TED Talks Daily Why it's so hard to talk about the N-word | Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor
Mar 12, 2020
Professor Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor, a U.S. history expert with a focus on race and slavery, tackles the complexities surrounding the N-word. She shares personal insights on navigating emotionally charged discussions in the classroom. Pryor emphasizes the importance of understanding the word's historical context while calling for open dialogue on race. Through poignant anecdotes, she highlights the term's profound impact on students and advocates for a redefined educational framework that fosters constructive conversations about race and language.
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Unexpected N-word
- A student quoted the n-word from "Blazing Saddles" in Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor's class.
- Pryor, a history professor specializing in race and slavery, was taken aback by this unexpected encounter.
Points of Encounter
- Pryor describes "points of encounter" as moments of confrontation with the n-word.
- These moments can range from awkward to deeply painful and highlight the difficulty of discussing the word.
More Than a Word
- The n-word isn't just a word but an idea.
- It promotes the idea that Black people's inferiority justifies their suffering and inequality.
