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I was not born in the US, so let me clarify why I'm asking such question:
In Portuguese, the word "Negro" is the correct term when referring to the race, where calling somebody "Black", the color, would be considered offensive most of the time.
So is "Negro" in America a bad, offensive word, or is it the right term when referring to the race?
Negro is currently considered somewhat offensive in the United States, and it's not advisable to use it if you are first learning the language.
I say "somewhat" because there are circumstances where it is still used, but those circumstances are historically and socially complex, and even Americans still struggle with those circumstances.
It's best to either look for a more neutral term - black or African-American are currently* better choices - or to avoid the reference to race except where necessary. It's also a good idea to take the cue from the person you are describing - what word, if any, would they be comfortable with you using?
*Note: racial relations and language in the US continue to evolve, and what is proper today might be offensive tomorrow.
The New Oxford American Dictionary has a note about using Negro.
Since the Black Power movement of the 1960s, however, when the term black was favored as the term to express racial pride, Negro has dropped out of favor and now seems out of date or even offensive in both US and British English. The 2010 US Census questionnaire was criticized when it retained the racial designation Negro as an option (along with Black and African Am.). The Census Bureau defended its decision, citing the 2000 Census forms, on which more than 56,000 individuals handwrote "Negro" (even though it was already on the form). Apparenly, Negro continues to be the identity strongly preferred by some Americans.
The NOAD itself, in the definition of Negro, reports the word as dated, and often offensive.
About Black, the note the NOAD has is the following:
Black, designating Americans of African heritage, became the most widely used and accepted term in the 1960s and 1970s, replacing Negro. It is not usually capitalized: black Americans. Through the 1980s, the more formal African American replaced black in much usage, but both are now generally acceptable. Afro-American, first recorded in the 19th century and popular in the 1960s and 1970s, is now heard mostly in anthropological and cultural contexts.
The word "negro" is slightly offensive. I'd recommend not using it, and I'd recommend not to get too offended if you hear or read it. It is actually practically not used anymore.
Even racists don't use it - because it is nowhere near offensive enough for their purposes. They will use a different word, also containing the letters n, g, and r, which is deeply offensive and which you should not use unless you want to be punched in the face.
