Talk:African Americans/Archive 11

message: For what may be construed as a NPOV:
I am a citizen of a Caribbean/ West Indian island, British colonial background, with two (black)(African) grandmothers, one white local grandfather and one white grandfather of US origin(he came and left!). No details of whether the two grandmothers came directly from african slave origins, free african, or via US slave origins. Local blacks are mostly of former British slave owners, especially Loyalists who fled US during War of Independence from Britain, and freed slaves released from intercepted ships (eg. Amistad and Creole) still engaged in slave trade with countries which had Emancipation after Britain. I am a (biracial)(half-breed)(mixed)(mulatto)who is often confused as hispanic ie. cuban, puerto rican or dominican when I travel to US by ALL in US. Locally, as the population is about 80%black, 10% white and 10% mixed, asian, east indian, etc., I am often called white boy, reds (=redbone) and a few other local appellations which you would not recognize. We have no indigenous amerindian population. The south Florida Hispanics? assume that I am one of them when I walk in, but opinions are visually apparent when my accent is heard. The US blacks (my usage) accept me a little more, but I am not black enough, etc. White Americans seem to treat me a little different I think, as a foreigner, meaning a little more positively than I feel they talk to African-Americans. I have family, friends, schoolmates in and from USA, and resided in various areas for school and temporary work assignments. Many African-Americans become upset at us in the Caribbean because we, decendants of a slave system, do not dwell on the topic as much, and sometimes appear indifferent. As majorities, we have taken over the politics of our countries, with some whites involved in appropriate percentages. Most would not vote for a white President or Prime Minister yet, but we are on the way. Mixed black/white with 'blacker' hair texture are black, whereas mixed with "softer" hair textures and "hispanic" features are white, red or local appellations. (See conchy-joe or redlegs). Most West Indians and Caribbean islanders are so engrossed in our our albeit newer cultures that we often do not know or care to know our African roots. We identify locally, and feel at home and at ease that we do not long for Mother Africa, or its identity. we definitely are not moving back. We are so laid back until we are horizontal. We still use the equivalent of racial slurs at each other in general mixed conversation, but everyone knows when and where. Yes, some get upset, but we are growing out of it, and sometimes it still hurts when it gets heated. We are on our way to some of the first world standards, and sometimes we wish some of the first world standards would slacken up a bit. Call me what you want, but do not call me Collect. 
Manowar
:Like practically all New World Africans, I'm a mongrel, too:  African (from possibly Angola or thereabouts, since I was born in Louisiana; Caddo; Cherokee; Irish).   In my multicultural, multi-ethnic, multilingual community, I'm often mistaken for Latina, myself -- especially when I speak Spanish.  Also, E. Indian/Bangladeshi; Ethiopian; Egyptian -- you name it.  But that's because many Latinos have African ancestors, and people of color look pretty much the same the world over.  I remember taking a trip to British Columbia as a young child (1960s), and as we were entering a restaurant, the local white folks started counting as we passed by.  When they got to one of my sisters, they exclaimed, "Look!  There's an Eskimo!"  But, IMO, black is black.  Such curiosity/cases of mistaken identity on the part of others are pretty much par for the course.
:I appreciate your contribution -- but are we supposed to do something with this, article-wise?  Serious question.  (You may want to take a look at black Canadian, if you haven't already done so.) deeceevoice 21:33, 16 Jan 2005 (UTC)
thread_title:  West Indian/ Caribbean input 

message: Doesn't the term Afro American (Afro-American) refer to people of direct or indirect African decent? (e.g. an American whose parents are Cuban and Jamican would be an Afro American as would someone straight from Africa) Dustin Asby 15:30, 27 Aug 2004 (UTC)
thread_title:  Afro American