Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz. referred to Black people as "colored people" Thursday in floor debate over his proposed amendment to an annual defense policy bill, prompting a stern rebuke from the former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. Lawmakers were debating a series of GOP-backed amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act, which the House aims to pass by the end of the week.
Black/African Americans who experienced racism decided they were sick of being called colored people by racists for a couple centuries, and as part of the civil right movement the switch to person of color was adopted to replace it. They didn’t waste time, they reacted to their environment and some other people were willing to listen and respect their self determined group label.
The explanation was pretty simple, maybe you should read it again.