Native American probably isn't an ideal term. I think Indigenous American makes more sense. Ethnicity is relevant within many cultures, whether you like it or not, making classifications like 'Black', 'White', 'East Asian', 'Native American' etc. necessary terms for now. There isn't an easy, broad word like 'black' or 'white' for Native Americans / American Indians, so you end up with a more specific phrase.
African American is an inaccurate term in so much as it's used as a synonym for black. So a black person who is not from America could be called African American in America :/ Also plenty of black people in America have more of a connection to their heritage in the Caribbean, rather than some extremely distant relatives from Africa. When there is a simple, inoffensive term like 'black', which doesn't overtly express ancestry, why not use it?
Every single black, or negro, person anywhere outside of Africa was imported historically, as a slave, indentured servant or even as a paid laborer. There were no black, indigenous peoples in any of the Americas.
There are few if any indigenous peoples from the Caribbean islands that survived the white invasion. They (the Caribs) were also Indians (certainly NOT native Americans any more than the Incas or Aztecs were), I believe.
I never said the first black people of the Caribbean weren't 'imported'.
I said that many have closer ancestral ties to the Caribbean than they do Africa, as in the most recent home of their ancestors outside of the US is the Caribbean. So using terms like African American can be misleading or inappropriate. I mean, if you trace all our heritage back far enough, we're all African-something or other. 'Black' is a better term.
Is it normal to be infuriated by the term
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Don't get so upset.
Native American probably isn't an ideal term. I think Indigenous American makes more sense. Ethnicity is relevant within many cultures, whether you like it or not, making classifications like 'Black', 'White', 'East Asian', 'Native American' etc. necessary terms for now. There isn't an easy, broad word like 'black' or 'white' for Native Americans / American Indians, so you end up with a more specific phrase.
African American is an inaccurate term in so much as it's used as a synonym for black. So a black person who is not from America could be called African American in America :/ Also plenty of black people in America have more of a connection to their heritage in the Caribbean, rather than some extremely distant relatives from Africa. When there is a simple, inoffensive term like 'black', which doesn't overtly express ancestry, why not use it?
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thegypsysailor
10 years ago
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Every single black, or negro, person anywhere outside of Africa was imported historically, as a slave, indentured servant or even as a paid laborer. There were no black, indigenous peoples in any of the Americas.
There are few if any indigenous peoples from the Caribbean islands that survived the white invasion. They (the Caribs) were also Indians (certainly NOT native Americans any more than the Incas or Aztecs were), I believe.
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disthing
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I never said the first black people of the Caribbean weren't 'imported'.
I said that many have closer ancestral ties to the Caribbean than they do Africa, as in the most recent home of their ancestors outside of the US is the Caribbean. So using terms like African American can be misleading or inappropriate. I mean, if you trace all our heritage back far enough, we're all African-something or other. 'Black' is a better term.