cracker

[Jesse T Sheidlower]

>
>
> I just received a request from a non-linguist friend who wants to know the origins
> of the term "cracker" as used by African Americans to describe Caucasians.  Can
> anyone on the list either provide that information, or, more likely, suggest a
> source where I can find the information?

I think the Random House Historical Dictionary of American
Slang has a rather full treatment of the term, including
the older uses as well as the 'white person' nuances.

Clarence Major should never be trusted on such matters.

Jesse Sheidlower
Oxford English Dictionary
<jester at panix.com>