This is Part III of a three part pancocojams series on the referent "Colored" in the United States.
This 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).
This post lists and presents information about some cultural uses of the racial referent "Colored" in the United States from the mid 20th century to 2026.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/03/examples-of-official-or-cultural-uses.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That 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.
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. -snip- 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..
**** EXAMPLES OF SOME CULTURAL USES OF THE REFERENT "COLORED" IN THE UNITED STATES (from the 1960S TO THE 2020s)
These examples are given in chronological order. Additions and corrections are welcome.
"for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf is a 1976 work by Ntozake Shange. It consists of a series of poetic monologues to be accompanied by dance movements and music, a form which Shange coined the word choreopoem to describe.[5] It tells the stories of seven women who have suffered oppression in a racist and sexist society.[6]
As a choreopoem, the piece is a series of 20 separate poems choreographed to music that weaves interconnected stories of love, empowerment, struggle and loss into a complex representation of sisterhood. The cast consists of seven nameless African-American women only identified by the colors they are assigned. They are the lady in red, lady in orange, lady in yellow, lady in green, lady in blue, lady in brown, and lady in purple. Subjects including rape, abandonment, abortion and domestic violence are tackled.[6] Shange originally wrote the monologues as separate poems in 1974. Her writing style is idiosyncratic and she often uses vernacular language, unique structure, and unorthodox punctuation to emphasize syncopation. Shange wanted to write for colored girls... in a way that mimicked how real women speak so she could draw her readers' focus to the experience of reading and listening.[7]
[...]
Title
for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf is inspired by events in Shange's life. Shange admitted publicly to having attempted suicide on four occasions, at different times in her life, as early as her undergraduate years. In a phone interview conducted with CNN, she explained how she came to the title of her choreopoem: "I was driving the No. 1 Highway in northern California and I was overcome by the appearance of two parallel rainbows. I had a feeling of near death or near catastrophe. Then I drove through the rainbow and I went away. Then I put that together to form the title."[10] The colors of the rainbow then became the essence of the women in the choreopoem, named only their color pseudonyms.
Shange also explains that she chose to use the word "colored" in the title of her choreopoem so that her grandmother would be able to understand it.[7]"...
**** 1970s-1990s- Racialized examples of "I Like Coffee I Like Tea" ("Down Down Baby" Children's recreation rhymes
Here are two examples of those hand clap rhymes and my editor's notes: 1. Down, down baby Down, down the roller coaster Sweet, sweet baby I'll never let you go Chimey chimey cocoa pop Chimey, chimey pow Chimey, chimey cocoa pop Chimey, chimey pop I like coffee, I like tea I like a colored boy and he likes me So lets here the rhythm of the hands, (clap, clap) 2x Let hear the rhythm of the feet (stomp, stomp) 2x Let's hear the rhythm of the head (ding dong) 2x Let's hear the rhythm of the hot dog Let's hear the rhythm of the hot dog Put em all together and what do you get (Clap clap, stomp stomp), ding dong, hot Dog! -Yasmin Hernadez; 2004; memories of New York City (Latinx/ African American neighborhood in the 1980s; cocojams.com [cocojams was the name of my cultural website that was active from 2001 to 2014).
** 2. "I learned Version of Down Down Baby in virginia in the 90's
Down down baby, down by the rollercoaster Sweet sweet baby, mama never let you go Shimmy shimmy coca pop, shimmy shimmy pow!
I like coffee, I like tea, I like a color boy and he likes me So step back white boy, you don't shine I'll get the color boy to beat yo' behind
Let get the rhythm of the hands (clap, clap) We've got the rhythm of the hands (clap, clap)
Let's get the rhythm of the feet (stomp,stomp) We've got the rhythm of the feet (stomp, stomp
Lets get the rhythm of the head DING-DONG
(move head side to side)
We've got the rhythm of the head DING-DONG (move head side to side)
Let's get the rhythm of the HOT-DOG
(move body around)
We've got the of the HOT-DOG
(move body around)
Put all together and and what do you get.... clap, clap, stomp, stomp, ding-dong, hot-dog
Say them all backwards and what do you get....
hot-dog, ding-dong, stomp, stomp, clap, clap! -GUEST,Down Down baby, 30May 07, https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=63097 , Folklore: Do kids still do clapping rhymes? -snip- "Color" is a folk processed form of the racial referent "Colored"
Notes About The Racialized "I Like Coffee I Like Tea" Hand Clap Rhymes by Azizi Powell, 2007 "Racialized rhymes" is my term for children's recreational rhymes that include racial referents when earlier versions of those rhymes didn't include any racial referents.
"Colored" is a referent for Black Americans that was retired at least by the 1970s and replaced by "Black" and/or "African American".The referent "Negro" was also retired for that same population and the referent "Afro-American" was used for a short time before it was replaced with "African American".
It's interesting that the no longer used referent "Colored" lives on in some examples of these racialized recreational rhymes from the 1980s and 1990s (and later?).
The early 1970s or mid 1970s" are the earliest dates that I've come across for these types of racialized "I Like Coffee I Like Tea" rhymes. That date come from an anonymous Guest who posted on Oct. 9. 2010 to a 2007 Mudcat discussion thread that I started entitled Down Down Baby-Race in Children's Rhymes: https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=100653
That commenter wrote "Thank you so much for posting this!!! I went to an all black elementary school in Norfolk, VA in the early to mid 70's and we used the variation you described (shown below).
[quoting me] "The confrontational action in these verses follows a consistent pattern. First, these rhymes are almost always given from a female perspective {which makes sense since the person or persons reciting these rhymes are usually girls}. Secondly, in the rhyme, a Black {or "Colored"} girl rejects the advances of a White boy. Thirdly, the girl tells the White boy that she "likes a Black boy and he likes me". And fourthly {if there is such a word}, the girl threatens to get a Black {or "Colored"} boy to "beat his {the White boy's} behind"... -snip- That Guest also quotes me as saying that I hadn't come across any examples of this rhyme in which White people begin the confrontation (i.e "I like a White boy and he likes me, so step back Black boy etc.). However, since I wrote that comment in 2010 I have come across some examples like that (as given in #2 and #5 immediately below and as featured in this pancocojams post: https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/03/racialized-versions-of-i-like-coffee-i.html
That said, the "I like a black boy and he likes me" examples that I've come across appear to be much more widely chanted than any other "I like a [racial referent] boy and he likes me" version of these rhymes.
....Perhaps the changes in these rhymes [ i.e. the addition of racial referents] came about when schools were just being integrated. As such, the aggression and reference to race in these rhymes reflect the difficulties associated with those particular times. Perhaps times have changed and the interracial relations between students of different races have improved. Maybe the words to these rhymes have become so familiar and so ingrained that no changes have been made, or any changes that were suggested did not 'stick'."...
****
1987-1990 - "Art, Untitled: A Close Look at "Untitled (Colored People Grid)" by Carrie Mae Weems
Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, Mar 18, 2021
...In this video Student Educator Lingran Zhang explores how the title of "Untitled (Colored People Grid)" by Carrie Mae Weems relates to the meaning of the artwork.
"In a coming-of-age story as enchantingly vivid and ribald as anything Mark Twain or Zora Neale Hurston, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., recounts his childhood in the mill town of Piedmont, West Virginia, in the 1950s and 1960s and ushers readers into a gossip, of lye-and-mashed-potato “processes,” and of slyly stubborn resistance to the indignities of segregation.
A winner of the Chicago Tribune’s Heartland Award and the Lillian Smith Prize, Colored People is a pungent and poignant masterpiece of recollection, a work that extends and deepens our sense of African American history even as it entrances us with its bravura storytelling"
**** 2022 - for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf | 2022 Tony Award Nominee
The Tony Awards, May 28, 2022
Black girl magic is reborn on Broadway in this fearlessly new, fiercely now reinvention of Ntozake Shange's iconic work. In this celebration of the power of Black womanhood, seven women share their stories and find strength in each other's humor and passion through a fusion of poetry, dance, music, and song that explodes off the stage and resonates with all.
**** This concludes Part III of this pancocojams series.
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.
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. -snip- 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..
**** 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)
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"...
** 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." -snip- 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.”…
** 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"
** late 19th century/1900- "Colored Aristocracy" old time music tune
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."...
-snip- This excerpt is reformatted to enhance its readability.
** 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." -snip- This AI Overview writeup is a result of my March 16, 2026 Google question "Why hasn't the NAACP changed its name?
**** 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" -snip- 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.
****
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" -snip- 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.
**** This concludes Part II of this three part pancocojams series.
This is Part I of a three part pancocojams series on the referent "Colored" in the United States.
This post presents a complete reprint of the Wikipedia page about the referent "Colored" in the United States (retrieved March 16, 2026).
This post also presents a complete reprint of an AI Overview write up about the history of the referent "Colored" in the United States. (This is the write-up that is the result of my March 16, 2026 Google request for information about that history).
The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, and educational purposes.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/03/examples-of-official-or-cultural-uses.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That 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.
Thanks to all those who are showcased in this post and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. -snip- 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..
**** THE WIKIPEDIA PAGE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE REFERENT "COLORED" IN THE UNITED STATES
[Retrieved March 16, 2026.This is the complete reprint of this page as is except for the "see also list" and the references list].
Complete Reprint:
"This article is about the term used mostly in the United
States and United Kingdom. For the term used for an ethnic group in Southern
Africa, see Coloureds. For other uses, see Color (disambiguation).
Colored (or coloured) is a racial descriptor historically
used in the United States during the Jim Crow era to refer to an African
American. In many places, it may be considered a slur.[1]
Dictionary definitions
The word colored (Middle English icoloured)[dubious –
discuss] was first used in the 14th century but with a meaning other than race
or ethnicity.[2][3] The earliest uses of the term to denote a member of
dark-skinned groups of peoples occurred in the second part of the 18th century
in reference to South America. According to the Oxford English Dictionary,
"colored" was first used in this context in 1758 to translate the
Spanish term mujeres de color ('colored women') in Antonio de Ulloa's A
voyage to South America.[3]
The term came in use in the United States during the early
19th century, and it then was adopted by emancipated slaves as a term of racial
pride after the end of the American Civil War until it was replaced as a
self-designation by Black or African-American during the second part of the
20th century. Due to its use in the Jim Crow era to designate items or places
restricted to African Americans, the word colored is now usually considered to
be offensive.[3]
The term has historically had multiple connotations. In
British usage, the term refers to "a person who is wholly or partly of
non-white descent," and its use is generally regarded as antiquated or
offensive.[4][5] Other terms are preferable, particularly when referring to a
single ethnicity.
United States
[photo caption] Photograph by Russell Lee showing historical use of the term in the US in contrast with "white". Besides the big signs, the water cooler itself is labelled with a sign reading "colored".
[photograph description] Dilapidated hotel sign, Route 80, Statesboro, Georgia. The
picture was taken in 1979, after the end of segregation.
In the United States, colored was the predominant and
preferred term for African Americans in the mid- to late nineteenth century in
part because it was accepted by both white and black Americans as more
inclusive, covering those of mixed-race ancestry (and, less commonly, Asian
Americans and other racial minorities), as well as those who were considered to
have "complete Black ancestry".[6] They did not think of themselves
as or accept the label African, did not want whites pressuring them to relocate
to a colony in Africa, and said they were no more African than white Americans
were European. In place of "African" they preferred the term colored,
or the more learned and precise Negro.[7] However, the term Negro later fell
from favor following the Civil Rights Movement as it was seen as imposed upon
the community it described by white people during slavery, and carried
connotations of subservience. The term black was preferred during the 1960s by
the Black Power movement, as well as radical black nationalists (the Black
Muslims and the Black Panthers), pan-Africanists (Stokely Carmichael, leader of
the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) and political progressives.
"Negro" was still favored as self-descriptive racial term over
"black" by a plurality in the late 1960s; however, by the late 1970s
and early 1980s, "black" was strongly favored.[6]
NPR reported that the "use of the phrase 'colored
people' peaked in books published in 1970."[8] However, some individuals
have more recently called for a revival of "African American", or
"Afro-American", so as to remove attention to skin color.[9]
"Colored people lived in three neighborhoods that were clearly demarcated,
as if by ropes or turnstiles", wrote Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates
Jr. about growing up in segregated West Virginia in the 1960s. "Welcome to
the Colored Zone, a large stretched banner could have said .... Of course, the
colored world was not so much a neighborhood as a condition of
existence."[10] "For most of my childhood, we couldn't eat in
restaurants or sleep in hotels, we couldn't use certain bathrooms or try on clothes
in stores", recalls Gates. His mother retaliated by not buying clothes
that she was not allowed to try on. He remembered hearing a white man
deliberately calling his father by the wrong name: "'He knows my name,
boy,' my father said after a long pause. 'He calls all colored people
George.'" When Gates's cousin became the first black cheerleader at the
local high school, she was not allowed to sit with the team and drink Coke from
a glass, but had to stand at the counter drinking from a paper cup.[10] Gates also
wrote about his experiences in his 1995 book, Colored People: A Memoir.[11]
Census terms in the United States
In 1851, an article in The New York Times referred to the
"colored population".[12][full citation needed] In 1863, the War
Department established the Bureau of Colored Troops.
The first 12 United States Census counts counted
"colored" people, who totaled nine million in 1900. The censuses of
1910–1960 counted "negroes".
Term in NAACP
The term is still used in the name of the National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People, although it is generally
referred to as the NAACP.[4] In 2008, its communications director Carla Sims
said "the term 'colored' is not derogatory, [the NAACP] chose the word
'colored' because it was the most positive description commonly used [in 1909,
when the association was founded]. It's outdated and antiquated but not
offensive."[13] However, NAACP today rarely uses its full name and made this
decision not long after the United Negro College Fund switched to using just
UNCF or United Fund."
**** AI OVERVIEW WRITE-UP ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE REFERENT "COLORED" IN THE UNITED STATES
AI Overview
"Colored" was adopted by emancipated Black
Americans after the Civil War (post-1865) as a term of pride, replacing older,
forced identifiers. It was the dominant self-designation in the 19th and early
20th centuries—seen in organizations like the NAACP—but was replaced by
"Black" and "African American" in the 1960s, becoming
recognized as offensive.
Key Historical Shifts:
Post-Civil War (1865-1900): Freed people adopted
"colored" as a marker of identity and independence, distinguishing
themselves from the era of enslavement.
19th Century Usage: It was commonly used in the U.S. to
describe people who were not white, often including those with mixed African
and European ancestry.
Organizations: The term was formalized in the names of early
20th-century organizations, such as the National Association of Colored Women's
Clubs (1896) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP, 1909).
Segregation Era: During the Jim Crow era,
"colored" became the standard label imposed by white society for
segregated facilities.
1960s Decline: The term was largely abandoned and replaced
in the 1960s by "Black" and later "African American" as the
Civil Rights movement favored more assertive terms.
Difference from "People of Color"
While "colored" was often used in the
19th century to represent a collective, non-white identity, its direct
association with racial segregation has made it a derogatory term today. In
contrast, the phrase "people of color" has been adopted in modern
times (and used as far back as 1796) as a term of solidarity to describe a
variety of people who do not identify as white -snip- Click https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Crow_laws for a Wikipedia page about "Jim Crow laws." Here's the first part of that page [as of March 16, 2026] "The Jim Crow laws were a number of laws requiring racial
segregation in the Southern United States. These laws were enforced in
different states between 1877 and 1965. Jim Crow laws provided a systematic
legal basis for segregating and discriminating against African Americans and
sometimes Native Americans. The laws first appeared after the American Civil
War and the Reconstruction Era and were enforced until the mid-20th century.
They were about segregating black or non-white and white people in all public
buildings."...
**** This concludes Part I of this three part pancocojams series.
Tyla Speaks On Breaking In America, Dance Inspiration, Kai
Cenat + More
Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM, Jun 13, 2024 ]
" The Breakfast Club features celebrity interviews, Jess
Hilarious' "Jess With The Mess", Charlamagne tha God’s "Donkey
of the Day", DJ Envy’s mixes and so much more! Every guest visiting the
world’s most dangerous morning show is grilled with their signature blend of
honesty and humor. The results are the best interviews to be found on radio.
AI-generated video summary:
Tyla joins The Breakfast Club for a candid conversation
about breaking into the American music scene. The interview delves into their
musical journey, influences, and navigating the challenges of international
stardom. Expect insightful discussion on the South African music scene and
cultural identity."
**** Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of South African singer Tyla's July 2024 interview on The Breakfsst Club radio show.
This post also showcases a YouTube video of one of The Breakfast Club hosts (Jess Hilarious) commenting that following day on the clip of that interview that went viral- when Charlamagne tha God asked Tyla to explain the meaning of her Coloured identity in South Africa and Tyla's manager interjected that Tyla wouldn't answer that question. The auto-generated transcript of that particular clip of that video is included in this post along with Jess Hilarious' comments about that clip and its aftermath.
In addition, this pancocojams post presents some comments from two discussion threads about Tyla's Breakfast Club interview with a focus on the question that Charlamagne tha God asked about Tyla's identity as a South African Coloured.
The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes.
Tyla is mentioned in several different comments that are included in those pancocojams posts.
**** PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE #1- THIS POST FOCUSES ON TYLA NOT ANSWERING THE QUESTION ON THE BREAKFAST CLUB SHOW SBOUT HER COLOURED IDENTITY On March 12, 2026 I published a pancocojams post on the subject of Tyla's July 2024 Breakfast Club interview, but inadvertently deleted it.
This post contains some of the same content and some different content from that was originally published pancocojams post. As is the case with this post, the original pancocojams post focused on Tyla not answering the question that Charlamagne tha god asked her about her Coloured identity as well as various YouTube discussion thread commenters' responses to the subject of South African Coloured identity.
However, prior to publishing another pancocojams post on that subject, I published a two part series whose links are given above about South Africans' comments about being identified as Coloured and/or whether "Coloured" is a race or a culture. I believe that in oder to better understand that subject it's important for people who aren't from southern Africa to read, hear, and learn about southern Africans r experiences, perspectives, and opinions regarding the Coloured referent as it has been used in their nations.
**** PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE #2 Some YouTube commenters who are quoted in this pancocojams post indicate or allude to Tyla's not answering the breakfast club question about her Coloured South African identity was an example of or (further) "proof" that she "rejects her blackness" or she doesn't not fully "acknowledge" her blackness". And as a result of those beliefs, these YouTube comments and many other YouTube comments suggest that a number of Black Americans believe that that Breakfast Club interview damaged Tyla's stardom and are happy about as they no longer care about that singer.
This pancocjams josts doesn't explore other possible reasons that have been cited or alluded to about why some Black Americans may be "hating on" Tyla. Two of those reasons are
1.that Tyla is a tether (a Black person who emigrated to the United States and profits from the struggles and accomplishments of native born Black people who have at least one ancestor who was enslaved in the United Sates
This position appears to be particularly held by many if not all the Black Americans who identify themselves as "FBA" (Foundational Black Americans) or who otherwise expose FBA positions.
2. that Tyla is a singer who is an"industry plant" ("factory plant"), meaning an artist who suddenly rises to fame and receives awards over more deserving artists because of industry backing, Tyla not answering the question on The Breakfast Club about her South African Coloured identity and her manager/publicist who sat behind her voicing that Tyla wouldn't answer tha question further fueled this view that Tyla is a "factor plant" as has the subsequent artist awards that she has received since that Breakfast Club interview..
Several comments in this pancocojams compilation allude to or specifically express sentiments positions that reflect one or both of these positions or theories. However, this theory isn't the focust of this pancocojams post.
**** INFORMATION ABOUT TYLA From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyla "Tyla Laura Seethal, mononymously known as Tyla, (30 January
2002)[4] is a South African singer and songwriter. Her musical style is
characterised by a fusion of pop and amapiano...
Tyla Laura Seethal[5] was born in Edenvale on Gauteng's East
Rand.[6][7] The daughter of Sharleen and Sherwin Seethal,[8] she is Coloured
and has Indian, Indo-Mauritian, Zulu, and Irish ancestry.[9][10][11] She grew
up in Johannesburg,[1". .
**** SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - Tyla Clears The Air After Dodging 'Colourism' Question On The Breakfast Club
Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM, Jun 14, 2024 [host Jess Hilarious = Jess With The Mess]
"The Breakfast Club features celebrity interviews, Jess Hilarious' "Jess With The Mess", Charlamagne tha God’s "Donkey of the Day", DJ Envy’s mixes and so much more! Every guest visiting the world’s most dangerous morning show is grilled with their signature blend of honesty and humor. The results are the best interviews to be found on radio.
#Breakfast Club
AI-generated video summary
Tyla clarifies previous interview comments on The Breakfast Club. The discussion centers on a question about identity and race, initially unanswered due to team restrictions. This leads to a frank conversation about the complexities of racial classification across different regions."
**** EXCERPT OF THE AUTO-GENERATED TRANSCRIPT OF THIS VIDEO
Pancocojams Editor: This transcription includes my punctuation additions, and spelling corrections including the word "coloured" which is given as "colored" in that auto-transcript. I also added the name in brackets of who is speaking those particular words given in this transcript.]
[Jess Hilarious] "The Breakfast Club ...time to set
it it all all right...So Tyla addresses her voloured identity.
Uh yesterday we had
an interview with South African Superstar Tyla. During the interview Charlamagne asked a question that her team didn't allow
her to answer. We have the audio:
[Charlamagne] "...School me on these debates
that they be having about your identity as a South African coloured person...What is that even mean? Can we ...
[Pancocojams Editor: Tyla looks back at her manager or publicist who interjects that Tyla wouldn't be answering that question.]
{Charlamagne] I like that.We keeping that in the interview too. Shut up! I like when they talk from the back and say we can't... I like that. I like
that. That's good... That's even better. Yeah.
[Jess Hilarious]Wow that clip started
to go viral.
Shortly after we add the interview um Tyla eventually decided to clear the air and shared a post to
our Instagram story. And she said "Yo guys [I] never [put down] my blackness. I don't know
where that came from. I'm mixed with black. Zulu .Irish. Jamaican, Indian, and coloured. in South Africa I would be classified as a colored woman. In other places I will be classified as a
black woman. Race is classified differently in different parts of the world."
[Jess Hilarious] I do
agree with that she also said "I don't expect to be identified as coloured outside
of South Africa by anyone not comfortable doing so because I understand the
weight of that word outside of South Africa. But to close this conversation, I'm both colored in South Africa and a black woman."
[Jess Hilarious] Yeah people were upset with
you know uh the questioning and and the fact that she didn't answer. But yeah
like I tell everybody the questions that we ask are from things that are out there. She did an interview a couple of years ago and people were asking about it and
asking about it. So, of course, when she came up here we had to ask her about it.
Now I don't understand why she
didn't answer that in the interview. That was confusing .Like, why just not say
that? And you doing press. You know what I'm saying.
So like her label or
manager or whoever you know just got to get her training. Because it's different
ways to pivot from what you don't want to answer correct um ...you know.. instead of just looking at somebody or having
somebody come from...
Cuz remember when Charlamagne did "Dunk you today" for the
dude on CNN? Like. yo, like you had somebody wave you down in an
interview...Right to be like "Yo. No we ain't talking about that."
Then yeah. But it's it's pressed. Like you said you [a] Superstar. Yes, you know what they're going to ask you. You know
they're going to ask you some questions about your album. But you know they're going to ask you about the BS too. And you got be able to answer those questions as well.
Yeah.So to come with like
a whole list like of 9 or 10 things that we can't talk about when that's really all like a lot of majority
of people were... like really!?.No .Exactly.That was a little crazy.
But.. um ..yeah I would have.. you know.. preferred that she said that.[what she sent to our Instagram story]. But just a little media training [will] get her right. She
be all righ"
**** SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT TYLA'S JUNE 13, 2024 INTERVIEW ON THE BREAKFAST CLUB (with a focus on the question about her identifying as South African Coloured)
SOURCE #1 [This is the discussion thread for the video that is embedded at the top of this pancocojams post.]
1. @danyagoosen6792 "I get why Tyla's team tried to avoid that question but as a coloured women from Cape Town South Africa I'm extremely disappointed that we have to shy away from "that question" when you in the west. We know the history of the word "colored' in the US but there is a world outside of the US and we need to educate those that dont know. I would love for the Breakfast Club to have this discussion."
** 2. @Liahb "As an African American I definitely would love to understand! You’re right!"
** Reply 3. @natashaweale "I'm from Zimbabwe and I'm coloured and we are so proud that Tyla has shown the world that we exist @Liahb we have a history of our own"
** Reply 4. @wildearth3992 "@Liahb colored = multigenerational mixed like creole for example like Beyoncé mama or Steph curry"
** Reply 5. @razatiger22 "@wildearth3992 Yeah but Beyonce and Steph know what their roots are, they were both raised black. The question is deeper then just skin color which is why they ask, They know Tyla is mixed/Colored, they wanna know how she was raised."
** Reply 6. @user-ok5ez1ls1k "@razatiger22 How she was raised? She was raised in South Africa, where there are completely different racial categories. Most black Americans will only be happy if she says she is black. But then South Africans will call bullsh-t* because there, she is not considered black, she is colored. Best to ignore the topic." -snip- *This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
** Reply 7. @UNI-23 "@razatiger22 Beyoncé researches the areas she travels to and learns about the people there, out of respect for their customs, traditions, cultures, religions, laws, and history. This is a learning experience when in other areas."
** Reply 8. @lauren578 "@wildearth3992 Beyonce's mother is not mixed lol"
** Reply 9. @Ambassador2theworld "@wildearth3992 No, that is not accurate. Coloured is a whole separate race in S. Africa. They are neither White nor Black."
** Reply 10. @see3deezz, 2025 "@wildearth3992 now why is that crazy or such a crazy thing to explain?"
** Reply 11. @KaylaPaige-v1r "@Liahb hi, coloured people in south africa is more than a ethic group mixed people have been put in to be identified, it's a culture for example my mum is coloured and mixed for generations and coloured people have their own culture as to Trevor Noah for example is mixed race because his mum is black and his dad is white so he would have black culture and Swiss culture does that make any sense? We even have our own language which is Afrikaans, our own food, the way we raise our kids etc."
** Reply 12. @BSTVsports, 2025 "@KaylaPaige-v1r we don’t care… this is America pal. Why didn’t the colored people in SA buy her album? It’s an entire culture"
** 13. @bevchepape1787 "Correct this was a perfect opportunity for Her to educate the masses … for me it was a simple question to answer"
** Reply 14. @Miz292 "@bevchepape1787 it's not a simple question to answer because Americans want her answer in a way that's platable to them on "their American platform" her explanation wouldn't be sufficient. Damned if you do damned if you don't. Leave her alone."
** 16. @indumiso1 "What I love about this interview is that it shows how much Tyla is in tune with her body and that her barriers or boundaries are intact. She seemingly didn’t feel comfortable, so she held back but still kept classy. She didn’t compromise her privacy and boundaries to appease the hosts, or compromise her boundaries to get more likes, clicks, or public approval. A feminine Queen. We love you, mamas. ❤️"
** Reply 17. @gmvs62 "You think this is about privacy and not her business and money? Damn youre gullible."
** Reply 18. @indumiso1 "@gmvs62 who said I thought it wasn’t about business and money??? Why do you assume business, money, and privacy are mutually exclusive? And so what if it’s about business and money?"
** Reply 19. @sammiejo6557 "@indumiso1 that part! One of the same to me…"
** 20. @GraceAndBlessings1906 "As a South African so proud of Tyla praying all the best for her may she continue to grow."
** Reply 21. @EnterGalactica "Tyla handled this EXTREMELY UNPROFESSIONAL interview very well. Starting an interview off making your guest unnecessarily uncomfortable, and THEN not even asking any questions of true substance, just shows that they didn’t do ANY research on Tyla and just thought she was going to be another dumb, pretty, spineless pop girl… but she’s not.
And kudos to you Tyla. These ignorant spaces aren’t your demographic, AND THATS OK! You live and you learn. The Breakfast Club will hate themselves later for how they handled this interview, especially when Tyla refuses to ever come back."
** Reply 22. @DreDon-rs8ne, 2025 "As an Artist you have to have a hard shell and be able to carry yourself in interviews not dodging every question . This was a surface level interview"
** Reply 23. @adrianarnold1239, 2025 "She thinks that she runs stuff and they had to show her. Just like everybody. You got to be ready. You got to be ready. It's more than just singing baby"
** Reply 24. @ninacleveland, 2025 "Most everybody been on the Breakfast Club. And you sound different if you think for one moment these men are not educated on their craft and want they do for a living. If she don't come back the world won't stop."
** 25. @jasmineroussell4441 "A lot of big artists don’t do this show"
** Reply 26. @charlesmarcus7864, 2025 "And yet you watched it and you’ll watch more so what are you crying about"
** Reply 27. @Mrslay-cc5nd, 2025 "That's y her album flop...dodging the hard questions..".
** Reply 28.@Skyy301 "@charlie4006 why? Possibly a difficult question.. sure, but a valid one. Fans and people in general have asked the same thing, so she could have easily just explained what coloured means in south African culture. I didn't think it was that serious"
** Reply 29. @charlie4006 "@Skyy301 Tyla is a new artist. To understand the racial hierarchy and structure in S. Africa, you have to learn its history and sociology. S. Africa has a unique and complicated history. Getting into conversations about race, racial identity, and politics is not the best conversation for Tyla right now. She's trying to get her career moving. Maybe down the road, she can explain it."
** Reply 30. @Skyy301 "@charlie4006 that's fair"
** Reply 31. @limofootball "She's not American. Stop asking her to identify as a race in an american context. It just doesn't apply. Get over yourselves already. Not everything is about you."
** Reply 32. @bryanle2994 "Tyla did an amazing job at handling the questions and gossip in this interview. Very professional but light with her humor and expression. Even the nod to her label to address the question was a smart choice."
** 33. @user-ok5ez1ls1k "We do not need to have Tyla as the spokesperson for this topic. Let her get her career shaking. She barely started. One mistake talking about race and she’s canceled. Let’s let the professors and the race debaters deal with that. Maybe when she has a more solid career, she can discuss it on the correct platform. But a rookie interview at 22 years old after just broken into the global music scene is really not the time."
** Reply 34. @jlawrencewat "She’ll be a clip now, lol. Tyla needs better media training but i’m happy the publicist was there."
** 35. @jgj5369 "Whew … the publicist interjection"
** Reply 36. @charlie4006 "I'm glad she interjected"
** Reply 37. @Chuwks999, 2025 "Her team failed her by tryna tell Char what he can't say"
** 38. @TheeChanel1212 "Ppl saying she’s uptight but can’t see thru Charla’s messy questions is crazy to me 😂.. she was so good at picking up the vibes, curved all of his antics, and consistently brought the focus back to the culture and positivity. Take notes!"
** 39. @critiquekid200 "Tyla isn't black. Stop making her to be one. Let Tyla be herself."
**
Reply 40. @SPADELE, 2026 "@critiquekid200, the thing is ppl just hold on to "black" like it's their whole identity even though race is not even scientific, i don't want to say African American and generalize but most that criticize tyla don't understand being black is different around the world, she is colored not black in south Africa and her identity stays with her where ever she goes and they just can't accept that fact.
Basically it's like wanting someone to change their name when they come to your country because ur culture doesn't align with their names".
** 41. @RosalíaLR "@limofootball he didn’t tell her to. He simply asked can you explain the coloured race/hisorty. He wasn’t forcing her to fit in a category. Would have been a great moment to verbally state and be proud of the coulored community in SA"
** Reply 42. @LethalLeslie1 "@RosalíaLR that was the debate he was bringing up, she aint interested in all the race politics"
** Reply 43. @LethalLeslie1 "@RosalíaLR first of its a debate because people are debating it flat out. we dont get to decide what people debate on. Its to Tylas annoyance that its become a big debate.
and secondly both sides agreed to the terms of the interview or it wouldnt of happened. its good business for both sides obs but she doesn't wanna be involved in the race side of it and I rate that. Its about the talent not the shade of her skin.
I do agree tho that she would of been fine to back her stance on her own race 'coloured' being the part triggering people but clearly she just cba with that being her shtick"
** Reply 44. @RosalíaLR "@limofootball this isn’t just an American concept. In the carribean people of mixed decent many times identify as black. Take Bon Marley for example.. he was mixed indeigenius West Indian, black , and half white. He was born and raised in Jamaica and I never hear carribean referring to him as anything other than black. I’m tired of the narrative that it’s only black Americans that have this viewpoint in being mixed and black. It’s most of the world"
** 45. @samkelomthiyane8359 "We Love you Tyla. We’re super proud of you sweetie🇿🇦❤️"
** 46.@Girlsoulaan "She was not ready for this type of interview…….like not everyone can be interviewed by them."
** Reply 47. @VirgosGroove3 "I think because she’s young and not from America so some of the jokes weren’t landing right."
** Reply 48. @AssiduousHFTT "@VirgosGroove3 I'm from America and saw no jokes but cringe"
** Reply 49. @yaisaadcock9269 "This! ☝️ He was lowkey picking on her"
** 51. @CharChar-U "LOLLLL He said he knows South Africa, but he needs someone to explain to him what Coloured means 🤣🤣🤣. YHO! I'm dead."
** Reply 52. @itsthehumor95 "You do realize that they ask for the sake of the audience, right?"
** Reply 53. @SparkleInYourEyes2024 "He was being messy."
** Reply 54. @vallivergano239 "Right? Like he mentioned Trevor in the beginning and the book Born a Crime, so you'd think he'd have known? Weird"
2025
55. @adenphilipwhite "So I'm African American born in NYC what is Africa's meaning of coulored"
** 56. @aureliusleslie173 "Im absolutely here to see the lesson that was to be.😂😂😂"
** Reply 57. @Kaydestiny_ "@aureliusleslie173 that’s what I came here for. I had never seen this interview
until they started talking about her EP and her stating that she’s not black on
TikTok.😭"
[This is a YouTube video short of Charlamagne Tha God asking Tyla about her identifying as Coloured in South Africa and Tyla turning to her manager/publicist who indicated that Tyla wouldn't be answering that question. ]
COMMENTS:
2025
1. @PierreStGermain "I don’t have any problem with Charlemagne asking her that
question. She said that she was not black, what is wrong with asking her to
explain that?"
** Reply 2. @seekinghimdaily92, 2026 "There was NOTHING wrong with that question…this moment was
not a good look for her. 🤦🏾♀️"
** 3. 1@kinglord7707 "And just like that, Tylas career is destroyed 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣"
** Reply 4. @deerhian "Knowing how Tyla was being attacked by Americans the last
time she tried to explain her ethnicity, this man was trying to be messy and to
start drama. Tyla was very smart to keep quiet"
** 5. @lucindacoleman646 "There goes her career."
** Reply 6. @JellieJoShmo, 2026 "It's not going anywhere. Black Americans
aren't the center of the world. She has fans around the world that aren't
triggered by the word "colored" & don't expect people to change
their speech for them specifically.
It's not her job to educate him. He has
access to the internet tf lol"
** 7. @gregorylevi1826 "That's his job to ask rough questions. If I was her handler
I wouldn't have chosen this show to go on."
** 8.@TherealBabayega "Don’t come from other countries saying you black when you
get here"
** Reply 9. @kaylinmarston2679 "@TherealBabayega that's the gag, she never claimed to be black😅"
** Reply 10. @TherealBabayega "@kaylinmarston2679 yes she did"
** Reply 11. @kaylinmarston2679 "@TherealBabayega when? Where? 😐 Please show me so I can
understand where all the hate for this girl is coming from"
** Reply 12. @keriBeeLow "@TherealBabayega She never did dear that's why this
interview is happening in the first place, it's coz they want to force her to
be black when she's not though. In SA where I stay no black person is mixed
race. Mixed races are coloured and they accept themselves that way can you
accept her reality as being different from yourself please it's not even about
you Americans the poor girl is forced to accept what she's not."
** Reply 13. @stardustshowing "This wasn't a smart choice at all"
** Reply 14. @GoGetYourShinebox "She did what her handlers told her to do 😂"
** Reply 15. @biinygieta2664 "It’s stupid why would you say you are colored instead of
saying you are mixed race 😂 when you are asked are
you black say you are mixed and not colored that’s an insult and plus blacks
have you their platform to even win that award came from them. They let you win
award over Davido and the rest which you are not even doing any better than
them any way you just stole your way up there because of black Americans. I
heard her song once in Ghana 🇬🇭 when I went to
the club but I hear Davido’s song everywhere"
** Reply 16. @btgang4463, 2026 " @TherealBabayega now m confused they hate her because she
said she's coloured or that she's black now m definitely confused ya'll be
saying different sh-t*" -snip- *This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
** 17. @KaylaT-v5c "Lmaoooo that’s why her career damn near over now"
** Reply 18. @Saintsrow1824 "Damn near over where? America isn’t the entire world"
** Reply 19. @francinahletsoalo2697, 2026 "I'm here after 4 months and her career hasn't flopped"
** 20. @MsYellow83 "He wasn't wrong. It's a simple question"
** Reply 21. @gregorylevi1826 "Exactly. She's having A hard time with that it's only going
to get harder."
** Reply 22. @Prettypinkink "His wrong because knowing how much controversy it's going to
cause , because like why does she need to explain her race as a South African
coloured person , in south African that is an actual race , it's the same as
black and white and indian"
** Reply 23. @gregorylevi1826 "@Prettypinkink no
it's not the same in U.S.A."
** 24. @Prettypinkink "@gregorylevi1826 that's understandable , it's not like she
called anyone who is from the U.S coloured she is calling herself coloured
because that's where she has from . I can understand if she called an American
coloured , that is offensive then again she identified herself as coloured"
** Reply 25. @richlisola1 "@gregorylevi1826 It’s the same in the sense, as it’s an
official category in SA .
Just as the US has categories" -snip- "SA"= the nation of South Africa
** Reply 26. @marabsky "@Prettypinkink and she never would call an American coloured
because unless they were a person from the Southern Africa coloured community
who immigrated to the united states they would not be what is termed coloured
in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. It’s a community and a culture
defined by a shared culture and history, NOT by colour."
** Reply 27. @gregorylevi1826 "@richlisola1 okay
but she's not in South Africa anymore. She's in U.S.A. which as you stated has
it's own category. When In Rome Act Like The Romans."
** 28.@bfrancois37 "He was asking to be educated... I don't see anything wrong with that."
** Reply 29. @nolubynature9513 "Exactly"
** 30. @AshleighDanburry "He spoke to Trevor Noah... he knows"
** Reply 31. @nanciatnyte " @AshleighDanburry so do you think he interviews for his OWN personal benefit or for the public/his audience😅"
** Reply 32. @xayytoldemm " @nanciatnyte Her team specifically asked CTG not to bring this up, he went against their wishes and he knew exactly what he was doing"
** Reply 33. @keriBeeLow "Child i think we both know there was no education intended here, with his tone he was looking for a fight and im glad she didn't fall for his trap. Its obvious that this question was not included in the preparations of the interview. She was targeted here and he wanted to humiliate her."
** Reply 34. @drye1972 "@keriBeeLow I kept hearing about this interview because I don’t know the full story behind her response. Now that I have seen this. I hate I cant get my 2 seconds of life bike waisted on this MESS. Tyla did nothing wrong. She followed the instructions of her manager, and now US!!!! Black Americans, seems mostly the ones that don’t want to be considered African are crucifying this young artist. All I will say is, the ones that wanted to prove their point, proved it. She feels the rejection, but the sad part is, she is only rejected here."
** Reply 35. @fosev47, 2026 "@drye1972 it wasn't a hard question she not from here and have a different experience it's not his fault they can't explain what she is 😂😂😂"
** Reply 36. @nanciatnyte "@keriBeeLow so no one bought her music bc of Charlemagne?"
** Reply 37. @xayytoldemm "@nanciatnyte no one bought it because there was no promotion and tbf who even buys albums anymore"
** Reply 38. @TheHasa13 "@keriBeeLow lol ok so no one can get asked anything in an interview that they werent prepared for anymore. Might as well give them each two scripts and be a play, not an interview."
** Reply 39. @CJMedia101, 2026 "@TheHasa13 the whole point of the interview had nothing to do with his questions so you just sound ignorant if you're gonna pretend to know how an interview works😅"
** Reply 40. @dorothyterry6754 "@keriBeeLow She should have known what kind of show he ran and came prepared."
** Reply 41. @d.a.o.5684, 2026 "Thank you @keriBeeLow . SA and the race definitions exist for sooo long. Just like the race types of black, white, other
Hispanic and so on in the US. all the categories sound strange if you don't use them yourself.
In Germany the term race itself is racist"
** Reply 42. @rtut8169 "Agreed! But it's so MANY ppl that are ignorant . If she had answered ppl would have found a reason to be mad especially with how Americans are easily triggered when it comes to race. Americans r racist but what's woese is black Americans are racist to their on ppl; they have a race war within their on race. There really was no right answer. No matter what she said ppl would have been trying to cancel her."
** Reply 43. @quay91white70, 2026 "@rtut8169 i agree but us black Americans are very understanding we just tired of people coming here disrespecting us everything is not about foreigners either but we live in America they love these immigrants black Americans get nothing compared to them so I see why they call us lazy because they get government help."
** Reply 44. @Jay-v4l2m, 2026 "@rtut8169 You literally have no idea what you're talking about."
** Reply 45. @rtut8169, 2026 "@Jay-v4l2m Obviously I wrote it. So I understand my comment clearly. Just because you do not understand what I'm talking about does not mean I don't know what I'm talking about. 🤔🤷🏽"♀
** Reply 46.@Val0riex_ "That is where you got it wrong. it's NOT a simple question, and as a South African I know that. That question stems back to apartheid and honestly for people to sit here and think it's ok to demand answers from HER when you can properly educate yourself with available sources goes to show that it was never about learning about tylas culture, but projecting your own onto her."
** 47. @BigReen11 "This is so weird of Tyla to do it’s like she’s a puppet…"
** Reply 48. @yungSal1217 "She didn’t even begin to think to answer that our own she
went directly to her agency… and that’s exactly why her Album only sold 4000
copies over😂😂😂 crazy, beautiful but poor
judgment when it comes to public relations, will it be her decision or her
agency?"
** Reply 49. @quamb "He's stirring sh-t * up for views and clips like this.
Her identity and history is her own business." -snip- *This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
** Reply 50. @Stephon_Lamont, 2026 "And she wasn’t wrong either…
no one is obligated to explain themselves to the public.
Choosing not to respond is also a valid choice. She had the right to answer how
she wanted or not at all and that doesn’t mean she did anything wrong."
** 51. @definiteg4909 "She should have answered that question and fired her PR team😑"
** Reply 52. @Silencer242 "Yep, but they did give him a list of things not to ask her
but he asked anyway, she did in some other interview or probably even when she
originally made the colorism statement, explain that that is what mixed raced
people were identified in her country and if I'm correct she was in Africa when
she made this post that people dug up and got offended by, so when she was
signed after and came to the US this is what she faced trying not to get into a
debate about it."
** Reply 53. @kingsaw5282, 2026 "Chat GPT would clear it up in 10 seconds."
** Reply 54. @xayytoldemm "@dorothyterry6754 her
team asked CTG not to bring this in interview tho, he did it anyways"
** Reply 55. @quay91white70 "@xayytoldemm this interview always ask questions two times
or it doesn't matter if you like it or not"
** Reply 56. @dorothyterry6754 "@saintkayleepain There are NO off limits questions in an
interview! The person being interviewed has to prepare how they are going to
answer!"
** Reply 57. @calvin394 "@OriginalCyprian
Explained to who? When? Where? America
is a large country with many regions.
Does everyone hear the same answer at the same time? Of course not. She must be prepared to answer all questions
as any professional would be. Its not
hard."
** Reply 58. @cairo1077 "@OriginalCyprian yea
he pretty much baited her in that and tanked her career before it even started"
** Reply 59. @vincentdouglas744 "She could have answered it but didn't want to jeopardize
sales and her relationship with the government in SA"
** Reply 60. @anthonylaloggia112 "No he tf wasn’t, Charlemagne is the ultimate troll, he knew
what he was doing and why he was doing it 😂"
** Reply 61. @ahmeerlevi2649 "He was not he hit the hornets nest. She is from a different
country culture and identity not of her own creation."
** Reply 62. @MoeratR123 "No, he has MANY friends in South Africa. He is very well
aware and knowledgeable on what it means to be colored in South Africa. Here's
the thing... He's friends with MacG, a South African podcaster who HATES Tyla,
so his motives and intentions were not pure at all. Also, let's say he didn't
know (hypothetically), for the sake of your argument. He's a grown ass man. He
had his whole life to live outside his bubble and learn about colored south
africans. By your logic, him asking that question shows that he's uneducated
then."
** Reply 63. @xayytoldemm "@Louskii5 CTG was asked not to bring this up prior to the interview"
** Reply 64. @Louskii5 "@xayytoldemm it’s his job to"
** Reply 65. @xayytoldemm "@Louskii5 all celebrities have a “do not ask” list and he asked anyways even tho he was specifically asked not to prior to this interview
The fact that he brought the topic up is on HIM. If you want to know about her ethnicity so bad, you can look it up. It’s something she’s been very vocal about for a long time"
** Reply 66.@MAAT33G "@xayytoldemm "We would rather hear it from horse mouth"
** Reply 67. @xayytoldemm "@MAAT33G well good things she’s spoken about it a million times already"
** Reply 68.@MrHowse-rt5bo "@keriBeeLow Well, she need to
go “sing” be “a musician” somewhere else, cause we hold our Artists accountable
on this side. Y’all allow that; we are NOT the same. If she answered the
question “a million times” she should’ve been bold enough to say that, or make
it a million and one."
** Reply 69. @Theaiprojectisalive "@OriginalCyprian she could have cleaned it up. This was the perfect opportunity to do just that and she did the opposite. A grown mfer needing permission on how to answer a question about who they are is just crazy"
** Reply 70. @dorothyterry6754 "@OriginalCyprian It may be tedious, but professional entertainers, celebrities, athletes and politicians know that repetition is key to getting your word out. Charlemagne's audience may not have heard of any earlier explanations or even know who she was. Don't assume."
** Reply 71. @jeremywallace5958 "It’s hard to tell with him. He is a bit messy at times. We
all know this too!!!"
** Reply 72. @Joliefleur1, 2026 "No he wasn’t. He was instigating."
** 73. @shell7133 "You know what?She could have said she A colored person is a
person of mixed race. Just like you have here in America biracial people. We
call them colored."
** 74. @AnAdorableWombat1 "He can google it! He googles everything else.!"
** Reply 75. @nanciatnyte "@AnAdorableWombat1
that’s not how interviews work though"
** Reply 76. @calvin394 "@AnAdorableWombat1
Don’t you know he’s asking for a live audience?
That’s his job."
** Reply 77. @quay91white70 "All she had to do is answer everybody is except it in
America just it a culture for my country we are coloured simple but it's
America some y'all don't know history not being messy tyla should know that I
thought 🤔 other countries had early and better
education system."
** Reply 78. @xayytoldemm "@quay91white70 Tyla
does know that. Her answer is rooted in culture and history and it’s more than
just “where are you from”. That’s why her team specifically asked him not to
bring this up in interview- and he knew what he was doing when he went against their wishes."
** Reply 79. @angel-jq5di, 2026 "@quay91white70 she
does and she's explained it various times but people never understand"
** 80. @luckym5198 "In South Africa, that's
her reality that's her lived experience. That's what she's ever been
called and told. However, outside Siuth Africa, she is a black African or mixed
race, it's not her choosing to be coloured, the different between her and
Trevor, though he is also mixed, his
parents raised him black, he is more in touch with his black side of the family
and black culture because he was raised by his black side of the family,"
** Reply 81. @sj340, 2026 "@luckym5198 nope. She
was raised coloured, it is an actual cultural group in South Africa, with their
own dialect, food culture and general culture. Research the culture of the cape
flats, the passion gap, Koesisters, Cape Malay cooking, Kaapse Klopse, District
6 etc. etc. I really wonder what Americans are gonna do when they hear about
the Rehobot Bastards. Black in Africa means having your own Language and tribe,
like Xhosa, Zulu, Tswana, Shona, Herero, Massai...."
** Reply 82. @JellieJoShmo, 2026 "It's not her job to educate him. He has access to the
internet tf lol
It's a stupid question. Charlamagne could have LOOKED IT UP
lmao that's what professional journalists/interviewers do. And, Tyla isn't an
American artist, she's global. She doesn't have to represent herself in a way
that feels comfortable or "appropriate" to Black Americans.
The word "colored" has a specific definition in
South Africa that can 100% be looked up online. It has a different definition
in America, which clearly bothers Charlamagne. He's just lazy. Tyla doesn't
need to explain the history of apartheid South Africa to anyone, she's an
artist, not a historian or politician."
** Reply 83. @LisaSimpsonRules, 2026 "@JellieJoShmo My
point is that it looks weird for an adult to look back asking for permission to
talk. She could just say: To me this means or In South Africa we call.."
** 84. @vintagecherries "It' was a simple question. She made it ten times worse by
not answering"
** Reply 85. @terryjoho "Not having this conversation is why her new EP only sold
3.7k 🤷🏽♂️"
** Reply 86. @kennygreen1081 "She doesn't realize who buys her stuff"
** Reply 87. @28074015781895 "Her non-answer left the answer up to our interpretation and we didn't like what her silence meant"
** Reply 88.@kylecruel "That's the moment when her people failed her. Even if she don't want to answer his question, they at least should have had a response prepared so she didn't make the situation worse."
** Reply 89. @okahebuka8647 "He gave her an opportunity to clear the air. Instead she makes it worse"
** Reply 90. @JellieJoShmo, 2026 "Nope. Black Americans aren't her only audience. They're the
only ones who are triggered by the word "colored."
It's not her job to educate him. He has access to the
internet tf lol
Charlamagne could have LOOKED IT UP lmao that's what
professional journalists/interviewers do. And, Tyla isn't an American artist,
she's global. She doesn't have to represent herself in a way that feels
comfortable or "appropriate" to Black Americans.
The word "colored" has a specific definition in
South Africa that can 100% be looked up online. It has a different definition
in America, which clearly bothers Charlamagne. He's just lazy. Tyla doesn't
need to explain the history of apartheid South Africa to anyone, she's an
artist, not a historian or politician.
** Reply 91. @terryjoho, 2026 "@JellieJoShmo Bruh
her career over and been over. Move on 😂"
** Reply 92. @HeadCubicleFishInCharge, 2026 "Her global audience says otherwise. There are other
countries besides the US."
** Reply 93. @lelo8244, 2026 "You sure about that? This girl is still thriving. Your
cancellations unfortunately did not work 😂"
** Reply 94. @major7100, 2026 "@lelo8244 😂
Ty just scooped her 2nd grammy, her haters are having a terrible year."
** 95. @fracturedsolace145 "I'm here after her album flopped."
** Reply 96. @4000Wiggins "She has 31 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone. That’s one platform. I think she’ll be ok."
** 97. @gregorylevi1826 "Unfortunately her not wanting to talk about it is why her career is slumping here in U.S.A."
** Reply 98. @BettySavage13, 2026 " @gregorylevi1826 Oh
honey, her careers doing well. She’s literally a two times Grammy winner 🥰🥳"
** 99. @drewsampson2743 "Oh man. This went Viral for the wrong reasons for her. Pay attention kids, this is how to ruin your career."
** 100. @brandonjohnson5205, 2026 "I wish they would have shown the facial expressions of the
publicists when he said they keeping that in the interview"
"