Andrea and others,

My rule of thumb is to try to use the names that people call  
themselves, not the names that others may give to them. This means  
asking them -- as individuals -- how they like to be referred to.  I  
have a friend and colleague who refers to herself as a an Italian- 
American woman, another who calls himself Black, another who prefers  
"a person of color", another who calls herself an African American,  
another who prefers Latina. Anthropologists have sometimes found that  
the name that a group of people prefers to call itself in its own  
language means something like "people" or "the people" whereas what  
other groups call them means something like "those people over there"  
or worse.  I refer to myself as a "North American" or "American" and  
sometimes "Bay Stater".

Where all this really makes a difference is in the social political  
arena.  Mel King, MIT professor, Boston Mayoral candiate and  
candidate for Congress, a person of color (I don't know if he would  
use this term, but I think so) many years ago when he was a State  
Representative, pointed out that he did not want to be referred to as  
a "minority." He said it was clear in the Massachusetts legislature  
(overwhelmingly Democratic) what it meant to be a member of the  
minority party -- powerless.

It was also Mel King who also said "We may have come over in  
different ships but we're all in the same boat now"  That would be a  
good quote for a classroom poster!

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net





On Jul 26, 2007, at 9:54 AM, Andrea Wilder wrote:


> Colleagues:

>

> Is there any clarity to be found in the names we give each other?

>

> Within the past  couple of years I have been  called "white" by a

> Cuban, a Japanese, a South Asian, and a Black American.

>

> I am unclear about what names are in currency for these  groups,  

> or, in

> deed, the meaning of "white" any more.

>

> My part Wampanoag friend prefers "Indian."  My dark-skinned friend  

> uses

> the term "Black American" to define himself.

>

> What other names are going the rounds these days?  What names do

> students and teachers use in class?

>

> Thanks for any info.

>

> Andrea

>

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David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net