Is referring to an African American as "black" rude?

Question

I am white and believe all people are created equal. I never want to offend a person while referring to their ethnicity or race. I am not offended when someone calls me white instead of caucasian. How do African Americans prefer to be referred to?

Answer 1

certainly not. while many publications have become overtly politically correct in calling someone african american, it is still the more common moniker for the race. ***** or the "N" word are certainly intolerable, but black continues to be in common use in our time. i am white... do i feel a need to be called "european american"? sounds pretty ridiculous to me.

Answer 2

It depends. If the person was born in Africa and then moves to America they are African-American, whether they are white or black. If a person is born in the United States and is black they are black not African-American, they weren't born in Africa and then immigrated to the states. It is the same with anyrace. Not all black people are of African heritage either. many black people come from Hispanic nations as well. Are white people referred to as European-Americans or Caucasians? Why, because you weren't born in Europe.

Answer 3

Wow...you opened the door to debate with this question....interesting how you have more opinions thus far, at least according to their Avatar, from people who aren't of the ethnic group that you speak of. It's great to assume we all are created equal, but when you have so many different types of personalities, races, mixtures of ethnicites with in a race, subcultures, cultures, how people have been raised, their general overall upbringing, racism in general, that is something to consider once referring to people who are of an ethnic race. Try this reasoning:

If Black is a color, then why are people judged by the pigment of their skin? The answer is simple...BLACK is just that...a COLOR. It is not a race...not an ethnic race...and no matter how hard others try to state, "I am not from Africa," our ancestral traits can be and are traced back to Africa. What makes us American, is the fact that we are of African decent, but born in America; thus the term African American.

Even those of my race debate this very fact, and to each their own...but I truly am an African American and I take true pride in having such a strong racial ethnic blend. My complexion, is considered "a light mocha brown with a hint of gold interchanged into my being"...but you may call me Caprincorn Girl....(smiles) It's great that you take the time to even question just to make sure, but instead of even going there, try this:

If you are speaking of or referring to, the correct term is African American, if he/she was born and raised in America. If you are referring to someone who is from Africa, then you can state for example...She is an Ghanian African Woman or South African Caucasian Woman, or a South African Dutch Woman, or a Zulu Tribe African Woman, etc...I am sure you get the hint, unless you know their ancestry, it's safe to say "African American" and if they or that person corrects you, well, now you know it's that person's preference. Take care...and be Safe...(smiles)

Answer 4

I think it's more rude to call people African Americans. It just seems yet another way to separate people and treat then differently. I have colleagues that were born and raised in London, they're also black, should I call them African American? And what about the African immigrants that just arrived in the states, are they now African American? Actually, if anybody is an "African American" I would say it is the newly arrived immigrant, not the black kid that's born and raised in Brooklyn, NY.

Also, the Dominicans and French Creole that look black, but actually aren't, are they African American?

It just gets to be too much....

I haven't met any black people that actually refer to themselves as African American. I'd love to do away with all of that stuff and just move forward, it's really getting old...

Answer 5

Your professor is so consumed in being PC, that he's afraid to hear the word black. I prefer to call African Americans black. At some point in time, many black people thought that black sounded bad so they started calling themselves 'Afro-Americans.' Then they changed the name to African-Americans. I am starting to think that the label 'black' means anything that black people do that most white people don't do. We really shouldn't have separate black music stations and television stations as this reinforces the prevalent segragation of our society.

Answer 6

Well, not all black people are of African descent. So what is wrong with black or even brown? Why refer to a person's skin color at all?

BTW "*****" is the word for the color "black" in Spanish, and in Spanish, there's no problem in calling black people that. What is the scientific name for the black race? White is for caucasian and?????

Answer 7

I am a American never stepped foot in African. There are white people in African as well as black. Me I like to be called by my given name at birth. So why cant we all just be called Americans thats what we are. God do not look at our outer skin color but at our hearts and soul.

Answer 8

I am a brown skin woman I am not back, so when some one call me black I do not think it rude. I take it as if they don't know there colors. Referring to an African American as black is not rude but it is typical.

Answer 9

The funniest part of it is, of all of the blacks that I know, and I know several, I don't know of one that has even been to Africa.

Who came up with the term "African American?" How the NAACP, Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton can open their mouths and place a label on an entire 14% of the U.S. population is beyond me?

What "white" person has that sort of power over the white race?

People are individuals. Lets call everyone an "Individual American, " and see how that flys...

Good gracious...

Answer 10

I use black. I hate the term African American. I am white too, I can find people
faulty of a million things, before I get to skin color . I love you black folks!

Answer 11

Well, I don't see whites being referred to as European American? I see the black/white thing as more a symmetry thing. Also, I remember the "black is beautiful" slogan from the '60s. I consider myself white, my friends and co-workers whose ancestors came from Africa all call themselves black, but really, aren't we all just shades of brown?