KWAME SPEAKS: ‘They say we N-I Double G-E-R’

 As students of language, race relations and history, we must understand the origin of a word in order to get a clear understanding of why people should or should not use it. As it is commonly known, the words "nigger" or "nigga" (including any additional spellings) are both words born out of the word "negro" which is a term that Europeans used to refer to us as black and African people. 

Dr. Na'im Akbar tells us in his work,  Akbar Papers in African Psychology, that the term Negro comes from the Greek root necro or nekro meaning "death."  Dr. Akbar goes on to state that in Greek the different terms are used interchangeably as the same word.  What does this mean for us today as African people?

In order to keep us in bondage the European slave masters had to utilize every method at their disposal to keep us from our sense of humanity. By calling us Negro, nekro, nigger or colored the slave master did just that. 

The Dred Scott Decision of 1857 basically stated that a negro was chattel property with no rights that whites, as human beings, were bound to respect, especially in the court of law. 

By continuing to use this word or allowing this word to be used by others, we are allowing people to verbally take away our power to define ourselves in our own terms as black African people.

There is no such place as "Nigger Land" therefore using this term and its derivatives destroys African people's sense of nationhood and ethnic identity. This phenomenon damages one's sense of self-esteem and value. 

With the lack of African history and our people's immense legacy in the curriculum, it is no wonder that our children have trouble in this school system. It is not that they are in any way inferior to other children, but it is partially because the material alienates them. 

Just as white students know of the works of the English, French, Dutch and Spanish, Black students should also have a thorough understanding of Ancient Egypt, Timbuktu,Mali and every other civilization which Africans were a part of. Black people are the original people of the planet earth and using terms like the N-Word denies us the intellectual legacy that we alone hold that honor and privilege.

It is no secret that within the past two years the debate of the usage of the N-Word has been sparked once again.  Michael Richards' and Don Imus' use of it shed a new light on its use in many modern rap lyrics.

In response to all of this criticism,  rapper Nas recently released his newest album

"Untitled" (originally slated as "Nigger").  On this album, Nas has a song entitled "N.I.**.E.R (The Slave and the Master)." The song's hook sums up my feelings on the N-Word and what I think should be the new paradigm when thinking or discussing this word. Nas states:

"They say we N-I double G, E, R"

We are much more.

Still we choose to ignore the obvious.  Man, this history don't acknowledge us.  We were scholars long before colleges."

- James Morgan, Kwame Toure Society