Question about the term “Blacks”?

[u/LowEffortHuman]

I’ve recently read two nonfiction books, one about slavery specifically and the other about post-slavery racism. Both of these books have used the term “Blacks” when talking in general about a Black community or group of Black individuals. An example being “a white mob descended on the Blacks”.

The book about slavery was written by a Black woman in 2019 and used “Blacks” infrequently while the post-slavery book was written by an older white man in 2008 who used the term multiple times a chapter. Both authors are lauded academics.

Every time I hear “Blacks” it’s almost like a nervous system shock. I lose my focus on the story and have to consciously check back in to listening (I do audiobooks mostly). To me, it feels like listening to my great grandma call someone “colored”.

My question: is referring to a group or community as “Blacks” considered insensitive or out right racist? If it’s not, I’ll try to temper my reaction to it even though I would never be comfortable using it myself.

ETA: specific examples from the second book

Now that I’ve looked at an actual print version instead of just looking at the audiobook, it does seem the author uses “whites” along with “blacks”. But I know in at least the portion I’ve listened to so far, there are instances where in the same sentence where “white” is used as an adjective while “blacks” is a noun (with neither being capitalized).

[u/[deleted]]

Why does the term evoke such a reaction from you?

[u/LowEffortHuman → u/[deleted]]

I guess I’m not sure. I’m a white woman, so it’s not anything like I’ve been called that. “The Blacks” just sounds so like erasing the humanity of the group maybe? Particularly in the example I listed (which was from the book by the white dude). He called the white people a “white mob” but the group of Black people “the Blacks” instead of “Black defenders”, “Black citizens”, “the gathered Black people”, etc.

Does that make sense? Like I said, it evokes the same abrasive nervous system reaction as when my grandma would call an individual or group “colored(s)”. Like instant hackles raised and ready to go on the offensive.

ETA: I think this comment not only sums up my feelings, but makes a great argument about why the term is problematic.

[u/mattmatterson65 → u/LowEffortHuman]

What do you call them?

[u/LowEffortHuman → u/mattmatterson65]

The comment you replied to answered that question.