NP but Anniversaries. Just an historical tidbit.

[Mark Kohut]

The book's present is 1967--1968.  Diary entires inclu NYT citations,  as
mentioned. .
I do not know how this went down on the page in German---maybe Jochen will
tell me?--
but black Americans are called, in person and in writing,
"negroes"--.although once African-American black
is used, I think. Only once so far.

I know from some earlier research that the word Negro to apply to
African-Americans mostly left books and
mags and newspapers shortly after this time, that crucial year 1968, as the
transition year or the first year of the transition.

I'm gonna presume Johnson got it exactly right, in his language,
observant genius living in America as he was, and his translator got it
right as well in English. So fine.

I am very curious to see if
Johnson marks the change when I get to 1968 in* Anniversaries*. Perhaps the
NYT marked and officially noted
the change, newspaper of record and all and Gesine notes it in her NYT
diary entry when it happens? We would know
that many elements and places of society would be slow to make the change
although we also know that language change
---to Black, black power alive; to African-American as the generally OK
way--happens in the street first.

Time will tell.