Note on Terminology from Hidden Jamaica Plain

Terminology is complicated, especially when describing race.  Hidden JP tries to apply the terms people used to describe themselves during the historical eras we write about. 

For example, in the 1600s and 1700s, Black people used the term “African” in founding institutions such as Boston’s African Society so Hidden JP uses the term Africans for this period.  In documents from those centuries, White enslavers used the term “Negro” to describe Black people. Enslavers often used the term “Mulatto/Molatto” to describe people they perceived to be of mixed race.  When quoting historic documents, we present the original word in quotation marks. 

Indigenous people in the 1600s and 1700s identified themselves by their local tribal and place names such as the Massachusett – People of the Great Hills; the Wampanoag – People of the First Light; the Nipmuc – People of the Fresh Water. Where known, we use those names; where unknown, we use the term Indigenous. In quoting original documents, we present the word “Indian” used by White colonists in quotation marks. 

Hidden JP has also chosen to capitalize the terms Black, White and Indigenous. We anticipate that preferred terminology may change in the years to come.