LETSRUN! help us settle our argument.

Let's see. I'm from the UK. If I move to Hong Kong for work, have kids with another Brit, and as adults the kids move to America...are they Asian American?

Don't think so, but honestly with your country anything could be true.

He is indeed correct, as ALL humans are of African descent.

One for me, One for him

1-1

"African American" usually refers to American-born blacks - descendants of slaves in the strictest sense. So even a black person from South Africa would not be "African American", but rather "South-African-American". So, for instance, Lagat isn't African American - he's Kenyan American. Now his kids? That's a tougher call. But your friend? Definitely not, under the most common usage of the term. Of course your friend is free to use terms however he wants, but you are correct that he is not "African American" as that term is commonly used.

Nationality and ethnicity aren't the same thing. For that matter, "race" is different from these two also. If he is an American citizen, his nationality is American. If 100% of his ancestors are white (i.e. all of his ancestors are white and are the descendants of people who are white), then his race is white. If his ancestors lived in Africa for generations, that makes him African. This "African-American" thing has nothing to do with race. Are people who are Canadian-American somehow a different race? Of course not.

Summary: My $0.02 is that he could say, on an application or something, that he's ethnically African-American because his ancestors lived in Africa and were citizens of an African country for centuries. His race is white, and his nationality is American, but his ethnicity could be African if one ignores the intent of the meaning.

the score stands 2-2

Definitely South African just as people born in the US are Americans. We aren't talking race here, we are talking nationality. Got it?

Easy.

Afrikaner-American. (Or Afrikaan-American if you prefer).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrikaner

2-4, Il let this go for another night or two.

Is Khannouchi African-American?

In the immortal words of Peter Tosh:

"Don't matter where you come from

As long as you're a black man,

you're an African"

Your friend isn't black, so I don't think he's African by the Tosh definition. I recognize that I'm not following the rules of logic.

So black women aren't African? Gotcha.

If his ancestors lived for 400 years in Africa he can rightfully say he is African American.

However 99% of Ameriicans will think that means he is black.

You are correct. He shouldn't describe himself as African-American.

His background is Afrikaner in the same way yours is German.

Sometimes people from North African countries try this and they are wrong too. It isn't the intention of the label.

5-4

if we could get some kind of antagonist this could turn into a great thread. Anyway, liking the responses! keep them coming.

One key piece of information we need is where he was born? If he were born in this country he is American, end of story. African american is a term used to denote race, not nationality or ethnicity...and in all reality african american terminology wouldn't exist if people were comfortable using the term "black". I am 4th generation german and have no other ancestory. My nationality is american, my race is caucasian, my ethnicity is German. Your friend's nationality if born in this country is american, his race is caucasian, and his ethniciy is dutch.

abide by this wrote:

He is indeed correct, as ALL humans are of African descent.

Semantically is this correct as Africa didn't exist then.

where was he born wrote:

One key piece of information we need is where he was born? If he were born in this country he is American, end of story. African american is a term used to denote race, not nationality or ethnicity...and in all reality african american terminology wouldn't exist if people were comfortable using the term "black". I am 4th generation german and have no other ancestory. My nationality is american, my race is caucasian, my ethnicity is German. Your friend's nationality if born in this country is american, his race is caucasian, and his ethniciy is dutch.

He was born in the US,

6-4

If he's born in America then he's American. He could say his ancestors are African but unless he actually was born there then he's not.

I'm American. I was born in America. I have ancestors that were born in England, Germany and Canada. But those are my ancestors, not me.

That said he claims he's Afican-American. That's a little different but still stupid. I guess I should say that I'm English-German-Canadian-American.

What it sounds like is your friend is trying to be funny and argumentative at the same time. Let him have his way and just refer to him as such. He'll get tired of you turning the tables and forget the whole thing. Maybe.