When did 'negro' become a derogatory term for black people?

[DBT85]

'The painted man' quote was because he was tattooed not because of his colour.

ahh, well you learn something every day.

 

[Tefal]

My point that I'm actually pink doesn't seem to mean anything.

Shut it pinko.

 

[thedoc46]

non white Ethnic minority people are way too touchy at times... Since when are the Caucasian British offended when being called Brits. After all, white people fast becoming the minority in the Western World and white people are already the minority so in many parts of their country.

 

[fez]

OK, the point here isn't about what word you use, at all. It's about using the colour of the person as if that is the only thing they are.

Clearly "There's a black over there" is worse than "There's a man with black skin over there"

Dont you think that its actually worse to make a big deal out of it than just saying that black guy over there.

"Theres a black over there" is obviously offensive as you are almost insinuating that its very strange,d not entirely agreeable and in some ways it dehumanises them.

If I am pointing someone out and there are 5 white people and one black guy then I would just say "the black guy" just as I would say the same if there were 5 black guys and 1 white.

I honestly couldn't care less if someone takes offence at something I say. If there is no malice intended then I will apologise for offending them and carry on. I have no different thoughts about people from other countries than I do my own other than they tend to be more interesting and different.

A racist is a racist whether they acknowledge this in the way they talk or not. Someone who isn't racist should be similarly judged.

 

[Deadbeat]

Clearly "There's a black over there" is worse than "There's a man with black skin over there"

I don't see it, myself. Again, completely dependent on context, but if you're just informing your companions of the presence of a black man, I don't see how either term is more offensive than the other - the fact you feel the need to highlight the presence of a black man is where the offence lies. Similarly, if you're directing attention at "Gary, you know, the black guy/guy with black skin who's standing over there", neither phrasing makes the clarification offensive, but the latter sounds a bit dumber.

Me, I've always used 'black'. Saying someone is coloured, from my perspective, is a much more offensive term. I remember a poster in my secondary school with a quote from Malcolm X, though it didn't actually say he was the source of the quote:

When I'm born I'm black, when I grow up I'm black, when I'm in the sun I'm black, when I'm sick I'm black, when I die I'm black, and you... when you're born you're pink, when you grow up you're white, when you're cold you're blue, when you're sick you're green, when you die you're grey and you dare call me coloured.

Or something to that effect.

 

[Destination]

This is a minefield for me. At work I often have to tell my colleagues to serve a customer or bring stock out to them, and describing someone very often comes down to me awkwardly guessing their nationality rather than trying to explain their ethnicity. My boss who is of an older generation simply tells me to go serve the "darkie" up at the front of the store. I'm pretty sure I can't use that word.

man in the red/blue/yellow jumper/teeshirt/coat should work.

 

[Castiel]

my wifes mother is half native american. As daft as it sounds my wifes grandmother used to live in a teepee in the garden, she didnt like living in a house. On her fathers side theres irish and english mixed in too.

Thats pretty much how it is with me, a Native American mother and a British father.

I spent some time on the reservation with her when I was a kid and they still had a few people living in Teepees and Wigwams, although they called them something different I can't recall what.

 

[Vonhelmet]

This is a minefield for me. At work I often have to tell my colleagues to serve a customer or bring stock out to them, and describing someone very often comes down to me awkwardly guessing their nationality rather than trying to explain their ethnicity. My boss who is of an older generation simply tells me to go serve the "darkie" up at the front of the store. I'm pretty sure I can't use that word.

As suggested, clothes will help, or just go for "The black man", "The Asian woman", "The Eastern European chap". Facts needn't be offensive.

Darkie? Hmmm...

 

[Dinomania]

what about "the black guy", same as you'd say "the ginger bloke" or " the girl with massive boobs"

Marginally different - at least they get to be 'guy', 'bloke' and 'girl' too. "The ginge" or "that chest over there" would be worse..!

"Theres a black over there" is obviously offensive as you are almost insinuating that its very strange, not entirely agreeable and in some ways it dehumanises them.

That's how I see it.

I don't see it, myself. [...] if you're directing attention at "Gary, you know, the black guy/guy with black skin who's standing over there", neither phrasing makes the clarification offensive, but the latter sounds a bit dumber.

No, I understand you and I agree - but you're saying "the black guy" not just "the black".

The way I see it, if you're just using it as an adjective, that's fine.
"That one's black, she's white, that lady is purple with yellow dots"

BUT if you're using it as a noun, implying that it's no longer a descriptor and becomes all of what that person is, I see that as offensive:
"Look at that chink, oi ginger!, see that ****** over there, what's that black doing here?"

I see the same with disabilities, i.e. a person has a disability. Or, the child has a condition. It's less nice to call them 'a cripple'.

So, personally, I like to see:
"The X person" (the black woman, the blonde man, the ginger child)
or
"The person with X" (the man with Down's Syndrome, the woman with brown hair, the child with a birthmark)

Rather than:
"A X" (a ******, a cripple, a black, a chink, a ginge)

Given the above, I suppose I object to people being called 'a blonde' or 'a brunette' too.

 

[Joshy]

non white Ethnic minority people are way too touchy at times... Since when are the Caucasian British offended when being called Brits.

Are you being serious here?

I can't get it through my head that someone would genuinely think that calling someone a "Negro" is in anyway comparable to calling someone a "Brit".

The problem is not necessarily the word itself, it is ALL about context.