The TORCH - May 2021

Page 34

ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC, MU LAMBDA CHAPTER

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BLACK ATTORNEY SUCCESSFULLY GETS THE N-WORD REMOVED FROM DICTIONARY by Cedric 'BIG CED' ThorntonApril 21, 2021

After gifting his niece with a dictionary, an attorney was saddened to find out that his niece no longer wanted the gift she was given. After asking her why she wanted to give it back, she referenced the definition of a word that made her feel different. When she saw the definition of the N-word and saw what it meant, she drew it to his attention. A negro or member of any dark-skinned people; a vulgar and offensive term (See Negro).” Due to that incident, he fought and succeeded in getting the publisher to remove the word from the dictionary.

dark-skinned person and you’ll find out,” Miller stated.

According to Black News, attorney Roy Miller, who lives in Macon, Georgia, succeeded in accomplishing a feat that started with the disappointment of his niece. Through his efforts, Miller was able to effectively petition a major dictionary, published by Funk & Wagnalls, to remove a racial epithet that is considered by some to be the most distasteful word you can say.

He penned a letter to Funk & Wagnall back on March 17, 1994, and stated his position on the removal of the word, and Leon L. Bram, vice president & editorial director, responded back in a letter that is dated March 31, 1994, stating that the word would be deleted from all forthcoming printings. “Mr. Miller, your niece is fortunate in having an uncle as concerned and caring as you.”

When I read the definition, I was outraged. I immediately realized that the old definition that applied the N-word to any race had changed. The change only gave a description, not a definition. It merely suggested to the reader that if you don’t know what a Nigger is, just look at a Negro or

Link: https://www.blackenterprise.com/ black-attorney-successfully-gets-the-n-wordremoved-from-dictionary/?fbclid=IwAR0 g8KLt879Lt0swjM6SWO1LWaX2WmQAr_ nZrukNQTpVTbgttpy1vit6UBo

“This definition could never apply to an innocent Black child. The term ‘nigger’ had belittled and confused my niece, causing her to question her identity. I asked myself how Funk & Wagnalls could justify in its 1993 edition that whatever vulgar and offensive things that niggers are supposedly known to do could only apply to a Negro or dark-skinned person (including an innocent Black child).”

MU LAMBDA TORCH 2021

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Message from the Editor

1min
page 50

Esprit de Fraternite

1min
page 51

The New Mu Lambda Chapter App is Here

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Financial Planning Needs Prostate Cancer a Family Affair

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page 47

East State Street Band

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pages 45-46

Drink of the Month

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page 40

Dessert of the month

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page 39

Food of the month

1min
page 38

Literary Society

1min
page 37

The Jewel Lounge

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page 36

REMOVED FROM DICTIONARY House of Ruth DC

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page 35

BLACK ATTORNEY SUCCESSFULLY GETS THE N-WORD

1min
page 34

Fraternity’s Jewels Heritage Project (JHP

4min
pages 32-33

Beta Graduates 2021

2min
page 30

In this Issue

2min
page 3

Lava Rising by Brother Ryle Bell

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page 15

Prostate Cancer Survivors Bro. Derrick A. Butts

7min
pages 23-29

Message from the Health and Wellness Committee

2min
page 22

The Vice-Presidents’ Message

4min
page 6

Congratulations to Bro. Coy Lindsay

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page 21

Front Cover Picture by Names

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page 2

Past Presidents The Presidents’ Message

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