Editor’s Note: This is the third in a four-part series about labels and stereotypes used for different races and ethnicities. This series explores the use of different terms and definitions and attempts to answer what labels are appropriate and why. The subjects in the series were chosen for their diverse backgrounds and include sources born in the United States and abroad from a variety of cultures.

To become a man in Africa, a boy must kill a lion — or at least that is what some people assume.

Love Anjonrin-Ohu, sophomore in mechanical engineering, said because her family came from Africa, some people would ask if they wore loincloths and hunted for lions.

“I had my little brother have someone ask him a question: ‘Have you killed your first lion?'” she said.

People were always asking Anjonrin-Ohu about ridiculous things they had seen in National Geographic or on TV.

“Black” and “foreigner” are two labels Anjonrin-Ohu has run into repeatedly. The labels weren’t annoying as much as the assumptions people added to them, she said.

Anjonrin-Ohu moved to the United States from Nigeria when she was 5 years old.

Though primarily raised in the United States, Anjonrin-Ohu’s parents taught her much about Nigerian culture, which contributes to the label with which she identifies.

“I would label myself as a true African-American,” she said. “I’m not African-American in what people consider today — not black.”

Being Black American and African-American are not the same, she said. Immigrants from Africa have a different culture with different experiences than those who grow up entirely in the United States.

Tekara Stewart, senior in apparel merchandising, design and production, agreed African-American probably isn’t the most accurate term for all Black Americans. African-American would have been good when Africans were brought to the United States, but Black Americans is a better choice today because it includes everyone, she said. Black Americans descend from many differing backgrounds, so African-American doesn’t necessarily fit everyone.

Stewart said she is both German-American and Black American. She typically uses Black American because it’s what people see when they look at her. But if asked, she includes her German roots.

Although she uses black, it wouldn’t be her first choice when labeling herself, she said.

“I want to say I’m American, but the American dream I don’t think includes me,” she said.

Blaise Cordier, whose mother is white and father is black, identifies himself as black although he is biracial. It was hard to see himself otherwise while growing up in a black community, said the junior in mechanical engineering.

Using different terms for black people is fine, except Cordier doesn’t like African-American, he said. He’s never been to Africa, doesn’t know if he ever will or how far back he’d have to go to find the connection, he said.

People use African-American when they’re uncomfortable and trying to be politically correct, he said. They shouldn’t try so hard because black is fine with him and most people he knows, he said.

Black American isn’t necessary either, he said. He doesn’t say “that Caucasian boy” or “Anglo-Saxon young lady.” It’s just “that white dude,” he said.

“I don’t call people white Americans,” he said. “We’re all Americans. That’s understood.”

Cordier often gets asked what race he is. So often, in fact, it doesn’t bother him like it used to.

“I’ve gotten Mexican, Puerto Rican, Arab,” he said. “People just struggle to place a label on me.”

When people ask, he answers “mixed” unless they ask for further explanation.

Terminology

Terminology and the way it’s viewed changes as people change, said J. Herman Blake, director of African-American studies.

“Things are acceptable today that 40 years ago were totally unacceptable,” Blake said.

In many cases, views on labels change from parents to children and even within a generation, Blake said. His youngest son is indifferent to labels, as opposed to Blake’s parents, who lived in narrow boxes, he said.

“They could not have imagined where their grandchildren are in their heads,” he said. “To them, it’s unreal.”

Anjonrin-Ohu said her parents consider themselves — and her as well — to be Nigerian. Her parents sometimes tell her she’s too Americanized and needs to keep her roots, she said.

Stewart’s great-grandmother and Cordier’s grandfather used “colored,” they said. Her grandmother grew up before people began using African-American and black, Stewart said.

Colored became a habit, because all the signs in the segregated South used the term, Cordier said.

Labels hold different meanings for each individual. Whether someone takes offense comes more from the way a word is said, the vocal inflection and attitude behind it, Anjonrin-Ohu said.

“It really does have to do with how you use the word,” she said. “You can make any word offensive.”

Black is a versatile word that in itself is inoffensive. To Anjonrin-Ohu, it’s just another way to describe someone, like hair color or height.

For some people, black is something to aspire to. It’s something cool and urban that is “in” right now, Anjonrin-Ohu said. Others hear the word black and think hooligans, tough, uneducated.

“Nigger” is a racial slur in most cases, although occasionally it is used among black friends without the people involved taking offense, Cordier said. It’s a double standard because, if a white person said it, there could be trouble, he said. It might be accepted by some because everyone knows the history and understands they aren’t making fun, Cordier said.

Not everyone is accepting of turning the offensive term into a joke.

“In my culture, I know that happens, but I don’t use the N-word,” Stewart said. “All my friends know not to use it.”

Anjonrin-Ohu said, personally, using “nigger” in a joking context is too risky because it’s been used so negatively for a long time. People choose to use the term in a joking manner because if everyone says it, the word will lose some of its power, she said.

“It’s hard to change the meanings of words and the emotions that arise when you hear that word,” she said.

“Nigger” actually refers to an uneducated person, so it’s not a nice thing to say, regardless of race, Anjonrin-Ohu said.

For the most part, people won’t use racial slurs in front of her, Anjonrin-Ohu said.

“The only time they’ll say that is when they’re very, very drunk, and they don’t think that I’m listening, or they don’t think I’m in the room,” she said.

But not hearing it to her face makes it harder to know who’s racist, she said. In the South, they’ll say it to her face, but in the North they won’t.

“Down South, I know exactly who the racists are and can avoid them, but here you don’t,” she said. “It kind of puts you on edge about everybody, like who’s the racist and who’s not.”

What’s acceptable

Labeling generally isn’t a big problem for Stewart, she said. When people need to label, they’ll sometimes use both African-American and black to feel out her comfort level with each term. It leaves her an opening to say she prefers Black American, she said.

Anjonrin-Ohu said she’s usually OK with people not knowing what’s right because she’s been around white people her whole life.

“I’m just used to curiosity when it comes to race and ethnicity and things of that nature,” she said.

Once people are comfortable around her, they’ll ask what terms she prefers, Anjonrin-Ohu said. Asking is fine because talking helps, she said.

Last year, Anjonrin-Ohu had a white roommate who admitted her ignorance up front. She told Anjonrin-Ohu she hadn’t really talked to a black person, let alone lived with one, so she was sorry in advance for anything offensive she would say. Once they’d talked about it, they were free to form a great friendship, Anjonrin-Ohu said.

Sometimes, she said, labels make her angry because it seems like she’ll never be able to get past the stereotype attached.

“It just makes me feel like no matter how hard I work, no matter how successful I ever become, I’m still, to some people, I’m always gonna be some black girl,” Anjonrin-Ohu said.

It seems like she’s destined to be a young single mom, a ho or to do the hip-hop thing, she said.

People don’t understand what they’re saying most of the time, she said. If someone calls Anjonrin-Ohu black or Black American, she’ll just let it go.

But if her friends say something that could be taken offensively, she’ll correct them. They need to know it’s wrong before they go to an all-black environment and say something that gets them hurt, she said.

“Just for their knowledge, I’ll be like, ‘You, that was iffy; I don’t recommend you say that in dark places with people not of your race,'” she said.

Labels haven’t been as big a problem as stereotypes, Cordier said. At home in New Orleans, when he’s walking with friends, he’ll commonly see white couples look at them, and the woman will hold her purse tighter. They’ll cross the street or walk in the opposite direction.

Another run-in with stereotypes occurred when he was dining with a few black friends. A student from Taiwan asked them if they rapped, danced or played basketball.

“We just looked at each other. We couldn’t say anything,” he said. “We had no choice but to laugh it off.”

He doesn’t blame her for assuming, Cordier said. What she knew about black people probably came from the media, particularly MTV. She was just trying to figure it out so she could put them into a category, he said.

On his way home for Thanksgiving last year, he was “randomly searched” four times. He was probably mistaken for an Arab, he said.

Airline personnel went through his checked bag at the counter. He was screened again at the gate. Then just before boarding, the airline “randomly selected” two seat numbers to be searched. The two seats were Cordier’s and the only Asian man on the flight, he said. Personnel went through his carry-on bag and used the wand. At St. Louis, he was pulled out of line at the gate to be checked for the fourth time. The same thing happened on the way home and at Christmas.

“I find it ironic that it was me getting randomly searched every time,” he said. “It sucks to know that someone looks at you and automatically associates you with something undesirable.”