By: E&P Staff It's not a new question -- but considering that journalists are supposed to concern themselves with accuracy, it's one not raised all that often.
Karen Hunter, reader representative for The Hartford (Conn.) Courant, addresses a sensitive issue in a poignant column that first appeared Monday that may have been overlooked. The piece, headlined "Why Do We Call Obama Black?", asks why the media continues to refer to Barack Obama as the "black" candidate, when in fact he is biracial.
One reason, Hunter points out, is The Associated Press' decision to go with "black." (It should also be noted that AP style when referring to black people is "black," and not "African American.")
She writes, "Because The Courant relies on the Associated Press for much of its national coverage of the presidential race, the AP plays a key role in how the newspaper presents the candidates.
"In response to Banbury's question, AP Senior Managing Editor Mike Silverman replied, 'I would say the answer has to do partly with the way Sen. Obama has defined himself and partly with the way American society defines someone who is biracial.'"
Check Hunter's column out
here.
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