African Americans are an ethnic group of Americans with total or partial ancestry from any of the black racial groups of Africa. The term typically refers to descendants of enslaved black people who are from the United States. As a compound adjective, the term is usually hyphenated as African-American.

African Americans(also referred to asBlack AmericansorAfro-Americans) are anethnic groupofAmericanswith total or partial ancestry from any of theblackracial groups of Africa. The term typically refers to descendants ofenslaved black peoplewho are from the United States.As a compound adjective, the term is usually hyphenated asAfrican-American.Black and African Americans constitute the third largestracial and ethnic group in the United States(afterWhite AmericansandHispanic and Latino Americans).Most African Americans are descendants of enslaved peoples within the boundaries of the present United States.On average, African Americans are ofWest/Central AfricanandEuropeandescent, and some also haveNative Americanancestry.According to US Census Bureau data,African immigrantsgenerally do not self-identify as African American. The overwhelming majority of African immigrants identify instead with their own respective ethnicities. Immigrants from someCaribbean,Central AmericanandSouth Americannations and their descendants may or may not also self-identify with the term.