Black or African-American?

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Originally Posted by Jughead P. Jones

Well, since I am from Canada, I'd probably go with the term Black Canadian, if writing from a research perspective.

(And, EH1812...technically, you're right, as in we're part of NORTH AMERICA, but we're individuals, darn it. We say EH! EH!!!)

I say eh! I say eh too! Of course, I learned it from listening to you guys. Heh.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

Stepping off the plane I was amazed at how diverse London was; Indian, Pakistani, African, etc. But I realized, someone growing up in London must feel the same way landing in LA; Chinese, Latino, etc. - we get used to our surroundings and they seem less foreign I suppose.

Reading a pretty nifty historical fiction right now called Southland, that links a bunch of characters in the past and present, who all came from the same L.A. neighborhood, Angeles Mesa (what is now the Crenshaw district). Completely fascinating to read about how Crenshaw was once a spacious, rural paradise, where Japanese and black families lived happily together...until WWII...internment camps...eventually the Watts riots, etc. It's almost a study in how a city was on the right path to becoming very integrated (at least amongst the minorities) and how it became increasingly segregated as time past.

[RStar]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Just to explain, because it's no longer there, but RStar's post came out double.

Oh, I wonder what happened?

Thanks for fixing it..... and for the explination iSm!

[blueerica]

Originally Posted by Eliza Hodgkins 1812

Reading a pretty nifty historical fiction right now called Southland, that links a bunch of characters in the past and present, who all came from the same L.A. neighborhood, Angeles Mesa (what is now the Crenshaw district). Completely fascinating to read about how Crenshaw was once a spacious, rural paradise, where Japanese and black families lived happily together...until WWII...internment camps...eventually the Watts riots, etc. It's almost a study in how a city was on the right path to becoming very integrated (at least amongst the minorities) and how it became increasingly segregated as time past.

I'm going to have to find that book and see if I can fit it into my reading schedule.

[Gemini Cricket]

Here's the deal.
You can't use African American for everyone who is black. I have a Jamaican friend who doesn't like to be called AA because he's not from an African country.
Also, Dave Matthews calls himself African American.
It's all gray... so to speak.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Nothing's absolute.

That is absolutely true.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

That is absolutely true.

There's an exception to every rule. Except this one.

[NirvanaMan]

Several weeks after I started my new job, HR sent me a form asking me if I could please identify my race and send it back to them. It appeared to be optional, and as I understand the law, it has to be. I ignored it. They sent it again. I continued to ignore it. They sent it again and then copied my boss and explained that I must complete this and get it back to HR. My boss sent me a note telling me to do whatever HR wants. I sent a note back to my boss telling her that I disagree with it in principle and I therefore refuse. I also called the head of HR and politely inquired into the situation. She was gracious and let me know that she understood my POV and I would not be required to submit it, but if I didn't, she would then ask my boss what race she "thinks" I probably am.

I found the whole situation offensive and wholly unnecessary. They claim it is a state requirement to make sure we are meeting our quotas. The whole issue of quota's is also offensive to me. So long as we will continue to officially make race a formal issue on legal documents and such, I believe it will be nearly impossible to look past it and recognize how ridiculous it is to judge upon such a basis.

What did I do? I sent a note saying I respectfully decline to answer the questionnaire. Not sure what happened after that. I was on the fence as to whether I should decline or just outright lie and say I was a mixed-race or something like that. I think I made the right call for myself.

So black or AA? Umm, who cares. Really. It's some dude, or some chick, or whatever.

[blueerica]

Normally, that's exactly how I feel, however when talking about demographics for a paper I had to write, it came up in the course of races being labeled Black, Filipino, White-European, White Non-European, Japanese, Chinese, South Asian... Which I thought was odd, as well.

Anyhow, regarding HR asking your race, I find the whole practice really odd. I always understood it as an "according to the law" thing, that prospective employers can't do things like ask your race or ethnicity, age, etc - since hiring or not hiring could be construed as discrimination. I would have figured the same practices would continue once hired. By knowing your ethnicity, if you were to be fired or lose your job in the near future, could you potentially accuse them of firing you because of your race (and the whole quota thing)?

[Strangler Lewis]

Originally Posted by NirvanaMan

Several weeks after I started my new job, HR sent me a form asking me if I could please identify my race and send it back to them.

What kind of place do you work at?