In Patricia Briggs's book "Cry Wolf," there is an Native American man who is referred to as "Indian." Were Indigenous peoples commonly referred to or would they refer to themselves as Indian during the late 90s and early 00s? When did the terms shift? | AskHistorians Archive Observer

In Patricia Briggs's book "Cry Wolf," there is an Native American man who is referred to as "Indian." Were Indigenous peoples commonly referred to or would they refer to themselves as Indian during the late 90s and early 00s? When did the terms shift?

by drowningcreek

I was born in the early 90s and don't recall "Indian" being a respectable term for Native Americans past the 90s (and even then, I might have only thought it was okay because I was a child). What I do recall is Native American being used a as the preferred term. Was this simply a word choice by the author? Or is my recollection of acceptable terminology fuzzy?

Gankom

There's always more that can be said, but while you're waiting you might enjoy these two answers from /u/Snapshot52 that overlap with this.

Why is it that the term 'Indians' is still used and common throughout American history since colonization, despite the awareness of early pilgrims knowing that they were not in India? This answer explains why the term "Indian(s)" is still used currently in the United States.

And Why are Native Americans still referred to as Indians in modern times when the mistake was noticed pretty early in American history? Which explains the legacy of the term "Indian(s)" and how it became widespread in the past.

Edit: Just saw the time stamps on this, but better late then never I guess!