Native American History
| African | Discriminatory when incorrectly applied and homogenising when used in lieu of a person’s (ethnic/national/religious/linguistic) preferred identity. Respect the self-identification of second- and third- (and so forth) generation African diasporic communities. Terms such as “Black”, “African American”, “African-Barbadian”, “African-Brazilian” may be preferred. | Confirm | 1800-, USA, Caribbean, Latin America | Dr. Gabrielle Foreman (Pennstate University)
Dr Stephen Mullen (University of Glasgow) PCUSA Terminology Crosswalk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| African American | Popularised by Jesse Jackson in the 1980s, although its usage dates back to 1782. Generally speaking, it is the preferred term for the Black diaspora living in the USA today. It tends to refer to those Black Americans whose families were brought to the United States via the The term “Black Americans” is inclusive of later immigrants from Africa to the USA.
In the context of the Atlantic Slave Trade, the term “African American” can be reductive when used to simplify the identity of, for example, an enslaved Black person who was born in West Africa and subsequently captured and moved to North and/or South America. When applicable, be specific about a person’s multiple identities (these may be transnational, multiracial, migratory, multilingual, etc.) |
Review | 1782-,SA | Dr Gabrielle Foreman et al. Writing about “Slavery”? This might helpFred Shapiro, The Origin of “African American” |
| African-American | Popularised by Jesse Jackson in the 1980s, although its usage dates back to 1782. Generally speaking, it is the preferred term for the Black diaspora living in the USA today. It tends to refer to those Black Americans whose families were brought to the United States via the Atlantic Slave Trade. The term “Black Americans” is inclusive of later immigrants from Africa to the USA.
In the context of the Atlantic Slave Trade, the term “African American” can be reductive when used to simplify the identity of, for example, an enslaved Black person who was born in West Africa and subsequently captured and moved to North and/or South America. When applicable, be specific about a person’s multiple identities (these may be transnational, multiracial, migratory, multilingual, etc.) |
Review | ||
| Black American | Popularised by Jesse Jackson in the 1980s, although its usage dates back to 1782. Generally speaking, it is the preferred term for the Black diaspora living in the USA today. It tends to refer to those Black Americans whose families were brought to the United States via the Atlantic Slave Trade. The term “Black Americans” is inclusive of later immigrants from Africa to the USA.
In the context of the Atlantic Slave Trade, the term “African American” can be reductive when used to simplify the identity of, for example, an enslaved Black person who was born in West Africa and subsequently captured and moved to North and/or South America. When applicable, be specific about a person’s multiple identities (these may be transnational, multiracial, migratory, multilingual, etc.) |
Review | ||
| Afro- | Afro- (prefix), with specific terms including Afro-Caribbean/s, Afro-Barbadian/s, Afro-Indian/s, Afro-American/s, Afro-Cuban/s, Afro-Bolivian/s, Afro-Colombian/s, Afro-Latin American/s
Prefix coined by Americans in the late 1960s. It has now fallen out of favour on the grounds that the term “Afro” is associated with a hairstyle rather than a continent. Generally, the prefix “African-” is now preferred, although there are exceptions i.e. many people self-identify as “Afro-Caribbean”. |
1965-, USA, Caribbean, Latin America | The Guardian UK, Style guide
Chris Elliott, We wouldn’t write ‘Afro-Caribbean’ today Police Service of Northern Ireland, The Appropriate Language Guide Show Racism the Red Card – Terminology | |
| Afro-American | See above. Afro-American is outdated, African American or Black American is now preferred. | Replace | Afro-Americans | Afro-Americans |
| Afro American | See above. Afro-American is outdated, African American or Black American is now preferred. | Replace | Afro Americans | Afro Americans |
| Afro engineering | A derogatory colloquial phrase that has been used to imply that African American workmanship is “second-rate” or “shoddy”. It is used to describe the act of fixing or manufacturing something using improper tools and methods. *Reminder it is is advised not read the N-word aloud if you do not self-identify as Black, even in quotation* | |||
| Afro-engineering | A derogatory colloquial phrase that has been used to imply that African American workmanship is “second-rate” or “shoddy”. It is used to describe the act of fixing or manufacturing something using improper tools and methods. *Reminder it is is advised not read the N-word aloud if you do not self-identify as Black, even in quotation* | |||
| African engineering | A derogatory colloquial phrase that has been used to imply that African American workmanship is “second-rate” or “shoddy”. It is used to describe the act of fixing or manufacturing something using improper tools and methods. *Reminder it is is advised not read the N-word aloud if you do not self-identify as Black, even in quotation* | |||
| nigger engineering | A derogatory colloquial phrase that has been used to imply that African American workmanship is “second-rate” or “shoddy”. It is used to describe the act of fixing or manufacturing something using improper tools and methods. *Reminder it is is advised not read the N-word aloud if you do not self-identify as Black, even in quotation* | |||
| ghetto rigging | A derogatory colloquial phrase that has been used to imply that African American workmanship is “second-rate” or “shoddy”. It is used to describe the act of fixing or manufacturing something using improper tools and methods. *Reminder it is is advised not read the N-word aloud if you do not self-identify as Black, even in quotation* | |||
| nig rigging | A derogatory colloquial phrase that has been used to imply that African American workmanship is “second-rate” or “shoddy”. It is used to describe the act of fixing or manufacturing something using improper tools and methods. *Reminder it is is advised not read the N-word aloud if you do not self-identify as Black, even in quotation* |