# Is the term African-American offensive to you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 8, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503 "2013-01-08T17:40:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/41 "2013-01-08T22:51:19Z")
I lived in Detroit until I was eight. There weren’t any African-Americans then, just blacks and a few Negros, I suppose (left in 1972). I voted _I’m not black and I don’t care!_. I do kind of care, though, and I hope the pendulum swings back to “black”, just because then I’ll be retro, instead of old. But it’s not offensive. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/42 "2013-01-08T23:32:24Z")
Most black people I know prefer “black”, but _don’t really give a fuck_. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/43 "2013-01-09T00:51:52Z")
I don’t use the term, as I think it’s awkward and inaccurate. I’m not crazy about Native American either, but if that’s what you feel is necessary as a member of a tribe, then who am I to challenge it? Hispanics are just Hispanics, as far as I know, although why some people aren’t insisting on the term Latin-Americans or some equivalent is puzzling. Technically, they ARE Americans, just as Canadians are Americans, just not the US version of Americans. To me, such terms create further divisions, rather than contributing to a homogeneous society. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/44 "2013-01-09T01:16:11Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I don’t use the term, as I think it’s awkward and inaccurate. I’m not crazy about Native American either, but if that’s what you feel is necessary as a member of a tribe, then who am I to challenge it? Hispanics are just Hispanics, as far as I know, although why some people aren’t insisting on the term Latin-Americans or some equivalent is puzzling. Some Latin American immigrant populations find the term ‘‘Hispanic’’ offensive and prefer the term ‘‘Latino.’’ I always say ‘‘Latino’’ because every Spanish-speaking immigrant population I have ever worked with is self-described Latino. In the SW U.S. I understand most Mexican-Americans prefer the term ‘‘Chicano.’’ Some Native Americans prefer ‘‘American Indian’’ (not to be confused with Indian American!) For friends of other ethnic groups I tend to go by generation. For example I would describe one of my friends as 2nd generation Chinese and sometimes I refer to my husband as 3rd generation Italian. It really depends on the context and how closely that person identifies with their ethnic heritage. Generally speaking I refer to people the way they want to be referred to. As you can see people’s preferences vary dramatically! ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/45 "2013-01-09T01:37:12Z")
I’m black and I like it just fine, but I’d be okay with everyone dropping the term for good, since that means people would stop feeling the need to pretend not to understand it. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/46 "2013-01-09T01:39:51Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > This made me laugh out loud. > Really?? I’ve heard a news broadcaster refer to Nelson Mandela as an African American. Alchemist: Don’t you mean you’ve been killing African American vampires? Jefferson: No, I said Blackulas. I was in England. There are no African American vampires in England. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/47 "2013-01-09T01:40:14Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Every year, I have at least one student who refers to _Othello_ as an African-American. > [@chiroptera](#): > > This made me laugh out loud. > Really?? I once read an article referring to _Nelson Mandela_ as an African-American. :smack: (Either that or it was someone who was interviewed who did so, but for that had to take the cake) ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/48 "2013-01-09T01:40:41Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Grape-nuts contain neither grapes nor nuts. A person that hates all Semitic people isn’t an anti-semite, a German born in Saxony and migrating to East Anglia isn’t an anglo-saxon, etc. Its perfectly accepted that English words don’t necessarily mean what a literal interpretation of their constituent parts might suggest. > > Noone fluent in American English gets “African-American” confused with a term for a white African that’s migrated to the US unless they’re being wilfully obtuse. Agree. I don’t know what it is about “African-American” that causes people to react that way. You never hear the same reaction to, say, “Asian-American,” though you just as easily could. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/49 "2013-01-09T01:41:05Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > Most black people I know prefer “black”, but _don’t really give a fuck_. I typically only use it within an academic setting. Even then, when I was still writing papers I would also use black. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/50 "2013-01-09T03:22:34Z")
I grew up on a Native American reservation. Guess what they all called each other? Indians. That town was also mostly Hispanic and so was my family. Guess what we called each other? Mexicans. And now living in a city with a good sized African-American population, they usually call each other blacks. And if they’re under 25, The Certain Word Rhyming With Trigger is nearly is often used. Hell I’ve even overheard blacks calling each other Negroes more often than African-American. From my experience and observances how nicely the term being used counts a lot more than what term is used. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/51 "2013-01-09T03:46:55Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > I moved here from Scotland in 1979 and to this day when people who have never even been there and aren’t that knowledgeable about Scottish culture say to me “I’m Scottish too!” I roll my eyes, big-time. Hoo boy. I’m transplanted to Canada from Scotland, via Northern Ireland. We should talk. On one of my trips to the southern US I wound up having copious drinks in a bar with a nice young couple from Ireland; I think it was San Francisco. Anyway, they were peeved when people would tell them “Hey! I’m Irish!” when in fact maybe their great grandfather on their mother’s side came from Ireland. They were seriously upset with this misrepresentation. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/52 "2013-01-09T03:52:17Z")
Odd question. Since the term African-American became popular when I was a kid. I recall our high school creating the first African-American studies club. Black pride and heritage was a very big thing in the 70’s. Colleges and high schools started clubs and some students wore traditional garments and head scarves from Africa. I see nothing wrong at all in celebrating ones heritage by using the term African-American. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/53 "2013-01-09T04:52:34Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > I’m not offended by " African-american," but I never use it to describe myself. I just say Black. > [@orthohedron](#): > > As a black person, I say the label African American unnecessary. I think that it is just a part of the growing trend of hyper sensitive trivial political correctness in this country. It’s not about the title as much as it is about the respect that you give me as a man. Black was good enough for MLK Jr. , Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, Muhammad Ali, James Brown and countless others who I consider to be great men. If they were called black then I’ll proudly be called black too. > [@Frosted\_Glass](#): > > I refer to myself as black and never African-American but the term doesn’t bother me. If we are talking in person and you use “African-American” I usually just laugh and say “It’s okay to say ‘black’ instead.” > > Off the top of my head, I am having a lot of trouble coming up with one black friend who uses the term African-American in daily speech. I’ve worked with a lot of blacks, in the Navy and elsewhere, and I’ve never heard any of them refer to themselves or each other as anything but “black.” Good enough for me… > [@AnaMen](#): > > I am also offended by the term “Indian” being used to describe Cherokee, Sioux, etc. > How exactly are we supposed to refer to people actually from India when the only reasonable term has been swiped? Don’t know about the Sioux, but the Cherokee and Navajo I’ve known all called themselves “Indians”… ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/54 "2013-01-09T05:31:39Z")
Only when used to describe someone who’s not American, but what offends me there is not the term, it’s the stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/55 "2013-01-09T06:37:02Z")
All the black people I know use “black”. All the Indians I know use “Indian”. I’ve never known any to be offended by “African-American” or “Native American”, but that’s not what they call themselves. So while I don’t find the terms offensive at all, neither do I generally use them. And yeah, I laugh at people who use “African-American” when referring to black people from other countries. I also laugh at them when they mumble around trying to figure out what to say once they realize that phrasing doesn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/56 "2013-01-09T13:23:07Z")
I think the whole Hyphenated-American thing is silly. A person should feel free to call their self whatever they want, not what self-appointed guardians of acceptable speech think they should be called. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/57 "2013-01-09T14:56:11Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Hoo boy. I’m transplanted to Canada from Scotland, via Northern Ireland. We should talk. > > On one of my trips to the southern US I wound up having copious drinks in a bar with a nice young couple from Ireland; I think it was San Francisco. > > Anyway, they were peeved when people would tell them “Hey! I’m Irish!” when in fact maybe their great grandfather on their mother’s side came from Ireland. They were seriously upset with this misrepresentation. Yeah that’s one of those things Irish people need to get over. #1344 to be precise. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/58 "2013-01-09T15:48:41Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > “Furriners” 😃 I’m thinking “Outside agitators coming over here to stir up our peaceful community”. On second thought, that’s just what them there "Furriners’ are doing, so, carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/59 "2013-01-09T15:49:00Z")
I only say African American if I’m trying to distinguish between that and African. Even then I’ll usually just say black American. But I don’t care either way. Don’t ever call my black dude African American unless you want to hear a long crazy diatribe about how he’s not African American, he’s Hebrew. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503/60 "2013-01-09T15:57:18Z")
I think it’s political correctness and it’s moronic. But I repeat myself. It’s a really lame attempt to continue being racist without appearing to be so. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-term-african-american-offensive-to-you/646503.md?page=4)