27 September 2017, The Tablet

Strictly roots


The Language Game

Strictly roots
 

A ‘black’ person in medieval or early modern times was usually someone with dark hair or eyes

No one is really “black”; no one is really “white”. Nonetheless, those two opposing poles have been used to categorise huge and varied swaths of humanity in a way that continues to create mischief to this day.

Early English-speaking Caucasians did not need a racial label for themselves. 

Get Instant Access

Continue Reading


Register for free to read this article in full


Subscribe for unlimited access

From just £30 quarterly

  Complete access to all Tablet website content including all premium content.
  The full weekly edition in print and digital including our 179 years archive.
  PDF version to view on iPad, iPhone or computer.

Already a subscriber? Login