Why it's so hard to talk about the N-word | Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor

Summary

In this powerful narrative, a black US history professor recounts her experiences with the N-word in the classroom, emphasizing its historical weight and emotional impact. She describes her initial decision to avoid the word, the subsequent realization of its necessity in academic discourse, and the importance of contextualizing its use. The professor advocates for open, sensitive discussions about the N-word, highlighting the need to understand its roots and the harm it can cause, especially in educational settings where it can disrupt the learning environment and student-teacher trust.

Takeaways

• 👩‍🏫 The speaker, a black woman teaching histories of race and US slavery, shares her experience of having the N-word unexpectedly introduced in her classroom by a student quoting a movie.
• 🎓 Despite being well-prepared academically, the speaker was unprepared for handling the N-word situation, highlighting the gap in graduate school training for real-world classroom challenges.
• 🚫 The speaker chose to never say the N-word, even in quoting, and instead used the euphemistic phrase 'the N-word,' a decision that was both personal and professional.
• 🤔 The incident prompted the speaker to reflect on the word's history, the violence associated with it, and its impact on her and her students, which she terms as 'points of encounter.'
• 🗣️ The speaker discusses the societal debate on who can and cannot use the N-word, emphasizing that such debates often overshadow the deeper issues surrounding the word.
• 💡 The N-word is described as an idea disguised as a word, perpetuating the belief in black inferiority and justifying historical and ongoing injustices.
• 📚 In response to the incident, the speaker implemented a classroom policy to visually represent the word but never to vocalize it, aiming to create a safer learning environment.
• 🧠 The speaker's students shared personal stories of encountering the N-word, revealing the emotional and psychological impact it has on individuals across different racial backgrounds.
• 🏫 The script highlights the prevalence of the N-word in US literature and history, and the challenges educators face in addressing its use in the classroom without causing harm.
• 🔊 The speaker argues for a more open and honest conversation about the N-word, taking responsibility as an educator to lead these discussions with historical context and sensitivity.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial reaction when a student used the N-word in her class?

The speaker was taken aback and felt the temperature in the classroom drop. She held up her hands and said 'Whoa, whoa' in response to the student's use of the word.

Why did the student use the N-word in the classroom?

The student used the N-word while quoting a line from a 1970s comedy movie, 'Blazing Saddles,' as part of a point she was making about the speaker's lecture.

What decision did the speaker make regarding the use of the N-word in her teaching?

After consulting with someone she trusted, the speaker decided to never say the N-word, even when quoting documents, and instead use the euphemistic phrase 'the N-word.'

What concerns did the speaker have about using the euphemistic phrase 'the N-word'?

The speaker worried that senior colleagues might view her as not being a serious scholar if she used the phrase 'the N-word' instead of the actual word.

What term does the speaker use to describe moments when individuals confront the N-word?

The speaker refers to these moments as 'points of encounter,' which are instances where one comes face-to-face with the N-word.

According to the speaker, what is the fundamental idea disguised by the N-word?

The N-word is an idea disguised as a word, suggesting that black people are intellectually, biologically, and immutably inferior to white people.

Why did the speaker implement a new policy in her classroom regarding the N-word?

The speaker implemented a policy to never say the word out loud in class after realizing the profound impact it had on the classroom environment and the emotional responses of her students.

What was the outcome of the speaker's policy of not saying the N-word in class?

While the word was not spoken again, the speaker felt that her students didn't learn much about its historical and cultural implications, as she hadn't explained the significance of the word's exclusion.

How did the speaker's approach to discussing the N-word evolve after hearing her students' personal stories?

The speaker began to facilitate open and honest conversations about the N-word in her classroom, without using the word itself, and took responsibility for teaching its historical context rather than placing that burden on her black students.

What is one of the most significant historical uses of the N-word mentioned by the speaker?

The speaker mentions that black people first incorporated the N-word into their vocabulary as a form of political protest as far back as the 1770s.

Why does the speaker believe it's important to discuss the N-word in the classroom?

The speaker believes it's crucial to discuss the N-word to understand its historical roots, the assault on black freedom and aspiration it represents, and to navigate its pervasive presence in American culture.