First published 2015
In 2007, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People conducted a ceremonial funeral to bury the N-word from public discourse. Author David Bradley witnessed this symbolic act and crafted a passionate counterargument. Bradley defends the contested term not as hate speech to be eliminated, but as a complex linguistic artifact that carries essential historical weight. He argues that attempting to erase the word erases the painful history it represents. Rather than burial, Bradley advocates for understanding the term's evolution, its power dynamics, and its role in African American experience. His defense encompasses the word's linguistic properties, its historical significance, and its conceptual importance in discussions of race and language. Bradley's rhetorical approach challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about American racial discourse rather than sanitize them through symbolic gestures.
Genres: race, essays, african-american, non-fiction
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: challenging-assumptions
Setting: United States
Period: 21st Century
160 pages · Hardcover · Notting Hill Editions
Content warnings: racism