Thick: And Other Essays

Code switching describes switching between dialects, speech, behavior, and appearance. It is a strategy used by people of color to navigate predominantly White institutions. Negative stereotypes of Black people shape how they are perceived so it is considered significant for economic and social advancement. It is commonly used to describe how people switch from African American Vernacular English to a more formal English.

Discrimination or prejudice against dark skin in contrast to lighter skin tones.

Between 1916 and 1970, millions of African Americans left the US south due to poor economic conditions and racial segregation under Jim Crow laws. Before 1910, 90% of African Americans lived in the south but by 1970, over half lived in urban centers. McMillan Cottom’s family is typical of the Great Migration as they moved from the south to Harlem, where she is born.

The Reconstruction Era (1863-1877) followed the surrender of the Confederacy in the American Civil War. It was a period of increased civil rights for African Americans as legislative changes granted civil rights to African Americans in the South.

Opportunity hoarding describes how privileged social groups limit access to economic, social, or educational opportunities to prevent underprivileged groups from accessing important resources. This replicates their own privilege.