Discuss the various polite terms for Black people that used currently and in U.S. in the past. How and why have these terms changed? What are the issues that make each term somewhat problematic?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Prior to 1945 in the U.S., the proper terms were "colored person" or "Negro." Richard Wright wrote Black Boy in 1945 trying to shock people using the term "Black" which was at that time derogatory. In the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, social activists used the slogan "Black is beautiful," and by the mid-60s "Black" was the most commonly used term. At about the same time "Afro-American" was also popular, and later "African American" was used. The problem with "Black" is that people we call "black" have skin that comes in various shades of brown. "Negro" means "black" in Latin, so is not accurate. "Colored person" and "Person of Color" are inaccurate because everyone has some color. "Afro American" and "African American" denote ethnic origins in Africa, but in Africa there are also White people who came from Africa.