White American Keywords for Chronicling America

Related Terms: Caucasian, White 

Definitions: This term refers to someone who is of English or other white European descent and who speaks English. 

Contextual Considerations, or "How this Term was Used": In comparison to Spanish-speaking Americans, this term describes someone who speaks English, and it is used particularly in Texas and in the Southwest. Anglo America also designates the difference between Canada and the U.S., where English is spoken, and Central and South America where Spanish is the more prevalent language. 

Insider / Outsider Use: For this term, the distinction between insider and outsider use does not apply, either because insiders do not use the term or because insiders and outsiders use the term in ways that are very closely aligned.

Examples from Chronicling America: 

"Anglo" in Navajo Times (Window Rock, Ariz.), 04 July 1963. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. 

"Anglo American" in Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), 31 Aug. 1953. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.

OCR Considerations, or "How the Computer Sees it":

"Angto" in The Breckenridge News (Cloverport, Ky.), 10 Feb. 1915. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.

"Anplo" in The Independent (Honolulu, H.I.), 04 May 1899. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. 

Related Terms: Bohawk, Honky

Definitions: A derogatory term for an Eastern European immigrant suggesting that they were strong but feebleminded. Primarily used late 1800s-late 1920s. Considered a slur.

Contextual Considerations, or "How this Term was Used": The term was used by white Americans of all classes to refer to poor Eastern European immigrants, usually men, who worked in hard or unskilled labor. The immigrants were portrayed as drunken, idiotic, and not good for anything beyond manual labor. As the presence of Germanic and Eastern European immigrants increased–as did their publishing output–the term began to be frowned upon, and was generally out of favor by the end of the 1920s.

Insider / Outsider Use: For this term, the distinction between insider and outsider use does not apply, either because insiders do not use the term or because insiders and outsiders use the term in ways that are very closely aligned.

Examples from Chronicling America:

“Bohunks” in Daily Nome Industrial Worker (Nome, Alaska), 18 April 1916. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.

“Bohunk” in Princeton Union (Princeton, Minn.), 10 February 1916. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.

OCR Considerations, or "How the Computer Sees it":

“Bohink” in Tonopah Daily Bonanza (Tonopah, Nev.), 10 August 1910. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.

“Bonunks” in El Paso Herald (El Paso, Tex.), 13 January 1917, HOME EDITION, Cable News and Auto Section. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.

Related Terms: White, Anglo 

Definitions: This term denotes a person of European descent and “refers to whose skin is white and therefore assumed by “racial scientists” to be of the “white race.”   

Contextual Considerations, or "How this Term was Used": In the late eighteenth century, German anthropologist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach declared that anyone descendant of the European continent, from Russia to regions of North Africa, were members of the Caucasian, or white, race. A “racial scientist,” Blumenbach chose this term based on what he deemed were the “best” skull-shapes, most of which came from the Caucasus region between the Black and Caspian Seas. 

Insider / Outsider Use: For this term, the distinction between insider and outsider use does not apply, either because insiders do not use the term or because insiders and outsiders use the term in ways that are very closely aligned.

Examples from Chronicling America: 

The Caucasian (Clinton, N.C.), 27 Dec. 1894. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. 

"Caucasian" in The Voice of Freedom (Montpelier, Vt.), 23 May 1844. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. 

OCR Considerations, or "How the Computer Sees it":

“Caucaslan” in The Honolulu Republican (Honolulu, T.H.), 22 July 1900. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.

“Cauoasian” in The Evening Telegraph (Philadelphia [Pa.]), 05 Nov. 1870. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. 

Related Terms: Mountain People, Mountain Whites, Poor Whites

Definition: A person who lives in a mountainous area particularly associated with the Appalachian region and with the connotation that such people are outlaws or uncivilized. Other terms indicative of the region and related to Mountaineer include Mountain People, Mountain Whites, and Poor Whites.

How This Term Was Used: These terms were often used interchangeably in a derogatory manner to identify people from the Appalachian Region. Mountaineer and Mountain People are closer terms from a geographic perspective, while Mountain Whites and Poor Whites are used to distinguish Appalachian whites from African Americans. Both groups were considered beneath urban white citizens.

Insider / Outsider Use: For this term, the distinction between insider and outsider use does not apply, either because insiders do not use the term or because insiders and outsiders use the term in ways that are very closely aligned.

Examples from Chronicling America:

“Mountain Folk” in Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), 17 November 1957. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.

“Mountain whites” in the Minneapolis Spokesman (Minneapolis, Minn.), 18 November 1960. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.

OCR Considerations, or "How the Computer Sees it": No OCR deviations from these forms were found. Often misspelled as “mountaneer.”

Related Terms: Offay, Fay, Fey

Definition: This term refers to a white person. In particular, according to novelist Danny Gardner, author of the Negro and the Ofay, ofay refers to a white person who uses their power, authority and privilege to oppress Black people.

Contextual Considerations, or "How this Term was Used": The term, used primarily in the Black community, dates from 1899 onwards and is considered derogatory. It can be shortened to ‘fay. The term was popular with journalists.

Insider / Outsider Use: For this term, the distinction between insider and outsider use does not apply, either because insiders do not use the term or because insiders and outsiders use the term in ways that are very closely aligned.

Examples from Chronicling America:

“Ofay” in the Detroit Tribune (Detroit, Mich.), 09 September 1950. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.

“Ofay” in the Miami Times (Miami, Fla.), 10 February 1951, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.

OCR Considerations, or "How the Computer Sees it": No OCR deviations from these forms were found.

Definition: This term refers to a white person, usually of a disenfranchised economic status, often viewed as uncultured or uneducated.

Contextual Considerations, or "How this Term was Used": This term is used as a racial and/or economically disparaging term. As with related terms such as “redneck” or “hillbilly,” the term is sometimes used self-referentially.

Insider / Outsider Use: In early use, i.e. in the early to mid 1800s, this term was primarily used by the Black community in a derogatory fashion. In later use, the term was often used by other white groups in a derogatory fashion.

Examples from Chronicling America:

“White trash” in the Day Book (Chicago, Ill.), 26 Dec. 1914. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.

“White trash” in Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), 03 June 1923. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.

OCR Considerations, or "How the Computer Sees it": No OCR deviations from these forms were found.