Black or African-American?

[blueerica]

I'm not sure if this belongs here, or where it will go. I figure that we're a respectful group of people who can discuss this calmly, and I really just need an opinion generated by tonight, so I can change the wording on a paper I'm writing (if necessary.)

I'm writing about Toronto, Ontario, for a business project. For our research section we needed to include information on race, percentages, etc... and as the Canadian statistical website put it, "Black - 8.3%." Clearly, there is no option to call them African-American, but should we refer to them as African-Canadian?

In some instances, I've known people to want to be referred to as African-American, while others have met the description with disdain. As one friend put it, "I'm not from Africa, I was born in Georgia, and that makes it sound like I'm less American." Of course, that was only one friend. To that extent, we have an organization on campus called the Black Business Students Association. It's not African-American Business Students Association. Since neither is difficult to say, I'm assuming there was a preference made, but.. I'm just not sure.

What would you guys do?

[3894]

According to Wikipedia

Black Canadians are black people who reside in Canada. The term African Canadian or Black Canadian is generally used for those of Sub-Saharan African and/or Caribbean ancestory.

Double-checking the usage, Black Canadian seems to be it, per this Canadian gov't. site.

[Disneyphile]

I'd just use "Black". I think the world is a little too PC. I don't mind being called "White". It's better than "Caucasian", because I've always wondered where "Caucasia" actually is.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I believe, it being Canada, the correct term is, "Flanneled Africans".

[Strangler Lewis]

Since it sounds like you're dealing with government statistical data, I would use the terms the government uses with any particular definition that they give. If the statistical terminology deviates from recognizable cultural pattersns, e.g., Latinos are deemed Caucasian, then note that.

[innerSpaceman]

Oh, sheesh, just use Black. Are black people everywhere going to have to be hyphenated? BlackFinlandians and BlackKasicstanians? Where will it end?


And, yeah, while we're at it ... what the hell is Caucasion anyway???



Also ... I wish the Asians would get off their high horse and let themselves be labeled Orientals without getting so upset. Or pick something else, because people of Japanese, Korean, Chinese or other such ancestry who were born and live in America (or other places outside of Asia) are not Asian.

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

I wonder if I had distant relatives that were black, that I could refer to my self at Black/White or Gray American.

[Disneyphile]

I think they should just label everyone as Heinz 57, because no one is "purebred" nowadays anyway. If we researched it, we probably all have a bit of every race in us.

[blueerica]

Haha! If it were up to me (and I have a feeling my OP was a little biased), I'd just say "black" but it was an international student in my group that brought it up.

I am going to go with Black Canadian... I rather like that.

(yes, and where will it end, iSm?!)

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

I'd also think that African American should suffice, as well, because Canada IS a part of America. We're all in the Americas. Though Canada probably prefers the disassociation. Heh.

From now on I want people to refer to me as an Irish-Welsh-Russian-Jewican.