No disrespect intended: Has anyone heard of CPT (colored people time) in terms of arriving late, etc?

Question

A friend of mine mentioned the term CPT when I told him about going to a birthday party for one of my son's school friends (an African American). The party, according to the invitation, was to start at 2:00. But the host and birthday boy didn't show up until about 2:30, and guests drifted in over an hour late. And no one acted like anything was up. What's up with that? Is this a cultural thing?

Answer 1

Ha ha. Yes this is something that black people do all the time. If we tell you be here at 4 be there at 4:30. My aunt has a cookout on every holiday. she tells us it begans at 1:30. I don't show up until 2:30. for the simple fact no one comes on time. I know that terrible but we like to make our entrance known. And black people that don't even know this other black people like that know that this is a culturally based rule. If you ever watch Tyler Perry's Madea's play's people some in late all the time and it's being filmed. I think it's funny though. But if it's something important i try to be on time or before. When you start to play with people court dates and money they are on time.

Answer 2

CPT is a term used widely in african-american culture. And even though it is not acceptable in most african american venues and forums, there are still some folks who consider timelyness to not be such a big deal. It becomes a vicious never ending cycle.

The host will usually tell the people that the party is at 1 just so they will arrive around 2:30. And then the people will say, "I will probably get there around 3 because they probably said 1 so that everyone will start showing up around 2. I want to get there when everyone else is there. I dont want to be the first one at the party."

I notice that many African American churches do that too- They will advertise their services at 10:45 AM because it really begins at 11.

Answer 3

I hear that phrase all the time. My Humanities 1101 course deals with American culture and we discussed that phrase in great detail. I personally am not offended, but then again I do not use the term. I do not think that party was a cultural thing. Some people are just lazy and can get somewhere on time a choose not to!

Answer 4

Yep, I use that term all the time when dealing with blacks or women or anyone else that refuses to show me the courtesy and respect of punctuality. I give it, I expect it. Nothing new to me my time is valuable and if I am more than five minutes late I call. I don't find it derogitory at all. Just truthful for the most part. Is it any wonder these people can't get organized when they don't understand such basic concepts as time?

Answer 5

Colored People's Time, Colored-People Time, CP Time, or CPT, is an American expression (potentially pejorative) referring to a stereotype of African Americans as less scrupulous at keeping commitments in a timely fashion. It is often used self-referentially (in other words, by African Americans themselves).

In a work environment, similar behavior in an organized fashion might be called a "slowdown" - a sort of slow motion strike.

It is similar to "Bankers hours", in that the time kept is convenient to one person, but not another; dissimilar in that one refers to an authority opening and closing when it pleases, and the other a subordinate group not being as prompt or timely as the authority desires.

Answer 6

That sounds similar to the running joke in my family about "Danbury Time". My Mom and her entire family is from Danbury, Connecticut, and they seem to share many odd quirks - in this case they set all their clocks about 10 minutes ahead of the real time, this is what we call "Danbury Time".

To answer your question, it sounds like a cultural thing, but probably not an African American thing - I'd bet it's much more local than that.

Answer 7

well you didn't say what country they are from...for example when I was in Thailand they think all of us americans are in a hurry, that's because they live a very slow life over there. Makes you wonder how these people hold down a job, do they show up late for work each day?

Answer 8

I have never heard that one (I'm in Canada), however I HAVE heard "being on Indian time" refering to being late. I think both are derogatory terms out of the 50's. That rings true considering "colored people" and "Indian" are both terms that have been unacceptable since the 50's.

Answer 9

I never heard that expression and don't think I missed anything. It does sound like a racial slur. However when I lived in the south west I often heard the term "Indian time." from a liberal who was definitely not prejudiced against native Americans. It referred to his belief or observation that some native Americans don't follow the white man's time clock. I wonder?

Answer 10

Stereotypical phase,Only applies to people who take it literally.A Black person has a job,if they want to keep that job do they wonder in an hour later or when they feel like it?No,they get there on time just like anyone else.Yes i have heard of it ,but i don't believe in it.