Actress Raven-Symoné Says It Again, “I’m Not African American”

Nationwide — Raven-Symoné has once again addressed the backlash surrounding her controversial 2014 remarks about race, saying she didn’t identify as African American. She said her words were misunderstood and clarified what she meant.

In a recent interview on The Jason Lee Show, Raven revisited her past interview with Oprah Winfrey, where she said, “I am not an African American. I’m an American. I am a Black American.” She explained that her identity is based on her deep roots in the U.S., not Africa.

According to BET, she added that she sees a “true African American” as someone who was born in Africa or has parents or grandparents from there. Since she doesn’t have that direct connection, she doesn’t use the term for herself. Raven also shared that her family appeared in the first Virginia census that named Black people.

She made it clear she respects those who identify as African American. But for her, calling herself a “pure American” comes from generations of her family living, working, and building lives in the U.S.

Raven also opened up about how hard the backlash hit her. On her podcast Tea Time With Raven & Miranda, she said she felt judged and misunderstood after the Oprah interview. “I walked off stage feeling like I had said something wrong,” she recalled.

Now, many fans are showing support. One person wrote on Instagram, “Loved how she articulated her point. I can’t say I disagree. I mean we don’t call white people European Americans.”

Another said, “I was completely closed-minded to how she said it at first, but as she explained her perspective, I totally understood what she was communicating.”