I know that back in the day calling a white person a "peckawood" was deragotory.
What is the origination of this word?
2007-06-29 14:59:35 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
Peckerwood is a pejorative slang term coined in the 19th century by southern blacks to describe poor whites. Blacks saw blackbirds as a symbol of themselves, and the woodpecker as a representation of working class whites. They considered them loud and troublesome like the bird. This word is still widely used by southern blacks to refer to southern whites.
2007-06-29 15:07:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The term is "peckerwood" - it's just an inversion of "woodpecker." I have no idea how it came to be derogatory, but it is, especially in the American south.
2007-06-29 22:32:06 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i've heard of peckerwood but i didn't know it was derogatory to whites. the only thing i can remember being racist was honkey.
2007-06-29 22:07:45 · answer #3 · answered by racer 51 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋