How to Write About the Black Community
I want to write about the Black community. What’s politically correct?
I always encourage my clients to have their websites be as inclusive as possible to show everyone they’re safe trusting you with their business. You may have some questions about how to write about the Black community and the Black Lives Matter movement:
Is it African-American, or African American, or black, or Black?
Should I say “blacks”?
Should Black be capitalized, or lowercase?
What is POC, WOC and BIPOC?
The Quick Answer
The best, most inclusive term when speaking/writing about a person with dark skin is Black. (Notice the capital B). “Blacks” is never appropriate; instead, say “Black people” or the “Black community.”
“People of color” (or POC for short) refers to a group of non-white people that includes many races or cultures. The same can be said for “women of color” (WOC) and BIPOC, or “Black, Indigenous and people of color.”
All acronyms should always be capitalized (that’s means you should capitalize POC, WOC, BIPOC, etc.)
The Long Answer
Previously, the best term was “black” (lowercase). What changed? The Associated Press Stylebook — the foremost journalistic resource for grammar and style, and the rules I follow in my own writing.
The term used to be lowercase because “black” was not considered a race or ethnicity, but rather an umbrella term to describe people with darker skin tones regardless of their ethnicity. This is why “white” is lowercase, for example. However, the case has long been made that being Black is a culture — an identity — and therefore should be capitalized. After years of being lobbied to make the change, the Associated Press finally changed its mind.
Regardless of capitalization, in recent years Black has always been preferred over African American (which should not be hyphenated). There are several reasons why:
Not all Black people are from Africa. Similarly, not all Black people are from America.
To some African Americans, the phrase is a term of pride. To others, it’s a term of uncertainty and shame. Many African Americans are descendants of slaves (and, often, slave masters who raped their ancestors) and they may not be able to trace their lineage back to a certain country in Africa.
Many feel that Black is a term of unity, describing the experiences of someone with darker skin regardless of where they are from and where their ancestors are from.
Did You Get Here From a Google Search?
Cool cool cool. While I have ya, though, let me introduce myself:
I’m Taylor (she/her), a cis, straight, white, female copywriter who helps values-based, creative businesses sell their shit online with badass words. Inclusivity is a huge value of mine, and is a major focus of my work. Hence why I wrote this blog and speak on inclusive language a crap ton.
If you’re a good human looking to be more inclusive as you communicate, thanks for reading. And if you’re all those things plus you own a bold business, I’d love to support you even more.
