The term "color" usually
refers only to skin color or pigmentation.
The term "race" usually refers to both physical characteristics
and ethnological classifications. Physical characteristics sometimes
associated with "race" include facial features, hair
texture, and skin color. Ethnological classifications sometimes
associated with "race" include Oriental, Negroid, Caucasian,
Mongoloid, African, European, Jewish, Asian, Polynesian, and Native
American; many people find some of these terms outdated or offensive.
NC State uses the following to define racial categories:
- White
(not of Hispanic origin): Having origins in any of the original
peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East.
- Black
(not of Hispanic origin): Having origins in any of the black
racial groups of Africa.
- Asian
or Pacific Islander: Having origins in any of the peoples
of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent
or the Pacific Islands. This includes, for example, Taiwan,
China, Japan,
Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa.
- Hispanic:
Those of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American,
or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless
of race.
- American
Indian or Alaskan Native: Having origins in any of the original
peoples of North America and who maintain cultural
identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition.
The terms "race" and "color" are sometimes
used interchangeably, and discrimination based on "color" can
occur in conjunction with discrimination based on "race." However,
discrimination based on "color" can occur absent discrimination
based on "race." Likewise, discrimination can occur (and
can be grieved) based on "race" absent discrimination
of "color."
One should
avoid assuming another person's "race" or "color." For
example, some Hispanics are light-skinned while others may have
darker skin.
