to be made here. In my experience, you are completely right that certain people prefer the term “black” and others prefer “African American”. But I have never in my life heard a person of color use the term “blacks”, and I have met many who have extremely negative reactions to it. I’m not sure if this is what Texas Hammer was getting at, but to my understanding there is a significant difference between saying “there are way more black people here than I’m used to seeing” and “there are way more blacks here than I’m used to seeing”. While saying either one is dicey, the latter is much more likely to offend than the former. I noticed you were using them interchangeably, so I thought I’d chime in with my understanding.

Language is hard, especially in areas like this where there are so many rules that seem arbitrary. I’ve put my foot in my mouth more than a few times, and I’ve learned that it can make a big difference to help people feel respected and valued.