At Imperial we prefer to capitalise all ethnicities, for example Arab.  

We also prefer to capitalise nationalities, for example Welsh or Brazilian, and broader categories – especially if used in data sets – for example Black, or ‘Other’. 

Capitalisation is widely considered as a sign of respect. For example, in the Black community many feel capitalisation reflects a shared sense of identity and community, making the difference between a colour and a culture. 

There are mixed approaches and practices, but at Imperial we would also recommend the capitalisation of White and White ethnic groups. These are ethnic groups and should be treated consistently as with other ethnicities. 

Why should we capitalise? 

Capitalisation: 

• helps show respect for the identity of individuals and groups. The lowercase black, for example, is a colour, should not be used to refer to a person.
• can help to achieve clearer written communication. For example, if broad terms are used as technical categories in data collection or reporting, then it may aid understanding to capitalise.
• when used consistently across all ethnicities and groups, it also helps achieve clearer communication and understandings.