[toasterlovin]

The line between the two terms is blurry, but race is certainly not strictly about skin color. Here is the definition of race in my computer's dictionary:

> Each of the major divisions of humankind, having distinct physical characteristics.

Then, further down:

> a group of people sharing the same culture, history, language, etc.; an ethnic group

[ScottFree]

If you look up the definitions of those words using the 1828 dictionary, you get something very interesting.

ETH'NICAL, adjective [Latin ethnicus; Gr. from nation from the root of G. heide, heath, woods, whence heathen. See Heathen.]

Heathen; pagan; pertaining to the gentiles or nations not converted to christianity; opposed to Jewish and Christian.

ETH'NIC, noun A heathen; a pagan.

RACE, noun [Latin radix and radius having the same original. This word coincides in origin with rod, ray, radiate, etc.]

1. The lineage of a family, or continued series of descendants from a parent who is called the stock. A race is the series of descendants indefinitely. Thus all mankind are called the race of Adam; the Israelites are of the race of Abraham and Jacob. Thus we speak of a race of kings, the race of Clovis or Charlemagne; a race of nobles, etc.

[sandworm101]

Which is more complicated by the US concept of an "american race", something that isn't even seen as racial in term of skin color. It is used to draw a line between those descendants of the stock "real" Americans.

To quote the TV Show American Dad's theme song "Shining a salute to the American race." ... a line I thought would be very controversial but just isn't.

[toasterlovin]

FWIW, I have never encountered the concept of the "American race". Are you sure it's actually a thing? To me the line from American Dad's theme song seems like a joke (since America has many races).

[ScottFree]

According to Webster's 1828 dictionary

AMER'ICAN, noun A native of America; originally applied to the aboriginals, or copper-colored races, found here by the Europeans; but now applied to the descendants of Europeans born in America.

[toasterlovin]

That's nice, but:

1. It's a definition for the word 'American', not the phrase 'American race'.

2. It's from 1828. I don't think usage from 190 years ago is very relevant. Language changes pretty quickly.

3. That does not match what OP was talking about. They were talking about a further distinction within white Americans. Unless I'm mistaken.