Race Relations Vocabulary

noun a person who is of African descent and has dark skin

adjective describing the man as having dark skin color

• The black man was a prominent figure in the civil rights movement.
• I saw a black man walking down the street earlier.
• Yo, that black man has some serious style!
• The black man symbolized resilience and strength in the face of adversity.

noun a derogatory term used to refer to a white person, especially in Native American contexts

• The term 'paleface' is considered derogatory and should not be used in formal settings.
• I heard someone refer to a fair-skinned person as a paleface the other day.
• Hey paleface, you need some sunscreen for that skin tone?
• In the wild west movies, the cowboys often referred to the settlers as palefaces.

verb to explain or comment on something in a condescending or patronizing manner, typically by a white person to a person of color, based on the assumption that the white person knows better

• It is important to recognize and address instances of whitesplaining in academic discussions.
• Stop whitesplaining to me about my own culture, I know what I'm talking about.
• She was tired of him constantly whitesplaining everything to her.
• The politician's attempt to whitesplain the issue only served to further alienate minority voters.