| Prior to the 1960s, most Blacks I knew used the White terminology for themselves. They usually referred to themselves as colored or negroes. During and after the 60s, they began to want their own identity. That's when we saw the rise of terms like Black and African American. It's not a straight-forward sociological trend. Among the militant, there's a pride in using terms from the days of slavery as a reminder of their earlier treatment by Americans, the same way gays use queer. Others see African American as conciliatory in that in emphasizes both their heritage and their current status. I've grown up around Blacks and I don't claim to grasp all the nuances of their attitude toward their social identity. |