use of "sunshine" as a racial slur against blacks

[Jocelyn Limpert]

I could find "shine" in The Racial Slur Database (easily Googled) --
"sunshine" is not included, and they have a long list of racial slurs.

For "shine," they have the following, but not as a diminuitive of
"sunshine," so it doesn't really fit. It is as follows:

  Shine/Shiner Blacks In reference to the shine their skin can sometimes
give off. Also a 1920's main occupation, shoe shiners.


On 3/2/09, Sam Clements <SClements at neo.rr.com> wrote:
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Sam Clements <SClements at NEO.RR.COM>
> Subject:      Re: use of "sunshine" as a racial slur against blacks
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> The use of 'shine' as a derogatory appelation for a Black would almost
> certainly come from 'sunshine.'  At least, that was always my guess.
>
> Any examples of how long 'shine' has been used that way?
>
> Sam Clements
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jonathan Lighter" <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Sent: Monday, March 02, 2009 19:15
> Subject: Re: use of "sunshine" as a racial slur against blacks
>
>
> > I've never heard it so used, but I *have* heard it once or twice as a
> > playful form of address (as by older waitresses to male diners in
> > downscale
> > Southern eateries), i.e., "How are you today, sunshine?"
> >
> > The earliest ex. I know of is in James Forbes's play "The Show Shop"
> > (1914) in _The Famous Mrs. Fair and Other Plays_ (N.Y.: George H. Doran,
> > 1919), p. 99:
> >
> > "ROSENBAUM: Hello, Sadie. [To TOMPKINS] Hello, Sunshine. We've got to
> slam
> > this show through."
> >
> > Tompkins's first name is given as "Wilbur."
> >
> > JL
> >
> > On Mon, Mar 2, 2009 at 7:02 PM, Jocelyn Limpert
> > <jocelyn.limpert at gmail.com>wrote:
> >
> >> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> >> -----------------------
> >> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> >> Poster:       Jocelyn Limpert <jocelyn.limpert at GMAIL.COM>
> >> Subject:      use of "sunshine" as a racial slur against blacks
> >>
> >>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>
> >> Does anyone have any information as to the origins of or current usage
> of
> >> "sunshine" being used in speech today in a derrogatory way as a racial
> >> slur
> >> against blacks/African-Americans?
> >>
> >> A friend asked me for information concerning this and I could find
> little
> >> in
> >> the online searches that I did. Usually I'm much more successful, so I
> >> would
> >> appreciate any help that you can give me.
> >>
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