An African American refers to a person who is of Black descent and has roots in Africa. In the context of U.S. history, it specifically refers to individuals who were brought to America as slaves or their descendants.
Related terms
Slavery: The system where Africans were forcibly brought to America as slaves, enduring harsh conditions and being treated as property.
Civil Rights Movement: A social movement in the mid-20th century aimed at achieving legal equality for African Americans, challenging segregation and discrimination.
Jim Crow Laws: State and local laws enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States after Reconstruction ended.