The American Colonization Society (ACS), founded in 1816, was a group—mostly white politicians and clergymen—who promoted relocating free Black people from the United States to Africa (mainly Liberia). They argued free Black communities threatened the stability of slaveholding society and white racial order, so removing them would reduce social tensions and preserve slavery’s system. Some ACS supporters also framed colonization as “benevolent” or a way to Christianize and “civilize” Black people abroad. Many free Black leaders and people rejected this—seeing themselves as Americans and opposing forced exile—so debates about colonization helped shape 19th-century naming choices (why many rejected the label “African”). This idea shows up in Topic 2.10 and is useful evidence for SAQs/DBQs about Black identity and the emigration vs. assimilation debate. See the Topic 2.10 study guide for more (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-african-american-studies/unit-2/10-black-pride-identity-and-the-question-of-naming/study-guide/sCMCOOHW7DRtM6jH). For more practice, try Fiveable’s AP practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-african-american-studies).

By the 1820s many Black people in the U.S. began rejecting the label “African” because demographics and politics changed how they saw themselves. After the 1808 ban on legal international slave trade, fewer African-born people made up the Black population, so most Black people were U.S.-born. At the same time white leaders formed the American Colonization Society pushing free Black people to emigrate to Africa. To resist that exile and claim full belonging, many free Black Americans emphasized their American identity and preferred names like “Colored American” (a debate recorded in Freedom’s Journal in 1827). Over the 19th century ethnonyms shifted—Afro-American, African American, Black—through debates at Colored Conventions and community conversations. For more on this Topic 2.10 content see the Fiveable study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-african-american-studies/unit-2/10-black-pride-identity-and-the-question-of-naming/study-guide/sCMCOOHW7DRtM6jH). For extra practice, try the AP problems collection (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-african-american-studies).

"African American," "Black," and "Colored" are all ethnonyms but carry different histories and meanings. "Colored" was common in the 19th and early 20th centuries (e.g., Colored Conventions) but today sounds dated or offensive because it was used in segregation-era laws and by outsiders. "Black" is both a racial descriptor and a proud political identity (used by many during the Black Pride and Black Power eras); it’s broad and widely accepted in cultural and academic contexts. "African American" emphasizes national and ancestral ties—used to highlight U.S. birth and the legacy of slavery (Rev. Jesse Jackson popularized it in 1988) and pushes back against colonization-era efforts to label people as only "African." Debates over these terms are exactly what Topic 2.10 examines (see the AP study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-african-american-studies/unit-2/10-black-pride-identity-and-the-question-of-naming/study-guide/sCMCOOHW7DRtM6jH). For more practice, check unit resources and practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-african-american-studies).

When the U.S. banned the international slave trade in 1808, fewer newly arrived Africans came to the United States, so the share of African-born people in the Black population fell. That shifted identity: more Black people were U.S.-born and began to insist they were Americans, not foreigners. At the same time white-led efforts like the American Colonization Society pushed emigration to Africa, which made many free Black people reject the label “African” and prefer terms that stressed their American citizenship (e.g., “Colored American,” later “Afro-American,” “Black,” and eventually “African American”). Debates at Colored Conventions in the 1830s and sources like Freedom’s Journal show how naming became political—a way to claim belonging, resist exile, and build pride (see Topic 2.10 study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-african-american-studies/unit-2/10-black-pride-identity-and-the-question-of-naming/study-guide/sCMCOOHW7DRtM6jH). For AP prep, this is the kind of change you can use in short-answer or DBQ evidence. For more practice, try Fiveable’s unit review and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-african-american-studies).

The Colored Conventions were nationwide political meetings, beginning in the 1830s, where free Black leaders and communities across the United States and Canada gathered to organize, strategize, and push for civil rights. They debated practical policy issues (education, labor, legal rights, and responses to racial violence) and big identity questions—most notably whether to emphasize an American identity or a distinctly African one. That naming debate tied directly to reactions against the American Colonization Society (which promoted emigration to Africa): some delegates favored emigration, while many rejected “African” as a primary label and instead used terms like “Colored American” or “Afro-American” to claim belonging in the U.S. These conventions are a key primary-source context for Topic 2.10 and show how Black pride, naming, and strategies (assimilation vs. emigration) developed—useful for DBQ or short-answer evidence. For a quick CED-aligned review, see the Topic 2.10 study guide on Fiveable (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-african-american-studies/unit-2/10-black-pride-identity-and-the-question-of-naming/study-guide/sCMCOOHW7DRtM6jH). For extra practice, check Fiveable’s Unit 2 resources and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-african-american-studies).

Good question—people rejected “African” for a few clear, historical reasons. After the U.S. banned the transatlantic slave trade in 1808, most Black people in the U.S. were U.S.-born, not African-born. At the same time, white-led groups like the American Colonization Society pushed to send free Black people to Africa. Many Black leaders responded by insisting they were Americans and refusing the label “African,” which felt like erasing their citizenship and forcing exile (this debate shows up in Freedom’s Journal, 1827, and Colored Conventions). Over the nineteenth century, Black communities used a variety of ethnonyms—“Colored American,” “Afro-American,” and later “Black” and “African American”—reflecting politics, pride, and changing demographics. For AP exam prep, know that naming debates connect to identity, emigration vs. assimilation, and political self-definition (see the Topic 2.10 study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-african-american-studies/unit-2/10-black-pride-identity-and-the-question-of-naming/study-guide/sCMCOOHW7DRtM6jH). For more practice, check Fiveable’s unit resources and practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-african-american-studies).

Jackson pushed "African American" in 1988 to do more than swap words—he wanted a name that emphasized both shared African heritage and U.S. citizenship. By promoting "African American" he highlighted the historical link to the African diaspora (descendants of enslaved Africans) while also insisting on an American political and cultural identity—countering older labels that many saw as imposed or limiting. The timing mattered: during his 1988 presidential campaign he aimed to build pride, political unity, and respectability for a broad constituency, and the term signaled dignity, lineage, and belonging. This fits Topic 2.10 in the CED about how naming reflects debates over identity, emigration vs. assimilation, and Black pride. For the AP exam, be ready to explain how naming choices connect to historical contexts and political goals (see the Topic 2.10 study guide on Fiveable: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-african-american-studies/unit-2/10-black-pride-identity-and-the-question-of-naming/study-guide/sCMCOOHW7DRtM6jH). For more practice, check unit review (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-african-american-studies/unit-2) and thousands of practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-african-american-studies).

Start with a clear thesis that answers “how and why African American ethnonyms changed”—e.g., argue that demographic shifts (1808 ban on legal international slave trade) and political debates (American Colonization Society vs. assimilation) pushed Black communities to adopt new names to claim American identity and later Black pride. In your DBQ: briefly set context (post-1808 decline of African-born people; rise of Colonization debates), then use at least three documents (Freedom’s Journal 1827, Daniel D. Smith excerpts, a Colored Conventions source) to provide specific evidence showing (1) early rejection of “African,” (2) use of “Colored American/Afro-American,” and (3) later revival of “African American/Black” tied to pride movements (note Jesse L. Jackson’s 1988 push). For source use, explain perspective, purpose, and audience for two+ documents and make 2 comparisons (continuity/change or different audiences). Close with reasoning that connects naming to identity, politics, and demographics. For a quick topic review, see the Fiveable study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-african-american-studies/unit-2/10-black-pride-identity-and-the-question-of-naming/study-guide/sCMCOOHW7DRtM6jH) and practice DBQs (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-african-american-studies).

Ethnonyms are names people use for an ethnic, racial, or national group (like African, Black, Afro-American). In U.S. history, African Americans switched terms as politics and demographics changed. Before the 1830s many people used “African” because many were African-born; after the 1808 ban on the international slave trade, the share of African-born people fell and free Black leaders reacted to the American Colonization Society by stressing a U.S. identity—using terms like “Colored American” or rejecting “African.” Nineteenth-century Colored Conventions debated labels (African, Colored, Negro). Over time other ethnonyms—Afro-American, Negro, Black—rose and fell with movements and pride politics; in 1988 Jesse L. Jackson promoted “African American” to link U.S. Black identity to African heritage. For the AP exam, Topic 2.10 asks you to explain how these demographic and political shifts shaped naming choices (see the Topic 2.10 study guide on Fiveable for a quick review: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-african-american-studies/unit-2/10-black-pride-identity-and-the-question-of-naming/study-guide/sCMCOOHW7DRtM6jH). For extra practice, check Fiveable’s practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-african-american-studies).

Short answer: Partially. The American Colonization Society (ACS) did establish settlements in West Africa—most notably Liberia—and over several decades it facilitated the emigration of several thousand Black people from the United States to Africa (roughly on the order of 10–15,000 people between the 1820s and the 1860s). But it did not “send back” most Black Americans, nor did it achieve a mass exile of the free Black population. Why it matters for Topic 2.10: the ACS was led largely by white elites who wanted free Black people removed; their plan sparked strong opposition among Black communities. Many Black leaders rejected the label “African” and insisted on an American identity, which is why debates about ethnonyms (African, Colored, Black, Afro-American) and conventions appear in the CED. For more detail on this topic and how it connects to naming and Black pride, see the Topic 2.10 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-african-american-studies/unit-2/10-black-pride-identity-and-the-question-of-naming/study-guide/sCMCOOHW7DRtM6jH). For extra practice, check Fiveable’s unit review (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-african-american-studies/unit-2) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-african-american-studies).

After 1808 the makeup of the African American population shifted: with the U.S. ban on the international slave trade, the share of African-born people in the Black population declined (though illegal importation continued). More enslaved people were U.S.-born, and the free Black population in northern cities grew. That demographic change mattered for identity because fewer people had direct African birth-links and more people were born into American social and political life—so many Black leaders and communities began to stress an American identity. White-led efforts like the American Colonization Society (which pushed emigration to Africa) made some Black Americans push back by rejecting the label “African” and using terms like “Colored American” or “Afro-American.” Debates at Colored Conventions and in papers like Freedom’s Journal (1827) show how naming reflected political strategies about belonging and rights. (See the Topic 2.10 study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-african-american-studies/unit-2/10-black-pride-identity-and-the-question-of-naming/study-guide/sCMCOOHW7DRtM6jH; for practice, try Fiveable’s practice problems: https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-african-american-studies.)

Freedom's Journal (founded 1827) was the first U.S. newspaper owned and edited by free Black Americans. It aimed to report news for and about the free Black community, challenge racist coverage, and advocate for rights and respect. One key debate in its pages—“What Shall We Call Ourselves? ‘African’ or ‘Colored American’?”—reflected larger questions about identity. After the 1808 ban on the international slave trade and the rise of the American Colonization Society, many Black people born in the United States rejected the label “African” (which suggested foreignness or supported colonization/emigration) and preferred terms that emphasized their American birth and citizenship, like “Colored American.” The debate shows how changing demographics, politics, and Black-led movements (e.g., Colored Conventions) shaped ethnonyms. This Freedom’s Journal piece is a required source for Topic 2.10 (see AP study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-african-american-studies/unit-2/10-black-pride-identity-and-the-question-of-naming/study-guide/sCMCOOHW7DRtM6jH). For more practice, check Fiveable’s Unit 2 resources and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-african-american-studies).

Names were a political choice that helped shape identity and power. In the nineteenth century Black leaders debated labels—“African,” “Colored,” “Afro-American,” etc.—because each name signaled different claims about belonging, citizenship, and strategy. Rejecting “African” in the 1820s was a way for many free Black people to assert they were American and refuse exile efforts by the American Colonization Society. Colored Conventions and newspapers like Freedom’s Journal made naming a site of debate and organizing: the terms people used built solidarity, guided strategies (emigration vs. assimilation), and framed demands for rights. In the twentieth century, embracing “Black” or later “African American” (promoted by Jesse L. Jackson in 1988) tied cultural pride to political goals—mobilizing communities, shaping protest messages, and clarifying who civil-rights laws should protect. For AP exam prep, practice analyzing sources like Freedom’s Journal and Colored Conventions discussions (see the Topic 2.10 study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-african-american-studies/unit-2/10-black-pride-identity-and-the-question-of-naming/study-guide/sCMCOOHW7DRtM6jH). For more practice, try Fiveable’s AP questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-african-american-studies).

Names changed because Black people’s identities and politics changed over time. After the 1808 ban on the international slave trade, fewer African-born people lived in the U.S., and a growing free Black population faced efforts (like the American Colonization Society) to send them “back” to Africa. In response, many emphasized that they were Americans and rejected labels that made them seem foreign—so terms shifted from “African” toward “Colored American,” “Afro-American,” “Black,” and later “African American.” Black activists and newspapers (e.g., Freedom’s Journal), Colored Conventions in the 1830s+, and leaders like Rev. Jesse L. Jackson (1988) all debated which ethnonyms best expressed shared heritage, citizenship, and pride. These shifts reflect changes in demographics, politics (emigration vs. assimilation), and Black pride—exactly what Topic 2.10 covers (see the Fiveable study guide for this topic: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-african-american-studies/unit-2/10-black-pride-identity-and-the-question-of-naming/study-guide/sCMCOOHW7DRtM6jH). For AP exam prep, know the key actors, dates, and the idea of ethnonyms.