A historical and dated term for the predominantly African-American district of a city; now considered offensive.
A compound of 'dark' + 'town', this term emerged in the late 19th century as a geographical label but became associated with racial stereotyping and minstrelsy of that era.
This word appears in 'Darktown Strutters Ball' and other turn-of-the-century songs, but it's a linguistic artifact of a racist past—understanding its usage helps us see how language embodied prejudice.
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