I agree with Julie 100%. I personally dislike African-American. I have never been anywhere on the African continent, and I can say in all honesty that most people I know never have, either. The importation of slaves into this country ended in 1848 (give or take a year; I don't have my textbook in front of me right now), which means that the majority of American born black people can trace their ancestry to the United States back at least 154 years.

My younger sister, on the other hand, prefers "colored" or "of color," which were popular in our grandmother's day. Her argument is that the 1/32 rule is ridiculous, which states that if one ancestor in thirty-two is black, that makes you black, no matter how dark or fair your skin is. This, by the way, dates back to the early nineteenth century and does not apply to any other race. To show how ridiculous this is, you can have four white and one Native American grandparents and still be white, but if your great-great-great-grandaddy's wife was black, you are black.

I got off on a tangent -- AGAIN.

What it comes down to is I prefer black as a second choice. I would REALLY like to be thought of as an American. Period.

Uhura :o)