Why We Need to Stop Saying ‘People of Color’ When We Mean ‘Black People’

It’s okay to call me Black. And if you feel it isn’t, I still insist that you do.

Kerry James Marshall, “Knowledge and Wonder” (1995). Photo courtesy of Christie’s.

I understand why “people of color” has become a popular phrase. It replaces the outdated term “colored people” with one that is more palatable. It allows for a kind of political solidarity between non-White…