History Of Nigger Research Paper

Worth Defined by Words Take a deep breath, close your eyes then count to ten. Now say it loud and proud nigger. No, not the “n-word” not this unspeakable forbidden word just nigger. Depending what you look like, how you were raised, or where you are from, that was either grueling and painful or slid through your vocal chords with ease. It’s astonishing that a word cultivated in the 1800s can still bring pain and anger to the African American community as well as being an uncomfortable road for any Caucasian to tread. Nigger stands as the most controversial word in the English dictionary. Just a single word has created a rift. Some individuals fight for the removal of the word entirely, while others see it simply as a watermark of history

("Huck Finn in Context”).

Within the United States, the word nigger was used as a means of contempt or disapproval. During the era of slavery, the words nigger and black were placed in front of common American names used as a means of distinguishing the slave from any white person. ("Nigger (the Word), a Brief History”). From that point into the early nineteenth century the word nigger sat as the cornerstone of white racism being used as a noun, verb, or adjective. It was used to emphasize the stereotype of a person who was lazy, unintelligent, dirty, who also happened to be

Going from nigger to the contemporary “nigga” has produced a fluid, adaptable, postmodern, and urban construction of identity epitomizing numerous social and rhetorical flows. “Nigga” identity has been most expressed in hip-hop and rap culture, one end that presents a sense of masculinity, misogyny, as well as sexual violence then another side that attempts to locate an authentic self amidst the difficult life that has forever plagued blacks within urban America. This is a term used to bring African Americans together. The issue that lies through this metamorphosis is that African Americans have managed to establish the unspoken rule that it is not allowed for a white person to say the word “nigga.” PBS goes on to emphasize the point, “While usage of the word in African American culture is complex in that it can be used affectionately, politically, or pejoratively, the epithet is considered an abusive slur when used by white people.” ("Huck Finn in Context”). Essentially what we have here is a double standard. This begs the question of, is the word more harmful than helpful in bringing people