Blacks, Whites and Others

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/7/17/995004/-

Blacks "Use for materials on the Black race in general or for materials on Blacks as an element in the population, especially in countries where they are a minority. Materials on Black people in countries with a population predominantly Black are assigned headings appropriate for the country without the use of the heading Blacks, except when the works discuss Blacks as distinct from other groups in the country." [Emphasis added]
This is a direct quote from Sears (21st ed.) The odd part about this is that many catalogers persist in giving the subject heading, Blacks--[geog. heading]--Fiction, to books which are set in majority Black countries, e.g. Botswana, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, etc. It's as if we had to give the subject heading, Whites--United States--Fiction, to every book about a white person/family in the U.S. Or Asians--China--Fiction, to a book about Chinese people. It's just weird.
I admit sometimes it can be a bit tricky with countries on the edge of Sub-Saharan Africa, e.g. Sudan, but those countries (mostly in Northern Africa) are the exception to the rule. Another exception is, of course, South Africa, where the Black/White/Colored split is an obvious issue.
Be careful when using the heading Blacks (or Asians) that you aren't inadvertently resorting to subtle racism.
By the way, since Black race is not an allowed subject heading in Sears just use Blacks instead. Also, there is no subject heading for Whites or Caucasians in Sears which also seems odd. LCSH does use Whites as a subject heading. It's the exact same pattern with headings beginning Men or Male. The assumption in subject cataloging is that everyone is male and white--every other possible combination is the exception.