Colored

This article is about a term used for black people like African-Americans. For the term used to describe an ethnic group in Southern Africa see Coloured. For other uses see Color (disambiguation). For the dc Talk song, see Colored People (song).

Colored is a term once widely used in the United States to describe black people (i.e., persons of sub-Saharan African ancestry; members of the "Black race") and Native Americans.^[1] It should not be confused with the more recent term people of color, which attempts to describe all "non-white peoples", not just black people.

The term "colored" appeared in North America during the colonial era. A "colored" man halted a runaway carriage that was carrying President John Tyler on March 4, 1844.^{[citation needed]} In 1851 an article in the New York Times referred to the "colored population".^[2] In 1863, the War Department established the "Bureau of Colored Troops." The first 12 Census counts in the U.S. enumerated "colored" people, who totaled nine million in 1900. The Census counts of 1910–1960 enumerated "negroes."

Today it is generally no longer regarded as a politically correct term. However, even that is debatable, due to its continued accepted usage, most notably its use in the acronym NAACP. Carla Sims, communications director for the NAACP in Washington, D.C., said "The term 'colored' is not derogatory, [the NAACP] chose the word 'colored' because it was the most positive description commonly used at that time. It's outdated and antiquated but not offensive." ^[3]

In other English-speaking countries, the term has varied meanings. In South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, the term Coloured refers both to a specific ethnic group of complex mixed origins, which is considered neither black nor white, and in other contexts to people of mixed race; in neither context is its usage considered derogatory. However, in the United Kingdom the term "coloured" is "widely perceived as offensive" because its origins are perceived as racist.^[4]

See also

• Free people of color
• Black people
• Coloured

References

1. ^ W. David Baird et al. (2009-01-05). ""We are all Americans", Native Americans in the Civil War". Native Americans.com. http://oha.alexandriava.gov/fortward/special-sections/americans/. Retrieved 2009-01-05. 
2. ^ New York Times. September 18, 1851. p. 3. 
3. ^ "NAACP says no big deal". Mercury News. http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2008/11/12/lohan-calls-obama-colored-naacp-says-no-big-deal#ftnb. 
4. ^ "Is the word 'coloured' offensive?". BBC News. 2006-11-09. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6132672.stm. Retrieved 2010-01-24.