The N-Word in the Classroom | Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor | TEDxEasthamptonWomen

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  • Опубліковано 1 січ 2025
  • Centered around one of the most divisive words in the English language, this talk highlights the way in which the N-word presents itself, and is presented, in the classroom. With her personal experiences as a foundation, Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor discusses how we are able to reshape education around the N-word by using our own points of encounter to frame the conversation, and facilitate productive discussion. Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor, Ph.D., an associate professor of history at Smith College, presents The N-Word in the Classroom as a means of creating community, meaning, and understanding around one of the most divisive words in the English language. Liz is inspired by her children and husband, by dusty archives, by the work of other Black women historians, by open-hearted students and by beautiful TV shows and movies. Her newest project is an historical and pedagogical memoir about the n-word framed by her own experience as a biracial woman in the United States who is also the daughter of iconic comedian Richard Pryor. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

КОМЕНТАРІ • 92

  • @itouchtheskyilovetrentino
    @itouchtheskyilovetrentino 4 роки тому +46

    Thank you so much for talking and sharing this argument. We love and need teacher like you. Lovely watching and listening to you here at the top of the mountain of Italy. Thanks to UA-cam and Tedx.

  • @lucieblindner2513
    @lucieblindner2513 2 роки тому +8

    I sense her anxiety and nervousness, but she delivered her speech perfectly!

  • @iNawaf20100
    @iNawaf20100 4 роки тому +41

    This video deserves one million views.

    • @Nabeelco
      @Nabeelco 4 роки тому +3

      I very much disagree.

    • @emm3489
      @emm3489 4 роки тому +6

      @@Nabeelco why?

    • @PatrickOMulligan
      @PatrickOMulligan 4 роки тому +3

      It should get those views. To teach people how not to handle that situation and word. This is encouraging harm via a word instead of defusing it.

    • @Flyandchuy
      @Flyandchuy 3 роки тому +7

      Nah 1 billion views

    • @lucieblindner2513
      @lucieblindner2513 2 роки тому +1

      Agreed!

  • @treewizdom6093
    @treewizdom6093 4 роки тому +11

    Thank you for you inspirational and educational talk! The etiology of words is a crucial study, especially words that are denigrating and divisive. Keep waking them up and standing for all students to understand that the negative and degrading words they use to describe someone by race or character may actually be describing themselves. Again, thank you and thank you TEDx Talks!

  • @ejec3134
    @ejec3134 2 роки тому

    Dr. Pryor, your talk is absolutely awesome! Thank you for sharing!

  • @cubefarmerhkc9105
    @cubefarmerhkc9105 3 роки тому +3

    Outstanding Ted talk. God bless you.

  • @Darmix
    @Darmix 4 роки тому +70

    bruh when is ted gonna talk

  • @fatherleung4067
    @fatherleung4067 4 роки тому +2

    WELL SAID... ALL PRAISE THE MOST HIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • @miliy1466
    @miliy1466 4 роки тому +10

    I love her speech! 😊

  • @Ahmed-jr1eh
    @Ahmed-jr1eh 3 роки тому +1

    Very powerful, well articulated and on point talk.

  • @TheQueenNtwk
    @TheQueenNtwk 2 роки тому +1

    EXCELLENT. Thank you

  • @kavitayadav8355
    @kavitayadav8355 4 роки тому +4

    Awesome..

  • @aids4672
    @aids4672 2 роки тому +1

    Blazzing saddles is a great film

  • @marwamohammad1436
    @marwamohammad1436 4 роки тому +12

    يوماً ما سأقف على هذه المنصة ❤️
    One day I will stand on this platform....Inshallah ❤️

    • @gyroscope8244
      @gyroscope8244 4 роки тому +1

      About what will you talk about?

    • @nick5106
      @nick5106 4 роки тому +1

      KRISH KARKERA racism and n word

  • @AtticusFox2787
    @AtticusFox2787 2 роки тому +4

    Richard Pryor was a co writer of Blazing Saddles

    • @dorothymcdowell9533
      @dorothymcdowell9533 2 роки тому +2

      What is your point? Are you really trying to defend it? If you knew about Richard Pryor he admits in his ignorance he used the word all the time - until he was educated - he was horrified and vowed never to use the word again... and he didn't.

    • @atifhameen196
      @atifhameen196 Рік тому

      @@dorothymcdowell9533 Yes and he also stated that during his visit to Africa he didn't see any niggers!
      This was a profound and insightful revelation!

  • @alec-881
    @alec-881 4 роки тому +13

    the n-werd 😳

  • @No-One20
    @No-One20 3 роки тому +5

    My teacher just kept reading it out in my class a few minutes ago, looking for a video I can send him because honestly. I didn't even make notes the rest of the lesson, I just said there and I can't say nothing.

    • @rebeccalovvorn2596
      @rebeccalovvorn2596 3 роки тому

      Ta-Nehisi Coates has a video on how words don't belong to everyone that I show to colleagues (I'm a teacher). - I'm sorry you ever had to experience a teacher like that.

  • @JpassTheTime
    @JpassTheTime Рік тому +2

    Wait… So what’s the conclusion? I you just succeeded in making everyone feel more tens.

  • @anticorncob6
    @anticorncob6 2 роки тому +1

    The only thing that's inappropriate to say while quoting someone else or referring to someone else saying it is private information. Period.

  • @Oaku3711
    @Oaku3711 3 роки тому +1

    Ok this is strange that the channel had so many subs but has little views are they sub boting

  • @Nabeelco
    @Nabeelco 4 роки тому +45

    This professor of History clearly dealing with deep seated trauma involving that word, and while that's totally understandable, her stance is neither constructive, nor does it help the problem in any way. It's in-fact a self destructive defense mechanism to stop her from trying to process the difficult emotions she has involving her experiences of trauma.
    She is not a linguist, nor a psychologist, and as a result, everything she's talking about flies in the face of both those very respected disciplines. But she's very disingenuously taking this stance as an authority on the subject matter. She isn't. Psychologists and linguists are far better suited to have this discussion.
    She should work towards resolving her own trauma instead of taking this uneducated stance against the use of language.
    While that word has negative and traumatic associations for her and indeed, many people, stopping the use of the word doesn't solve the trauma and instead lets it fester and manifest itself in other ways, like this stance of hers, and the destructive way she's dealing with it in her class.
    She is effectively traumatizing the students in her class by her own admission, when reinforcing to them as an authority figure, that they must feel a certain way when exposed to a certain experience. This is toxic, destructive, and wrong.
    I have been a victim of racism many times, and I view it as what it is, ignorance on the part of the perpetrator. I don't think less of myself, and it does not hurt me. As the old adage says: "Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.".
    She is letting names hurt her, and she is telling others, from a place of power, authority, and leadership, that they should be hurt by them too. When a person of authority says things like this, people who aren't used to thinking critically believe them. She is effectively passing her trauma onto her students because she refuses to deal with it herself. This is horribly irresponsible, and destructive, and serves to further harm people instead of heal them.

    • @kristopher9531
      @kristopher9531 4 роки тому +4

      Thank you.

    • @Blackpilld
      @Blackpilld 4 роки тому +1

      Thanks. I could not have said this better. Also I’m not white. And I’m an immigrant. I completely agree with giving the word more power and that she is NOT an expert in this subject just because she’s a member of the grljp

    • @sixpoems
      @sixpoems 4 роки тому +20

      She is not passing her trauma to students. She is opening up and fostering a space for students, and us, to share our experiences with the N word. She opens this space in order to create conversations about the word, about our feelings, and about the effects that it has on people. She frames this entire talk, and her strategy in class, with her own experience. She does this deliberately and explains why she does. Please listen to her talk again.

    • @sixpoems
      @sixpoems 4 роки тому +16

      Also, she HAS "dealt with" her own feelings experiences with this racial slur. She did research. She sought advice. She had and opened conversations. She did a lot about her "trauma". (By the way, it should not have been her responsibility to do so in the first place. We are better for her work.)

    • @PatrickOMulligan
      @PatrickOMulligan 4 роки тому +6

      @@sixpoems her description of students who cannot deal with this word is a warning. Students need to be taught not to be afraid of words or let words harm them. The solution is not to treat the word like Voldemort.

  • @giadaparmiggiani8018
    @giadaparmiggiani8018 4 роки тому +6

    why just 2000 views?

  • @underworld7148
    @underworld7148 3 роки тому +5

    Lol no teacher has students laser focus on them.

  • @mgtowproperties
    @mgtowproperties 4 роки тому +10

    Wow This coming from a woman whose father use that word constantly in his comedy routines if you do not know who her father is her father was Richard Pryor Peace be upon him

    • @independ4416
      @independ4416 2 роки тому +2

      Are you aware of what he said pertaining to the n-word after he returned from a trip to Africa? Everyone goes through a period of enlightenment sooner or later. Richard Pryor and yourself included.

    • @mgtowproperties
      @mgtowproperties 2 роки тому

      @@independ4416 You make as much sense as an Irishman after happy hour

    • @bgb1138
      @bgb1138 Рік тому

      @@independ4416 "You can't awaken a person who is only PRETENDING to be asleep."
      Richard Pryor was definitely flawed, but I appreciate you bringing up this epilogue of his twilight years which some people are so quick to ignore and dismiss.

  • @Flyandchuy
    @Flyandchuy 3 роки тому +1

    I have been accused of saying the n word but I said well I can’t spell it it’s sounds like liquid but changes the l to an n a that’s what I said and elementary principal talking about the situation he drop the hard r not an a a hard r

  • @whitescalp420
    @whitescalp420 3 роки тому +5

    So is Ted going to say the n word?

  • @alice-bu1fh
    @alice-bu1fh 3 роки тому +14

    hello I'm from Germany. In my german class we deal with the topics "Language and linguistic reappropriation", my teacher thinks because we are in a academic conversation: he is allowed to say or "quote" the n word. I directly told him today that this is not okay and that we please could agree to say the "N-WORD" when we are giving examples and talking about it. I'm not a people of color or anyone in my German class, I really think that this is wrong, what if student of color would sit in our class?? he provoked me after I told him and STILL SAID THE N-WORD OUT LOUD and said that he is not going to stop saying it. I feel powerless and confused...I cant believe that someone who is educating us is being so insensitive and rude. I don´t know what to do to stop him to speak it out loud...

    • @docrobotnik247
      @docrobotnik247 3 роки тому +4

      It's sad how a German student shows more empathy and progression than some of these commenters on this subject, perhaps show your teacher this video, or perhaps tell them to stop confusing common decency with spewing hate

    • @sampuspitakumarajiva8930
      @sampuspitakumarajiva8930 3 роки тому +9

      he did the right thing by saying it. By restricting a word you aren’t solving a problem. If it’s there in the text, then it ought to be read. That’s it!

    • @onikab6377
      @onikab6377 3 роки тому

      Maybe talk to the school director

    • @hund4440
      @hund4440 2 роки тому

      There are no people of colour in your german class so where is the problem

    • @XCT82
      @XCT82 2 роки тому +1

      How you stop him? Film him and put it on tik-tok and social media!

  • @thesliceyofthedicey6369
    @thesliceyofthedicey6369 4 роки тому +24

    I said the N-word once because I was reading the word from a book and when I said it people gasped. I hadn’t known that it was bad. I feel so bad for saying it.

    • @hmu573
      @hmu573 4 роки тому +1

      Its okay, I've done it before because when I read I read really fast🙁

    • @haxlyna255
      @haxlyna255 4 роки тому +6

      i think it’s a good thing that you have at least acknowledged it as wrong and you understand things better now.

    • @PatrickOMulligan
      @PatrickOMulligan 4 роки тому +15

      You should not feel bad for saying it. It depends on the context.

    • @thesliceyofthedicey6369
      @thesliceyofthedicey6369 3 роки тому +1

      @DeMarcus Tally that is a serverly flawed mentality.

    • @Ariel_emerald
      @Ariel_emerald 3 роки тому +1

      @DeMarcus Tally bro you didn't watch the video

  • @abdelhak5648
    @abdelhak5648 4 роки тому +3

    Ur voice is gorgeous 😍

  • @viloria_
    @viloria_ 3 роки тому +15

    It's incredible how much importance north americans give to race, it's like their whole live orbits around it. Racism will never stop being a thing or existing because it's impregned into their culture, they never stop thinking about it, defining themselves with it, talking about it. If they could finally understand that race doesn't matter, people matter, whatever the race may be. Here this woman is, traumatized by someone using the N-word even just quoting something. Stop giving race such importance, and what will star to be important is people.

    • @janeaparis
      @janeaparis 3 роки тому +4

      Maybe that is true, however it has been important I think for other reasons, and that is that in our society for so long race was used as a means to keep others in bondage. It still is by some people. So it is talked about because people want these things to change. Just as you said, people want race to not matter, and sometimes the only way you can achieve that is to talk about, in order to change it, and make things more fair and right.

    • @Kwabenata.Etu0hene
      @Kwabenata.Etu0hene 2 роки тому

      It's not that simple. America is a nation built on race. It's be a central part of our culture and identity for literally hundreds of years. You can't just change that over night.

    • @viloria_
      @viloria_ 2 роки тому +1

      @@Kwabenata.Etu0hene No one said it was going to change over night. The fact that you say that and accept that as the absolute truth is the reason why things don’t change in the US when it comes to segregation of people because of their race, you take that as something that is part of you, part of the country, as long as that idea and that speech don’t change, racism and segregation will continue to exist.

    • @demiloyoung3647
      @demiloyoung3647 2 роки тому +1

      It is traumatizing. America was built on racism and it cannot get its history completely behind it.

  • @larschat
    @larschat 4 роки тому +3

    All -words do, is show the weakness of the group advocating for them.

    • @larschat
      @larschat 3 роки тому

      @Isaiah Adejumo If the simple mention of a word is too much for someone to be able to cope with then that to me shows weakness.

    • @Ariel_emerald
      @Ariel_emerald 3 роки тому

      @@larschat clown

  • @ウォルフォードレオ

    the other 30%

  • @Tubbysneederful
    @Tubbysneederful 2 роки тому

    Of course a video like this only has 47k views.
    Racism is so deeply engrained into American culture that it’s completely blended into anywhere where a line can be drawn.
    I like her point on racism in schools

  • @Megahertz_12
    @Megahertz_12 Рік тому

    Bumbaclot talk dat! It’s a lazy word! Cmon y’all. Be more imaginative!

  • @charleschoe7317
    @charleschoe7317 2 роки тому

    😂

  • @PatrickOMulligan
    @PatrickOMulligan 4 роки тому +4

    Why is everyone freaking out about neighbour?

  • @ts121084
    @ts121084 4 роки тому +13

    But why are they not stressed out when it’s uttered every other second in the popular music they listen to? Selective outrage, if you ask me...

    • @mypenishuge3499
      @mypenishuge3499 4 роки тому +2

      Agreed

    • @macdonalddai4248
      @macdonalddai4248 3 роки тому +2

      Whos they?

    • @jovanny125
      @jovanny125 3 роки тому +2

      theres also a diference in how and why you say it..you can walk up 2 a friend and say a vulgar word in a friendly maner and its ok you get a handshake and hug, but if you say it in a agresive or a attempt as a insult then its bad.

    • @demiloyoung3647
      @demiloyoung3647 2 роки тому

      STOP

  • @tonyblu951
    @tonyblu951 3 роки тому +5

    You are not educated.

  • @yusufjabari1698
    @yusufjabari1698 3 роки тому +1

    whats the n word

  • @thethinkingman-
    @thethinkingman- 3 роки тому

    why are N-words so sensative!!!!

  • @yusufjabari1698
    @yusufjabari1698 3 роки тому

    this is cap