Native American or American Indian?

A 1995 Bureau of Labor Statistics survey reported the following preferences among surveytakers who identified themselves as one or the other (or as related term):

American Indian49.76%
Alaska Native3.51%
Native American37.35%
Some Other Term3.66%
No Preference5.72%

So, again, even if you believe that members of various identity groups should generally be called by whatever term the group prefers -- a position that I've criticized -- there seemed to have been no overwhelmingly preferred term as of 1995, and I doubt that there is one now. (If you know of more recent surveys, please let me know.) And the older term, American Indian, is actually more popular than the term that I've often heard labeled as the modern preference, Native American.

Related Posts (on one page):

  1. Native American or American Indian?
  2. Black or African-American?
  3. Black or African-American?