I am not in complete agreement about the African American connection. I don't recall hearing it until recently - in the past 6 years. You see, I believe it is also a natural evolution for second language learners. I heard it first from some African American students, when I began teaching, but more from the Hispanic students. Then I began teaching in a private school where there were the majority of students came from second language learner homes. Mines was used often. This second teaching experience was African American-less, meaning there were none. So I am thinking it is an outgrowth of second language learners. And hey, I've heard "ax" or "aks"since child hood. I just thought it came from not being able to say asks very well. As a teacher, I am on a gentle mission to help my students be prepared for the correct usage: "mine", as well as not using double negatives: "I ain't got no...". I know it is dialectical, but still, right?