Weekly Written Analysis 2

              When one attempts to label an item, many various factors can contribute to complicating the already difficult process. Growing up in a rural area, there wasn't much ethnic variety which surrounded me. However, as I grow older and venture to different areas of the state with my profession; I have come to understand why the United States is considered to be termed the melting pot. In today's society, racial labels are something that still cause a state of unsteadiness when one attempts to describe an American; more specifically when one attempts to label an American of African descent.

            Labels are important in creating a distinctiveness to both entities and groups. In particular, Americans with African heritage view ethnic labeling in a variety of ways. The typical racial label for Americans with African heritage has altered throughout time. Hence, the act of  labeling can be more complex for some individuals based on their background, age, and private beliefs. Thus the reason for many modifications to the ethnic labels attributed to Americans with African descent (Nubian Message, 2009).

            When attempting to label Americans with African heritage, many Blacks/African-American students would prefer to be categorized as African-Americans. This is due to the fact that Black is not an ethnicity/race. In addition, some people associate skin color with race. Nevertheless, the shade of one's skin color does not make an individual Black or African-American. In opposition, numerous persons chose to be labeled as Black. This is due to the fact that they don’t know if they are of African heritage. However, I feel that the main factor when attempting to label an individual is the location of their birth. Thus, the label attributed to a group or individual should be based on their birth place (Nubian Message, 2009).

            In conclusion, I think that labels should not be used in attempting to label people born in the United States. Individuals who are born in the United States are called Americans. However, all Americans do differentiate via their heritage.

References
Nubian Message. (2009). Racial labels: should the melting pot call the kettle black or African American? Retrieved January 10, 2011, from http://ncsu.edu/nubian/2009/10/racial-labels-should-the-melting-pot-call-the-kettle-black-or-african-american/