The terms “Black” and “African-American” are often used interchangeably to refer to people with African ancestry. While both terms hold significance, Black has become increasingly favored as it embraces a broader spectrum of cultural and ethnic identities.
Black represents a diverse group of people from a variety of cultural backgrounds and nationalities, including those from the Caribbean, Africa, South America, and more. The term is inclusive and acknowledges the various heritages and experiences within the Black community. Furthermore, the term allows for greater unity among people of different ethnicities with a shared history of oppression and colonization.
On the other hand, African-American has a more specific connotation, explicitly identifying Americans of African descent. This ignores the experiences of Black people who are not American, which disregards the many cultural and social differences that exist between Black people around the world.
In conclusion, the term “Black” is the more inclusive and accurate term to refer to people of African ancestry, given the diversity and complexity of the experiences and heritages represented within that community. This site must strive for terminology that represents the full diversity and richness of the community. Since this website is not the website of the International African American Museum, we made the decision to use the term “Black.”
