The N-word as slur vs. the N-word as a sequence of sounds
Posted on
On what Black History Month and the racial reckoning mean at the New York Times …
Over the past week, the Times’ crossword puzzles have included many clues having to do with black culture and issues, and in fact have been by black constructors. A fine gesture for Black History Month.
But then the other night we learned that longtime reporter Donald McNeil, who has done groundbreaking work on the pandemic, has been fired, at 67. His sin was that on an NYT-sponsored educational trip with teenagers, he used the N-word in referring to it (as opposed to actually using the word).
Abigail Dowd doesnât quite know just what genre her music fits into.
âMaybe itâs folk, maybe it s indie folk rock,â she said. âThereâs probably a blues influence. A lot of people, I think, would describe it as folk, and whatever Americana means.â
The singer/songwriter has found inspiration in the longleaf pine, in the working class and in her grandfatherâs service during the Korean War, and has earned a good deal of acclaim in recent years for a pair of albums, âDonât Wake Meâ and âNot What I Seem.â She is getting set to release another album, âBeautiful Day.â