use of "sunshine" as a racial slur against blacks

[Wilson Gray]

"Sunshine" as a slur is more commonly used in its short form, "shine."
As a WAG, it may be the case that the popularity of "boot," from
_bootblack_, who *shines* boots, and "shoe," from _shoeshine boy_ gave
the the shortened form its impetus.

As a child, I used to wonder why my parents disliked one of my
favorite songs, Shine, by Frankie Laine:

Hey now, just because my hair is curly
Just because my teeth are pearly
Just because I always wear a smile
That is why they call me
"SHINE"!

Just because I'm glad I'm living
And take my troubles all with a smile
Just because my color's shady
That's the difference, maybe
That is why they call me
"SHINE"!

Etc.

-Wilson

I was, well, unaware of the subtext.
–––
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-----
-Mark Twain



On Mon, Mar 2, 2009 at 7:15 PM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com> wrote:
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> Sender: Â  Â  Â  American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster: Â  Â  Â  Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject: Â  Â  Â 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:
>
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>> -----------------------
>> Sender: Â  Â  Â  American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster: Â  Â  Â  Jocelyn Limpert <jocelyn.limpert at GMAIL.COM>
>> Subject: Â  Â  Â 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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>>
>
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