I've explained the following any number of times to people who have wanted want to police my language in a desire to feel better, somehow, about living in a divided world. Baggage (theirs, mine) always comes up. So I will say before saying anything further that I'm not describing this as a debate, an argument, a recommendation, or a complaint. What You See Is What You Get-- I'm intending to be descriptive, not pejorative.

In any matter concerning race, in today's society, IMO no matter what term is used, or what the intention, mis-speaking is likelier than accuracy, and misunderstanding is the likeliest outcome of all. Oh, I do think it's getting better in many respects, but it's a long way yet from being "good." It's messy.

Each of the racial/cultural referents and phrases people might use evoke certain truths and touch upon one or more painful aspects of the American experience in all its grandeur and ugliness. There is always baggage attached because, in my experience, we are such an unhealed people.

So in considering what words to choose myself, I do the best I can to be accurate to the situation and the topic being discussed.

For instance, if one is talking about color-based discrimination, I choose to speak in terms of "people of color" because I may or may not be discussing people with African heritage-- I might be talking about the whole spectrum of racism which is also aimed at people of Asian or Hispanic heritage. What's being discussed there is the reaction to people whose skin is darker than whoever is aiming the reaction, not other aspects like culture, place of origin, etc. So using a more "politically correct" term such as "African American" in such a situation would be inaccurate.

Similarly, if talking specifically about times when Black Pride was a huge part of the US cultural landscape, I will use the term "black" or "Black," the former being a generic adjective and the latter a proper name or part of one, depending on the situation.

When I am talking about culture springing from African roots, I usually choose the term "African."

And so forth.

What I purposely don't do is use terms that are removed from their accuracy in an effort not to offend, just for the sake of not disturbing a bunch of white/European-American/middle-class/guilt-ridden/nicey-nicey people who have never known someone of another culture deeply, in their lives, and who merely wish to conform to one another's sense of what's "OK."

I also don't apply one time period's sensibilities to words or phrases of another time used in ways I can't quite grasp, as if doing that can un-do wrongs that I know were done.

Still with me? I hope so. This matters to me.

I don't think there is any way to talk (or post) about any of these issues (or matters of cultural history) without things getting pretty complicated pretty fast. I am always interested in thinking more clearly about them, and being as accurate as I can, to the best of my ability.

~Susan