On June 19, the Associated Press Stylebook \u2014 the grammar and stylistic standard for most journalists across the country \u2014 announced its decision to capitalize \u201cBlack\u201d when used in a racial, ethnic or cultural sense. This decision was long-awaited for many, and some style guides and newsrooms, such as the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), had already begun doing so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a June 30 Poynter article, Kristen Hare wrote of numerous journalists who celebrated AP Style\u2019s update, which would ultimately influence many mainstream newsrooms \u201cto acknowledge Blackness as a culture and identity worthy of a proper noun.\u201d Hare cited articles and journalists as early as 1999 who advocated for capitalizing the \u201cB\u201d but knew the change most likely wouldn\u2019t surface for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTo me, it\u2019s an issue of respect, fairness, equality and parity. When we use a lowercase letter it makes the word less visible, less prominent and maybe less important. It\u2019s the diminutive form. My name is written with an uppercase \u2018A\u2019 and \u2018C\u2019 for \u2018Aly Col\u00f3n.\u2019 I consider that a sign of respect,\u201d journalist Aly Col\u00f3n told Poynter\u2019s editor in 2003.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After countless behind-the-scenes and meaningful discussions to move toward stylistic and syntactic justice, AP Style chose to implement the capital \u201cB\u201d on Juneteenth of 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This decision to capitalize \u201cBlack\u201d quickly raised the question of whether or not to capitalize \u201cWhite.\u201d Proponents to capitalize it claimed that it made grammatical sense to capitalize both; it demonstrates consistency and leaves less room for confusion. Additionally, some argued that not capitalizing \u201cWhite\u201d would make it appear as the default, which should not be the case. However, many opponents to capital \u201cW\u201d said that, unlike Black culture, there is less of a shared culture and history among White Americans. Also, throughout history, many white supremacists have capitalized the \u201cW,\u201d and requiring journalists to follow this same style seemed wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My initial thinking aligned with AP Style\u2019s decision: capitalize \u201cBlack,\u201d out of respect and recognition of a resilient and shared culture, and leave \u201cWhite\u201d lowercase, not drawing any more attention to it. However, a Washington Post opinion, \u201cWhy \u2018White\u2019 should be capitalized, too,\u201d by Nell Irvin Painter changed my perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Painter explained that to leave \u201cWhite\u201d lowercase affirms how many White Americans have viewed themselves throughout history: an unraced identity. This is a problem because when White people do not acknowledge their role in racial injustice throughout time, it makes it nearly impossible to change the system. Painter said that a capitalized \u201cWhite\u201d challenges the freedom of a raceless identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo longer should White people be allowed the comfort of this racial invisibility; they should have to see themselves as raced. Being racialized makes White people squirm, so let\u2019s racialize them with that capital \u2018W,\u2019\u201d Painter said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At first, capitalizing \u201cWhite\u201d did make me uncomfortable, and, if I\u2019m being completely honest, it still does. I think it is hard for White people \u2014 myself included \u2014 to own up to our privilege and the damage our race has done throughout history. Even if we have not intentionally perpetuated racism, we still reap the benefits of a White-centric society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, with these ideas in mind and in accordance with NABJ, The Bison has chosen to deviate from AP Style for this matter and capitalize both \u201cBlack\u201d and \u201cWhite\u201d (unless referring to white supremacists or nationalists or white privilege), and any other race, for this school year\u2019s style guide. While we want to always leave room for growth and individual preferences, this is the standard we are setting for this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let the capital \u201cW\u201d serve as a reminder that our language and words hold tremendous power: We can no longer be a raceless and unaffected personhood, but instead we must realize the role we have to play in repentance and restoration.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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