LANGUAGE + HISTORY
Why More Americans Should Know The Racist History of "Tipping Point"
This phrase exposes how racist attitudes impact behavior
The phrase "tipping point" may appear harmless, a way of saying that a situation is beyond the point of no return, but it harbors a legacy of racial discrimination. In America, some terminology operates like a wolf in sheep's clothing, hiding amid the flock of benign phrases. For instance, while "cakewalk" often refers to an easy task, this term is rooted in chattel slavery, a tradition of forcing enslaved Black people to dance and compete for a slice. The phrase "tipping point" has a similar innocent façade, but those aware of the history can see bigotry lurking beneath the surface.
Initially, the phrase "tipping point" had no racist connotations. For instance, an 1894 article published in the Santa Cruz Daily Sentinel referred to a conflict between the Chief of Police, Scheffer, and strikers. The writer described a scenario where protestors raised a car almost to the point of tipping over. However, during the 1950s and 60s, the phrase re-entered the American lexicon, this time with a racial objective, a way of encouraging or simply describing white flight. Following the 1954 landmark Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education, segregation, at long…
