"The Book of Negroes" caused a bit of controversy in Amsterdam because of the title. A Dutch group naming themselves "Foundation Honor and Restore Victims of Slavery in Surinam" says that the word "negro" is an insult to the black race so they said they would burn the cover unless the author, Lawrence Hill changed the name. The title was changed to "Someone Knows My Name" in the US, New Zealand and Australia because of this very reason: people would take offense.
If you know me, I figure shock value and controversy is the best way to sell something and if you name a book "The Book of Negroes" you're going to catch lots of people's attention. Now the novel itself is about a woman who was taken from her home in West Africa and sold into the slave trade in America. Skip ahead to her latter years and she travels to Sierra Leone, passing ships carrying even more slaves and then she travels to England to write the Book of Negroes and ask the Queen for help abolishing the slave trade. I hope I got that right.
Anyway, even with a story like that, people took offense over one simple word that was not always offensive. Lawrence Hill explained that it was a friendly greeting by the "old timers". As they walked down the street they would tip their hats and give a friendly, respectful "hello, negro!" (Note: I tried re-finding that since the last time I read that particular line was months ago but could not find it) It's like the "N-word" we've all come accustomed to, rappers use it all the time but God forbid a white man says it - the offensive meter goes right off the charts. I mean, I won't say it out loud but I will write it if it's in an appropriate sense and I'm not flaming a race (quotes for example...Unless that quote is a racist quote and I'm writing about it, that's an exception).
It could be the Canadian in me that cannot come to terms with this, obviously Hill didn't until he grew to appreciate the changed title but still, burning a book cover because they took offense to the name seems a bit extreme.
Taken from the [Sympatico](http://news.sympatico.cbc.ca/world/dutch_group_burns_cover_of_hills_book_of_negroes/9519f0e7) website:
Earlier on Wednesday, Hill said he was "horrified by" the notion of burning books.
"I wasn't looking to be sensational or provocative when I called it The Book of Negroes. I called it The Book of Negroes to bring attention to a long-forgotten historical document and a long-forgotten migration," he told Matt Galloway on CBC's Metro Morning.
"There is no defense to burning a book. It's a hateful act designed to intimidate? It's something that stifles dialogue and the notion of the freedom to read and to write."
The reason they did not burn the book itself was that it did not offend them. Did they read it? There is a LOT more "negroes" floating around in there and also the infamous "N-word."
Now, I know I am 'white' so I don't exactly know the history of these words except from movies and what I read online but I just don't see how "negro" is seriously offensive and offensive enough to burn a book cover. Hell, our black coloured pencils say "Negro" right on them as what I assume to be a Spanish translation as "noir" is French and I don't see any Canadians complaining about that. Then again we're the first country that let Lawrence use that name since he is a Canadian so we've obviously got a tolerance for the word.
"I think it's partly because the word "Negro" resonates differently in Canada. If you use it in Toronto or Montreal, you are probably just indicating publicly that you are out of touch with how people speak these days. But if you use it in Brooklyn or Boston, you are asking to have your nose broken."
Again, this all connects to "hate" in the world, these people hate and are offended by the word "negro" and are willing to burn a book cover for their cause. I will not ask a question in this article but I would like to know your views on the book title, racism in our countries and if the words described are offensive.
