Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

According to Harvard Law Professor, Word 'Nigger' an Important Part of African-American History

Aired January 15, 2002 - 08:20   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to turn now to a word that conjures up images of racial hatred and distrust. It's a loaded word, filled with racial and cultural connotations that cause most of us to carefully refer to it as the "N" word if we ever refer to it at all. But according to one law professor, it's also an important part of African American history and that professor Randall Kennedy of Harvard University wants to keep it alive. He has written a book about it, and since he's written it, I'll say it, the book is "Nigger", the strange career of a troublesome word. And Randall Kennedy joins us now from Boston. Thanks very much for being with us this morning Professor Kennedy.

PROFESSOR RANDALL KENNEDY, AUTHOR, "NIGGER": Good morning.

COOPER: "The Washington Post" has called this book - quote - "a molotov cocktail of a book". The title, even the book jacket seems designed to be incendiary. Why this book and why this title?

KENNEDY: Well the reason for the book is that the word "nigger" is an important word. Following the word takes us to a lot of interesting and menacing places in American history. It's a word that tells us a lot about our history - not just about African American history, but all of American history. It's a word that tells us about the complexity of words in general.

COOPER: You say there's value in tracing what you call the strange career of a troublesome word.

KENNEDY: Sure.

COOPER: What is the value of keeping this word alive?

KENNEDY: Well I mean one value is tell people, especially young people, about the terrible, ugly, menacing history that's behind this word. This word is an important part of the soundtrack of American racism, and if people want to know about American racism, they have to be conversant with this particular word. This is a singular word that, as you indicated, evokes some of the worst aspects of our history.

COOPER: But you're really not just calling for a review of history of this word, you're calling for use of this word. In your book you say, "there is much to be gained by allowing people of all backgrounds to yank nigger away from white supremacist, to subvert its ugliest interrelation and to convert the "N" word from a negative into a positive appellation. I mean is there a risk in having people use this word, that people will use it in the wrong - I mean is there a right way to use this word?

KENNEDY: I think that, of course, there's a risk. This is a very provocative word. It's a dangerous word. I think presumptively it's a bad word. At the same time, we should understand that this word, like all words, can be put to many different uses and there are people who have put this word, "nigger", to good uses.

(CROSSTALK)

COOPER: What is the right way to use this word?

KENNEDY: Well there are a variety of ways. Documenting racism is an - is an easy one. A little bit more controversial would be people who have an idea that by removing the taboo that surrounds the word, this word can be defanged. It's power to hurt can be lessened if we remove the aura that surrounds it, that makes it an alluring word for many people.

COOPER: You know ...

(CROSSTALK)

COOPER: The problem is you hear this word all the time in hip- hop records and CDs. I mean is it OK for some white kid, 16-year old kid in the suburbs, to be running around using this word?

KENNEDY: Well it all depends on how this person is using the word. If the person is using the word in a way that makes the - in a way that suggests that the person understands the history of the word. If the person is using the word in a way in which that makes it clear that the person is not intending to injure, then I don't take offense. It's true that there are many people including African Americans who use the word "nigger" as a term of endearment. I don't. I think that there are problems with that usage, but we should understand and acknowledge that that usage exists.

(CROSSTALK)

KENNEDY: And I do think it does have the - it does have the benefit of yanking that word away from the bigots.

COOPER: All right, Professor Kennedy, that's all the time we have this morning. Thank you very much. The book is ...

KENNEDY: Thank you.

COOPER: ... a molotov cocktail of a book, as "The Washington Post" says, and we appreciate your being here this morning. It is no doubt a book you'll be hearing a lot about in the coming days and weeks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com