darktown

[ dahrk-toun ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, Older Use: Usually Offensive.

a part of a town or city inhabited largely by Black people.

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Sensitive Note

This term from the 1880s, as used in the American South, is usually perceived as insulting and racist. But Darktown Strutters’ Ball was the name of a popular jazz song written in 1917.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of darktown¹

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; dark + town

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Example Sentences

Madge soon reached the edge of darktown, taking a main street which led to the better section of Claymore.

From Project Gutenberg

dark tourism dark web

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