I have seen several examples recently in the newspaper of the word “Black” being capitalized when referring to people of color. However, in the same paragraph, the word “white” is not capitalized. I was always taught to capitalize proper nouns/adjectives such as “American” or “Asian” or “African,” but not common nouns/adjectives like colors. So why is the word “Black” capitalized when other colors are not?

The Associated Press — of which the American Press is a member and therefore abides by its style guide for writing — changed its usage rules last June to capitalize the word “Black” when used in the context of race and culture. Initially the AP said its reasoning for not capitalizing white was because Caucasian is the formal term and it is already capitalized.

A month later, the Associated Press sent out a detailed message to its staff about why it would not be capitalizing the word “white,” claiming white people in general have much less shared history and culture, and don’t have the experience of being discriminated against because of skin color.

CNN, Fox News and The San Diego Union-Tribune said they will give white the uppercase, noting it was consistent with Black, Asian, Latino and other ethnic groups.

The National Association of Black Journalists has said white should be capitalized, too.

Columbia Journalism Review, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, NBC News and Chicago Tribune are among the organizations that have said they would capitalize Black but not white.

CBS News said it would capitalize white, although not when referring to white supremacists, white nationalists or white privilege.

“We agree that white people’s skin color plays into systemic inequalities and injustices, and we want our journalism to robustly explore these problems,” John Daniszewski, the AP’s vice president for standards, said in the memo to staff. “But capitalizing the term white, as is done by white supremacists, risks subtly conveying legitimacy to such beliefs.”

Daniszewski said the AP “will closely watch how usage and thought evolves, and will periodically review our decision.”

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Informer is written by Crystal Stevenson, American Press executive editor. To ask a question, call 494-4098 and leave voice mail, or email informer@americanpress.com.