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[[Image:Paterson.jpg|thumb|[[David A. Paterson]]]]

[[Image:Paterson.jpg|thumb|[[David A. Paterson]], first black governor of New York (2008- )]]

'''African American''' is the term used to describe the ethnic background of Americans with African ancestry. The  great majority of African Americans are descended from Africans brought to North America as slaves beginning four centuries ago.  Others (like [[Colin Powell]]) were 20th century immigrants from the West Indies or Africa.

'''African American''' is the term used to describe the ethnic background of Americans with African ancestry. The  great majority of African Americans are descended from Africans brought to North America as slaves beginning four centuries ago.  Others (like [[Colin Powell]]) were 20th century immigrants from the West Indies or Africa.

==Terms==

==Terms==

==Religion==

==Religion==

[[Image:President Barack Obama.jpg|150px|right]]

[[Image:President Barack Obama.jpg|thumb|150px|right; Barack Obama, first black president (2009- )]] Religiosity is very high and the great majority of African Americans are Protestants, with their own [[Baptist]], [[Pentecostal]], and [[Methodist]] churches.  A few are "Black Muslims."<ref>The Pluralism Project at Harvard University[http://www.pluralism.org/resources/statistics/tradition.php#Islam]  24% of American Muslims are black according to American Muslim Council's Zogby poll of August 2000.</ref>. The standard practice since Reconstruction is for black ministers to be political power brokers, and often they run for office.

The great majority of African Americans from this group are Protestants, with their own [[Baptist]], [[Pentecostal]], and [[Methodist]] churches.  A few are "Black Muslims."<ref>The Pluralism Project at Harvard University[http://www.pluralism.org/resources/statistics/tradition.php#Islam]  <i>"23.8% of American Muslims are Americans who claim to be of African descent according to American Muslim Council's Zogby poll of August 2000."</i></ref>.  

==References==

==References==