"Cracker", sometimes "white cracker", is a pejorative term for a white person, mainly used in the Southern United States, but in recent decades it has entered common usage throughout North America. Look up Cracker in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with pejoration. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The U.S. Southern states or the South, also known colloquially as Dixie, constitute a distinctive region covering a large portion of the United States, with its own unique heritage, historical perspective, customs, musical styles, and cuisine. ...

Etymology

There are various theories concerning the origin of the term "cracker".

The term "cracker" was in use during Elizabethan times to describe braggarts. The original root of this is the Middle English word crack¹ meaning "entertaining conversation" (One may be said to "crack" a joke); this term and the alternate spelling "craic" are still in use in Ireland and Scotland. It is documented in Shakespeare's King John (1595): "What cracker is this same that deafs our ears with this abundance of superfluous breath?" The Elizabethan Era is the period associated with the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558 - 1603) and is often considered to be a golden age in English history. ... Middle English is the name given by historical linguistics to the diverse forms of the English language spoken between the Norman invasion of 1066 and the mid-to-late 15th century, when the Chancery Standard, a form of London-based English, began to become widespread, a process aided by the... Crack [krak] is a word in common usage in Ireland and in some parts of Scotland meaning fun, enjoyment, or good times, often in the context of drinking or music. ... Craic is a word in common usage in Ireland meaning fun, enjoyment, or good times, often in the context of drinking or music. ... This article is about the country. ... William Shakespeare (National Portrait Gallery), in the famous Chandos portrait, artist and authenticity unconfirmed. ... The Life and Death of King John is one of the Shakespearean histories, plays written by William Shakespeare and based on the history of England. ...

By the 1760s, this term was in use by the English in the British North American colonies to refer to Scots-Irish settlers in the south. A letter to the Earl of Dartmouth reads: "I should explain to your Lordship what is meant by Crackers; a name they have got from being great boasters; they are a lawless set of rascalls on the frontiers of Virginia, Maryland, the Carolinas, and Georgia, who often change their places of abode". A similar usage was that of Charles Darwin in The Origin of Species, to refer to "Virginia squatters" (illegal settlers) (p. 35). This article is about the English as an ethnic group and nation. ... British colonization of the Americas began in the late 16th century. ... Scots-Irish (also called Ulster Scots) is a Scottish ethnic group that historically resided in Ireland which ultimately traces its roots back to settlers from Scotland, and to a lesser extent, England. ... The title of Earl of Dartmouth was created in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1711 for William Legge, 2nd Baron Dartmouth, who was then Secretary of State for the Southern Department. ... For other people of the same surname, and places and things named after Charles Darwin, see Darwin. ... Charles Darwins Origin of Species (publ. ...

Spaniards in Florida called them “Quáqueros,” a corruption of the English word “Quaker,” which the Spanish used to contemptuously refer to any Protestant. [1]

Other possible origins of the term "cracker" are linked to early Florida cattle herders (Florida crackers) that traditionally used whips to herd wild Spanish cattle. These cowboys were distinct from the Spanish vaqueros of Florida. The crack of the herders' whips could be heard for great distances when they were used to round cattle in pens and to keep the cows on a given track. Also, "cracker" has historically been used to refer to those engaged in the low paying job of cracking pecans and other nuts in Georgia and throughout the southeast U.S. White cracker, or simply cracker, was originally a pejorative term for a white person mainly used by blacks in the Southern United States, a usage that is now somewhat archaic. ...

One theory claims that the term dates back to slavery in the antebellum South. The popular folk etymology is based on slaver foremen using bullwhips to discipline African and African American slaves, and the sound the whip being described as 'cracking the whip'. The foremen who cracked these whips were thus known as 'crackers'. ^[1][2][3] Folk etymology is a term used in two distinct ways: A commonly held misunderstanding of the origin of a particular word, a false etymology. ... A bullwhip is a single-tailed whip, usually made of braided leather, which was originally used as a farmers tool for working with livestock. ...

According to the 1911 edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica, "cracker" is a term of contempt for the "stupid" or "mean whites," particularly of Georgia and Florida. Britannica notes that the term dates back to the American Revolution, and is derived from the "cracked corn" which formed their staple food. [2] (Note that in British English "mean" is also a term for poverty, with no malice implied.) 1913 advertisement for the 11th edition, with the slogan When in doubt — look it up in the Encyclopædia Britannica The Encyclopædia Britannica (properly spelled with æ, the ae-ligature) was first published in 1768–1771 as The Britannica was an important early English-language general encyclopedia and is still... John Trumbulls Declaration of Independence, showing the five-man committee in charge of drafting the Declaration in 1776 as it presents its work to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia The American Revolution refers to the period during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen... British English (BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere in the Anglophone world. ...

Historically the word suggested poor, white rural Americans with little formal education. Historians point out the term originally referred to the strong Scots-Irish of the back country (as opposed to the English of the seacoast). Thus a sociologist reported in 1926: "As the plantations expanded these freed men (formerly bond servants) were pushed further and further back upon the more and more sterile soil. They became 'pinelanders', 'corn-crackers', or 'crackers'." [Kephard Highlanders] Sign in a rural area in Dalarna, Sweden Qichun, a rural town in Hubei province, China Rural areas (also referred to as the country, countryside) are settled places outside towns and cities. ... Scots-Irish (also called Ulster Scots) is a Scottish ethnic group that historically resided in Ireland which ultimately traces its roots back to settlers from Scotland, and to a lesser extent, England. ... Sociology is the study of the social lives of humans, groups and societies. ...

Examples of historical usage

Peach label depicting a cracker boy with peaches

Frederick Law Olmsted, a prominent landscape architect from Connecticut, visited the South as a journalist in the 1850s and wrote that some crackers "owned a good many Negroes, and were by no means so poor as their appearance indicated." ^[4] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (900x301, 106 KB) Summary University of Georgia Website [1] Licensing This is a logo of a corporation, sports team, or other organization, and is protected by copyright and/or trademark. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (900x301, 106 KB) Summary University of Georgia Website [1] Licensing This is a logo of a corporation, sports team, or other organization, and is protected by copyright and/or trademark. ... {{Infobox Person | name = | image = FLOlmstead. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Landscape architecture. ... Official language(s) none (de facto English) Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport[2] Largest metro area Hartford Metro Area[3] Area  Ranked 48th in the US  - Total 5,543[4] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ... For other uses, see Journalist (disambiguation). ...

In 1947, the student body of Florida State University voted for the name of their current athletic symbol of "Seminoles," out of more than 100 choices. The other finalists, in order of finish, included Crackers, Statesmen, Tarpons and Fighting Warriors. Florida State University (commonly referred to as Florida State or FSU)[8] is a public research university located in Tallahassee. ...

The October 27, 1863 Battle of Brown's Ferry, in the American Civil War, opened the so-called "Cracker Line".[3] [4] is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Battle of Wauhatchie Conflict American Civil War Date October 28-29, 1863 Place Hamilton County, Tennessee Result Union victory The Battle of Wauhatchie, also known as Browns Ferry, was fought October 28–29, 1863, in Hamilton County, Marion County, and Dade County, Tennessee, in the American Civil War. ...

Crackin' Good Snacks (a division of Winn Dixie, a Southern grocery chain) has sold crackers similar to Ritz crackers under the name "Georgia Crackers". They sometimes came in a red tin with a picture of The Crescent, an antebellum plantation house in Valdosta, Georgia. Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. ... Two Ritz crackers. ... Antebellum is a Latin word meaning before war(ante means before and bellum is war). ... This article is about crop plantations. ... The city of Valdosta is the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. ...

"Cracker" has also been used as a proud or jocular self-description. With the huge influx of new residents from the North, "cracker" was used informally by some white residents of Florida and Georgia ("Florida cracker" or "Georgia cracker") to indicate that their family has lived there for many generations. However, the term "white cracker" is not always used self-referentially and remains a racist term to many in the region.[5] This article is about the U.S. State of Florida. ... White cracker, or simply cracker, was originally a pejorative term for a white person mainly used by blacks in the Southern United States, a usage that is now somewhat archaic. ...

Before the Milwaukee Braves baseball team moved to Atlanta, Georgia, the Atlanta minor league baseball team was known as the "Atlanta Crackers". The team existed under this name from 1901 until 1965. They were members of the Southern Association from their inception until 1961, and members of the International League from 1961 until they were moved to Richmond, Virginia in 1965. However, it is suggested the name was derived from players "cracking" the baseball bat and this origin makes sense when considering the Atlanta Negro League Baseball team was known as the "Atlanta Black Crackers". Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) East Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 21, 35, 41, 42, 44 Name Atlanta Braves (1966–present) Milwaukee Braves (1953-1965) Boston Braves (1941-1952) Boston Bees (1936-1940) Boston Braves (1912-1935) Boston Rustlers (1911) Boston Doves (1907-1910) Boston... This article is about the sport. ... Atlanta redirects here. ... For the organization which many minor leagues belong to, see Minor League Baseball Part of the History of baseball series. ... The Atlanta Crackers were a minor league baseball team that played in the Southern League for several decades until the Atlanta Braves moved from Milwaukee in 1966 and became the first major league baseball team based in the Southeastern United States. ... Year 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1902 through 1961. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The International League (IL) is a minor league baseball league which operates in the eastern United States and Canada. ... Nickname: Motto: Sic Itur Ad Astra (Thus do we reach the stars) Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia Coordinates: , Country State Government  - Mayor L. Douglas Wilder (I) Area  - City 62. ... Part of the History of baseball in the United States series. ... The Atlanta Black Crackers were a team in the Negro League that played from approximately 1921 to 1949. ...

The Florida Cracker Trail is a route which cuts across southern Florida, following the historic trail of the old cattle drives. The Florida Cracker Trail runs from just East of Bradenton, and ends in Ft. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Florida. ...

References

• Roger Lyle Brown. Ghost Dancing on the Cracker Circuit: The Culture Festivals in the American South (1997).
• Burke, Karanja. "Cracker".
• Cassidy, Frederic G. Dictionary of American Regional English. Harvard University Press, Vol. I, 1985: 825-26.
• "De Graffenried, Clare. "The Georgia Cracker in the Cotton Mills." Century 41 (February 1891): 483—98.
• George Gillett Keen and Sarah Pamela Williams. Cracker Times and Pioneer Lives: The Florida Reminiscences of George Gillett Keen and Sarah Pamela Williams edited by James M Denham and Canter Brown. U of South Carolina Press 2000/
• Grady McWhiney, Cracker Culture: Celtic Ways in the Old South (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1988).
• Grady McWhiney. Confederate Crackers and Cavaliers. (Abilene, Tex.: McWhiney Foundation Press, c. 2002. Pp. 312. ISBN 1-893114-27-9, collected essays
• John Solomon Otto, "Cracker: The History of a Southeastern Ethnic, Economic, and Racial Epithet," Names' 35 (1987): 28-39.
• Frank L. Owsley. Plain Folk of the Old South (1949)
• Delma E. Presley, "The Crackers of Georgia," Georgia Historical Quarterly 60 (summer 1976): 102-16.

See also

• Charro
• Cowboy
• Hillbilly
• Honky
• List of ethnic slurs
• Redneck
• Vaquero
• Jimmy Crack Corn

For the Spanish entertainer whose full name is Maria Rosario Pilar Martinez Molina Baeza, see Charo. ... For other uses, see Cowboy (disambiguation). ... Hillbilly is a term, often considered pejorative but sometimes endearing, referring to people who dwell in remote, rural, mountainous areas. ... For other uses, see Honky (disambiguation). ... A slur can be anything from an insinuation or critical remark to an insult. ... This article is about a stereotypical description. ... American cowboy circa 1887 A cowhand tends livestock, especially cattle. ... Blue Tail Fly, De Blue Tail Fly, or Jimmy Crack Corn is a blackface minstrel song, first performed in the United States in the 1840s, which remains a popular childrens song today. ...

External links

• Cracker – Entry in the New Georgia Encyclopedia
• Etymology of "cracker" by Professor Kim Pearson
• Florida Cracker Trail Association

Footnotes

• Note 1: The word "craic" was itself adopted into modern Irish Gaelic from the word crack.