(Thumbnail image: US Census Bureau)

Black, African-American or -- Negro?

That is the question that the 2010 Census is asking, and it’s a question that has created a lot of controversy.

Census counting gets underway this week. Many in the media have been questioning how to differentiate between the three choices, and asking is the word “negro” still necessary?

We’ve got insight from KOB-TV, The Chattanooga Times Free Press, The Glenn Beck Program, and The New York Times.

On New Mexico’s NBC affiliate, Republican state representative Jane Powdrell-Culbert says that although people today consider the word “negro” to be degrading, in the past, the word was meant to be consolation against a flurry of other negative terms.

 “I think prior to the ‘60s, you have a generation of African-Americans who preferred negro, because negro is certainly better than being called colored.”

But on that same broadcast, University of New Mexico assistant professor Kadeshia Matthews says the word conjures up memories of a very negative time in America’s history.

“Younger people are, first of all, used to being called either black or African-American, that’s a choice that they make. And the word Negro has negative connotations for many of them because of the activity that happened during the ‘60s and the Civil Rights and especially the more militant black power movement, Negro came to be associated with a certain kind of complacency or servility and unwillingness to fight for your rights.”

In an audio interview with The Chattanooga Times Free Press, Dr. Bernie Miller, chairman of the U.S. Census Bureau’s African-American Advisory Committee, says the word resembles another closely related, derogatory term.

“To me, it represents negative connotations. It’s so closely related to the word that I dare not utter, and I don’t think it really defines the multi-ethnic race that we are.”

But some are even questioning the validity of the term African-American. Conservative political commentator Glenn Beck discredited the racial term on his radio show.

“African-American is a bogus, PC, made-up term. I mean, that’s not a race. Your ancestry is from Africa, and now you live in America. Okay, so you were brought over.  Either your family was brought over through the slave trade, or you were born here and your family immigrated here, or whatever. But that is not a race.”

So why is the term Negro still on the census?  Census Director Robert Groves tells The New York Times that research done in the ‘90s showed that more than 50,000 Americans identified themselves as Negro. So, the decision was made to keep the terminology.

“What’s happened for some people, that word is offensive. That word evokes memories that are not pleasant. And I apologize to those who were offended on behalf of my colleagues and the only thing I can say to rebut it is, the intent was not that offense, the intent was to make sure everybody could find themselves with the words there and check the box that fit.”

Do you think that the word Negro is still necessary? Is it more about inclusion or confusion?

Writer: Victoria Uwumarogie

Producer: Charlie McKeague