[Ads-l] Antedating of "'Fro"

[Jesse Sheidlower]

This is from Volume 5, No. 2 of the _Current Slang_ series that was published by the University of South Dakota. This issue is dated Fall 1970 (elsewhere specified as October), so it's not an antedating of the May 1970 Atlanta Journal quote.

Note that Green's Dictionary of Slang has this quote (under the _Afro_ entry), and that it actually reads _'Fro..._ (i.e. with a leading apostrophe).

Jesse Sheidlower

On Wed, Mar 19, 2025 at 01:51:21AM +0000, mr_peter_morris at outlook.com wrote:
> Possible antedating.
> 
> A list titled "Current Slang".   Google dated to 1967.
> Searching the text indicates it is probably  1968-70.
> 
> Google search says it contains entry:
> Fro , n . An Afro hair style
> 
> Google snippet view does not show these words.
> 
> https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Current_Slang/SWVXAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22afro%22+%22fro%22+hair&dq=%22afro%22+%22fro%22+hair&printsec=frontcover
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------ Original Message ------
> From "Shapiro, Fred" <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU<mailto:fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>>
> To ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU<mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Date 19/03/2025 00:17:12
> Subject Antedating of "'Fro"
> 
> 'fro (OED 1970 Dec. 14)
> 
> 1970 Atlanta Journal 31 May Magazine 22 (Newspapers.com)
> 
> You're familiar with 'fro, aren't you — the Afro hairdos that some of us wear?
> 
> Fred Shapiro
> 
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