Black people.

[styley]

When did this description arise when referring to people? Was it simply used as opposite to white(people) or another reason? And finally, why not say brown as that is more specific to the actual skin colour of said people?

[Teddio]

How many "white" people are actually white? Queen Elizabeth I springs to mind but she was powder-assisted!

[BBWCHATT]

My sisters and I are the whitest white people I know. One of my sister's husband says she glows in the dark:)


BBWCHATT
The old lady in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA

[styley]

wizard, I've not seen a person with black skin, as in black. Tis brown. Doesn't matter.

[Octavius]

The concept is not so much about skin colour or tone but encapsulates culture and behaviour.

[styley]

I wonder did white people call themselves white before they met black people.

[ruby27]

In the 50's 60's as part of the Civil Rights movement in N America. It had been used as a derogatory term but it was 'reclaimed' to describe people of African/Caribbean descent. As part of this movement and growing awareness terms such as black power and black is beautiful were used to help re-frame the terms and the experience of black and white people
Before this white people didn't refer to themselves as white, white was the 'norm' others were identified as different and therefore by colour amongst other labels.
Now the term black is often considered as a political statement of the experience of racism. So Asian and dual heritage people will often choose to use black to define themselves to make connection with others and the position of being an oppressed group.

There have been other attempts to reclaim language such as queer and c.u.n.t but none have been so sucessful as black

[Panic Button]

I'm not white, just a sort of pinky peachy colour, though with rosy red cheeks when I'm hot.

Is there a check on skin colour when someone in the Police wants to join the Black Policemans Association? The new top guy in that could hardly claim his skin is anywhere near black.

[ronnieB]

A mate of mines Nigerian and ebony black, others are brown so maybe depends where they come from I hate the world coloured,could be anything from pink to blue.

[society]

I seen people with skin colour so dark they looked burnt black, and some others navy blue. I am not kidding.

[Dassie]

As far as I know it stems from a general description.

Your have your "base" colours of "White" and "Black", followed by "Coloured" which refers to people of mixed white and black race.