people-of-color

The term "people of color" is a collective identifier used to describe individuals who are not considered white, including Black, Asian, Indigenous, Latino/a/x, and multiracial people. Historically, the phrase appears in records from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, notably as "free people of color" (gens de couleur libres) in reference to mixed-race populations in New Orleans and the French Caribbean. In its modern usage, which gained prominence in the late 1970s and 1980s, it was reclaimed as a political identity designed to replace terms like "minority" or "non-white." Proponents argued that "minority" was statistically inaccurate globally and psychologically diminishing, while "non-white" defined populations solely by what they lacked.

Perspectives on the term are complex and evolving. Those who favor it appreciate the use of "people-first" language, which centers humanity over racial classification, and the term's ability to foster solidarity among different racialized groups facing systemic white supremacy. However, the term faces criticism from multiple angles. Some argue that it homogenizes distinct cultures and histories, flattening the unique severity of anti-Blackness or Indigenous erasure under a generic umbrella. Others feel it has become a corporate buzzword or a euphemism that allows speakers to avoid naming specific races. Additionally, some individuals categorized as people of color do not personally identify with the label, preferring specific national or ethnic descriptors.

Example:
"The university has launched a new initiative to recruit and retain faculty who identify as people of color."

Example:
"Critics argue that using 'people of color' in that context obscured the specific harm done to the Black community involved."