I have aleays heard that it’s from the practice of “cracking corn”. which was a staple food for the poor and uneducated in the south.
Some say that, but in the 1860's, Grant's supply line into Tennessee was called the 'cracker trail' and the--
--'cracker line'. Just the same, there was never any record of it being called the 'creepy ass cracker' trail...
Y’know, I’ve always wondered... why would Jimmy crack corn if nobody cares?