1920s - Which word?

Nick Rolynd · Mar 6, 2012

So, I'm writing a historical fantasy set in the 1920's, and I'm a little confused on which word to use for African-Americans (in terms of whites speaking/thinking about them).

I did a bit of research and found that negro apparently wasn't used until the 1920s, and that it was actually advocated for by black leaders of the time. Until then, according to my Google search, colored was actually the "preferred" term.

Okay.

With that in mind, what would my Mississippi-raised 17-year old protagonist call a black person? Note that he's not especially racist, having grown up in a isolated heterogeneous town that wasn't particularly racially charged.

When I wrote the first chapter that had a black character in it, I used negro, then I decided to look it up to double check and discovered my probable error. So, should I replace negro with colored instead?

I'd like to point that there is one place where he uses nigger, but I don't want him using that all the time, because quite frankly, he's not that rude. Despite not being particularly high class, he's a pretty polite and tolerant person most of the time.

So, negro or colored? Or is there a more correct word I'm missing? I don't want any gaping anachronisms in this story.

Cristin_B · Mar 7, 2012

I vote colored. 'Negro' makes me think of a later time.

donroc · Mar 7, 2012

Some were used in song lyrics too.

Darkies (used in 20's song Mississippi Mud)
Pickaninny
High Yellow
Race fellows

See any dictionary of U.S. slang that lists pejorative words for all races, ethnicities, and regions.

Dave Hardy · Mar 7, 2012

donroc said:
Some were used in song lyrics too.

Darkies (used in 20's song Mississippi Mud)
Pickaninny
High Yellow
Race fellows

See any dictionary of U.S. slang that lists pejorative words for all races, ethnicities, and regions.

Checking old songs is a good idea.

In the Skillet Lickers' version of Casey Jones (1928) there's a line about "People was screaming, both black and white." It may not have been the most common form, but "black" was in use.

Interestingly for this discussion, an earlier version has "Screaming and yelling, both colored and white."

Alessandra Kelley · Mar 7, 2012

donroc said:
Some were used in song lyrics too.

Darkies (used in 20's song Mississippi Mud)
Pickaninny
High Yellow
Race fellows

See any dictionary of U.S. slang that lists pejorative words for all races, ethnicities, and regions.

"High yellow" meant a very light-skinned black (as in "The Yellow Rose of Texas")

"Black and tans" were nightclubs where blacks and whites mingled

You might be able to use "black," but "colored" was common.

Nick Rolynd · Mar 7, 2012

Okay, so colored is probably my best bet, yeah? Okie dokie. Thanks. =)

Siri Kirpal · Mar 7, 2012

Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Yes, my grandma born in 1890 in rural Missourah ALWAYS used the term "colored." She was no racist. She never said "negro." "Black" was very bad manners in her day. She once changed the word "n..." in a song to "fellow."

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

KayEn78 · Mar 7, 2012

I'd go along with the term "colored" instead of "black" for the 1920s.

-Kristi

Al Stevens · Mar 7, 2012

In the 1920s, in southern states, among common folk, white and black, urban and rural, there was primarily one word, the one you don't want to use. And it survived beyond then.

I grew up in Virginia among people who had been young adults in the 20s, and, especially among the men, it was a common term. My mother wouldn't let my father say the N-word in the house. So he said, "darkies," which also had common usage at that time.

I have seen Negra used in literature from that time.

gothicangel · Mar 8, 2012

Nick Rolynd said:
I did a bit of research and found that negro apparently wasn't used until the 1920s, and that it was actually advocated for by black leaders of the time. Until then, according to my Google search, colored was actually the "preferred" term.

I don't know your source, but the word negro can be dated to 1550. In the 1920's there is the first use of Negro [capitalisation], and it is in the 1960's that it takes on political significance.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=negro

Alessandra Kelley · Mar 8, 2012

It's way early, and maybe that's why I'm hearing Tom Lehrer singing, to the tune of The Ballad of Wernher Von Braun:

Don't say that it's ahistorical,
Say rather that it's categorical.
Once the rockets go up you cannot call them back
Think long before using a word of attack.

I apologize for the extreme frivolity on an issue that's actually pretty emotional.

Have you checked this question on the PoC board?

1920s - Which word?

Nick Rolynd

50% Dark, 50% Snark

Cristin_B

donroc

Historicals and Horror rule

Dave Hardy

Don't let your deal go down,

Alessandra Kelley

Sophipygian

Nick Rolynd

50% Dark, 50% Snark

Siri Kirpal

Swan in Process

KayEn78

Al Stevens

gothicangel

Toughen up.

Alessandra Kelley

Sophipygian