Episode #20
Richard Pryor's Daughter and the N-word
Aug 18, 202631 minS2026
The N-word is the filthiest, dirtiest, nastiest word in the English language. But how can a word used to dehumanize Black people be a used by the Black community to express affection, humor, and defiance? That's one complicated word. But it all gets explained by Richard Pryor's daughter, now a history professor at Smith College, who unpacks the N-word's long ugly story and talks about growing up with the man who pioneered its use on stage.
