Examples Of Official Or Cultural Uses Of The Referent "Colored" In The United States (from the 19th Century to the 1950s)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a three part pancocojams series on the referent "Colored" in the United States. 

This post lists and provides information about some official United States examples and some African American cultural examples that include the racial referent "colored" from the 19th century through the 1950s.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/03/the-history-and-uses-of-referent.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post presents a complete reprint of the Wikipedia page and an AI Overview about the referent "Colored" in the United States (retrieved March 16, 2026).

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/03/examples-of-some-cultural-uses-of.html for Part III of this pancocojams series. That post lists and presents information about some African American cultural examples that include the racial referent "Colored" in the United States in the 1960s to date (2026). 

The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, and educational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are showcased in this post and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/03/is-coloured-race-or-culture-in-southern.html for a 2026 pancocojams post entitled Is "Coloured" A Race or A Culture In Southern Africa? (YouTube Discussion Thread Comments From A 2025 The Pensuel Show Podcast)

Links to two other pancocojams posts about the history and uses of the referent "Coloured" in the nation of South Africa and in some other southern African nations are found in that post.. 

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EXAMPLES OF OFFICIAL OR CULTURAL USES OF THE REFERENT "COLORED" IN THE UNITED STATES (from the 19th century to rhe 1950s)

These examples are given in chronological order. Additions and corrections are welcome.

1858 - "The Colored Aristocracy of St. Louis" by Cyprian Clamorgan, book originally published in 1858)

From http://press.umsystem.edu/(S(hv5mgvi403quknfhxrggcqyr))/catalog/productinfo.aspx?id=446&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
"About the Book "The Colored Aristocracy of St. Louis" by Cyprian Clamorgan, Edited with an Introduction by Julie Winch (University of Missouri Press, 1999, originally published in 1858)

In 1858, Cyprian Clamorgan wrote a brief but immensely readable book entitled The Colored Aristocracy of St. Louis. The grandson of a white voyageur and a mulatto woman, he was himself a member of the "colored aristocracy." In a setting where the vast majority of African Americans were slaves, and where those who were free generally lived in abject poverty, Clamorgan's "aristocrats" were exceptional people. Wealthy, educated, and articulate, these men and women occupied a "middle ground." Their material advantages removed them from the mass of African Americans, but their race barred them from membership in white society.

"The Colored Aristocracy of St. Louis" is both a serious analysis of the social and legal disabilities under which African Americans of all classes labored and a settling of old scores. Somewhat malicious, Clamorgan enjoyed pointing out the foibles of his friends and enemies, but his book had a serious message as well. "He endeavored to convince white Americans that race was not an absolute, that the black community was not a monolith, that class, education, and especially wealth, should count for something."

Despite its fascinating insights into antebellum St. Louis, Clamorgan's book has been virtually ignored since its initial publication"...

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1863- The United States Colored Troops
from AI Overview
"The United States Colored Troops (USCT) were Union Army regiments primarily composed of African American soldiers during the American Civil War (1863–1865), with over 185,000 serving in infantry, cavalry, and artillery. Despite facing discrimination, including lower pay and being led by white officers, they were crucial to the Union victory.

[...]

Key details about the colored soldiers:

Establishment & Service: Founded in 1863, the USCT saw over 185,000 Black men, including formerly enslaved individuals, join the Union Army, with roughly 135 regiments of infantry and several cavalry/artillery units.

Discrimination & Equality Struggle: USCT soldiers were initially paid $10 per month (with $3 deducted for clothing) compared to $13 for white soldiers. They were barred from being officers, and if captured, faced higher risks of being returned to slavery or killed.

Combat Impact: Despite these challenges, they fought with distinction in major battles, including the Battle of Olustee and in Virginia, where 16 soldiers earned the Medal of Honor.

"The Colored Soldiers" Poem: Written in 1895 by Paul Laurence Dunbar, this poem honors the bravery of these men, highlighting their service to "Uncle Sam" and their role in cleaning the "blot of Slavery's shame".

[...]

The service of the USCT was instrumental in securing freedom, with President Lincoln noting that the war could not have been won without them."
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Here's more information about the United States Colored Troops from 
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/topics/united-states-colored-troops
"United States Colored Troops

The Role of African Americans in the U.S. Army [no publishing date given, retrieved March 16, 2026]

“United States Colored Troops (USCT) were the embodiment of Frederick Douglass’s belief that “he who would be free must himself strike the blow."  179,000 men – many who were former slaves – volunteered to fight in the Union army; nearly 37,000 gave their lives for the cause. With every engagement they fought in, the USCT time and again proved their mettle.   At Port Hudson in Louisiana, Fort Wagner in South Carolina, Spotsylvania, New Market Heights and Wilson's Wharf in Virginia, and elsewhere, USCT units displayed courage under fire and won glory on the field of battle.  By the end of the war, African-Americans accounted for 10 percent of the Union army. The USCT were a watershed in American history, and one of the first major strides toward equal civil rights.”…

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1895- Paul Laurence Dunbar, "The Colored Soldiers" (poem)

If the muse were mine to tempt it

And my feeble voice were strong,

If my tongue were trained to measures,

I would sing a stirring song.

I would sing a song heroic

Of those noble sons of Ham,

Of the gallant colored soldiers

Who fought for Uncle Sam!

 

In the early days you scorned them,

And with many a flip and flout,

Said "these battles are the white man's

And the whites will fight them out."

Up the hills you fought and faltered,

In the vales you strove and bled,

While your ears still heard the thunder

Of the foes' increasing tread.

 

Then distress fell on the nation

And the flag was drooping low;

Should the dust pollute your banner?

No! the nation shouted, No!

So when war, in savage triumph,

Spread abroad his funeral pall--

Then you called the colored soldiers,

And they answered to your call.

 

And like hounds unleashed and eager

For the life blood of the prey,

Sprung they forth and bore them bravely

In the thickest of the fray.

And where'er the fight was hottest,--

Where the bullets fastest fell,

 

There they pressed unblanched and fearless

At the very mouth of hell.

Ah, they rallied to the standard

To uphold it by their might,

None were stronger in the labors,

None were braver in the fight.

At Forts Donelson and Henry

On the plains of Olustee,

They were foremost in the fight

Of the battles of the free.

 

And at Pillow! God have mercy

On the deeds committed there,

And the souls of those poor victims

Sent to Thee without a prayer.

Let the fulness of thy pity

O'er the hot wrought spirits sway,

Of the gallant colored soldier

Who fell fighting on that day!

Yes, the Blacks enjoy their freedom,

And they won it dearly, too;

For the life blood of their thousands

Did the southern fields bedew.

In the darkness of their bondage,

In the depths of slavery's night;

Their muskets flashed the dawning

And they fought their way to light.

 

They were comrades then and brothers,

Are they more or less to-day?

They were good to stop a bullet

And to front the fearful fray.

They were citizens and soldiers,

When rebellion raised its head;

And the traits that made them worthy,--

Ah! those virtues are not dead.

They have shared your nightly vigils,

They have shared your daily toil;

And their blood with yours commingling

Has made rich the Southern soil.

They have slept and marched and suffered

'Neath the same dark skies as you,

They have met as fierce a foeman,

And have been as brave and true.

 

And their deeds shall find a record,

In the registry of Fame;

For their blood has cleansed completely

Every blot of Slavery's shame.

So all honor and all glory

To those noble Sons of Ham--

The gallant colored soldiers,

Who fought for Uncle Sam!

 

Published in Majors and Minors, 1895

An excerpt of this poem (just the first four stanzas) was also published in Colored American Magazine, December 1906.

An excerpt of this poem was also published in Colored American Magazine, August 1909"

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late 19th century/1900- "Colored Aristocracy" old time music  tune

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/08/colored-aristocracy-old-time-music-tune.html "Colored Aristocracy": The Old Time Music Tune & How It Got Its Name

Here's an excerpt from that 2014 pancocojams post:
This excerpt quotes content that is no longer available on  https://www.fiddlehangout.com/archive/43906 :
"This late 19th century or c. 1900 tune is more correctly categorized as a cakewalk (which suggests ragtime from its syncopated rhythms) rather than a fiddle tune ...

"The origin of the title remained obscure, although it was speculated that it derived from Reconstruction sentiments (or resentments) about the perceived attitude (either within or without the black community) of some African-Americans (i.e. that "Colored Aristocracy" was a gentrification of "Uppity N....r"). However, Peter Shenkin tracked the title to a piece of sheet music from a 1902 revue entitled "In Dahomey," which starred the famous African-American vaudeville duo Williams and Walker. The music (entitled "Leader of the Colored Aristocracy") is credited to Will Marion Cook, words by James Weldon Johnson (later of Harlem Renaissance fame), published by Tin-Pan-Alley composer Harry Von Tilzer.

Another "Colored Aristocracy" dates from 1899 credited to one Gus W. Bernard (published by the Groene Co.); it is listed as a "Cake-walk" on the cover. Neither the Bernard tune or the one published by Tilzer is the "Colored Aristocracy" played by modern fiddlers, however. Bob Buckingham reports that a fiddling preacher of his acquaintance named Buck Rife (originally from the Beckley WV area) calls the tune "Young Man Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn (The)" and gave that he had it as a youngster learning clawhammer banjo from an uncle."...

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This excerpt is reformatted to enhance its readability.

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1900- The Colored American Magazine
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Colored_American_Magazine
"The Colored American Magazine was the first monthly publication in the United States that covered African-American culture. It ran from May 1900 to November 1909 and had a peak circulation of 17,000.[1][2] The magazine was initially published out of Boston by the Colored Co-Operative Publishing Company, and from 1904 forward, by Moore Publishing and Printing Company in New York. The editorial staff included novelist Pauline Hopkins who was also the main writer.[1] In a 1904 hostile takeover involving Booker T. Washington, Fred Randolph Moore purchased the magazine and replaced Hopkins as editor.[3]"...

**
From https://coloredamerican.org/ "The Digital Colored American Magazine *
"From 1900 to 1909, during a period of intensifying racial violence and Black disfranchisement in the United States, the Colored American Magazine served a vital role in promoting the development of African American literature, protesting injustice, and contesting dominant representations of African American culture and history. Especially in its early years, the periodical—whose contributors included Pauline Hopkins, W. E. B. Du Bois, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Albreta Moore Smith, Ella Wheeler Wilcox, T. Thomas Fortune, J. Alexandre Skeete, William Stanley Braithwaite, Angelina Grimké, and Booker T. Washington—was committed to the development of Black literary culture through the publication of poetry, fiction, and book reviews. The Colored American also countered negative stereotypes through a rich body of Black portraiture as well as race biographies, news about successful middle-class African Americans, and accounts of overlooked episodes in Black history. Significantly, the magazine also foregrounded Black women’s issues in its early years. The advertising pages at the front and back of each issue furthered, in their own way, this project of reflecting and constructing an aspirational Black middle-class identity. The magazine crucially paved the way for more well-known magazines like the NAACP’s Crisis (founded 1910) and Ebony (founded 1945)."...

[...]

The Digital Colored American Magazine makes freely available full-color reproductions of unbound or bound but unstripped issues of this important periodical, with scholarly commentary on selected issues

**
1909- NAACP (National Association For The Advancement Of Colored People
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NAACP
"The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an American civil rights organization formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans...Its name, retained in accordance with tradition, uses the once common term colored people, referring to those with some African ancestry."

**
From AI Overview 
"The NAACP has retained its name primarily to honor its1909 founding history, legacy, and established brand recognition. While "colored" is now considered outdated, the organization maintains the name to respect its roots and because the acronym "NAACP" is globally recognized. It is viewed as a historical, rather than contemporary, term.

Key reasons for retaining the name include:

Historical Legacy: The NAACP was founded in 1909; the name reflects a crucial era in American civil rights history.

Brand Recognition: The NAACP is a globally recognized, established brand.

Respect for Founders: Retaining the name is seen as a way to honor the legacy of its founders, including W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida Bell Wells-Barnett, and Mary White O..

"Colored" meant something else: At the time of founding, "colored" was considered appropriate and polite, with some arguing the historical context makes it less offensive in this specific context.

While some critics argue that the term "colored" is outdated, as mentioned by a writer in the Tyler Morning Telegraph, others maintain that the name is a proud symbol of the organization's fight against discrimination, which started in a very different social context."
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This AI Overview writeup is a result of my March 16, 2026 Google question "Why hasn't the NAACP changed its name?

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1914- Colored People's Time (CP Time0 Saying
From AI Overview
"Colored People’s Time (CPT or CP Time) is a1900s-originated American expression, sometimes used as a light-hearted, self-deprecating joke within Black culture or as a stereotype by others, referring to the notion that African Americans frequently arrive late to events. It is often used to describe a relaxed or flexible approach to punctuality.

Usage Examples and Contexts

Humorous/Social Usage: It is often used jokingly to explain a later-than-scheduled arrival at a social gathering (e.g., "I'm running on CPT, I'll be there in 30 minutes" for a 7 PM party).

Cultural Reclamation: Some individuals use it to reclaim the narrative, turning a stereotype about being "clock-challenged" or lazy into a form of rebellion against strict, rigid scheduling or societal pressures.

Cultural Commentary: The term is sometimes invoked to describe a perceived, shared cultural relaxed attitude toward time.

Synonyms and Related Terms

CPT (abbreviation)

CP Time (abbreviation)

African Time (a related, wider term used in various African and diaspora cultures)

Black Time (a similar term)

Origins and Connotations

Origins: The phrase is believed to have first appeared around 1914 in The Chicago Defender, a prominent African American newspaper.

Stereotype: Historically, it has been used as a derogatory stereotype to label Black people as unreliable or lazy, rooted in narratives from the Antebellum South.

Cultural Interpretation: While sometimes considered offensive, it is also frequently used within Black culture to humorously describe their own social pacing"
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This write up is the result of my March 16, 2026 Google request for information about the saying "Colored people's time".  My experience is that this saying was used long after the referent "Colored" was changed in after the 1960s to "Black" and/or "African American", but I'm not sure if it is still used in the 2020s.

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1950- A general overview of the use of the referent "Colored" and"Colored People" in the United States during the 1950s 

AI Overview

"In the United States during the 1950s, the racial referent "colored" was extensively used, particularly in the South, to enforce segregation and mark social status under Jim Crow laws. It was a period where "colored" was transitioning from a semi-polite term used by white society to an increasingly overt marker of racial inferiority and separation.

Examples of the cultural use of "colored" in the 1950s include:

Segregation Signage: Physical signs displaying "Colored" or "Colored Only" were common, designating separate public facilities such as water fountains, restrooms, waiting rooms (bus, train, and doctor's offices), and service entrances.

Public Transportation: Segregated seating on buses and trains was strictly enforced, often marked with signs like "For Colored Patrons Only," as seen in photograph evidence from Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955.

Institutional Names: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), founded in 1909, was a prominent organization still using the term in its title during the 1950s.

Social & Legal Documents: It was commonly used in legal documents, birth certificates, and newspaper reports to categorize black citizens separately from white citizens.

Media and Advertising: Stereotypical illustrations in advertising and entertainment often portrayed Black people using the term, maintaining imagery linked to pre-Civil War, antebellum tropes.

Daily Language: The term was often used by white individuals as a formal, albeit restrictive, descriptor, such as "a colored gentleman," reflecting the paternalistic segregationist attitudes of the era.

By the late 1950s, particularly with the rise of the Civil Rights movement, the term began to be replaced by "Negro" and later "Black," as it was increasingly recognized as a derogatory reminder of institutionalized discrimination"
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This write- up is the result of my Google request for information about the use of the racial referent "Colored" in the United States during the 1950s.

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This concludes Part II of this three part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.