Now, I would wholeheartedly agree that the term 'Negro' is definitely outdated. Obviously it was less offensive back in the bad old days; Rube Foster, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, etc. all played in the Negro Leagues before #42 Jackie Robinson integrated the American pastime for the Brooklyn Dodgers (another outdated term) at Ebbets Field in Flatbush back in 1947. However, today it does carry an element of offensiveness. Nevertheless, hypocrisy abounds. From the San Jose/Valley Mercury News:
"My first reaction when I saw that was we take two steps forward to take one step back," said Rick Callender, former president of the San Jose/Silicon Valley NAACP. "African-Americans in this country have not referred to themselves as Negro since the 1950s."
Question 9 on the census, which asks for a person's race, lists as one of the options: "Black, African Am., or Negro." The controversy arose earlier this week as the Census Bureau started its road tour in New York.
"I wouldn't say it offends me, but it makes me feel uncomfortable," said Austin Jackson, a 16-year-old from Fremont who serves as president of the NAACP Youth Council in Alameda County. "It's unfortunate they would use such a clearly outdated term."
The NAACP is saying a term is 'clearly outdated.' The NAACP. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Jeez, that was outdated even when Negro was not.
