oreo

A deragotry term for an African-American who is presumed to have rejected the values and traditions of their race and ethnicity, and instead has adopted the norms of dominant European-American culture. The characteristics of one defined as "oreo" are nebulous in that many can be attributed to existing African-American culture, or the culture of recent African immigrants. Some cite higher education status, middle-class and upper-class income, and conservative dress as means of identifying "an oreo." The main assumption is that this person has rejected African-American racial identity. The irony is that African-American rights activists, clergy, academic researchers on racial identity, and teachers could fit the "oreo" sterotype, if one is to base this term on higher socioeconomic class and all that comes with it. Few would argue that African-Americans in the aforementioned fields are "oreos."

"I guess I better let the NAACP know that one of their Black lawyers is an oreo because I wear tailored suits to court and have the writing skills to be published in The Harvard Journal on Racial and Ethnic Justice. Or we could just spend less time insulting people and focus more on social justice. Just a thought."

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