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.
That’s just how adjectives work in English. Would the equivalent be fine in French since “people” comes before “colored”? I’m pretty sure the actual reason “people of color” is preferred is that it signals that you’re trying not to be racist, not because of some inherent property of the word order.
If you ignore the history of slavery and discrimination then the order doesn’t matter.