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[[Image:Paterson.jpg|thumb|[[David A. Paterson]], first black governor of New York (2008-2011)]]

[[Image:Paterson.jpg|thumb|[[David A. Paterson]] = the first black governor of New York)]]

'''African American''' is a [[politically correct]] term some use to describe the ethnic background of Americans with [[Africa]]n ancestry. The  great majority of African Americans are descended from Africans brought to North America as [[slavery|slaves]] beginning four centuries ago.  Others (like [[Colin Powell]]) were twentieth century immigrants from the [[West Indies]] or Africa. Many American [[conservative]]s believe that the use of terms such as "African-American" or "Mexican-American," collectively referred to as "[[hyphenated American|hyphenated Americanism]]," make the mistake of "putting America second" and emphasize racial differences over common national identity <ref>http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/05/on_becoming_an_unhyphenated_am.html</ref>

'''African American''' is a [[politically correct]] term some use to describe the ethnic background of Americans with [[Africa]]n ancestry. The  great majority of African Americans are descended from Africans brought to North America as [[slavery|slaves]] beginning four centuries ago.  Others (like [[Colin Powell]]) were twentieth century immigrants from the [[West Indies]] or Africa. Many American [[conservative]]s believe that the use of terms such as "African-American" or "Mexican-American," collectively referred to as "[[hyphenated American|hyphenated Americanism]]," make the mistake of "putting America second" and emphasize racial differences over common national identity <ref>http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/05/on_becoming_an_unhyphenated_am.html</ref>

==Religion==

==Religion==

[[Image:President Barack Obama.jpg|thumb|150px|Barack Obama, the first President with black ancestry (2009- )]]  

[[Image:President Barack Obama.jpg|thumb|150px|Barack Obama, the first President with black ancestry]]  

Amoong African-Americans, religiosity is very high, and the standard practice since [[Reconstruction]] is for black ministers to be community spokespersons, and political power brokers; they often run for office. The great majority of African Americans are [[Protestant]]s, with their own [[Baptist]], [[Pentecostal]], and [[Methodist]] churches.  A few are [[Muslim]]s.<ref>The Pluralism Project at Harvard University[http://www.pluralism.org/resources/statistics/tradition.php#Islam]  Twenty-four percent of American Muslims are black, according to American Muslim Council's Zogby poll of August 2000.</ref>. .

Amoong African-Americans, religiosity is very high, and the standard practice since [[Reconstruction]] is for black ministers to be community spokespersons, and political power brokers; they often run for office. The great majority of African Americans are [[Protestant]]s, with their own [[Baptist]], [[Pentecostal]], and [[Methodist]] churches.  A few are [[Muslim]]s.<ref>The Pluralism Project at Harvard University[http://www.pluralism.org/resources/statistics/tradition.php#Islam]  Twenty-four percent of American Muslims are black, according to American Muslim Council's Zogby poll of August 2000.</ref>. .