Comments on: When to Capitalize ‘Black’ and ‘White’ http://dcentric.wamu.org/2011/10/when-to-capatalize-black-and-white/ Race, Class, The District. Mon, 16 Jul 2012 03:01:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Emma http://dcentric.wamu.org/2011/10/when-to-capatalize-black-and-white/#comment-885 Emma Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:52:00 +0000 http://dcentric.wamu.org/?p=11204#comment-885 Why not capitalize Black?  A woman was killed last night in suburban MD, and her son is missing.  On the radio, they described him as "11 years old, African American and light-skinned."  I assume the mom was white from this.  Why not capitalize Black?  A woman was killed last night in suburban MD, and her son is missing.  On the radio, they described him as “11 years old, African American and light-skinned.”  I assume the mom was white from this. 

]]> By: Anonymous http://dcentric.wamu.org/2011/10/when-to-capatalize-black-and-white/#comment-867 Anonymous Sun, 09 Oct 2011 22:58:00 +0000 http://dcentric.wamu.org/?p=11204#comment-867 Why do people need to "fade" in order to be included? Also, who is saying black people must foremost define themselves as black? I think Toure was making a distinction between race and ethnicity. In his book "Black" is being used equivalent to the terms Italian-American, African American, etc. whereas white is more so a generic racial designation that encompasses multiple ethnic backgrounds. Nothing too sociologically groundbreaking here. Why do people need to “fade” in order to be included? Also, who is saying black people must foremost define themselves as black? I think Toure was making a distinction between race and ethnicity. In his book “Black” is being used equivalent to the terms Italian-American, African American, etc. whereas white is more so a generic racial designation that encompasses multiple ethnic backgrounds. Nothing too sociologically groundbreaking here.

]]> By: Sam http://dcentric.wamu.org/2011/10/when-to-capatalize-black-and-white/#comment-864 Sam Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:24:00 +0000 http://dcentric.wamu.org/?p=11204#comment-864 Toure's logic assumes Italian Americans intermarry with same. Ditto for Jews, and thus also for Blacks. When does an Italian American become a non or barely Italian American? What happens when she marries a Turk?  or an Ethiopian?  What of their child? When does a Black become black or Brown or brown or au lait?   And do we desire that fade and greater inclusion someday? Story does raise an interesting question: do, should, must all Blacks define themselves foremost as Black and is the slavery legacy a premier characteristic for young Blacks today? Do whites already, quietly identify or assume their whiteness as premier? So premier, they don't even frequently identify as white now but take some other category? Toure’s logic assumes Italian Americans intermarry with same. Ditto for Jews, and thus also for Blacks. When does an Italian American become a non or barely Italian American? What happens when she marries a Turk?  or an Ethiopian?  What of their child? When does a Black become black or Brown or brown or au lait?   And do we desire that fade and greater inclusion someday?
Story does raise an interesting question: do, should, must all Blacks define themselves foremost as Black and is the slavery legacy a premier characteristic for young Blacks today? Do whites already, quietly identify or assume their whiteness as premier? So premier, they don’t even frequently identify as white now but take some other category?

]]> By: Troy Johnson http://dcentric.wamu.org/2011/10/when-to-capatalize-black-and-white/#comment-863 Troy Johnson Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:42:00 +0000 http://dcentric.wamu.org/?p=11204#comment-863 Funny, this comes up a lot. I've adopted the same convention on my website http://aalbc.com. I freely admit however that my logic for adopting this convention is flawed. Black and white are adjectives (even though no one on this earth is actually the color black or white) and should not be capitalized. The definition of "Black" is so nebulous, in 2011, that it is a virtually useless term, as the subject of Touré’s book seems to imply.  In any event, the two sloppy terms should be treated the same.  Generally Black is capitalized to elevate “Blackness” to demote “whiteness” a subtle dig. Funny, this comes up a lot. I’ve adopted the same convention on my website
http://aalbc.com. I freely admit however that my logic for adopting this convention is flawed. Black and white are adjectives (even though no one on this earth is actually the color black or white) and should not be capitalized.

The definition of “Black” is so nebulous, in 2011, that it is a virtually useless term, as the subject of Touré’s book seems to imply.  In any event, the two sloppy terms should be
treated the same.  Generally Black is capitalized to elevate “Blackness” to demote “whiteness” a subtle dig.

]]> By: Anonymous http://dcentric.wamu.org/2011/10/when-to-capatalize-black-and-white/#comment-862 Anonymous Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:30:00 +0000 http://dcentric.wamu.org/?p=11204#comment-862 Oops, hit "approve" too quickly. Change made. Thanks! Oops, hit “approve” too quickly. Change made. Thanks!

]]> By: Troy Johnson http://dcentric.wamu.org/2011/10/when-to-capatalize-black-and-white/#comment-861 Troy Johnson Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:25:00 +0000 http://dcentric.wamu.org/?p=11204#comment-861 K, you spelling geek you!  Your comment was probably the most important one made on this page :-) K, you spelling geek you!  Your comment was probably the most important one made on this page :-)

]]> By: K http://dcentric.wamu.org/2011/10/when-to-capatalize-black-and-white/#comment-860 K Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:08:00 +0000 http://dcentric.wamu.org/?p=11204#comment-860 Sorry to be a spelling geek but "Capatalize" in your headline should be "Capitalize." On "Black" vs. "black": Doesn't matter one bit to me. Sorry to be a spelling geek but “Capatalize” in your headline should be “Capitalize.”

On “Black” vs. “black”: Doesn’t matter one bit to me.

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