FAMU Style Guide

FAMU STYLE GUIDE: UNIVERSITY IDENTITY PROGRAM 1

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Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Editorial Style Guide PUBLICATIONS, STYLE, AND IDENTITY POLICY.............................................................. 3 Media Policy................................................................................................................................. 3.

University Spokesperson........................................................................................................... 4 Press Releases.................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Office of Sports Information………………………………….…………………………………………..............5 Advertising……………………………...………………………………………………………………………..............5 Photographic Services……………………………………………………………………………………..............5 Publications.............................................................................................................................. 6 GRAPHIC STANDARDS............................................................................................................ 6 Use of University Logos/Seals.................................................................................................. 7 Colors/Typefaces......................................................................................................................... 8 Email.............................................................................................................................................. 9 Business Letter............................................................................................................................ 9 EDITORIAL GUIDELINES....................................................................................................... 12 University Names ..................................................................................................................... 12 Abbreviations............................................................................................................................. 13 Academic Specifics (Degrees/Titles/Majors/Minors)........................................................... 13 Dates........................................................................................................................................... 14 Seasons...................................................................................................................................... 15 Gendered Terms........................................................................................................................ 15 Nationality/Race……………………………………………………………………………………………...................16 Numbers………………………………………………………………………………………………………....................16 Publication Titles........................................................................................................................ 18 Punctuation…………………………………………………………………………………………………….............18 ADDENDUM ON RACE [For Review Only]...........................................................................20

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PUBLICATIONS, STYLE, AND IDENTITY POLICY The style guides for many universities specify in great detail various aspects of the university’s branding practices. There are extensive sections devoted to logos—shape, size, colors, exceptions, etc.—for athletics, university stationery, internal communiqués, and web sites. While this aspect of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University’s Style Guide will be developed further and standardized as well, this immediate effort is devoted primarily to the grammar and style aspect of the University’s emerging Style Guide.

In consultation with the Office of Communications and External Relations, this Editorial Style Guide distinguishes between Florida A&M University’s communications and compositions intended for external purposes (which include materials distributed to the media),and for internal audiences (which include the academic community). The principles for media communication are guided by The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook (2013). The principles for internal and academic writing are guided by The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition. Additionally, this document includes principles that are specific to FAMU. Such preferences override the dictates of the AP Stylebook and The Chicago Manual. MerriamWebster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition is the preferred dictionary for this style guide.

Media Policy As a public university supported by tax dollars, Florida A&M University has a responsibility to be open and responsive to requests for information from the public and the news media.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to give interviews to the media when asked, and to provide information on matters within their field of expertise in a timely and courteous manner. The Office of Communications and External Relations serves as facilitators who help reporters match the right source to interview topics. If faculty/staff agree to participate in an interview, please contact the Office of Communications and External Relations so that we may obtain a copy of the article for our files.

If you are not experienced in handling questions from the media, or have not established a relationship with the journalist requesting information, please contact the Office of Communications and External Relations for media coaching, which includes information you’ll need to know before the shoot. For instance, there are nuances between print and broadcast interviews. Our staff will also help you to develop key messages and assist you in anticipating reporters’ questions.

Administrators, faculty, and staff should consult with the Office of Communica-tions and External Relations or the Office of the General Counsel if there are questions about releasing sensitive information, for example, the termination

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of an employee, an ongoing investigation, or an incident of sexual harassment). If you are faced with a potentially controversial situation, it is crucial to take a proactive approach by meeting with the communications staff in the Office of Communications and External Relations before the situation becomes public. In instances where there is a question about the legality of releasing information, the Office of Communications and External Relations and all other campus units receiving public information requests should consult the University’s General Counsel.

The Office of Communications staff are stewards of institutional publications and are charged with overseeing the use of the name, seal, and/or logos of the University. University names, logos, and pictures are property of FAMU and may not be altered in any way. This includes changing the aspect ratio or colors, or combining any items with other graphic elements, type, or logos. Use of a font or art similar enough to be confused with official University marks in order to circumvent the requirements is not allowed. Unauthorized use or misuse of University names, logos, or pictures may result in legal action and/or disciplinary action.

University Spokesperson The President is the official spokesperson of the University. The President has designated the vice president for Communications and External Relations as the official spokesperson in matters of weather emergencies, crisis situations, and the like. This individual also provides a point of contact between media and University resources and also provides referrals to proper sources of information within the University community.

Press Releases The Office of Communications and External Relations prepares and distributes all press releases to local, regional, and national media with the exception of sports-related releases. The press releases range from major stories about achievements by faculty, staff, administrators, and students to public service announcements. Some stories may be distributed only to the local media depending on the subject and relevance.

Office of Sports Information The Office of Sports Information is responsible for publicizing information regarding FAMU’s intercollegiate varsity athletic teams. The office publishes all athletic publications and news releases, coordinates athletic photography, maintains statistical data on teams, maintains athletic web pages, and serves as the department’s contact for the NCAA and the

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Mid-eastern Athletic Conference. The sports information director will ensure compliance with FAMU’s graphic identity and technical standards, including athletic marketing and publications.

Advertising The vice president for Communications and External Relations or a designee must approve in advance all paid advertising, which includes but is not limited to print, broadcast, billboard, and radio ads, as well as student-recruitment , marketing, and fund-raising videos. This does not include paid ads for hiring personnel.

Advertisements by External Agencies, Businesses, and Organizations External agencies, businesses, organizations, etc. must submit a copy of the advertisement to the Office of Communications and External Relations for approval. University names, logos, and pictures are the property of the University and may not be altered in any way. This includes changing the aspect ratio or colors, or combining either with other graphic elements, type, or logos. Use of a font or art similar to official University marks in order to circumvent the requirements is not allowed. Authorized advertisements must display the office stamp of approval before being posted on campus or appearing in University publications.

Photographic Services The University has a full-time photographer and provides photographic services for the campus. Photographic assignments for the University’s programs and activities are also the responsibility of the Office of Communications and External Relations. University officials and students who desire photographs for University-related activities must receive approval from the Office of Communications and External Relations. A request form for photographic services must be completed and returned to the Office of Communications and External Relations at least three days before the planned activity.

Publications All publications distributed externally must be reviewed by the Office of Publications to guarantee that Florida A&M University’s brand, image, and message is consistently conveyed to its constituents and stakeholders. The office will

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review materials based upon the established printing guidelines, which generally apply to official University web sites, as well.

Exceptions to these guidelines include publications edited and produced by students, fliers or posters for events funded by student activities fees, internal office correspondence, faculty works, textbooks, and materials for classroom use.

A successful identity program that will result in improved communications depends on the cooperation of all members of the University community.

Official publications that offer pertinent information about Florida A&M University, its purpose, objectives, programs of instruction, faculty and staff, public services, and information for prospective students are published through the Office of Publications. These publications include catalogs, schedules, reports, handbooks, manuals, brochures, recruitment materials, directories, and other general information documents.

The Office of Publications facilitates the production of all projects produced in the University Print Shop for an external audience. It is charged with the stewardship and interpretation of all institutional publications involving the use of the name, seal, and/or logos of the University. This responsibility is carried out primarily through a University Identity Program, which sets editorial style, typography, and graphic standards, including the use of the FAMU shield and seal for all publications. University names, logos, and pictures are the property of the University and may not be altered in any way.

This includes changing the aspect ratio or colors, or combining either with other graphic elements, type, or logos. Use of a font or art similar enough to be confused with official University marks in order to circumvent the requirements is not allowed. Unauthorized use or misuse of University names, logos, or pictures may result in legal action and/or disciplinary action.

GRAPHIC STANDARDS The official University logos and word marks are trademarks of Florida A&M University. The purpose is to inspire a visual identity in the minds of our stakeholders and audiences through a consistent and uniform presentation of the University.

Administrators, faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters may use the graphic symbols for official University documents— that is, for programs sponsored by the University and its associated entities and partners. The logos may be prominently displayed on promotional material, including printed works. The symbols give proprietary identification to the University; therefore usage is restricted to recognized entities of the University. Personal use of the official University trademarks is prohibited and permission of said usage will not be granted. Florida A&M University’s symbols include the official seal,

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logos, and word marks covered in this section. Individual unit logos that are not a part of the graphic identity system are not permitted.

Use of University Logos The University’s seal, “Excellence With Caring,” and its institutional logos, “Rattler” and “FAMU” may be used in publications requiring a symbol of identity, such as catalogs, handbooks, brochures, programs, fliers, invitations, bookmarks, posters, and paraphernalia. Generally, one logo per publication is sufficient. However, before deciding to design a publication on your own, consult with the Office of Publications.

Use of Seal The University seal is intended for official documents , such as diplomas, transcripts, legal documents, Board of Trustees reports, resolutions and proclamations, commencement and convocation documents, honor society documents, and official University stationery (i.e. letterhead, envelopes, note cards, business cards). It must not be used as a casual logo or identity, as a design element in recruitment materials, or as a decorative element. The presence of the seal authenticates publications as an official document from Florida A&M University. The Office of Publications must approve the use of the University seal, shield , or other logos.

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Requests for University Logos Requests for camera-ready copies of the official and other University logos should be made through the Office of Publications. Scanned or modified versions of Florida A&M University logos are in direct violation of University publication policy. Use of a font or art similar to official University marks in order to circumvent the requirements is not allowed.

Unauthorized use or misuse of University names, logos, or pictures may result in legal action and/or disciplinary action.

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Official FAMU Colors The official colors of Florida A&M University are orange and green. More specifically, the correct orange to use on any printed material is Pantone Matching System number 151 (PMS 151). The University uses Pantone Matching System number 348 (PMS 348) as its official green. Using the above specifications will ensure that the University’s colors are consistent.

The specifications above are the standards for all print and electronic media.

Typefaces Primary Typefaces Myriad Pro is the University’s primary sans serif font for printed publications. ­­ Times Roman and Cambria are the University’s primary serif fonts for printed publications.

System Typefaces Gill Sans Light and Century Gothic are the University’s standard system fonts for printed publications, and they should only be used when the primary sans serif and serif fonts are not available.

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Myriad Pro Times Roman Cambria Gill Sans Light Century Gothic

Email Signatures While the email signature is your business calling card, it is also an extension of the University. Four to six lines are an acceptable standard.

The standard email system sans serif font (Arial) is the best practice, as all email clients do not recognize all fonts. Email signatures used for University-related messages must include the following information: Name Title, Department College/School/Division Name l Location University Name University Address Phone l FAX l Email l Web The standard color for text in the signature is black. University email signatures should not include references/slogans/ quotes/images.

Background Color University email backgrounds should be solid white.

Patterns and colors are prohibited.

Business Letter Parts of a Business Letter This resource is organized in the order in which you should write a business letter, starting with the sender’s address, if the letter is not written on letterhead.

Sender’s Address The sender’s address usually is included in the letterhead. If you are not using letterhead, include the sender’s address at the top of the letter, left-justified, separated by one line from the date below. Do not write the sender’s name or title, as it is

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included in the letter’s closing. Include only the street address, city, and zip code.

Date The date line is used to indicate the date the letter was written. However, if your letter is completed over a number of days, use the date it was finished in the date line. When writing to companies within the United States, use the American date format. (The United States–based convention for formatting a date places the month before the day; for example, June 11, 2001.) Write out the month, day and year two inches from the top of the page. Left justify the date.

Inside Address The inside address is the recipient’s address. It is always best to write to a specific individual at the firm to which you are writing. If you do not have the person’s name, do some research by calling the company or speaking with employees from the company. Include a personal title such as Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr. Follow a woman’s preference in being addressed as Miss, Mrs., or Ms. If you are unsure of a woman’s preference in being addressed, use Ms. If there is a possibility that the person to whom you are writing is a Dr. or has some other title, use Dr. Typically, most people will not mind being addressed by a higher title than they actually possess. To write the address, use the U.S. Post Office format. For international addresses, type the name of the country in all-capital letters on the last line. The inside address begins one line below the sender’s address or one inch below the date (if letterhead is used). It should be left justified.

Salutation Use the same name as in the inside address, including the personal title. If you know the person and typically use that person’s first name , it is acceptable to use only the first name in the salutation (for example, Dear Lucy). In all other cases, however, use the personal title and the surname (Dear Ms. Johnson).

If you don’t know a receiver’s gender, use a nonsexist salutation, such as a job title followed by the receiver’s last name (Dear Professor Harmon). It is also acceptable to use the full name in a salutation if you cannot determine gender (Dear Chris Harmon).

No matter what form of the receiver’s name you use, the salutation is ended with a colon. Leave one line blank after the salutation.

Body Use block format, single space and left justify each paragraph within the body of the letter. Leave a blank line between each paragraph. When writing a business letter, be careful to remember that conciseness is very important. In the first paragraph, consider a friendly opening and then a statement of the main point. The next paragraph should begin justifying

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the importance of the main point. In the next few paragraphs, continue justification with background information and supporting details. The closing paragraph should restate the purpose of the letter and, in some cases, request some type of action.

Closing The closing is left justified and begins one line below the last body paragraph. If a colon follows the salutation, a comma should follow the closing; otherwise, there is no punctuation after the closing. Capitalize the first word only (for example, Thank you). Then four lines below the closing type the sender’s name. This allows space for the sender’s signature. The sender’s title (if any) should be typed below the sender’s typed name.

Enclosures If you have enclosed any documents along with the letter, such as a resume, you indicate this simply by typing the word “Enclosures” one line below the sender’s name/title. As an option, you may list the name of each document included in the envelope. For instance, if you have included many documents and need to ensure that the recipient is aware of each document, it may be a good idea to list the names of each one.

Typist initials Typist initials are used to indicate the person who typed the letter. They are left justified and placed on the line below the enclosures. If you typed the letter yourself, omit the typist initials.

Block Format When writing business letters you must use the block format. Using this format, the entire letter is left justified and single spaced except for a double space between paragraphs.

Font Another important factor in the readability of a letter is the font. The generally accepted font is Times New Roman or Cambria.

Punctuation Use a colon (:) after the salutation (never a comma) and a comma (,) after the closing. In some circumstances, you may also use a less common format, known as open punctuation. For this style, punctuation is excluded after the salutation and the closing.

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EDITORIAL GUIDELINES University Names The official full name of the institution is “Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.”

First. On first reference, it should always be spelled out with no abbreviations.

Second. On second reference, after the complete name has been used, employ one of the following: “Florida A&M University,” “Florida A&M” (Athletics use only), “FAMU,” or “University.” (The “U” in University must always be capitalized if referring to this University, even when the word is not preceded by Florida A&M.) There are no other acceptable variations of the University’s name and its uses.

Never Use. Unacceptable versions of the University’s name include: Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University Florida A & M University Florida A and M University Florida A & M Florida A and M F.A.M.U famu F A&M U A&M A&M A. & M. A and M

Programs and Centers Spell out the first reference to any University group or program. Subsequently use phrases such as “the Committee” or “the Center” instead of acronyms or abbreviations, which can become ambiguous. For example, the Center for Academic Success becomes the “Center” in the second reference.

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Abbreviations States

• For Media (AP): Spell out the names of the 50 U.S. states when they stand alone. However, where necessary for space, all states can be abbreviated with the exception of Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas, and Utah. The traditional abbreviations are used for the other states (Ala. for Alabama, Fla. for Florida). Postal code abbreviations (AL, FL, etc.) are used only with full addresses that include zip codes.

• For Academic Writing (Chicago Manual): Spell out the names of the 50 U.S. states when they stand alone or when they follow the name of a city (“Lake Bluff, Illinois, was incorporated in 1895.”) Postal abbreviations should be used with full addresses and zip codes, but are also acceptable in other circumstances.

Traditional AP state abbreviations may also be used with the addition of Tex. for Texas.

Academic Specifics Courses

Academic courses are capitalized headline style, but not italicized or put in quotes: (Topics in American History, Introduction to Theatre) Degrees • While Chicago Manual removes periods from degree abbreviations (BA, BFA, MEd, JD, PhD), FAMU is following the AP guidelines that use periods for degree designations (B.A., Ph.D., etc.).

• Degrees always follow the person’s full name and are set apart by commas: “Elmira Mangum, Ph.D., is the first woman president of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.”

• Academics with Ph.D. degrees are never referred to as Dr. on the first reference. The title “Dr.” in first reference is reserved for medical doctors. “Dr.” may be used in second references for Ph.D.s • The plural for degrees does not require an apostrophe: Ph.D.s, M.B.A.s Grade Point Average (GPA) Expressions of grade point averages require only one digit after the decimal (3.5).

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Majors/Minors/Student Status • Don’t capitalize names of academic majors and minors except for proper nouns: “He has a major in Japanese and a minor in dance.”

• Don’t capitalize freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, first-year student, etc.

Titles

• Capitalize the principal words in the title before the name of a particular person: “Vice President Jimmy Miller.”

• Do not capitalize titles after the proper name: “Jimmy Miller, vice president of Communications and External Relations, called a meeting of the press staff.”

• In subsequent references, use the individual’s last name: “Jimmy Miller, vice president, called a meeting of the press staff. Miller approved the press release.”

Dates

• Capitalize and spell out the days of the week, unless used in a table. Separate day from month by a comma: “Friday, Dec. 3.”

• Do not use ordinal numbers even though they may be expressed verbally: “Monday, Nov. 15, not 15th.”

• Capitalize and spell out months of the year when used alone (September) or used with the year (December 2014).

Do not separate year and month with a comma. o AP – When a month is used with a specific day, you may abbreviate the month if it is not any of the months between and including March through July: “Jan. 15,” but “April 15.”  If the entire date is given, separate day from year by comma but no comma follows the date in the sentence: “April 14, 1987 was the final day of the conference.”) o Chicago Manual: If space is limited, you may abbreviate all months except May, June, and July. Place a comma following the date in a sentence: “Apr. 14, 1987, was the final day of the conference.”

• Years: list years using all four numerals: “1997, not ’97.” o To show a span of years, list all four numerals for both years and separate the years with an en dash: “1997–1999, not 1997–99.”

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• Decades: Express decades as “the 1970s,” or the “‘70s,” but not the “1970’s.”

• Centuries: o For Media (AP) – Write out century number up to 10, and then use numerals. (“the first century” but “the 20th century” without superscript) o For Academic Writing (Chicago Manual)– centuries are spelled out throughout: “the first century,” “the twentieth century,” “the twenty-first century.”

• Eras: o For Media (AP) – Use B.C. and A.D. to distinguish centuries from the ancient era (before Christ) from the current era. B.C. follows the year; A.D. precedes the year. If B.C. is not specified, it is understood that the year is A.D. and thus A.D. does not have to be written. o For Academic Writing (Chicago Manual) – Use BC and AD without periods, although small caps with or without periods are also acceptable. BCE (before current era) and CE (current era) can be used as more secular substitutes for the Christian-based BC and AD respectively.

Seasons Do not capitalize the seasons of the year: spring, summer, autumn, fall, and winter are common nouns like any other.

Think of them as similar to morning, afternoon, and night—terms that denote clearly defined periods of time, but are not capitalized because they are not proper nouns.

As parts of official names, however, seasons are capitalized: “the 2012 Summer Olympics; the Fall 2011 semester.”

Gendered Terms • To avoid the sexist bias still inherent in English, use a vocabulary that is fair to both women and men. Common practice today is to try to use gender-neutral terms when gender is not a defining factor. For example, “business person” or “business people” instead of “businessman”; “chair” instead of “chairman”; “U.S. representative,” not “Congressman”; “firefighter,” not “fireman.”

• When possible, avoid “he” and “his” as inclusive references for men and women, but don’t use slash-forms: “she/

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he” and “his/her.” It is better to alter a sentence and use plurals instead of singulars: “All students create their own programs,” rather than “Each student creates his or her own program.”

• “co-ed” refers to both male and female students -- not exclusively female.

Nationality/Race • Capitalize the proper names of nationalities, peoples, races, and tribes: Jewish, French, Hispanic, Latino, Eskimo, Cherokee, African American, Native American, Asian, Asian American. This should also include Black American or Blacks, as well as White Americans, or Whites.

[Documentation supportive of capitalizing “Black” may be found in the accompanying Addendum at the end of the Style Guide. However, please note that even the APA Publication Manual specifies: “Racial and ethnic groups are designated by proper nouns and are capitalized (e.g. Black, White)” (68).]

• Do not use hyphens when combining proper names of nationalities, races, tribes, etc. with American (Asian American, African American) whether the term is used as a noun or an adjective.

(Since AP advocates using hyphens between African and American and between Asian and American, but not for Native American, Latin American or Hispanic American, we will adhere to the Chicago Manual, which suggests not using hyphens in any of these cases whether the terms are used as nouns or adjectives. APA also recommends the omission of hyphens for this usage.)

Numbers • For Media (AP) – Spell out whole numbers and ordinal numbers one through nine and use numerals thereafter.

• For Academic Writing (Chicago Manual) – Spell out numbers one through ninety-nine.

• There are many exceptions that always take figures, however. Most, but not all, involve units of measurement.

Common exceptions include:

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o Addresses: 7 Park Place. o Ages, but not for inanimate objects: The 4-year-old cat, but the four-year-old car. o Cents: 8 cents. o Dollars: $3. Notice that AP style does not include a period and two zeroes when referring to an even dollar figure. o Dates: March 4. Notice that dates take cardinal numbers, not ordinal numbers (don’t use 4th). o Dimensions: 5 foot 2, 5-by-9 cell. o Highways: Route 7. o Millions, billions: 6 billion people. o Percentages: 1 percent. Notice that percent is one word. o Speed: 8 mph. o Temperatures: 2 degrees. o Times: 4 p.m. Notice that AP style does not include a colon and two zeroes when referring to an even hour.

• Spell out numbers used at the beginning of a sentence: “Ten thousand people marched on the capital.” Exception: never spell out years: “1999 was a terrible year for technology companies.”

• Use commas to set off each group of three digits in numerals higher than 999 (except for years and addresses): 12,650.

• Use decimals (up to two places) for amounts in the millions and billions that do not require a precise figure: $3.74 billion.

• Add an ‘s’ but no apostrophe to a number to make it plural: “She kept rolling 7s.” The same rule applies to decades: the 1980s. Use an apostrophe on a decade only if cutting off the initial figures: the ’80s.

• The letters in ordinal numbers should not be written with superscript.

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Publication Titles • For Media (AP) o Titles of books, movies, plays, opera, poems, songs, works of art, as well as titles of radio and TV programs and lectures are in roman letters and enclosed in quotation marks. o Magazines, newspapers, journals, the Bible, catalogs, directories, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks are in roman letters, without quotation marks. o Capitalize principal words including prepositions and conjunctions that consist of 4 or more letters. o Capitalize words smaller than 4 letters only if they are the first or last word of the title.

• For Academic Writings (Chicago Manual) o Titles of books, journals, plays, and other free-standing works are italicized. o Articles, chapters, and shorter works are set in roman and enclosed in quotation marks. o In headline style, the first and last words of the title and subtitle and all other major words are capitalized. o Prepositions of all length are lower-cased (unless stressed in the title: “The On Button”) o Conjunctions, and articles are in lower case.

Punctuation • Commas should be used to separate all the items in a series of three or more ending in “and” or “or.” This avoids considering items separately when they are meant to be understood as a unit or vice versa: “Committees were formed to investigate the following areas: athletics, academics, research and development, and governance.”

• Semi-colons are only needed in a series of items if one of the items already has a comma in it. “You are advised to pack the following items: warm, sturdy outer clothing; two pairs of boots, preferably with inner lining; and binoculars.”

But, “Those going to warmer climates should bring the following: bathing suits, snorkeling equipment, and sunscreen.”

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• Dashes – o Dashes aren’t hyphens. The em dash is longer than a hyphen and indicates a break in the syntax of a sentence. “Of the two grading options—graded only, pass/no pass only—the last option is the default.” (Em dashes are created by typing 2 hyphens immediately following the previous letter and followed immediately by another letter with no spaces in between.) o The en dash is half as long as an em dash. Use an en dash to indicate continuing or inclusive numbers in dates, times, or reference numbers: 2002–2003; pp.12–28 (Created by leaving a space after the previous letter and then typing 2 hyphens followed by a letter.)

• Ellipses are not needed at the beginning or at the end of a quote. It is understood that there may be more to the quotation than what the author has chosen to use.

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ADDENDUM ON CAPITALIZING BLACK AND WHITE WHEN REFERRING TO AFRICAN AMERICANS AND CAUCASIAN AMERICANS • APA Writing Manual – “Capitalize Black and White when the words are used as proper nouns to refer to social groups. Do not use color words for other ethnic groups.” The manual also specifies that hyphens should not be used in multiword names such as Asian American or African American.

• The Race Project— “In a 2000 issue of American Speech, Robert Wachal, professor emeritus of the Department of Linguistics at the University of Iowa, argues that ‘Black’ should be capitalized, as should ‘White,’ because they are proper nouns, not color descriptors. Wachal says that failing to capitalize ‘Black’ is ‘unintended racism’ (http:// raceproject.org). The Race Project editorializes that it is just plain racism, as they do not distinguish between “unintended” and “intended” racism.

• Black sociologist Dr. Patricia Hill Collins prefers capitalizing “Black” and “White” when these terms refer to a people and not simply to a color. Collins says in her book, Black Sexual Politics: “Following conventions in the 2000 U.S. census, I capitalize the term “Black” when it serves to name a racial population group with an identifiable history in the United States” (17). Throughout her book she also capitalizes “White.”

• Some other progressive HBCUs also capitalize “Black.” o Howard University Writing Style Standards – “Black: “Capitalize when used in reference to those of the African Diaspora.” o Spelman College’s Mission Statement – “Spelman College, a historically Black college and a global leader in the education of women of African descent, is dedicated to academic excellence in the liberal arts and sciences and the intellectual, creative, ethical, and leadership development of its students.” (http://www.spelman.edu/ about-us)

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• Some predominantly White colleges from Washington State to Florida also capitalize “Black.”

o English Writing Rules at the University of Texas at El Paso -- “When referring to African American people, the word ‘Black’ is capitalized. The reason for this is that in this case, ‘Black’ refers to a nationality or ethnic group, just like ‘Hispanic,’ ‘Romanian,’ or ‘Apache.’ The word ‘white,’ when used to refer to ‘Caucasians’ need not be capitalized, since ‘whites’ are not a nationality or ethnic group (‘whites’ can be American, Mexican, Iraqi, or whatever)…. (Optional alternate rule: Capitalize both ‘Black’ and ‘White’ whenever referring to ethnic backgrounds.)” o Washington University Law Review note for article, “Abstinence-Only Education Fails African American Youth” – “Consistent with scholarship, this note will capitalize Black, recognizing Blacks as a distinct cultural group. See Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, “Race, Reform, and Retrenchment: Transformation and Legitimation in Antidiscrimination Law, 101.” Harvard Law Review 1331,1332 no. 2 (1998). This note will also use the term Black, Black American, and African American interchangeably to describe Americans of African descent….Although many scholars do not capitalize the term White, relying on the argument that Whites do not constitute a specific cultural group, this note will capitalize White because, at least in the context of this note’s topic, Whites constitute a specific cultural group as they are directly compared with Blacks.” (http://openscholarship.wustl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1136&context=law_lawreview) o University of Utah Writing Style Guide – “Black or African American” – initial caps. They state that they are following the usage of the U.S. government, and the U.S. Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action. o Florida Scholars and Educators– “The ‘Whitening’ of Historically Black Colleges and Universities” by Wilma J. Henry and Rosemary B. Closson, associate and assistant professors in Education respectively at the University of South Florida, Tampa. “The historical mission of Black colleges and universities has been to educate Blacks (Freeman & Thomas, 2002; Whiting, 1991). From their beginnings, some Black colleges incorporated levels of White involvement mainly, but not entirely, in the form of faculty, administrators, and financial leaders (Fleming, 1984; Foster, Guyden & Miller, 1999; Harley, 2001). Since the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, however, there has been an increase in White participation at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).” (http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ887769.pdf)

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• Leading publishers of social sciences, cultural studies, and the arts such as Routledge also have published works where Black is capitalized as seen below in this excerpt from Capitalizing on Leadership Capacity: Gifted African American Males in High School by Fred A. Bonner II, Michael E. Jennings, Aretha F. Marbley, and LesleyAnn Brown: “Both current and historical arguments (e.g., Bennett, 1992; D’Souza, 1996; Herrnstein & Murray, 1994; Simon, 2007), much like Armstrong Williams’ dire report on African American male crime statistics cited in a 2004 column in the New York Amsterdam News, would have many of us believe that Black males are pathological and failing miserably in our nation’s schools; when, in actuality, our nation’s schools seem to be the purveyors of pathology and are miserably failing our Black males (Dunbar, 2001; McNally, 2003).”

As can be seen by the variety of the examples above, FAMU would not be the first educational institution to capitalize “Black” but it still has the opportunity to be among the forerunners. As an African American institution and a leading HBCU, we should feel empowered enough to refer to ourselves with dignity. Capitalizing Black also avoids the visual denigration that occurs when a series of ethnic American people are listed such as: “Latinos, Asian Americans, blacks, and Native Americans” where only the word “blacks” is not capitalized. This should not sit comfortably in our psyches and it should not find a continued place within FAMU’s publication practice.

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