The history behind racial stereotyping | Erika Hall | TEDxColumbiaUniversity

Summary

This script explores the profound impact of names and labels on perception and life outcomes. The speaker, influenced by research showing names can affect job prospects, meticulously chose her daughter's name for maximum success. Contrastingly, her son's name, Kingston, was chosen for its cultural significance, reflecting a shift from analytical to emotional naming. The speaker delves into racial labels, revealing through studies that 'African-American' is perceived more positively than 'Black' in professional contexts. She discusses the historical contexts giving rise to these perceptions and the concept of semantic prosody, where words absorb connotations from their linguistic surroundings. The talk concludes with a call to embrace 'Black' as a symbol of education and intelligence, advocating for a change in how we use and perceive racial labels.

Takeaways

• 🎭 The speaker's fascination with names began with the birth of her first child, emphasizing the potential impact of a name on a person's life trajectory.
• 🔍 A research study was conducted to select the best name for her daughter, based on public perception of competence, likability, and hirability.
• 👶 For her second child, a more sentimental approach was taken, choosing a name (Kingston) that connected to the family's Caribbean roots.
• 🏷 The power and complexity of racial labels were explored, particularly the difference in perception between 'black' and 'African-American'.
• 📊 A study revealed that 'African-American' was perceived more positively in professional settings, with participants more likely to associate it with managerial positions.
• 💼 The semantic prosody theory was introduced to explain how words like 'negro' absorbed negative connotations from their historical context.
• 📚 The historical context of 'African-American' and 'black' was analyzed, showing how they are tied to the Civil Rights and Black Power movements, respectively.
• 📊 Another study demonstrated how racial labels in nonprofit names influenced perceptions and donations, highlighting the real-world impact of labels.
• 🗣️ The speaker suggests three strategies for better understanding and using labels: understanding symbolic associations, disaggregating labels, and allowing individuals to choose their preferred labels.
• ✍️ The speaker concludes that embracing the 'black' label as a symbol of education, intelligence, and poise can change its semantic prosody over time.

Q & A

What is the main argument of the speaker regarding names and labels?

The speaker argues that names and labels have significant power and can influence perceptions and outcomes, contrary to Juliet's belief that a name does not change the essence of something.

Why did the speaker conduct a research study to choose her eldest daughter's name?

The speaker wanted to give her daughter the best chance in society and believed that a name could impact a child's life trajectory, hence she used a research study to select a name that would maximize her daughter's success.

What was the result of the resume audit studies mentioned in the script?

The audit studies showed that resumes with different names received different callback rates, indicating that names can influence hiring decisions.

Why did the speaker choose the name 'Kingston' for her son?

The name 'Kingston' was chosen to tie the child to his ancestral Caribbean roots, reflecting a more meaningful and symbolic naming choice rather than one based purely on research.

How did the speaker's research reveal the difference in perception between 'black' and 'African-American'?

The research showed that white participants perceived the 'African-American' label as more competent, educated, and deserving of higher managerial positions and salaries compared to the 'black' label.

What is semantic prosody and how does it relate to the speaker's discussion on racial labels?

Semantic prosody is the process by which a word absorbs the tone of the words that frequently surround it, becoming associated with positive or negative connotations. The speaker discusses how racial labels like 'negro' and 'African-American' have absorbed the ideologies and undertones of their respective historical periods.

What historical context does the speaker provide for the terms 'African-American' and 'black'?

The term 'African-American' became prominent during the Civil Rights movement, associated with voting and political participation for racial equality, while 'black' rose to prominence in the Black Power movement, associated with economic disadvantage and racial victimization.

How did the speaker's research on nonprofits show the impact of racial labels on perceptions and donations?

The research showed that the 'black' label was associated with goals of eradicating racial injustice and defunding the police, leading to more donations from those wanting to eradicate racial bias, while the 'African-American' label was linked to civil rights and equality, influencing donations from those championing these causes.

What are the three strategies the speaker suggests for making informed choices about labels?

The three strategies are: understanding the symbolic associations of a label by situating it in history, disaggregating labels to consider more specific group identities, and allowing individuals to choose their preferred labels.

Why does the speaker argue against replacing the 'black' label despite its negative stereotypes?

The speaker argues that the 'black' label connects her to a cultural past and signifies dignity, unity, and beauty, and that changing how we use the label can alter its semantic prosody to reflect more positive associations.