By Dadrian Paris

These terms, Black or African American, are very interchangeable depending on the situation and the actual background of the person. Most people prefer Black because that has been the reference for a while, but it’s not always the correct term. 

If the person is from Africa or has African descendants, then the correct term would be African American. However, not every Black person is from Africa, so being called African American can come off as insulting or racially motivated.

If the person gets offended about being called Black, you have to ask someone what they want to be referred to and understand their space and boundaries.  

Something that always offends someone is if they are called the “n-word” or “colored.” These terms have a very bad and terrible background behind them and should never be said. The terms originated during slavery when African Americans were bought and sold during auctions and used for hard labor and more terrible things. In today’s setting, if a person were referred to as a “colored” person, they would most likely see this as a racist comment or a racial slur towards the individual and their background. 

Another important term that is now used in the United States is BIPOC. This stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. This helps eliminate all racial comments and primarily refers to people not considered white. 

This term helps connect all people, considered non-white, and their trouble with systematic racial slang. BIPOC or POC, people of color, refers to most races such as African American or Black, Latino/a/x or Chicano/a/x, Hispanic, American Indian or Native American, or Alaskan Native and Asian or Pacific Islander.