I am a CAUCASIAN, mixed with Cherokee on both sides of my
family, Huguenots going way back (Maupins who came to
America & fought in the Revolutionary War & were paid for
it in land grants.) - NEGROES should be proud of their
heritabe as well and of their contributions to this country.
I guess us “whiteys” have been called “Caucers” by someone
at some time. I also think the use of the word “nigg*rs”
was most often a mispronunciation by “whites”.
I’m 70 and a Southerner. I was NOT raised prejudiced. My
father and his siblings’ playmates were a family of NEGRO
children who were their NEIGHBORS in the country. Their
father supervised the kids’ horseback riding on his farm.
My dad was a combat veteran of WWII. He NEVER insulted
NEGROES or GAYS or ANYBODY. We worked, tried to obey the
law, and minded our own business.
My forebears came here from Scotland and Ireland via Philadelphia, then westward in short order thru the Gap, to TN, then up to KY, and finally to far southern Illinois.
So we both have our respective heritage, but aside from our ancestral roots, I'd wager that you'd join me in declaring myself - proudly - American !
No hyphens necessary .. you are or you're not.
‘I also think the use of the word “nigg*rs”
was most often a mispronunciation by “whites”.’
Yes, I’m extremely suspicious that is the case. Illiterates who couldn’t say “Negro” well. Happens all the time with speech. Then turned into its own “word” that became more insulting than the word it was clearly based on.