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Except that race in society is a construct which has validity, based on how people so categorized are treated, and so an ethno-racial identity will develop.
While their is no strong "Afro British" identity, this might well be due to the fact that most British blacks are no more than 3 or 4 generations from their immigrant roots. In the USA they (the vast majority) aren't the descendants of immigrants, and pretty much their entirety is defined by their experience as blacks living in that nation.
The UK census identifies 1.9 million people who self identify as "black", 1.6 million further self identifying as either "Afro Caribbean" or "African". So apparently "British" is nationality/citizenship, and not ethnicity, so one cannot compare this with "African/Black American" which is an ethnic terms and so more related to "Afro Caribbean", or "African". If you ask most black Americans their nationality they will say "American", or "US".
In the UK every one knows who is black and who is white, and it isn't just skin color. One only need look at the urban riots of a few years ago. The trigger was the shooting of a person of mixed ancestry by the police. Many white youths were also involved in vandalism, looting and violence. Yet it was portrayed as an "Afro Caribbean" riot (implication also that no "Africans" were involved). And then the usual pathologies being peddled, with the normal British hypocrisy ignoring that these behaviors owe their roots to the United Kingdom.
The UK has a contemporary problem with segments of its Afro Caribbean and Pakistani populations based on how these groups were treated in the 50s-80s. Though obviously conditions have vastly improved the legacy doesn't immediately disappear.
Its funny how blinded people can be the riots were clearly a direct result of the UK government but no it were just "thugs"
I've never met a black person who says 'Black British'. They say they are British.
We went through this already. Ask them their nationality "British". Ask them their ethnicity and 85% of the blacks will either say "Caribbean" or "African".
Ask American blacks their nationality. They will say "American" or "US". Ask them their race/ethnicity and they say "African American" or "black American".
Bottom line is that the USA has had a large black population for almost 400 years, and most black Americans trace their roots in the USA for over 250 years, and have no ties to another land.
The UK has had a large black population for only 65 years and most black are only 1, 2 or 3 generations away from their immigrant roots. They quite clearly know where their ancestries are, and most even know the people who migrated to the UK.
I will suggest that many blacks in the UK are still not sure how "English" they are, because the jury is still out about whether being "English" isn't tied to those who have lived there for at least 1,000 years. Most black Americans have no doubt that they are one of the FOUNDATION groups of the USA.
Of course they are.. just as a white person would not call themselves a 'white British'
Colour is irrelevant
Oh I can furnish numerous statistics and articles that will tell you that skin color, race, national origin and ethnicity are very important in the UK. Indeed as much as it is in any nation that you wish to name.
We went through this already. Ask them their nationality "British". Ask them their ethnicity and 85% of the blacks will either say "Caribbean" or "African".
Ask American blacks their nationality. They will say "American" or "US". Ask them their race/ethnicity and they say "African American" or "black American".
Bottom line is that the USA has had a large black population for almost 400 years, and most black Americans trace their roots in the USA for over 250 years, and have no ties to another land.
The UK has had a large black population for only 65 years and most black are only 1, 2 or 3 generations away from their immigrant roots. They quite clearly know where their ancestries are, and most even know the people who migrated to the UK.
I will suggest that many blacks in the UK are still not sure how "English" they are, because the jury is still out about whether being "English" isn't tied to those who have lived there for at least 1,000 years. Most black Americans have no doubt that they are one of the FOUNDATION groups of the USA.
Im sorry I disagree, I know how my family view themselves, and how they are viewed by other people that I know and generally I don't think this is true.
Oh I can furnish numerous statistics and articles that will tell you that skin color, race, national origin and ethnicity are very important in the UK. Indeed as much as it is in any nation that you wish to name.
But ask any black skinned person in the UK, they will never ever call themselves a 'black Brit'
But ask any black skinned person in the UK, they will never ever call themselves a 'black Brit'
Some do though I don't some do...
But his point was that skin colour/race/ethnicity does play a part in British society...
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