Is 'black' derogatory now?

Question

Going to date me but I remember when polite people said '*****'. And then 'colored' was the proper term for considerate people to say. Then you were a racist if you said that and 'black' was the word. Now I get the feeling 'black' people are unhappy with that word and demand that you say 'African American'.

How long before you are a horrible racist if you say that?

Have I skipped any?

What is going to be the next proper word? And who decides all this?

Hope I don't get banned for even asking.

Answer 1

"Sugarlips", you're not making any sense. Anyways, Im African, and to tell you the truth I really don't know what you should call anyone. It is just simpler to lump people into broad categories like white, black or asian and forget about all the different kinds of people inside them. For example Asians; Laos, Koreans, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Indians, etc. If you can't distinguish btwn them than its just easier to call them "Asians." If someone rejects what term you are using to categorize them then is it b/c they have associated that term with a negative conception or hatred. My Greek friends get offended when people refer to them as "white," and they give racist reasons as to why. To directly anser your question, people will never be satisfied or agree about what to call anything!

Answer 2

I've noticed that African American seems to be the preferred term these days, I don't have any problem with that but surely it can only apply to Americans. What do black non-Americans prefer to be called?
I've never used the other, older terms you've mentioned, I wouldn't feel comfortable even typing them, because I've always thought of them as offensive but then I wasn't born until 1980.

Answer 3

I'm black. I will never be offended by what people want to call me, like the saying goes a rose is still a rose. I don't know why the certain labels go "out of style" but African American is fashionably right now.

Answer 4

please get educated before you submit a question to this form. has all of black American said to you that they are up set if someone calls them black. who is African American? if A BLACK PERSON WAS BORN HERE IN AMERICAN THAT ARE JUST BLACK AMERICAN WITH ALL THE RIGHTS THAT ANY WHITE AMERICAN HAVE. if someone wants to to call them African American, maybe just maybe they are from Africa. have you ever thought of that. PLEASE do not clump al people together as to what that would like to be call. are you white or just maybe you are Caucasian

Answer 5

"Black, colored" and "*****" are now considered the wrong way of addressing someone with dark skin. Now, one is supposed to say things like "African-American" or "Hatian-American". That's the correct way of saying it. By the way, this is coming directly from me and I'm twelve years old.

Answer 6

just don't refer to someone from Jamacia as an "african-american". they don't like that.