My point being, kat, that the same syntax shold be applied whichever kind of ancestry is being acknowledged. Hyphenated or "of descent" or whatever the preferred formula maybe from time to time.

Though in practice my impression is that most Americans fall into a whole range of what could be called "descent categories". Obama for example has Irish ancestors as well as Kenyan. Not just Americans of course - I've got a godson with an Irish mother and a Mexican father.

The thing is for "white" Americans there is more of an element of freedom to choose which to select as a primary one - for black Americans there is less. Apart, I suppose, from some instances where there may be an option of going either with the Hispanic label or the African-American one (or whatever the preferred term may be).