Thanks to all who have posted thus far.

alanabit, I very much appreciate you sharing your story about your college days. With regard to the girl who thanked you because she felt that you "really stuck up for us blacks." I'm wondering why you were shocked and upset because of her comment.

I recall that you don't live in the USA. Would you please share where this incident took place? I ask that because maybe that information is pertinent as to why you had the reaction to the girl's statement. Could it be that "black" was a derogatory group referent where and when this occurred and it surprised you that the girl used that term to refer to other students who had some African ancestry?

Btw, I believe you when you wrote that "I had never primarily thought of her as being "black". Of course, imo, "primarily" is the operative word in that sentence. And/But also it's my experience and viewpoint that when you are a within a majority setting and you are a member of a minority group-whether it be a racial, ethnic, religious, gender, or otherwise minority-membership in that particular group is often more defining to you than if you were a member of that group and always lived and moved and had your being around other people who were also members of that group. For example, it seems to me that largely in the absence of non-Black people, being part of the Black race not as much a focus among Black people in Africa as it is among people of African descent elsewhere where Black people are in a minority {because there are fewer of us then there are of them}. In African nations, instead of the catch-all Black groups you have groups who differentiate themselves and who are differentiated by others by ethnic, religious, and cultural differences. While it is true that there are many ethnic, religious, economic class, and cultural sub-groups within the catch-all grouping called "Black Americans", I believe that most Black Americans consider these ethnic, religious, and cultural differences to be vastly unimportant in comparison with the fact that all of us have experienced institutional racism and also have experienced or may experience personal racism because of our Black African ancesty.

I don't see anything wrong with persons defining themselves as members of a [or more than one] racial, or ethnic, or religious or gender orientation group. That act of self-definition may be "just" a statement of fact. But it seems to me that the problem is that people within and/or outside of that group make positive or negative value judgements about that group compared to others, and personally or institutionally act on that positive and negative valuation.

And unfortunately, I suppose I should have said "problems" instead of "problem".

Be that as it may, alanabit, again I thank you for your sharing your story. I appreciate it and I appreciate you.