Which Niggah Are We Talking About?
Brief Notes Towards a Politics of Re-appropriation
by Frank Leon Roberts
A response to Jesse Jackson and Jasmine Cannick (among others)
Available at Urban/Black Entertainment's "Electronic Urban Report" (EURWEB). The link here.
Intro: You’re Nigger might not be My Niggah
Well, here we are again, entangled in what is perhaps one of the oldest debates among black cultural critics: the Niggah dispute. As a poststructuralist academic who is also invested in ground-level black politics, I have to admit I’ve been pretty disappointed with the ridiculous recent calls by black leaders to “stop using Nigger altogether” as the answer to all racial injustice.
What bothers me the most about these “activist” responses to Michael Richard’s racist tirade is the tendency to make the term Nigger itself the problem, rather than a question of who gets to use the word, why, and in what context.
Thus far I’ve heard few people mention the obvious: the “N-word” that white folks use (Nigger) is rarely the same “N-word” that black folks use (“Niggah”, which I would argue is both grammatically and ideologically different).
To condemn the use of the N-word without any regard to context is to simply make a fetish of the term and erase the specificity of why the term became offensive—or not—to begin with.
I think the real question is this: in what ways might we maintain a critical relationship to the debased history of “Nigger”, while still being careful not to shut down alternative uses of the word that have been deployed in the service of progressive reappropriative politics?
Queering Niggah
In her essay “Critically Queer” feminist philosopher Judith Butler discusses the ways in which the term “queer” went from being an insult to a slogan of resistance. Butler argues that in the early 1990s “queer politics” emerged as an attempt to embrace values which were originally seen as “shameful”: being gay, being unmarried, being on the outside of culture, etc.
Similarly, here in 2006 “black queer studies” is the hot new field within academia, championed by progressives as varied as Cathy Cohen, E. Patrick Johnson, Dwight McBride and Jewelle Gomez, to name just a few. For better or worse, queer is all over the place, and rarely is still considered that initial, unspeakable “epitaph” it once was.
The point? Well doesn’t this radical re-appropriation of “queer” suggest that it might indeed be possible for certain words to be “returned” to the very groups that they were originally meant to injure; that these same words can be cited against their originary purposes; and that ultimately these terms might be used to critically perform a reversal of effects?
By now, I think you’ve guess where I stand on this: Yes. But enough about queer. The real question is this: since “queer” got “queered” (even by the black queers) why cant niggah?
Embracing Shame, Or, Remember How “Black” became “Beautiful”?
What amazes me the most about the widespread condemnation of black folks' use of “niggah”, is the complete lack of historicity that often undergirds such criticism. How quickly we forget history!
Somehow I think we’ve forgotten that “nigger” and “black” were initially used as synonyms. While one of those terms (nigger) continues to be demonized, oddly enough the other (black) has become naturalized in racial discourse. But the fact of the matter is this: up until the early half of the twentieth century, calling someone “a black” was often considered just as offensive as calling them “a nigger”. The two terms were understood to be roughly equal in their debasement. Just like “a nigger”, being “a black” was also figured as dirty, nasty, ugly.
But then something happened. “Its” name? “Black Power”.
People seem to forget that is was the rhetoric of the civil rights and black power movements of the 1960s/70s which first changed the debasing connotation of “being black” into something politically affirmative. The then radical and unprecedented concept that “black was beautiful” marked a major shift in “blackness” as a term of endearment rather than debasement. The call to “say it loud, I’m black and I’m proud” provided a political precursor to feminist mantras such as “the personal is political” and queer politics’ “we’re here, we’re queer, get used to it.” The point? Blackness changed.
Will (you) Niggah?
I find it to be an ironic mark of history that at the dawn of the twenty-first century we now have black activists who want to shut down any attempt to embrace the shame of Niggah even when the very history “blackness” itself is one of such critical reappropriation.
Just as terms like “butchqueen”, “cunt”, “homo”, and “faggot” can sometimes be used as ambivalent yet critical terms of endearment (depending on who’s calling who what and why), it seems as though our very first step at “getting pass Nigger” might indeed be starting with Niggah.
Hey Frank,
That was an interesting piece. I have had plenty of conversations about self-image, community embracement of ideologies that we didnt ourselves create and the such. Your perspective is interesting....thanks.
Posted by
Anonymous |
11/28/2006
the word by anyone but I do have a problem with black people who use the word as a term of endearment but on the other hand do not allow others to use it in the same way.
Like I stated on my blog if a white kid came up and said "Wassup my niggah?" it would be unacceptable even if he meant it in a nonthreatening way.
Posted by
Anonymous |
11/28/2006
I dunno...As an African here in America i can't say that I relate to the use of the word, with or without affectionate connotations. But I can blame that on the fact that the french version of it that I grew up hearing around was and still is hurtful. I also disagree that people in general can stop the use of a word, especially one that has been around for centuries. But I would side with those who wish to have its public use banned (media, etc.)
Posted by
Anonymous |
11/28/2006
This has been an issue for me since my days at the Mecca, Howard Univeristy. My position is similar to yours and I would add that the world has embraced this endearing use of "Niggah" given the complete dominance of hip-hop music and culture. At the same time, I could not accept someone white calling me niggah namely because it engenders the shame of "nigger" regardless of whether it is meant in a non-threatening manner. It would have the exact same effect of a white man saying "I'm gonna hang you," as a joke. That's my take.
I must commend you on your writing Frank. It is always concise and convincing.
Posted by
Anonymous |
11/28/2006
From 13 to 15 years old, I lived in Rapid City SD, not too far from Sturgis. At that age people saw me as a problem child so, they sent me to an alternative school in Sturgis. I *never*, in all my life experienced so much hatred or contempt from so many people at one time because I was Black. By the swollen tongues of White and Native Americans a like I became nothing more than a Nigger -- not Blackie, not Black -- just Nigger.
It never fails, whenever I use the word Nigger it conjures up images of being spat upon and feelings of inferiority. Not because I was inferior, but because that was how I felt and for a while that was how I lived.
Nigger is can never be synonymized (my word) with queer because of the nature of its inherently negative meaning of the word. There is nothing instinctively fearful about something queer. And while over the last 20 years the word queer has evolved, the negative associations with the word nigger still linger.
The causative nature of the word nigger to Blacks who are not knowledgeable of its etymological underpinnings tends to become unknowing victims of the Pygmalion effect.
I seldom agree with Cleo on much of anything, but he asked Karamo and I, what good could come of the use of that word. Karamo and I to this day still joke about it, but in honestly, I don't don't know. It still has the power it had when white people first started using it. If you think i am lying, let some white guy call you a nigger/a and see where it goes -- straight to the almost debilitating state in which our ancestors lived. You want to fight or worse, call the Rev. Al Sharpton, or Rev. Jesse Jackson. Rightfully so, why? Because the word still feels the same when it is used by someone who is not Black.
Posted by
Anonymous |
11/28/2006
Hey Frank,
I enjoyed that piece a lot. I agreed with you before even reading it, however I think your argument lends validity to this particular side of the conversation. I think re-appropriation is powerful politics, especially in language. Fanon suggests that we not only understand the world through language, but also shape, and even own it through the words we speak. I wonder what kind of power a *conscious* re-appropriation of the "N-word" can give?
Posted by
Anonymous |
11/28/2006
i guess as i think along with what you're saying, these are some of the questions that keep pushing back towards me...
is it possible that the usage of the term does more than one thing? i keep thinking of saba mahmood (prolly cuz i had to present on her a minute ago...lol) and how she discusses the western notion of resistance and subversion...
like...is it possible that while utilizing "niggah" could be a re-appropriation of the term that there is an excess in the performance? that the excess becomes a mis-appropriation by well-meaning non-black folks? or that there can possibly be a reinscribing of the racist function of the word by its usage?
*i'm SO rambling right now...my bad*
but like...is the *only* usage of "niggah" a subversive or resistant usage?
Posted by
AC |
11/29/2006
I think the english language is a funny and constantly changing thing, words that held a certain meaning today won't hold that same meaning fifty years from now. On the level on histrionics of the word "niggah/nigger" for me is the exception. This is a word born and repeatedly used verbatim for centuries to downgrade a people of a certain skin color though it didn't start out that way, it was an old english word to describe someone as ignorant and slothful. And was misappropriated by slavemasters to describe the african slave. Henceforth here we are trying to undo a cypher that white supremacy created against us, and we don't wanna let it go. Self-hating...maybe dunno
Posted by
Anonymous |
11/30/2006
I just find it unbelivable that some of us as black people today still argue the validity and impact of using the word nigger/niggah or what ever way you want to spell it. Although, I do not agree with Jesse Jackson stating the word should be banned simply because Im a strong believer in free speech. The reality is, you have millions of people in the world, and many are racists. Thats just life. MOVE ON. And you (Jesse Jackson) telling people they cant use a certain word will not change that fact. The fact of the matter is, many of us as young black people today have absolutley NO IDEA the impact of that words inception to downgrade and demonize black people. To make us feel less than by using one word. I Know, I Know, many may say a "simple" word should not be able to make us feel that way. But the reality is, it just does. Sure, we have a clue because although we may have come a long way, its various issues we go through today that either the word or situations can give us reflections of being black in America. But I truley think its safe to say, that NONE of us remember how it felt to drink from different water fountains, go to tha back of the bus, see your brother hung from a tree, march with water hoses being sprayed on you and dogs attacking you. And the fact that we as young black people cant simply respect or ancestors enough and not use the word altogether is really really sad. I for one do not use the word, simply because of its deep dark history and I know Dr. King, Malcolm, Rosa, and countless more who have paved the way for us as black americans are turning in there graves when we act like we refuse to stop using the word. Hell the fact that we use it altogether will probaly make them sick. Yeah, who knows, they may have used it in ways thereselves back then, but i think now it just has become out of hand. I cringe when i hear us using it on the train, at work, on the street whether its just around ourselves or even worse, around other races. It just looks pathetic. And I know people like Michael Richards and countless other racists have no problem using the word, simply becuase of the fact that they look around and think, "Hell, why should ever respect you, when many of you dont even respect yourselves". Think about it, you dont here Jewish people saying, "Wassup Kike", Asians saying, "Wassup Chink", even Latinos saying, "Wassup Spic". But we just LOVE the word Niggah. Unbelievable. Lets just respect ourselves and more importantly, respect our history and ancestors and just STOP USING THE DAMN WORD.
IM DONE....
Posted by
Anonymous |
12/03/2006
Well said "IM DONE."
The word is an insult spelled any way. If more of us really cared about and were in touch with our history we would not use it or even attempt to vaildate neo-versions of the word with impressive highbow mental gymnastics lacking everyday common sense. Just like bytch for bitch...debating the meaning of nigga,niggah and nigger is an argument that astonishes me. Wrong is wrong, no amount of mental power can make it otherwise.
Posted by
Anonymous |
12/20/2006
What I want to say in regards to this topic is very lengthy for a response. I would ust like those that are interested to go to www.daveyd.com/nword.html.
I could not have broken it down simpler.
Posted by
Anonymous |
1/11/2007