African American or American?

            Recently, Raven Symone announced to Oprah that she did not consider herself an African American. She considers herself an American. For centuries, blacks have been labeled and have labeled themselves African American as opposed to the single term American that most whites of European descent call themselves. Oprah was astonished. She immediately predicted that Symone’s declaration would cover every social media site there was. I’m not huge on social media, but I do know that soon after the interview aired the story trended on Facebook.

            First of all, I believe it is the right of individuals to define themselves however they wish to. There is not one definition for every label. For example, when someone claims that they are a feminist it is completely appropriate — and in my opinion encouraged — to ask him or her what feminism means to them. In this day and age, there isn’t one definition for most labels. What my definition of being a feminist is may be completely different from my best friend’s. It is the same with race, it is the same with nationality, and it is the same with ethnicity. In the case of Symone, she is deciding to label herself how she wants to be labeled.

            Consider her possible reasoning. For one, she probably doesn’t have a direct connection with Africa itself. African slaves arrived in America the same time as the Europeans and have been here for just as long. White Americans don’t consider themselves “European Americans” or “English American” or “French American.” They’re just American. We are so far removed from that part of our family history that we no longer think of ourselves as English or French. If this is how we justify being American, why can’t blacks do the same? Most are also so far removed from their African descendants that it might not make sense to categorize themselves in that way.

            Further, this new idea of just being American is a way for blacks to reclaim this land that they worked so hard to build. They earned the right to call themselves American. By labeling themselves as American, they are putting themselves on the same level as white Americans and are demanding the respect they deserve. This is a way to fight back against those who call them African Americans — namely their white oppressors — and those who are attempting to cheat them out of an identity they deserve. This idea of reclaiming an identity they deserve is present in Laura Donaldson’s testimony in Remembering Jim Crow. After her father died, the court tried to unfairly take her family’s land. She fought back: “I refuse to accept giving away the property that my father worked so hard to leave for his children…” (87). The work that blacks put into America is unparalleled and they need to be able to make these personal decisions on their own.       

            On the other hand, many believe that to deny her ancestry is to belittle the obscene oppression her race endured and continues to endure. By calling themselves African Americans, blacks are separating themselves from their oppressors and reminding each other of the bond they must maintain. Why, some ask, would they want to be called American and be a part of the group of people who have wrongly treated them for centuries?

            Below is the clip in which Symone makes her statement. Start it at about 1:10. What are your thoughts? What are the advantages and disadvantages of labeling yourself American instead of African American? 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/05/raven-symone-african-american-gay-labels_n_5929414.html

Chafe, William H. Remembering Jim Crow: African Americans Tell about Life in the Segregated     South. New York: New, 2001. Print.