How is more polite?Should I Say "Black" or "African American"?  

why don't you just say his/her name or just 'he' or 'she'.. I think African American sounds more polite because that's the truth. I think if you just talk about them with your close friend, maybe you and your friend can use some code or other words to call them (but of course polite words)..

why don't you just say his/her name or just 'he' or 'she'.. I think African American sounds more polite because that's the truth. I think if you just talk about them with your close friend, maybe you and your friend can use some code or other words to call them (but of course polite words)..

why don't you just say his/her name or just 'he' or 'she'.. I think African American sounds more polite because that's the truth. I think if you just talk about them with your close friend, maybe you and your friend can use some code or other words to call them (but of course polite words)..

White is also a color, yet nobody ever, ever, never ever has a problem saying "white" people. There's no beef from people saying, "I demand to be called an Irish-American, or Italian-American, German-American," etc.

My point is that if you're not meaning any disrespect, don't lose yourself in the inane political correctness of this stuff.

"Black" is not disrespectful. Of course, this has to do with an individual, as well. I've had people take offense if I've said "black." I brought up the point that I'd like to be called Irish-Italian-American then, if that's the case. They didn't get it. ... and so goes the scale ...

For one thing.....not ALL "blacks", are African-American.
There ARE other countries besides America.

If you really want to get past this: "pigment of skin" issue, then I suggest you just call the other person; "the other person", or he, or she.

Unless the "color of skin" has a bearing on any topic(s) you are discussing, then it has NO bearing on the topic(s).


cdrxo

The rule of what is polite or not, probably changes from locality to locality. For instance, African American will not make sense in AFrica! Nor will it in a non-american country! However, in Africa Black and colored are acceptable terms of identification, not in America! It is all very sensitive to the area in which you abide.

It depends on where you are. When I lived in Maryland, and now down here in Florida, the term most often heard is simply "black". A black friend of mine once told me that the term "African American" made her feel like an immigrant from Africa, which she didn't consider herself to be. She considered herself to be an immigrant from Detroit.

Is it right to stereotype a person based on the color of their skin? What if they are from some of the Caribbean countries? What if they are from South America? Just because their skin is black doesn't mean they are from Africa.

i dont dwell on the color of the skin. i prefer to say Mr. or Mrs. or Miss to address him/her. dont you think it is much polite to call people like that? thank you so much for this very nice discussion.

ann

We have to be sensitive with how we call people from the minority group. Problem with race has been there for a long time. Unless we become accepting of other people, this would still persist.
I once watched Oprah Winfrey where she said "people of color." I guess that is how we should properly address them. Color of skin should not separate us from one another. The difference should all the more unite us with each other.