R&B icon Smokey Robinson expressed his resentment to being called “African American.”
“I think that when you [use the term African-American], you’re disclaiming all the contributions that Black people have made to America,” he said during a guest appearance on “The View.”
“I consider myself to be a Black American, and I enjoy being called Black, and Black has been so negativized [sic] as a color down throughout history by those who wanted to negativize it. And so, it spilled over into the Black community and to the Black people. And even Black people back in the day calling each other Black was a sign for a fight – like Black was so negative.”
Robinson, 82, continued:
“We’ve contributed so much to America that it should be acknowledged… That’s how I feel about being Black and I’m proud to call [myself] a Black American.”
The term “African American” was popularized in 1989 by civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson.
However, older Black immigrants continue to refer to ourselves as Black.
“Black” is particularly favored by dark-skinned, non-Americans who are not descendants of Africans.
