Which term would you rather use or do use: "black" or "African American"?

Question

and if you are dark complected, which term would you prefer?

the term "African American" is so weird ~ who thought of this? ~ It really doesn't make sense. Do we call white people "European Americans"? Race doesn't even make sense; but that's another topic. I would rather be called West Indian or black :)

Answer 1

I hate saying African American because it seems liek your trying not to offend them, and i hate saying black because i feel as though im offending them...its complicated

Answer 2

Once I heard someone suggest "brown" instead of "black" and "pink" instead of "white." The person wanted the terms black and white to fall out of use and thus lose their power. Also he/she argued that people really aren't literally black and white--shades of brown and pink are more accurate. Plus, brown and pink aren't loaded terms like black and white are.

I use African American formally, unless "black" has been offered up in conversation. I don't think "black" is a bad word. I can understand that some might be offended by it. Of course, I don't think it's ideal to describe people by their skin color. People are more than the color that's on their skin, but their ethnicity and culture on the other hand are usually very important. Perhaps if everyone was "see through" we wouldn't have these worries? I do think the term African American is a bit clunky, as is Caucasian for that matter.

I try to avoid describing people simply by their skin color. It seems inane. Have you ever tried describing someone without regard to someone's ethnicity--even when that was their most identifiable characteristic? If you try it, watch how much it really starts to bother others. (This can be fun.) If you want to try it out, describe a person as much as you can, without using ethnicity as an identifiable characteristic. How long will it take before the other person says, "Are you talking about the 'black' guy?" You'll be able to read it on their face. I promise.

"It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others. . . . One ever feels his twoness,—an American, a *****; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warrings ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder." --W.E.B. Du Bois (1868-1963) The Souls of Black Folk (1903)

Answer 3

Black

Answer 4

African American Because that is the way I was Brought Up

Answer 5

I use to have a (black) landlord who said he would prefer to be called a ni**er, and I was so shocked! I said I can't do that, so we both agreed the term (black), would do just fine!
P.S. When he asked what I want to be called, I said: White Bread! We both had a great laugh over that one!!!!!

Answer 6

My bf is half black Cuban, and he prefers black, because his ancestry is Afro-Cuban, so if you wanted to be really PC you could call him African-Cuban-American,lol. Point being, there are a lot of different black ethnicities. I personally have never encountered a black person who got offended if I referred to them as black, but I've heard black friends in the past say they don't like that whole African-American thing. But, I think it's a personal choice, and there are so many different opinions on it. For example, I'm Mexican, I was born here, but I consider myself to be Mexican or Latina, not Hispanic or Chicano, and for some reason I get very perturbed if someone refers to me as 'Hispanic'. It really annoys me! So, anyway, either way is probably safe, if they prefer to be called African-American instead of black, or vice versa, they will probably gently correct you, but never call a Latino HISPANIC! WE HATE IT!!! Sorry. bye!

Answer 7

How about "Dark Person?"

Very similar to the term "White Person."

White persons living in the USA are called Americans.

I think that Dark persons living in the USA should be called Americans.

Is that too simple?? Or too complicated??

You are not a true black person unless you are actually black.

Answer 8

i use African American because some people have said they were offended by the term "black"

Answer 9

Well I am white but I use the term black because not all black people are from africa.

Answer 10

I use 'black ' in social terms, and 'African American' in formal terms.