ODU is celebrating Black History Month with a variety of events, many of which are free and open to the public. One of these programs was the screening of “The N Word”
On Feb. 9, the Black Student Caucus held a screening of a documentary entitled, “The N Word” in honor of Black History Month. The screening was followed by a discussion moderated by Old Dominion’s Dr. Timothy Robinson, a department of English professor.
“The N Word” is a documentary that was released in 2004 and directed by Todd Williams. It featured commentary from actress Nia Long, actor Michael Rapaport, and comedians Chris Rock Paul Mooney, and Whoopi Goldberg.
While opening the event, Dr. Robinson explained that he no longer tolerates use of “the n word” in his classes, even when it is included in the texts. The decision was brought on by a student who always seemed to be overly eager to read aloud when that word was used in the texts and students began to question it. Dr. Robinson said, “I’m not devaluing the text, I’m trying to take the power of the word away.”
That is exactly what the documentary “The N Word” was about. It was a discussion about whether or not use of the word really takes the power away, whether the meaning has been changed, and who has attempted to change it.
The documentary explores the origin of “the n word” and its infiltration into present, everyday language through a collection of celebrity interviews. Other points of discussion included contradictions of how and who should use the word.
Famed producer Quincy Jones, better known for producing Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album, offered his thoughts on African-Americans’ use of “the n word” by saying, “It is designed to be derogatory and it is an expression of hate. We’re not going to stop using it. We must take the power the word has… It’s a word we use with love and affection.”
Dr. Robinson facilitated what seems to be the very point of the film at the end by asking the audience to talk about their experiences with the word. The audience gave several opinions and personal experiences with “the n word”.
One student said, “Growing up, I used to use ‘the n word’… but [there] came a time when I started becoming diverse amongst a lot of different ethnicities and races and my thing was… I wanted to be able to relate to them as well, a lot of different backgrounds.” He also added, “I felt like if we’re using ‘the n word’ and around them, that puts them in an awkward feeling.”
Another student expressed that she won’t let the word oppress her by not using it and that she’d rather prove all of the stigmas attached to the word wrong, in ways such as getting an education at ODU.
For more information on more ODU Black History Month events, visit http://studentaffairs.odu.edu/oir/programs/bhm/.
By Lateesha Gloston
Contributing Writer
photo: google.com
