Color and Race
(In The U.S.A.)
Only two of the five enumerated races are labeled by a color: white and black
1. The white race, refers to a “person having origins in any of the original people’s of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
2. The black race, also called “African American” on the US Census, refers to a “person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.
The other three races are not labeled by color:
3. Asian
4. American Indian and Alaska Native
5. Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander.
Note: Chicago Manual of Style 16th. Edition Requires No Hyphens
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To Sum Up: There are only five recognized races in USA:
1. White
2. American Indian and Alaska Native
3. Black
4. Asian
5. Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander.
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“ETHNICITY” HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RACE.
THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU ASKS THIS QUESTION OF ALL AMERICANS:
Pick one:
a. I am Hispanic or Latino
b. I am not Hispanic or Latino.
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HOW TO WRITE ABOUT ETHNIC GROUPS: UPPER CASE? LOWER CASE?
According to Chicago Manual Of Style: 16 th. Edition: The common designations of ethnic groups by color are usually lowercased unless a particular publisher or author prefers otherwise.
CAUTION: NOT ALL BLACKS IN THE USA ARE AFRICAN AMERICANS:
The Black population has been bolstered by a growing West Indian American sub-group with origins in Jamaica, Hati, Trinidad, and Tobago, and Barbados. In 2008 they were estimated to be 2.5 million strong.
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National Groups and Associated Adjectives
SOURCE: CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE
Names of ethnic and national groups are capitalized. Adjectives associated with these names are also capitalized.
Aborigines; an Aborigine; Aboriginal art
African Americans; African American culture
American Indians; an American Indian
Arabs; Arabian
Asians; Asian influence in the West; an Asian American
the British; a British person or, colloquially, a Britisher, a Brit
Caucasians; a Caucasian
Chicanos; a Chicano; a Chicana
European Americans
the French; a Frenchman; a Frenchwoman
French Canadians
Hispanics; a Hispanic
Hopis; a Hopi; Hopi customs
Inuit; Inuit sculpture
Italian Americans; an Italian American neighborhood
Jews; a Jew; Jewish ethnicity
Latinos; a Latino; a Latina; Latino immigration
Native Americans; Native American poetry (see text below)
New Zealanders; New Zealand immigration
Pygmies; a Pygmy; Pygmy peoples
Romanies; a Romany; the Romany people
Many among those who trace their roots to the aboriginal people’s of the Americas prefer American Indians to Native Americans, and in certain historical works Indians may be more appropriate. Canadians often speak of First Peoples (and of First Nations).
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Note: There are Native Americans who prefer to be called even more specifically by their tribe name. There are also other designations such as: Woodland Indians. More about this another time. I have other sources I’d like to check.
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Plural form for Native American group names
According to current preference, names of Native American groups usually form their plural by adding s. In earlier writings the s was often omitted (indeed, Webster’s has continued to present both forms as equal variants).
the Hopis of northeastern Arizona (not Hopi)
the language spoken by Cherokees
but
the languages of the Iroquois
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I STAND CORRECTED:
I received this message this morning. from J.R. It sheds new light. This is what it said:
| The word “Asian” has different meanings in the US and in the UK. Here we describe people from areas such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh etc as “Asians” but Americans use the word to mean people of Far Eastern origins – those who used to be called Orientals until the term became pejorative. I’ve often wondered what word is used in the US to describe what we call Asians? (BTW, it’s ethnicity – you’ve added an extra ‘i’) |
Thank you, J.R.! Here’s what I found in Wiki:
Various attempts have been made, under the British Raj and since, to classify the population of India according to a racial typology. After the independence, in pursuance of the Government’s policy to discourage distinctions between communities based on race, the 1951 Census of India did away with racial classifications. The national Census of independent India does not recognize any racial groups in India.[1]
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This is fascinating. I need to discuss this with J.R.. In the meantime, anybody who can offer further insight, please write me.
cs965, 
Walston, 
Alan Jankowski are discussing. 
A useful breakdown, Gigi.