Which is the correct term - Indian or Native American?
In our opinion, neither of these terms is any more correct than the other. You'll notice that we use both interchangeably. Native people probably use "Indian" to refer to themselves more often, especially when communicating with each other. Many Native organizations use the word "Indian" in their titles - National Congress of American Indians, American Indian Movement, etc. Some people prefer "Indian" because they believe it is derived from the Spanish term "In dios" , meaning close to God, which is how Columbus described the Native people he encountered in the Caribbean.
"Native American" is used to make the point that Indians were the first residents of the Americas. The prevailing opinion among non-Indians seems to be that this is the most politically correct term. We have to point out that both "Native American" and "American Indian" are both derived from the name of the European explorer Amerigo Vespucci. In our opinion this makes both terms politically incorrect.
The best way to refer to Native people is by the name of their specific Nation - Cherokee, Lakota, Chickasaw, etc., although there are issues with some current tribal designations not being the original name of the Nation. Of course, it isn't always possible to use specific tribal names especially when referring to the Native people of the Americas as a group, so we need terms that are mutually understood, and "Indian" and "Native American" fill that need.