Nigger (or “nigga” in AAVE/in-group reclamation) – the most infamous and loaded slur in English, originating from “negro.”
Nigga – often used within Black communities as a casual or reclaimed term of address, but highly offensive when used by outsiders.
Darkie / Darky – old-fashioned, referring to skin color.
Colored – archaic and now offensive (e.g., “colored people” was once standard but is rejected today).
Negro – once neutral (as in United Negro College Fund), now largely outdated and sometimes seen as disrespectful.
Blackie – simple color-based slur.
Historical/American Slurs:
Sambo – from 19th-century minstrel shows and “Little Black Sambo” stereotype.
Coon – short for “raccoon,” implying laziness or thievery; very common in early 20th century.
Buck – for Black men, implying strength/aggression (often “big buck”).
Jigaboo / Jig / Jiggy – old slur, possibly from “jig” dance.
Pickaninny – for Black children, from Portuguese/Spanish “pequeno” (small).
Mammy – stereotype of the subservient Black female servant.
Uncle Tom – from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel, now often used for perceived subservience to whites (sometimes intra-group).
Porch monkey – crude, implying laziness on a porch.
Jungle bunny – animalistic reference to African origins.
Spearchucker – crude reference to African tribal stereotypes.
Other Regional/International Slurs:
Ape / Monkey – dehumanizing, comparing to primates (still used in some racist contexts globally).
Golliwog – from British children’s literature/toys depicting a Black character.
Wog – British/Australian slur, originally for dark-skinned people (especially Africans or South Asians).
Kaffir (or “kaffer”) – extremely offensive in South Africa, from Arabic “kafir” (infidel); banned in some contexts.
Macaca / Makaka – used in some European contexts or by politicians.
Bamboula – French Caribbean slur.
Schwarzer (German) or equivalents in other languages – literally “black,” but can be pejorative.
Modern/Internet/Euphemistic Variants:
N-word – the censored way to refer to “nigger” in polite company.
Urban – sometimes used as a dog-whistle euphemism for Black (e.g., “urban music,” “urban youth”).
Thug – often racially coded when applied selectively.
Boy – historically diminutive and emasculating when used for adult Black men in the South.
