RACIAL IDENTITY
Is ‘Colored’ an Important Distinction or Just Another Word for ‘Black’?
Like a fish out of water, language loses all its air, its meaning outside of its context
What makes someone “Black” or “colored” cannot be measured definitively on a color-coded scale because race is a social construct, not a genetic one. It was the 18th-century Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus who constructed and promoted the idea of race, portraying White people as superior. These categories included more than physical differences but also social and intellectual ones. For instance, Linnaeus described Black, or Africanus people, as “sly, sluggish,” and “neglectful,” Asiatic, or Asiaticus people as “stern, haughty,” and “greedy.” In comparison, Europaeus people were described as “light, wise, inventor,” while Americanus was considered “unyielding, cheerful,” and “free.” As a result, the concept of race is inseparable from white supremacy, the belief that White people are not just different but superior to other racial groups and, therefore, entitled to more access to resources and opportunities.
Now, back to this terminology of calling someone “colored” or “Black.” Some people may be surprised to learn that in any racial hierarchical system, it is not only someone’s race that is relevant…
