Kevin,

Thank you for your astute observation. I chose to use "African-Americans" 
because that was the term in use in the discussion by those making favorable 
comments. I used "white folks" because that is the common term.

In truth, many "African-Americans" would be correctly identified as 
"African-European-Americans" or "African-Native-European-Americans". But, 
the old term "colored" is in detriment.

One census back, my neighbor got the long census form, and being in her 
eighties found it worrisome. So, she brought it to me for help. I carefully 
asked her each question, reading all choices and writing down exactly what 
she said. When it came to race, the best choice for her would have been 
"African-American", but she replied that she was born in America, had never 
been to Africa, and didn't feel she was "African-American". So, I checked 
the box for "other", and wrote in American, per her instructions.

To look at her would be to consider that she may have been 
African-European-American, or perhaps African-Native-European-American. I do 
not know since she has never shared her known heritage with me. I'm sure 
that the bean-counter in Washington, if they sent someone in person, 
corrected the form to read "African-American", but it was not her wish to 
label herself as such.

We need to remember that people have the right to designate themselves as 
they wish. It is not for others to label them.

Anne

Anne Pemberton
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http://www.erols.com/stevepem
http://www.erols.com/apembert
http://www.educationalsynthesis.org 

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