person of color

noun

plural people of color also persons of color

: a person whose skin pigmentation is other than and especially darker than what is considered characteristic of people typically defined as white (see white entry 1 sense 2a) : a person who is of a race (see race entry 1 sense 1a) other than white or who is of mixed race

People of color account for 43 percent of the active-duty military, but the top ranks are largely white and male.

—Helene Cooper

Because we are so accustomed to talking about race in terms of black and white, we often fail to recognize and contest expressions of racism that target people of color who are not black.

—Angela Y. Davis

Examples of person of color in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Graebner also said that production now has access to more resources, including diversity and inclusion consultant Kira Banks and two licensed therapists, one of whom is a person of color. —Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 26 June 2024

Opera Carolina is the second major Charlotte performing arts group in recent months to elevate a person of color to their top leadership ranks for the first time. —Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 24 June 2024

Pros: Scott's mellow temperament and traditional conservative values could tame fears about Trump's erratic decision-making — and Republicans could benefit from having a person of color on the ticket. —Kyler Alvord, Peoplemag, 18 June 2024

The former school executives — Laura Feijoo, Lois Herrera and Jaye Murray — alleged they were forced from high-level positions in favor of less-qualified persons of color, including one who lacked a high school diploma. —Richard Steier, New York Daily News, 15 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1778, in the meaning defined above