What is the rationale for capitalizing Black but not white?

[LAS14]

I'm not arguing that there is no rationale. I just want to know what it is.

EDIT: I've seen this usage frequently. Most recently in a novel by eminent author Elizabeth George. Her voice, not a character's.
tia
las

[Elessar Zappa]

1. I don't capitalize either word.

[Miguelito Loveless]

2. I always capitalize colors if they are used to refer to race

It's been my practice for decades.

[XanaDUer2]

40. Me too nt

[SoonerPride]

3. this should be fun

[AZSkiffyGeek]

4. Scootch over

[11 Bravo]

9. I'll bring drinks.

[yardwork]

11. Heh.

I'm responding here to say that I make a point of capitalizing Black but not white and I've wondered when somebody would bring it up here.

I'm white.

[CrackityJones75]

14. Why?

[yardwork]

23. Happy to tell you my thinking on this.

First, Black people have been oppressed in countless ways for hundreds of years. Capitalizing Black while keeping white lower case is a kind of symbolic reparation. It costs nothing but it feels good when I do it.

Second, Black is a construct created out of the more oppressive words used by whites about Black people. "Black" was created by and for Black people. As such, it's a proper noun in some ways. "White" on the other hand has always been the default. An unquestioned default. "White" people have no collective identity precisely because we have never had to create one. We just were - the unquestioned default. Just as being straight and being cis-gender are unquestioned defaults.

I have no idea if others agree but those are my reasons.

[CrackityJones75]

27. Well I absolutely do not agree with anything that you've posted.

But it doesn’t seem like it would be very productive to get into it.

[yardwork]

30. Do you disagree that Black people have been oppressed for hundreds of years?

[CrackityJones75]

36. Ridiculous question.

Your question pretty much gives me the idea of where you are at.

Good luck.

[yardwork]

39. You wrote that you disagreed with everything I said.

My very first sentence stated that Black people have been oppressed for hundreds of years.

So I guess the only ridiculous aspect of my question was to bother asking you if that's what you meant. After all, you already told me.

[CrackityJones75]

41. Ok you are right

I was speaking in reference to the specific topic. But sure you win a point. Yay!

[smirkymonkey]

28. Not touching this one with a barge pole.

[obamanut2012]

29. yup

[PJMcK]

5. Or how about Mars but not earth? (n/t)

[Edim]

10. When To Capitalize "Earth"

https://www.dictionary.com/e/earth/

[PJMcK]

15. Thanks!

This is the practice I've always used. However, I've seen the use as a proper noun but the "e" is lower-case. I think the NY Times stylebook does this.

Anyway, who really cares? I think the same principle you cited should apply to skin colors.

[TheBlackAdder]

6. I thought it was proper form to capitalize both.

[TexasTowelie]

7. You might want to read this article from The Dallas Morning News:

Capitalizing ‘Black’ a sign of respect, changing times

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2020/06/24/capitalizing-black-a-sign-of-respect-changing-times/

[LAS14]

19. Thanks for the link. Very helpful. Although...

... I'm not sure I agree with all of it. Still, a rationale is better than no rationale.

[Hoyt]

8. I capitalize Black because where I grew up the racist/rube white folks treated them like crud

and tried to force their bigotry on everyone.

I know it sounds stupid, but it just feels better. I suppose I should capitalize White, but if it's in a racial context and white pissants don't like it, screw em.

[yardwork]

24. Your answer is more succinct than mine.

[Metaphorical]

12. As an editor, I usually try to capitalize both

The problem, ultimately, is that race is a very ambiguous concept - not all Blacks are of African origin (many of my Indian colleagues are actually considerably darker in skin tone than any of my "Black" workmates). Moreover, most other terms meant to identify that racial category simply mean black in a different language (or are corrupted versions of same). My spouse looks White, but she's a quarter Native American and 1/8th African American. Then you get people like me. I'm "White" but with Hasidic and Ashkenasi Jewish ancestry on both sides of the family.

Personally, it's a concept that should be retired, but that's not going to happen in my lifetime.

[Gore1FL]

13. I think an argument can be made for race descriptors as being a proper noun.

That would require capitalizing in all cases.

I didn't realize this was a thing, though.

[unblock]

16. I don't use the shift key. Then I started using iPhone and it randomly capitalizes lowercase words

Grr. E.e.Cummings would despise iOS....

[Indykatie]

18. I Capitalize Both Black and White When Using Them to Refer to Race n/t

[bluecollar2]

33. Me too...n/t

[Dial H For Hero]

20. I don't capitalize either one.

[MineralMan]

21. That is a fairly recent change in journalistic styles.

I can't pin it down exactly, but I started noticing newspapers and magazines doing it during the George Floyd time frame.

I think it started earlier than that, but gained widespread support at that time.

Why Black but not white? Because Black people have been shat on for centuries by white people. So, dignity, I think.

[TheProle]

32. Rationale per the AP Style Guide

https://apnews.com/article/archive-race-and-ethnicity-9105661462

After a review and period of consultation, we found, at this time, less support for capitalizing white. White people generally do not share the same history and culture, or the experience of being discriminated against because of skin color. In addition, AP is a global news organization and there is considerable disagreement, ambiguity and confusion about whom the term includes in much of the world.

We agree that white people’s skin color plays into systemic inequalities and injustices, and we want our journalism to robustly explore those problems. But capitalizing the term white, as is done by white supremacists, risks subtly conveying legitimacy to such beliefs.

Some have expressed a view that if we do not capitalize white, we are being inconsistent and discriminating against white people, or, conversely, that we are implying that white is the default. We also took note of the argument that capitalizing the term could pull white people more fully into issues and discussions of race and equality.

I have my own opinion on the matter, but that's AP's...

[Hekate]

22. I just read it as the latest shift in group self-identification. Dr. ML King called himself a Negro.

The last two words of NAACP are Colored People. I’m in my 70s and have seen a lot of this.

Just tell me what you’d like to be called, and out of courtesy I will try to comply. Out of courtesy returned I’d like to not be clobbered for not always keeping up, or worse, not being able to read your mind.

[yardwork]

25. As a gay person I deplore the tendency to clobber well-meaning allies.

I try never to do so. Sometimes it's a little hard to tell if a person is a well-meaning ally or a snarky non-ally, but it never hurts to give people the benefit of the doubt.

I think that most people who belong to minority groups feel this way. Often the folks doing the clobbering are well-meaning allies rather than members of the group in question.

[Hekate]

26. Thank you. Cuppa coffee later?

[yardwork]

31. Absolutely!

[Mosby]

34. "Black" is an identity, white is not, except among racists.

Hence the capitalization difference.

[Mister Ed]

37. Whatever someone wants to be called, that's what I'm gonna call them.

Their wishes can change over time, and when it does, I'll change to meet their wishes.

Lately, I have the impression that, by and large, Americans of African lineage would prefer that when I use the word Black to describe them, I capitalize the B. So I do. Easy peasy.

[CrackityJones75]

38. This idea that capitalizing Black but not white

This idea that capitalizing Black but not white as a form of social justice is just plain silly. Yesterday after reading this thread I posed the question to people in my family(I have a diverse family), at my work, singer in my band (Nigerian) and pretty much everyone I asked looked at me like I was a fucking nut. Small sample size for sure right? But one person put it pretty awesomely…. “That seems like some white people guilt bullshit”.

I guess I don’t know what exactly is right or wrong but that gave me a pretty good chuckle.