After the United States banned the international slave trade in 1808, the African American population became increasingly American born, and debates over what people of African descent should call themselves grew more intense. As white leaders pushed to exile free Black people through the American Colonization Society, many Black Americans rejected the label "African," asserted their American identity, and debated names that reflected both heritage and belonging.

Why This Matters for the AP African American Studies Exam

This topic shows how identity is not fixed but shaped by demographics, politics, and resistance. On the AP African American Studies exam, you can use it to analyze how Black communities defined themselves in response to pressures like the American Colonization Society, and to trace continuity and change in naming and identity from the nineteenth century forward.

Two required sources anchor this topic: "What Shall We Call Ourselves? 'African' or 'Colored American'?" from Freedom's Journal and excerpts from Daniel D. Smith's work on African American names and naming traditions. Practice reading these as evidence about how communities debated belonging and self-definition.

more resources to help you study

practice multiple choice FRQ practice & scoring cheatsheets score calculator

Key Takeaways

The 1808 ban on importing enslaved Africans meant the African American population grew mostly through US-born generations, even though illegal smuggling continued.
The American Colonization Society, led by white leaders, aimed to send free Black people to Africa, which many Black Americans saw as a threat rather than an opportunity.
"African" was the most common term for people of African descent in the US until the late 1820s, when many began rejecting it to stress their American identity.
African Americans used a range of ethnonyms over time, including Afro-American, African American, and Black.
Colored Conventions, beginning in the 1830s, became key spaces for debating shared heritage and self-identification.
Naming is an act of self-definition and resistance, not just a label.

How Demographics Shaped Identity

The Act Prohibiting the Importation of Slaves took effect on January 1, 1808, banning the international slave trade. Illegal importation of enslaved Africans continued for some time, but the share of African-born people in the African American population steadily declined.

This shift mattered for identity. As more generations were born in the United States, the community's culture and sense of self increasingly reflected American-born experiences rather than direct memory of Africa. People who had never seen Africa were now being labeled "African," and that gap helped fuel debates about naming.

The American Colonization Society and the Rejection of "African"

White leaders founded the American Colonization Society during this same era with the goal of removing the growing free Black population to Africa. The push to exile free Black people treated them as outsiders who did not belong in the country of their birth.

Many Black Americans pushed back by emphasizing their American identity. One way they did this was by rejecting the term "African," which had been the most common term for people of African descent in the United States until the late 1820s. Distancing themselves from "African" was a direct response to colonization efforts: claiming an American identity was a way of insisting they had a right to stay and belong.

This was not a simple or settled choice. Communities disagreed about which terms best captured their heritage and their place in the nation, and those debates continued for generations.

The Evolution of African American Ethnonyms

Ethnonyms are names for ethnic groups, racial groups, and nationalities. From the nineteenth century onward, African Americans described themselves with a range of these names, including:

Afro-American
African American
Black

Each term carried different meanings and connections, whether to African heritage, to American identity, or to racial solidarity. The ongoing use of multiple names reflects how identity stayed dynamic, shaped by community debate rather than handed down from outside.

As an example of this longer arc, in 1988 civil rights activist Rev. Jesse L. Jackson promoted "African American" to highlight the shared cultural heritage of people descended from enslaved Africans who were born in the United States. This shows how the naming question that started in the nineteenth century continued well into the twentieth.

Colored Conventions and Debates Over Self-Definition

Beginning in the 1830s, African Americans held political meetings known as Colored Conventions across the United States and Canada. These gatherings foregrounded shared heritage and gave communities a place to debate identity and self-identification.

The conventions show that naming was tied to bigger goals. Delegates linked questions of identity to education, moral reform, antislavery work, and the fight for full belonging in American society. Choosing what to call themselves was part of organizing for rights and recognition.

How to Use This on the AP African American Studies Exam

Using Sources Effectively

When you read "What Shall We Call Ourselves? 'African' or 'Colored American'?" from Freedom's Journal, focus on the debate itself. Identify what each term signals about belonging, heritage, and the relationship to the United States. Use Daniel D. Smith's excerpts on names and naming traditions to support claims about how terms shifted over time.

Continuity and Change

Trace how naming evolved from "African" to terms like Afro-American, African American, and Black. Connect the nineteenth-century debates to later moments, such as Jesse Jackson's 1988 promotion of "African American," to show continuity and change in self-definition.

Causation

Be ready to explain causes. The 1808 ban and the rise of an American-born population, combined with the American Colonization Society's exile efforts, help explain why many Black Americans rejected "African" and asserted an American identity.

Common Trap

Do not treat naming as a side detail. Frame it as an act of self-definition and resistance tied to demographics, politics, and the broader struggle for belonging.

Common Misconceptions

Rejecting the term "African" did not mean rejecting African heritage. It was mainly a response to colonization efforts that tried to push free Black people out of the country.
The 1808 ban did not end slavery or fully stop the arrival of enslaved Africans. Slavery continued and grew through US-born generations, and illegal smuggling persisted.
The American Colonization Society was led by white leaders, and many Black Americans opposed it. It was not a Black-led movement for returning to Africa.
There was never one single "correct" name. African Americans used multiple ethnonyms over time, and the choices reflected ongoing community debate.
"African American" did not become widely promoted overnight. The naming debate stretched from the nineteenth century into the twentieth, including Jesse Jackson's push for the term in 1988.

Vocabulary

The following words are mentioned explicitly in the College Board Course and Exam Description for this topic.

Term	Definition
African American	An ethnonym used to describe descendants of Africans who were enslaved in the United States and their descendants.
Afro-American	An ethnonym used by African Americans to describe themselves, particularly from the nineteenth century onward.
American Colonization Society	An organization founded by white leaders in the early nineteenth century that sought to relocate free Black people to Africa.
Colored American	An ethnonym used by African Americans to identify themselves during the nineteenth century.
Colored Conventions	Political meetings held by African Americans beginning in the 1830s across the United States and Canada to discuss shared heritage and identity.
demographics	The statistical characteristics of a population, including size, composition, and distribution.
ethnonyms	Names used to identify ethnic groups, racial groups, and nationalities.
free Black population	African Americans who were not enslaved, particularly those living in the United States during the nineteenth century.
self-identification	The process by which individuals or groups choose the terms and labels they use to describe themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did African Americans debate what to call themselves?

Naming debates grew because identity, belonging, and political rights were connected. As more people of African descent in the United States were American-born, many questioned labels that made them seem foreign. Debates over terms like African, Colored American, Afro-American, African American, and Black reflected community efforts to define themselves.

How did the American Colonization Society shape naming debates?

The American Colonization Society pushed to relocate free Black people to Africa, framing them as outsiders in the United States. Many Black Americans responded by rejecting labels that supported that outsider status and by emphasizing American belonging, citizenship claims, and self-definition.

Why did the 1808 slave trade ban matter for African American identity?

The 1808 ban on the international slave trade meant the African American population increasingly grew through US-born generations, even though illegal importation continued. As fewer people had direct personal ties to Africa, naming debates became tied to American-born identity and claims of belonging in the United States.

What does Freedom's Journal show about the question of naming?

Freedom's Journal shows that Black communities debated names publicly and politically. The source "What Shall We Call Ourselves? 'African' or 'Colored American'?" helps students see naming as evidence of how people argued over belonging, heritage, and how they wanted to be recognized.

What are ethnonyms, and which ones appear in this topic?

Ethnonyms are names used for ethnic, racial, or national groups. In this topic, important ethnonyms include African, Colored American, Afro-American, African American, and Black. Each term carries different historical meanings, so AP African American Studies asks you to connect the term to its context.

How should I use this topic on the AP African American Studies exam?

Use this topic to explain how identity is shaped by demographics, political pressure, and community self-definition. Cite sources like Freedom's Journal or Daniel D. Smith when analyzing evidence, and connect naming debates to broader themes of belonging, resistance, and continuity and change.