The reference is made to a “shared history, identity and community among people who identify as Black, including those in the African diaspora and within Africa.” This is not realistic. Anyone living on the continent of Africa realizes identity and community are no more united than they are in Europe, Asia, or even the United States. Africans are identified by nations or tribes and do not relate to America’s blacks.
The Associated Press recently changed its writing style guide to capitalize the “b” in the term Black “when referring to people in a racial, ethnic or cultural context,” weighing in on a hotly debated issue. According to the John Daniszewski, AP’s vice president of standards, “The change conveys ‘an essential and shared sense of history, identity and community among people who identify as Black, including those in the African diaspora and within Africa.’ The lowercase black is a color, not a person.’”
As to the term “white,” a decision is expected to be made in a month. It questions what the change might mean outside the United States.
Immediately, several valid concerns and questions arise. They are valid because they relate to language and grammar, both of which call for consistency. If one race of people is named for a color with a capital letter, why not another race of people named for another race of people named for a color? One of the primary goals in race relationships and treatment has been equality. If the AP believes the lowercase black is a color, not a person, wouldn’t the same principle apply to the lowercase white that is a color and not a person?
First, the reference is made to a “shared history, identity and community among people who identify as Black, including those in the African diaspora and within Africa.” This is not realistic. Anyone living on the continent of Africa realizes identity and community are no more united than they are in Europe, Asia, or even the United States. Africans are identified by nations or tribes and do not relate to America’s blacks. Their cultures are tremendously diverse, and not all Africans are black. North of the Sahara is considered “White Africa” while south of the Sahara is considered “Black Africa.” As Americans, our understanding of other races, cultures, and nations is appalling, and we continue to shamelessly reveal our lack of geographical and world knowledge. Africans and Asians are just as divided as Europeans and Americans are.
Secondly, words defining races are linguistic terms and demand consistency in grammatical usage. If it is decided that “white” should not be capitalized, inconsistency will supersede grammatical principle. In essence, one race appears to be favored over another and the other to be inferior—something that neither race should be subjected to. Both are equal to non-racists and should also be grammatically and linguistically. As to the question what “White” might mean outside the United States, anyone familiar with the people groups on the other continents would probably think, “no more or no less.”
Thirdly, “blacks” or “Blacks” are no more monolithic than any other race of people, especially internationally—but even nationally. None of us are racially totally monolithic in either our attitudes or experiences with others of our race. We represent different cultures, different nationalities, different religions, and different politics. Skin color neither unites people nor ensures unity, as history attests and reveals.
The Associated Press, along with other media entities, would be equally wise and consistent to apply consistently principled grammatical rules to the usage of words that represent “persons, and not colors.” We are all persons, aren’t we? Respect and dignity demand we be treated equally.
Helen Louise Herndon is a member of Central Presbyterian Church (EPC) in St. Louis, Missouri. She is freelance writer and served as a missionary to the Arab/Muslim world in France and North Africa.
