Does african american history matter to someone who's not african american?

Question

Im not african american, im african haitian. They tend to speak about knowledge of self, I know my haitian history. I'm very knowledgeable in african american history but it really doesnt matter to me. So does it apply to me? what if a white person, who was born and raised in south africa, move to the us. Would they be considered african american?

Answer 1

african american history matters to african americans but very few of them. it doesn't matter to white americans. and no your south african would be just that a south african.

Answer 2

very interesting question. i suppose african american history did not affect my direct ancestors (that i'm aware of). but that doesnt stop me being curious about what did happen. i don't like it when people try to make all of black history about african american history though.

@choc1- i am aware of that, and thats fine but they started teaching 'black history' in the uk a few years ago though as part of the curriculum.

Answer 3

african american as in black people-people with some ethnicity not white people from africa beacuase they werent brung over here as slaves  

Answer 4

It should...with out African Americans there would be a lot more problems. Like...no traffic lights. there would still be the hatred and the deep rooted racism...

oil-dripping cup for trains. Elijah mcCoy. the phrase the real mcCoy

The carbon filement --the important part of the light bulb. Lewis Latimer

Shoe making machine. increased speed by 90% Jan ernstt Matzeliger....so yeah everyone should know about things like this. It is important. Im not white,...but I know plently about hilter...the jews, and the inventors history, the wars..Its called not being ignorant.

george washington carver...peanut butter+ 400 plant products.

Answer 5

If you are taking the course I imagine you now live in the U.S.  It is likely that your children will live in the U.S.  As such you should be educated about the country where you live, as well as the one where you were born.  African American history is taught in our schools because on a large scale the contributions of Black Americans were ignored by the history books.

But then again history recounts the stories of very few of the people who came before we did, and there is only so much time to devote to history in our busy lives.

As to your last question, every ten years the U.S government takes a census.  For the first time in the 2000 census respondents were asked to identify themselves by race from among the following:

    * American Indian and Alaska Native (extra space to designate tribe)

    * Asian (extra space to denote Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Asian Indian, Korean, and Vietnamese or Some Other Asian)

    * Black or African American

    * Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (extra space to denote Native Hawaiian, Samoan, and Guamanian or Chamorro or Some Other Pacific Islander)

    * White

    * Some Other Race (Fill in the blank)

As you can see (in this context at least)  Black and African American were grouped together in terms of racial origins.  Also note that respondents could choose multiple categories of racial origins, including all six, or they could choose not to answer the question at all.

So in the most commonly used contexts the white south african  who moved to the U.S. would not be considered african american, but obviously if you use the term in another context he would be.

The next census is in 2010, who knows what questions may be on it.

I am glad you are here and are a concerned citizen.

I myself long for the day when we can just love our neighbor without being so concerned about who his or her ancestors were.

Answer 6

Unfortunately it doesn't.  African Americans have contributed more to American culture and life than they realize. It was a African American doctor whose work that allows us to give and receive blood with no harmful side effects. It was a African American who perfected vein grafts for cardiac surgery. There are literally hundreds of examples of how our lives are better because of African Americans. And no I am not black, I am white. But I believe in giving credit where credit is due.

Answer 7

@ Silly f**t

The term "Black History" derived from the U.S. The U.S. celebrates Black History, so that's why it refers to African Americans because they are U.S. citizens. It shouldn't apply to other Blacks of different nationalities...it would be overkill, and the Black Americans wouldn't be able to relate. If the U.S. came up with the concept, they have the right to limit it to their Black citizens.

Answer 8

Black History Month is a remembrance of important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. Its the Black races history. diaspora. It is celebrated annually in the United States and Canada in the month of February, while in the UK it is held in the month of October.

The history of your ancestors matter to you so no African American history should not matter to you.

If a South African moved to America they would be called South African - American

Answer 9

Ever notice the way hyphens separate? I don't like the term African American or European American, I believe American is sufficient enough.  

Answer 10

It probably wouldn't but haitian history or south african history really doesn't matter to me either, and no  a person from south africa would be south african american, african american is used because obviously we don't know which country on the continent we come from, some one who comes here today knows exactly what country they come from. Everyone can get different lessons from history no matter where that history is from

How in the world do you know that african american history matters to very few african americans, and we know it doesn't matter to white americans otherwise they would it include it in American History courses

well black history here in america is African American history... when they talk about american history they don't spend time on the French

Answer 11

of course

Answer 12

Im British african....

So no it doesnt matter to me....its nt my history so i cant really gt into all that.

But when it gets racist you have to kinda stick up for your race, regardless.

Answer 13

If you live in America, it's especially important because black history is the history of America. And technically an "African American" is someone with a direct link to Africa not the hundreds of years removed descendants of African slaves who by all this time are just Americans who are mostly black (with African ancestry of course). So, a white South African is more African American than a black American person of African descent. I have one black American parent and I identify wholeheartedly as a black American woman. I'm American before anything and I do know that some of my ancestors played a major part in the development of the United States culture and freedoms.

Answer 14

Good question...I am Azn/Caribbean but from the U.S. Once I got to college, all the AAs told me that I MUST know their culture as that's what I would be looked as here...I agree...but only because I am fascinated with culture in general...not just AA...