`` Yes , I identify as black or African-American , but I am not a Negro , '' said a 25-year-old teacher from New York City . On Monday , when Raeana Roberson took the day off from work to report for jury selection , she was not prepared for what she called an offensive and disgusting experience . The juror information card all prospective jurors have to fill out included a race category that included , `` Black , African-American , or Negro . '' `` Are you kidding me ? What year is this ? '' Roberson thought when she read the form . When Roberson looked around , no one else in the room was apparently concerned by this , she told CNN on Friday . Since the words `` Black , African-American , or Negro '' appeared as a part of a single category , Roberson crossed out the word `` Negro '' and wrote next to it , `` offensive ! It 's 2014 ! '' She then snapped a picture of the form and posted it on her Facebook page . Roberson returned the form to a court employee , hoping for some sort of reaction , but there was none , she said . With grandparents from North Carolina who lived through the Jim Crow laws of racial segregation , Roberson said she is especially offended by the contemporary use of the word `` Negro . '' It is outdated and has a negative connotation , Roberson said . `` I do n't think it was malicious , '' said Jeffrey Sammons , a professor of history at New York University . `` Negro '' has been used from the late 1900s all the way to the Harlem Renaissance and beyond , Sammons explained . There were times when the word was used to describe educated and empowered African-Americans , he said . There have been various terms that have been embraced by different generations of African-Americans , Sammons said , and `` Negro '' was one of them . The term lost popularity with the arrival of the baby boomers and the black pride movement , according to Sammons . `` I believe there are many black people who still prefer that term , '' said Sammons . `` It is a generational issue . '' It would be a problem if the word `` Negro '' appeared on the form by itself , he said Friday . Race categories for New York courts come from the U.S. Census Bureau , according to Arlene Hackel , a spokeswoman for the New York State Office of Court Administration . The courts are required to collect demographic information about prospective jurors , per Judicial Statue Section 528 . As of September 13 , 2010 , every person who appears for jury service in any city in New York must complete a scannable data card , which includes specification of race , according to the statute . However , the statute only uses the word `` black '' when referring to blacks or African-Americans . According to a 2010 blog post by then director of the U.S. Census Bureau , Robert Groves , the word `` Negro '' was used in the 2000 census as a result of research in the late 1990s that showed approximately 56,000 people wrote in the word `` Negro '' under the `` some other race '' category . More than half of these individuals were under the age of 45 in 2000 . In the 2010 census , many respondents found the use of the word `` Negro '' outdated and offensive , according to a press release by the bureau . Groves apologized to those who were offended . `` I am confident that the intent of my colleagues in using the same wording as Census 2000 was to make sure as many people as possible saw words that matched their self-identities . Full inclusiveness was the goal , '' Groves wrote . Following the negative feedback , the Census Bureau conducted research on race and Hispanic origin using what it called the Alternative Questionnaire Experiment , according to the press release . The study found that removing the term `` Negro '' does not have an impact on data quality and therefore recommended removing the term for future data collection . The Census Bureau , which follows the Office of Management and Budget for definitions of race and ethnicity , discontinued use of the word `` Negro '' at the beginning of 2014 , according to a press release . New York courts will be following suit and discontinuing the use of the word soon , according to Hackel . `` Collecting demographic data is really important ; however , they may have had a technical hiccup in their choice of language , '' said analyst Greg Hurley of the National Center for State Courts . Not all states collect demographic information from prospective juror , Hurley told CNN . It is a good thing that New York courts do this in order to ensure a fair cross-section of the community , he explained . The National Center for State Courts created its own form for prospective jurors , which does not include the word `` Negro . '' According to Hackel , this is the first time officials have heard of anyone being offended as a result of the race categories on juror information cards . The story was first reported by The Huffington Post .
`` Negro '' used as part of race category by New York courts . Prospective juror was offended and posted picture of card on Facebook . Comment: