Racialized Identity and the Term ‘Black’

Abstract

In commonsense everyday language the term ‘black’1 is infused with negative connotations. Indeed, to have a black mark against one’s name, to be in a black mood or to be the black sheep of the family is synonymous with having undesirable qualities which prompt others to adopt strategies of exclusion and avoidance. It hardly seems necessary to include a reminder here that the meaning of the term ‘white’2 indicates its socially constructed opposition to black by generally signifying purity and innocence. Thus, to be whiter than white or to tell a white lie is analogous with having no malicious intent. This chapter examines the contemporary use of the term black to represent a collective racialized3 identity. It is concerned with its meaning in the specific politicized context of a black voluntary organization. The chapter begins by tracing briefly the history of the term in order to provide the background to its current usage. An historical overview is helpful in that it indicates how and why black has been systematically negatively racialized as well as revealing how it has been appropriated as a means of collective resistance.