Sept. 28, 2007 Black or African American?
"African American" slightly preferred among those who have a preference
<http://www.galluppoll.com/content/?ci=28816>September
.....................
I remember it as if it happened 15 years ago.
Because it did.
Camille Cosby - wife of Bill - was on television being interviewed by a television deity (Barbara Walters? I don't remember).
She was talking about an exciting new development in language use: "Black" was retired, behold "African American"!
But why Camille? What's the angle?
She explained to her genial host.
Other Americans were described by a hyphenated combination of place name and 'American'. Favorites included: Irish-American and Italian-American. Only Bla...African Americans were described by color.
Not only was this keeping AAs out of the hyphen party, it robbed AA youth of hyphenation bestowed self esteem.
At first, I doubted. Wouldn't people run out of breath halfway through saying African-American? What about my neighbor from Kenya? The handsome, University of Edinburgh grad who brought a different club troll hottie home every week? Was he Kenyan-American, African-American? or Lucky-ass-American?
And what about the possibility of the abbreviation being confused with Alcoholics Anonymous?
The senses rebelled.
These petty concerns were soon swept aside as I embraced AA and felt elevated by the sort of pride you only get from adding more letters to your identity.
Of course, if it was up to me, I'd be known as a Gamma Ray-American but you play the hand you're dealt.
.d.