Is "cracker" a Southern slang word?

Answer by  nuttree (1596)

"Cracker" is a slang word for poor Southern whites. The origin of the term is in dispute. One theory is that it refers to the cracked corn that was a major part of the diet of poor Southern whites. Another theory is that the term refers to whips that crackers used to drive slaves or cattle.

Answer by  MissMojo (38)

The term is said to have originated in the south. The most popular meaning of the slang term 'cracker' is poor or mean whites (as in people), even though the term is said to have orginated from the white foremen who in slave days, "cracked" the whips on the backs of slaves.

Answer by  patti (29325)

"Cracker" refers specifically to rural farmers in central Florida. It is believed to refer to the cracking of the whips they used to drive teams of horses and oxen. It has come to be a derogatory term for poor whites.

Answer by  John (9008)

"Cracker" is a derogatory and racist word used to refer to white people. It is commonly used, often by African-Americans, and not as offensive as most racial slang.

Answer by  Jack56 (408)

It is a racist term that is used to describe white people in the rural south. Originally it was meant to label certain whites who opposed the Civil Rights Act.

Answer by  Angie83 (180)

The slang 'cracker' is a term used for caucasion people. It refers back to the American slavery era when slave owners were the whip 'crackers'. It is a racist term.

Answer by  TheAnswerFairy (2345)

Yes, "cracker" is a slang word. Mostly it was used in the 1950s through the 1980s, but there are probably some people who still use it today. It is a derogatory term used to refer to white people, sort of like the white version of the N word.