The Times-Picayune and its Use of the Racial Slur Nigger: How Did the Picayune Compare with the New Orleans Item and The New York Times?

This historical study focused on the New Orleans morning daily newspaper, the Times-Picayune. The author searched back issues of the newspaper to find mentions of the racial slur nigger published during the 81-year period between 1877 and 1958. The purpose of the analysis was to determine the extent to which the editorial staff at the Picayune allowed the unspeakable pejorative to enter their paper. To compare the findings derived from the search of the Picayune, the author employed two other newspapers, the counterpart afternoon paper the New Orleans Item as well as the national daily The New York Times. This study critically analyses the publication of one word –nigger- focusing on the Times-Picayune. The author argues that a reputable newspaper did not publish the vulgar term frivolously. Such a news organ, if it printed the derogatory racial label, would only include offensive term in a hard news story in order to capture the tone and tenor of an event or issue or in commentary intended to stimulate debate in the public sphere.