What does it mean to be African American?

To be African American, in the broadest terms possible, means to be a person of African descent in the Western hemisphere. This is the meaning that Malcolm X gave when referring to the “Afro-American”. read more

To be African American, in the broadest terms possible, means to be a person of African descent in the Western hemisphere. This is the meaning that Malcolm X gave when referring to the “Afro-American”. He said, “Because when we say Afro American, we include everyone in the Western Hemisphere of African descent. South America is America. read more

This is a question that is quietly resurfacing in Black discourse, due to the fact that many of our people are rejecting the term as a means of identification. While African American still manages to be socially accepted, it seems many privately take issue with the term. read more

The Changing Definition of African-American How the great influx of people from Africa and the Caribbean since 1965 is challenging what it means to be African-American A long-running theme of U.S. black history (a panel from Jacob Lawrence's 1940-41 "Migration Series") may have to be revised. read more