No, it’s not technically a pejorative, but it is, as you said, an old term that has fallen out of fashion. In racial contexts, that usually means the term is seen as at least somewhat racist when used today. (Historically important uses are, of course, grandfathered in.)
I share the reaction of “Really?” It seems odd to me that someone in 2018 would not know that using “Negro” today would come off badly. It would be like someone referring to Asian people as “Oriental.” It inherently carries an additional, less savory connotation. One that would have been avoided by a widely known term “African American.”
That’s not any sort of accusation, mind you. My reaction is actually not dissimilar to that expressed by your smilie.
I moved from Wyoming (69% of my precinct for Trump) to western Washington (10% for Trump) a few months before the election. It was a strange experience not to be in the political minority after so many years.
'm wondering if the blue precinct in Cheyanne isn’t predominantly Hispanic.
Nobody ever says “Afro-American.” African-American, yeah. I hate the word “Caucasian” and still can’t really understand how a mountain range in Western Asia came to mean “people of predominantly European ancestry”, but I know that damn word isn’t going anywhere.
At any rate, for myself, I live in a 46-45 T**** precinct, with a few similarly close pink precincts adjacent, with a few similarly very light blue Hillary districts close by as well. I think it’s safe to say I don’t live in a bubble.