The term 'picnic' is racist according to some. See this video.
According to Cambridge's dictionary, a picnic is
an occasion when you have an informal meal of sandwiches, etc. outside, or the food itself
Merriam-Webster gives a similar definition as do other sources like Collins Dictionary.
Merriam-Webster also writes that the origin of the word is
German or French; German Picknick, from French pique-nique
Presuming to speak for black Americans, the
Yet when Southern whites made lynchings a regular occurrence at picnics, the word took on a different meaning to Black Americans.
“The word, picnic, carries with it the memory that there was a time when white folks gathered to eat outside, burning black flesh would be on the menu,” explained Treva Lindsey, an associate professor of women’s studies at Ohio State University.
Note that this source also states, after bringing up what they say are
the unjust deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd
they write,
Systemic racism is made up of structures baked into our country’s institutions — like banking, education and yes, language — that devalue Black people.
After discussing the possible French origins of the term, Quora writes,
A question was raised: Does the word “Picnic” stem from a racist act— the practice of some white people lynching African-Americans— “Pick-a-nig” or “pick-a-nigger”?
It is clear that the word “picnic” is not rooted in racism or the racist phrases “Pick-a-nigg” or “pick-a-nigger”
Is this claim a myth?
"However, some of the almost 4,000 blacks who were lynched between 1882 and 1962 were lynched in settings that are appropriately described as picnic-like.
Phillip Dray, a historian, stated: "Lynching was an undeniable part of daily life, as distinctly American as baseball games and church suppers. Men brought their wives and children to the events, posed for commemorative photographs, and purchased souvenirs of the occasion as if they had been at a company picnic.""
Although the practice is heinous, it does not mean that the word “picnic” stemed from it.
We read from the Jim Crow Museum asks,
Question
Is it true that the word picnic originally came from the word pick-a-nig or pick-a-n!gger? Apparently, a black person was randomly "picked" and hanged for the entertainment of whites. The whites, including families, ate from box lunches while enjoying the barbaric act. If this is true we should stop using the word picnic, replacing it with outing or gathering.
-- Sarah James, Baltimore, Maryland
They write,
The etymology of the word picnic does not suggest racist or racial overtones. Picnic was originally a 17th Century French word, picque-nique. Its meaning was similar to today's meaning: a social gathering where each attendee brings a share of the food.
They also write,
It is clear that picnic was not derived from "pick-a-nigger," "pick-a-nig," or similar racist phrases. However, some of the almost 4,000 blacks who were lynched between 1882 and 1962 were lynched in settings that are appropriately described as picnic-like. Phillip Dray, a historian, stated: "Lynching was an undeniable part of daily life, as distinctly American as baseball games and church suppers. Men brought their wives and children to the events, posed for commemorative photographs, and purchased souvenirs of the occasion as if they had been at a company picnic." 2
Their footnote for that last passage reads,
Dray, Philip. 2002. The Hands of Persons Unknown: The Lynching of Black America. New York: Random House. Dray's book is a well-written social history of lynching.
Additionally, they write,
One Mississippi newspaper referred to these gruesome acts as "Negro barbeques." 4
The footnote reads,
Thernstrom, Stephan and Abigail Thernstrom. 1997. America In Black and White: One Nation, Indivisible. New York: Simon & Schuster.
They write,
The claim that the word picnic derived from lynching parties has existed in Black American communities for many years. Although many contemporary etymologists smugly dismiss this claim, it should be noted that there is a kernel of truth in this month's question.
They conclude,
The word picnic did not begin with the lynching of black Americans; however, the lynching of blacks often occurred in picnic-like settings.
The Philadelphia Inquirer concludes,
So, should you stop using the word picnic?
Not necessarily. First of all, there isn’t a really easy replacement, and swapping “outdoor potluck meal” doesn’t roll off the tongue. But making sure that that history is talked about, and not an invisible part of how we talk to each other, has value. And having those conversations, and being open to them, can help us dismantle this system that we’ve all inherited.
What do you think?
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