Blacks in England are "English". In the USA "African-Americans"

What causes this?

Why do blacks in America distance themselves from her?

african-americans for the most part have no relatives there and they have never been to africa themselves! they claim a long history of imported slaves but the records do not validate but a few with a valid claim. the vast number of african names are signed with an "x" and that is no validation that cannot be disputed! oh yes - the "x" was made by putting the pen in the person's hand and then guiding the hand to form the "x"!!!! it would behoove the blacks to identify themselves as black and put an end to their ridiculous "identity crisis"!!!

A false sense of pride.

In some ways it is understandable, since most Blacks descended from slaves have no way of knowing just where in Africa (or from which Tribe) they are descended from; so asserting that they are from Africa is something. Of course, in reality it is meaningless since everyone knows that ALL black persons in the world descend from Africa.

The whole thing about deswsignating people by their heritage smacks of inequality, and We, the People should demand that our government STOP keeping records of such lineage for census and other purposes.

If you were born in the USA it shouldn't matter where your parents or grandparents came from. Natural born citizenship is dependent on birth, not heritage.

The word Africa means "Black". So that the phrase "African-American" simply means Black American - in most cases it merely states the obvious.

Wow, some good sense on the subject. Lookout if any of the regular posters in the blacks forum find this.
You are right though hazmat, I have no idea exactly where my ancestors came from before they immigrated here but I also don't care. I'm a person with a strong sense of family and that is simply that.