[literalis]

Negro wasn't an offensive word even in the 90s from what I remember.

It would have sounded overly formal and a bit outdated but it wasn't a slur. I assume this just comes from Spanish so no more offensive than saying black in English. African-American was still somewhat new and certainly not as a widely used as today. Even in the mid 2000s people used the incredibly offensive term mulatto without a second thought as opposed to mixed race.

It would be like if latinx replaces latino completely in 20 years, latino becomes a slur and people in 2040 judging us now as racist for using the word latino. It is ridiculous and ignorance of the reality that language evolves in time.

It is also hard to put Miles in perspective. Kind of Blue was the second best selling album of all time at the end of the 1950s after Elvis Christmas album. Rebellious new heroin music as opposed to the high art we view jazz today.