes into the general White community without acknowledging thier black roots, then they are not considered black. Congressman Bob Barr has obvious SSA ancestry, but he's not considered "Black" because he doesn't claim his "Black" roots.

******also do you consider caribbean people "black" or do you see them as totally "distinct" given they also have the history of slavery, but not in the US
the crazy thing is i know some african americans who see "west indians" and "africans" as the same group of people, which is kinda confusing to me. In my point of view, 'Black' is a informal word to describe an African American of slave descent in the US. Unless the West Indian is Americanized by accent and cultural cues, then they aren't considered "Black" to me, I'll just call them by thier nationality.

[AlistDakisa]

What a crazy view of society and ethnicity has the minorities in the US.

[M1iFiNmC]

What a crazy view of society and ethnicity has the minorities in the US.

You have to think of African Americans more as an ethnic group rather than just a label, the same way Puerto Ricans are Puerto Ricans regardless of color

[pushokalex1]

You have to think of African Americans more as an ethnic group rather than just a label, the same way Puerto Ricans are Puerto Ricans regardless of color

I think of African Americans as Americans with African ancestry, I don't think of them as anything else.
Puertorican is an nationality as American is, it is not a race.There is no Puerto Rican ethnic group, but nationality.

[GitaraMoya]

But "Black" is not a phenotype descriptor in the US, as it is in the rest of the world. To be "Black" in the US is to be a descendant of West African slaves in the United States of any phenotype, and these four people above are more "Black" to me than a West African immigrant who was not apart of slavery in the US.

So descendants of east-africans who migrated to the US aren't considered afram?

[lizadax]

So descendants of east-africans who migrated to the US aren't considered afram?

Nope, because they aren't descendants of West African slaves.