Despite it's well-intentioned roots, "African-American" remains a term that seems to create more confusion and questions (i.e.: Would a White African living in America — such as actress Charlize Theron — be thought of as African-American too?) than connection. Sure, "Black" is far from perfect, but that term's imperfection is balanced out by a certain cultural and historical resonance that African-American will never possess, allowing it (Black) to ring authentic while African-American seems (at best) clunky and misguided and (at worst) pandering.

Has "African-American" run its course? Is there still a need for this term to be a part of our national lexicon?