Race Names
This essay discusses the “race names” in the United States, including Black or African America as well as Negro; American Indian or Native American; Hispanic, Latino, Mexican American, Chicano; Asian American; White, European American, Caucasian; and umbrella terms such as “people of color.” It also discusses the insult terms and outdated terms, including a section specifically on the disappearance of “Negro.” Attention is also given to calling out the “colonial minorities,” groups that are part of the United States due to conquest and oppression rather than voluntary migration. Racial groups are socially constructed in the process of political conflict and the creation of and challenges to structures of domination. Group names are never fixed and are always contested as the process of naming is itself part of the political contestation. This essay is based on the author’s reading and discussion with members of the groups in question. It is intended to be useful for teaching and public discussion, but does not provide scholarly citations for the research that has been done in this area. 11/11/2017 NOTE: The original blog version of this essay has been updated multiple times and is the latest version. https://www.ssc.wisc.edu/soc/racepoliticsjustice/2017/09/16/race-names/