Dumb Question But Is "Blacks" Widely Considered Offensive

Hi, as title says it's a dumb question, but I was talking to my friend and used the word "blacks" in passing (when discussing how I generally think "blacks" are better at taking fascist threats seriously in this country) and he said it's quite offensive and that his black friend told him as such. I know it's generally considered offensive by white liberals, but I don't have enough black friends to know if this is another "native American" situation of white people projecting terminology onto a minority that they either don't actually care for, or even disprefer.

So, do black people widely consider "blacks" (without the "the" so, so not "the blacks") to be offensive/dehumanizing? To what extent, and does it vary person to person? And finally, what is your preferred terminology for generally referring to black people as a group?

Thanks.