Current Usage and Perception of the Term Colored
The word colored is widely considered outdated and offensive in contemporary American English, though it remains present in historical names and some older references. Major style guides, including the Associated Press Stylebook and the Chicago Manual of Style, recommend avoiding the term in modern writing unless it appears in a proper name or direct historical quotation. Surveys by the Pew Research Center show that a majority of U.S. adults view the term as disrespectful when used to refer to Black people today, reflecting a shift in mainstream usage over recent decades. For current guidance on inclusive language, the American Psychological Association publishes regular updates on preferred terms for racial and ethnic groups here.
Historical Context and Name Retention
The term colored was the most common label for Black Americans from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century, appearing in organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, founded in 1909. The NAACP retains the word in its name as a historical reference, even as it uses African American and Black in its modern communications. The U.S. Census Bureau has changed its racial categories multiple times, with colored appearing as an option in early 20th-century forms before being replaced by Black and African American. The Library of Congress and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture provide archives that document the evolution of racial terminology in the United States here.
Institutional Guidance and Preferred Terms
Federal agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Health and Human Services, use Black or African American as the standard terms in official documents and data collections. The EEOC's guidance on workplace discrimination notes that using outdated racial labels can contribute to a hostile environment and may intersect with harassment policies. The American Medical Association and major hospital systems have updated their patient intake forms and clinical language to reflect current preferences, moving away from colored and other legacy terms. The U.S. Census Bureau's most recent race and ethnicity questions, updated for the 2020 count, use categories such as Black, African American, and Asian, with no option labeled colored here.
Corporate and Media Standards
Major news organizations, including The New York Times, Reuters, and The Associated Press, explicitly advise against using colored in stories unless it is part of a proper name or a direct historical quote. Stylebooks for digital platforms and social media teams at companies like Meta and Google incorporate these guidelines into their content policies. The National Association of Black Journalists promotes the use of Black and African American in reporting and trains journalists on inclusive language practices. Style guides for corporate communications at Fortune 500 companies generally align with these standards, treating colored as a term that should be avoided in external and internal materials here.
Legal and Public Discourse Considerations
In legal contexts, the use of outdated racial terms can be relevant in cases involving discrimination, harassment, or hostile work environments, where the intent and impact of language are assessed. Federal courts have referenced historical terms in opinions to illustrate how language has evolved, while emphasizing that current standards favor Black and African American. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission tracks workplace complaints related to racial slurs and insensitive language, with data showing that terms perceived as outdated or derogatory remain a source of grievances. Public discourse on social media platforms and in political debates continues to address the appropriateness of legacy racial terms, with most major platforms' community standards discouraging the use of offensive historical labels here.
Generational and Regional Variation
Public opinion research indicates generational differences in the perception of colored