Why the ‘B’ in ‘Black’ Is Capitalized at DiversityInc
Question:
Could you explain why the “b” in “black Americans” is not capitalized? I’ve noticed that other ethnic groups all are capitalized. But not Black people. Why is this?
Answer:
Most mainstream print publications in the United States use what is known as “AP style,” or the style dictated by The Associated Press Stylebook. This book and web site describe what to capitalize and what not to capitalize (among other rules of grammar).
To find companies that value Black employees, read The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Blacks List. You can also search for jobs on DiversityInc.com’s Career Center from companies on that list: AT&T, Target and Altria.
I made the decision not to follow AP style in the case of “Black” and “white” when it applies to describing people. AP style is to capitalize neither; however, terms such as African American, Negro, Caucasian, Italian American or Asian are all capitalized.
Regardless of whether there is adequate representation among the decision makers at the AP, I felt DiversityInc needed to be more accurate.
The word “Black” is used around the world to describe people who have “racial” features indicating African ancestry. Please keep in mind that the convention of race has been discarded by science–genetically, we are all one race, and the human-genome project proves we are all from Africa.
“Black” is also accepted by many Black people as an inoffensive description. It is a generalized description and can be supplemented by another description such as Black Canadian, Black African American, Nigerian American or Black Latino. However, many Black people describe themselves simply as being “Black,” and this reality is reflected in a body of literature, music and academic study.
I do not believe “white” needs to be capitalized because people in the white majority don’t think of themselves in that way. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this–it’s just how it is. The exception is white supremacists who have a definite vision for what “white” means. Most American white people describe themselves in more defined terms, such as Irish American or Jewish. I will make the point that African Americans (descendents of slaves) cannot define themselves more accurately than an entire continent because their ancestry was obliterated by the practices of enslavers, which included breaking apart tribal and family bonds.
I don’t think there will ever be a time in our country where “white” becomes “White.” Nor do I think white people will accept the term “minority” when we become less than 50 percent of our population by roughly 2045. I think that’s a good thing–people should be allowed to describe themselves, not have descriptions forced on them. I also think that the term “minority” is a pejorative and has no place in describing people.
Our capitalization of “Black” is both a reflection of reality and of respect. Opinions will differ on this, but as long as I make the decisions on editorial policy and content at DiversityInc, this is how this publication will write “Black” and “white.”
Luke Visconti’s Ask the White Guy column is a top draw on DiversityInc.com. Visconti, the founder and CEO of DiversityInc, is a nationally recognized leader in diversity management. In his popular column, readers who ask Visconti tough questions about race/culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability and age can expect smart, direct and disarmingly frank answers.
12:30 pm
As an editor, I side with the AP Stylebook. As a Caucasian. I disagree with the statement that most white Americans “identify themselves with more refined terms, such as Irish-American or Jewish.” This is a New York-centric point of view. I am mostly English and German but so far removed that this is not part of my identity. Sorry, Luke. You blew this one.
3:51 pm
The significance of a capital is substantive in that you acknowledge the reference as a defined term; in legal contracts the word will only be capitalized when it has been defined.
I think the point here is that an uncapitalized term has no significance or has not be associated with any specific idea … black shoes, black coat, black market, black balling, black cloud … “blacks?”
When you use Black referring to people it is ideal to capitalize, in my opinion, because you are acknowledging to some extent that Blacks have been in some way defined as a people. It is not a descriptive term to show you what color they are but to show you what the term in and of itself represents — culture, origin, unity. I would love to have training that deals with just human training (rather than diversity) – but until humanity lives in that ideal, we have to deal with the ugly realty of this post and that is that discrimination exists in all forms — even in something so insignificant as a capital letter. What responses!! Until we reach that ideal, we have to cope with the fact that humanity has not evolved to that level of sophistication where it is no longer necessary to describe people by using their race as a descriptive factor … have you looked at your local news lately?! Until we can just identify people as people, we need to value our differences and recognize the value that variety brings. I applaud the efforts our editor acknowledging that Black is not just a generic, uncultured, unidentifiable, or even worse negative connotation.
Do we call our leading represented official a president or the President? Do we say the queen or Queen Mother? Acknowledge to some degree in yourself that so long as there is a difference and we remain divisive – identifying someone by race for example – there has to be some level of respect that we show each other no matter how we identify ourselves or how each of us choose to show that respect to our fellow HUMAN beings.
10:19 pm
To me diversity means to take overcome the obstacles and level the playing field for all. It’s not about emphasizing differences by establishing new barriers – even if they are only one letter high…
4:28 am
Black is capitalized as part of a black nationalist project, in order to assert that black people are one ethnicity (globally) and separate from whites within America. Ethnicities or nations are capitalized, so capitalizing “black” asserts that black is a unified ethnicity. It’s a consciously political act that emphasizes race loyalties. Some who do this also capitalize “white.” Those who take this view may do so, but I certainly feel comfortable writing in accordance with my own politics. Only a minority of black writers use this in any case. For example. the web’s premier African-American site, “The Root,” does not capitalize “black.”
4:31 pm
A very easy way to solve all these issues – if we really wanted to instead of describing ourselves (or trying to) would be to put everyone of us into 1 of 7 groups ( 7 continents right) in which case I am a North American, since that is where I was born. as for Japanese, Hawaiians, Cubans etc.. “island born earthlings” well either decide which continent to associate them with or if the islands should be seperate groups it would be 1 step closer to unity of the planet. Every person on this planet has a different heritage, bloodline, culture, mannerisms, ideals, and ideas. But we all share the same goal (save a few), live a good life, find a good partner, raise healthy children, feel safe, and enjoy ourselves. We “whites” sometimes try way to hard to prove we aren’t racists and to do what we think shows respect and end up in a worse situation. Diversity isn’t about makeing it all the same, it is about respecting the differences, but those diffences have nothing to do with race or skin color, they have to do with life experiences, ideals and ideas.
Just my 2 cents worth.
3:16 pm
I can not tell you how much I appreciate this discussion and the decision tro capitalize Black as well as White. As a diversity practitioner I never use the term “Minority” in my training. As long as the mainstream media continues to refer to others as minority, the people will continue to do the same. What truly needs to happen is to train the talking heads to use the correct terms as well.
To hear people have these discussions is the same as hearing people say thing like…”I want my country back”. The natural question is….want it back from whom ?????. Yes I do know who they want it back from but my question is…..when they get it back…..will they also give it back from whence they got?
You know, the truth is when we get to Heaven there will be no color or code languege. We shall all be the same and we will all be happy about it.
3:02 pm
If capitalizing Black will show respect, I am more than happy to do it. Personally I think we are all part of the human race and don’t even like to answer questions about what mine is.
5:39 pm
While I usually agree with Mr. Visconti, I am unpersuaded and perplexed by his somewhat dizzying explanation that capitalizing the “b” in black makes any difference. What direct, meaningful, tangible, positive impact does it have on blacks? How does capitalizing the “b” help blacks compete for the best jobs, the best education opportunities, and meaningful salaries? While I think it is useful to debate such issues in a safe-harbor environment of diversityinc.com, I’ve scratched my head and cannot figure out for the life of me how capitalizing this letter shows “respect,” as Mr. Visconti asserts. Is there any academic authority to support this position? Does this conversely mean that “disrespect” is shown to whites by not capitalizing the “w?” (I’m not suggesting that it should be capitalized)?
11:35 am
Right on, my enlightened, white brother. You make sense to me. Yet, I understand why other folk just don’t get it.
From an highly educated reader, teacher, physician who considers herself to have been born a Negro baby girl, went through puberty as Black or Afro American and now is Black and Latina but really just human after all. Maybe one has to see it from my eyes.
2:26 pm
In response to this: “Most white Americans must realize that Black people have been labeled different names throughout our enslavement.”
First, you are negligent and racist in your capitalizing one and not the other, no matter which is capitalized. We are all humans, and that is that.
Second, what makes you think whites haven’t also been labeled numerous derogatory names by groups not associating themselves with another group? (eg Irish, German, Russian, Italian, etc etc etc etc etc) Additionally, do not expect American blacks to be referred to as “African American” until you are prepared to refer to American whites as “European American”.
Last, I understand and fully agree that one human’s enslavement of another is intolerably wrong…hence the reason it was officially outlawed in the USA nearly a century and a half ago; but, to use the phrase “throughout our enslavement”, as though YOU were ever enslaved, is a gross misrepresentation of yourself. Have pride in your ancestry, but don’t use it as a crutch for your present and future. This is a free country and, as such, you are free to educate yourself.
10:57 am
Black, White capitalized refers to race. Just as we capitalize other races (Italian, Chinese, etc.) When written with lower case letters, that refers to color, for example, a white shirt, black shoes. I have a light complexion, I am not “black”. I am however “Black”, as in race or ethnicity. Chinese-American is a Chinese person born in America. Italian-American is an Italian person born in America. Therefore, African-American is an African born in America. I am not African, I am an American that happens to be Black, as in race,
2:37 pm
Do most white people really think of themselves as “Irish American”, “Italian American”… etc? I thought we were mostly too interwoven with each other at this point to make the distinction. And black people are too – even if slavery had not robbed you of your cultural heritage, I’m sure there is no one whose family has been here since that time who is pure Ethiopian, Nigerian, or otherwise. Black is an acceptable blanket term in my opinion, but white is also. I think many white people do think of themselves as white rather than anything more specific. So if you think it is respectful to capitalize Black should you not also capitalize White?
11:49 am
It seems to me that one bit of awareness is missing from many comments here: many Americans, notably European Americans, can chose whether or not they will celebrate their ancestries; by virtue of their ancestral enslavement and deprivation of identity, most Black Americans can not make that choice.
(And seven continents? As if – exactly who would you describe as “Antarctican”?)
6:10 pm
I am human, nothing else matters, we all eat, dress, and do human activities. When you have a diversified group of friends, co-workers, be yourself human. Do not stay in the mode of what other ancestors did, a lot of people died and wanted the same equalities for all humans, it is called history, let us move forward not backwards.
7:07 pm
Mr Visconti, would you capitalize Gay? If not, why not?
8:06 am
Out of mere respect for all races, ethnic groups – when referring to such they all should be capitalized… Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Italian Americans, Jewish, etc. The reality is that everyone looks at this issue differently but we are all very much the same.
9:16 pm
There is a different between Blacks and African-Americans. Even those who consider themselves either will assert that difference. But, you are correct in capitalizing the word “Black” as it is used to refer to that particular Grouping. Even if just from the standpoint of respect, I commend you on your decission.
7:46 am
To the October 15th poster: Luke would only capitalize “Gay” if he was referring to a Gay Black person. Otherwise, you’re just a gay other…
12:26 pm
“Anyone who is properly trained knows that white people are part of diversity – diversity is inclusive.” In all due respect Luke, Diversity and Inclusion have two separate definitions. At least, according to the training I have been receiving as the Chairman of our D&I efforts. Diversity is basically the condition of being different; Inclusion is the act of Including or the act of being included, and respecting differences.
A little tongue-in-cheek here; If we’re all from Africa, shouldn’t we all be called African-Youfillintheblank?
11:50 am
The complexity of the comments made–and the sheer number–indicate to me that this should be part of the “Conversation on Race” that we in America need to have–and have not yet had.There are powerful psychological reasons why people of color are best capitalized, given our unfortunate racial history in America. By the same logic, it would not offend me–as a person of color–to see “White” capitalized when referring to people who are Caucasian in derivation. I think doing so expands the notion of “inclusion”, and assigns to White people the same of “identification value”, as the capitalization does for people of color. Lack of recognition of people’s “personhood” has been one of the most damaging aspects of American racism. As one person alluded to in this thread, Black Americans historically never reached the status of “man” or “woman”", and were instead called “boy”, “girl”, auntie”, “uncle”, etc.. I had an aunt who consciously called her nephews “man”, even when they were quite young, to counter the negative implications of the word “boy”. Even in the 1980s in Baton Rouge, LA, I found myself still correcting White men who thought they could call me “boy”: At 6’3″, and 245 pounds, (and fir), I chose–one way or the other, to “differ” with them. My final comment is that this thread points out the amount of animus that exists among us over relatively simple issues of race and identity. It is no wonder that we are so fraught with dissonance and miss-communication…