American Indian

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

American Indian may refer to:

• Any of the indigenous peoples of the Americas (also encompassing Eskimos);
  • Classification of indigenous peoples of the Americas
• The quarterly publication of the National Museum of the American Indian

In the United States only, the term is sometimes understood to refer specifically to Native Americans in the United States. The term "Indian" started when Christopher Columbus arrived in the New World mistaking it for the East Indies^{[citation needed]}. Also, note that "American Indians" is almost never used to refer to persons with ancestry in India. Americans with ancestry in India are referred to as Indian Americans.

Native American name controversy explores the ongoing dispute over the acceptable ways to refer to the indigenous peoples of the Americas.