Title: Native Americans - What did they call themselves? [Archive] - Straight Dope Message Board
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Content: Sofa King
05-07-2003, 04:49 PM
The term "native American" is increasingly being used to describe all aboriginal peoples within the United States. That includes Native Alaskans, and American Indians, and sometimes Native Hawaiians. In very general terms, Indians come from the lower 48 states. I'm sure there are exceptions. I've spoken with more than a few paranoid Indian affairs lawyers who don't like to use "Native American" because they fear the term may one day be used to undermine the trust responsibility that the United States has toward American Indians. Believe me when I say it's a good thing to be paranoid in that line of work. Things are steadily changing, but a few years ago you could make a good guess as to whether or not a piece of Congressional legislation was good for American Indians just by reading the title. If it said "Indian" in the title, it was usually good. If it said "Native American," it was often crafted by some weasel who was trying to screw them over. Since the term now often encompasses the Indians of the lower 48 and Native Alaskans, it's a less certain indicator.