American Indian or Native American?
Tim Johnson, the Executive Editor of Indian Country Today answered the question in 2004.
While it is true that the term “Indian” does not accurately describe the indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere, its usage, particularly when incorporated into the term “American Indian” has been largely (although not universally) accepted by most tribal officials. Also, as a matter of style usage the term “American Indian” seems to be gaining favor over the term “Native American,” since it carries with it a more specific identification. For example, anyone born in the United States could technically call themselves “native Americans,” but cannot identify themselves as “American Indians.” Our newspaper prefers the term “American Indian,” and we will often use the single word “Indian” for subsequent references within a story. Although language evolves through time and usage I would suggest that the term “American Indian” will likely become more commonplace nationally and internationally. One factor is because national publications such as ours, Indian Country Today, have made it our style choice. Other factors include its use in nationally and internationally renowned organizations such as the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian and the National Congress of American Indians, etc.
Nevertheless, you will still hear some complain that the term “Indian” is incorrect, which, technically, it is. The United States, alone, has hundreds of distinct tribal governments and communities – each with its own name for itself in its own language. However, you should know that the term American Indian is widely understood and accepted even within the discourse of American Indians themselves, since 1) we all know whom we’re talking about, and 2) decades of argument and searching for an all-encompassing alternative have proven futile unless you have the luxury of listing the names of every tribe written accurately in their own languages.
Update October 8, 2007: See also Stop trying to rename ‘Indians’.
