The trouble is, in American history, "color" and "race" have been so used as defining characteristics, it's hard to escape even linguistically.  And, they do describe the categories which define many people experience and reality.   

I agree with you, too, Kearney, at least about the "people of color" locution.  Though I use "people of color" fairly frequently, it often just doesn't sound right to me.   What you say does remind me of Martin Luther King's statement about not judging people by the color of their skin but the conscience of their character.   
And not too long ago, I saw a very funny cartoon that showed a white man holding a sign that identified him as a "man of no color."   Absurd.   

When I was growing up, Crayola crayons came in a color called "flesh," which was approximately the color of the skin of many Caucasians, myself included (at least it was a color--not "white"!)   But other colors that approximated other common skin colors were called weird things like "burnt umber," "burnt sienna," etc.  Well, that got fixed in the '70's or so--I think "flesh" is now "salmon" or something.  Well, "people of color" was, I think, mostly a reaction to the term "non-white," which sounds like a deviation from the "normal" and was found offensive by many people, understandably.  What could we use that would be better?  

Laurie

Laurie Sheridan, Workforce Development Coordinator
World Education/SABES Central Resource Center
44 Farnsworth St.
Boston, MA 02210
(617) 482-9485 
lsheridan at worlded.org
 
SABES:  Training Leaders in Adult Basic Education 



>>> Andrea Wilder <andreawilder at comcast.net> 10/1/2007 3:47 PM >>>

Absolutely correct, once one is slotted into an identity, thinking 
seems to walk out the door.  Personally, I find "people of color" bland 
and innocuous.  It seems to have entered a tributary of the the 
mainstream. I put up with it, maybe I shouldn't. I use the term "Black 
American" because one of my Black friends prefers this.  I use the term 
"American Indian" because one of my American Indian friends prefers 
this.

Andrea

On Oct 1, 2007, at 2:50 PM, Kearney Lykins wrote:


> Among other problems it induces, identity politics also subverts 

> serious thinking.  The expression "people of color" incorrectly 

> suggests that white (or beige) is not a color, and unhelpfully 

> suggests that one's defining characteristic is his color, in 

> contradiction to the central tenet of the civil rights struggle.

>

> Kearney Lykins

>  

>

>

> ----- Original Message ----

> From: Andrea Wilder <andreawilder at comcast.net>

> To: "The Poverty, Race, Women and Literacy Discussion List" 

> <povertyracewomen at nifl.gov>

> Sent: Monday, October 1, 2007 1:07:03 PM

> Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 1243] Re: Re

>

> Certainly "people of color is a step up from "race."  "People of color"

> often turns Hispanics into "white."  (white, non-Hispanic) And where do

> Japanese people fit in? or Chinese people? My Japanese tenant saw me as

> "white," but not herself as white.

>

> "Race" = usually means, now, Black Americans whose ancestors were

> enslaved.

>

> Andrea

>

> On Oct 1, 2007, at 10:27 AM, Laurie Sheridan wrote:

>

> > I do think "ethnicity" is quite different from "race" and would 

> prefer

> > that the list title continue to include the word "race."   

> "Ethnicity"

> > is about national original and also culture.  "Race" is a much

> > different term, attempting to ascribe a biological "condition" and

> > it's also, as we know, politically very "loaded" and fraught with

> > significance about status, disparate treatment, and a very important

> > history.   "Ethnicity" blurs all those things with other things about

> > national origin, culture, and immigration.  At least in the U.S., 

> race

> > is an enormous social division upon which all manner of laws have 

> been

> > constructed and battles fought.  Ethnicity, not so much so.   So, if

> > we were to include "ethnicity" in the list-serv's title, I would want

> > to add it, not replace "race."

> >

> > Which brings me to something else:  I think it's important to

> > distinguish factual situations and social identities, from the

> > barriers many literacy students (and others!) face.    Here's what I

> > mean:  there is race, which is a social construct but also kind of

> > factual and neutral; and then there's racism, which is perceptual,

> > political, and active.  Similarly, there is people's income (or lack

> > of it) and then there is poverty.  And, there is the fact of gender,

> > and then there is sexism, and the barriers and perceptions and

> > discrimination that many women face.

> >

> > I think the list serv has mainly addressed the situations of literacy

> > students who are women, people of color, and poor.   It also often

> > indirectly addresses the other list of connected barriers--poverty,

> > racism, sexism.  But the current title blurs them all together, and

> > that's a little confusing.  I don't mean to b e picky, but we should

> > list three things of the same "type"--either "Income, Race, Gender" 

> or

> > "Racism, Sexism, Poverty (or Classism)."

> >

> > I was the one who originally suggested "gender," but am now more or

> > less persuaded that that way women more or less "disappear."    So,

> > how about "Issues Facing (or faced by) Women, People of Color, Poor

> > People"?

> >

> > Laurie

> >

> > Laurie Sheridan, Workforce Development Coordinator

> > World Education/SABES Central Resource Center

> > 44 Farnsworth St.

> > Boston, MA 02210

> > (617) 482-9485

> > lsheridan at worlded.org 

> >

> > SABES:  Training Leaders in Adult Basic Education

> >

> >

> >>>> Andrea Wilder <andreawilder at comcast.net> 9/30/2007 6:55 PM >>>

> > I like "gender" and I prefer "ethnicity." to "race."  When all is 

> said

> > and done, I think John's points are thoughtful and ultimately useful

> > for us in the long run.

> >

> > Andrea

> >

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