Driving While Black
Encyclopedia
Driving While Black, abbreviated as DWB, is a phrase in the contemporary American vernacular that refers to the criminalization
of black
drivers
. An alternate phrase, Driving While Brown, is more encompassing, referring to the crime of being a non-Caucasian
driver.
on the name of a real U.S. crime, driving while intoxicated
. The phrase implies that a motorist
may be pulled over by a police
officer simply because he or she is black, and then questioned, searched, and/or charged with a trivial offense. This concept stems from a long history of racism
in the United States
, United Kingdom
, and other countries. The term refers to racial profiling
, which is said to be used by police and other law enforcement officials.
named Joel Debellefeuille was pulled over by Longueuil
police because, according to documents, "his Quebecois name did not match his skin tone." He was also questioned as to if the car was his.
held a press conference in 1999 because cabdrivers weren't stopping for him in New York City
; this was called "hailing while black". The phenomenon was investigated further on Michael Moore
's television series TV Nation
.
In 2001, the American Civil Liberties Union
convinced the United States Drug Enforcement Administration to repay $7,000 that it had seized from a black businessman in the Omaha, Nebraska
airport
on the false theory that it was drug money; the ACLU called it "flying while black". A pain specialist who treats sickle-cell disease
patients at Manhattan
's Beth Israel Medical Center
reported that for many years doctors forced African American sickle-cell sufferers to endure pain because they assumed that blacks would become addicted to medication; Time
magazine labeled this "ailing while black."
devoted an editorial column to rebutting the common claim that police officers stop black drivers because of their race.
Sowell refers to the book Are Cops Racist? by Heather MacDonald. According to Sowell, MacDonald examined the claim that police officers pull black drivers over because they are black, and found that the empirical evidence did not support the claim. Sowell claims that the mainstream media has ignored this book and its evidence.
Criminalization
Criminalization or criminalisation, in criminology, is "the process by which behaviors and individuals are transformed into crime and criminals". Previously legal acts may be transformed into crimes by legislation or judicial decision...
of black
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
drivers
Driving
Driving is the controlled operation and movement of a land vehicle, such as a car, truck or bus.Although direct operation of a bicycle and a mounted animal are commonly referred to as riding, such operators are legally considered drivers and are required to obey the rules of the road...
. An alternate phrase, Driving While Brown, is more encompassing, referring to the crime of being a non-Caucasian
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
driver.
Derivation
"Driving While Black" is word playWord play
Word play or wordplay is a literary technique in which the words that are used become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of intended effect or amusement...
on the name of a real U.S. crime, driving while intoxicated
Drunk driving (United States)
Drunk driving is the act of operating and/or driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs to the degree that mental and motor skills are impaired...
. The phrase implies that a motorist
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
may be pulled over by a police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
officer simply because he or she is black, and then questioned, searched, and/or charged with a trivial offense. This concept stems from a long history of racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and other countries. The term refers to racial profiling
Racial profiling
Racial profiling refers to the use of an individual’s race or ethnicity by law enforcement personnel as a key factor in deciding whether to engage in enforcement...
, which is said to be used by police and other law enforcement officials.
Examples
In July 2009, a black QuébécoisQuébécois
The French word Québécois and anglicised as ' , is used in both French and English to refer to different persons or concepts, depending on the language and/or the context in which the word is being used...
named Joel Debellefeuille was pulled over by Longueuil
Longueuil
Longueuil is a city in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is the seat of the Montérégie administrative region and sits on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River directly across from Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census totaled 229,330, making it the third largest city in...
police because, according to documents, "his Quebecois name did not match his skin tone." He was also questioned as to if the car was his.
Variations
The related concept of "shopping while black/brown" refers to the notion that non-whites are subject to increased surveillance while shopping. Other plays on the phrase include "walking while black" for pedestrian offenses, "learning while black" for students in schools, and "eating while black" for restaurants. Actor Danny GloverDanny Glover
Danny Lebern Glover is an American actor, film director, and political activist. Glover is perhaps best known for his role as Detective Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon film franchise.-Early life:...
held a press conference in 1999 because cabdrivers weren't stopping for him in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
; this was called "hailing while black". The phenomenon was investigated further on Michael Moore
Michael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
's television series TV Nation
TV Nation
Production on the pilot episode of TV Nation began in January 1993. Moore initially turned to friends and colleagues in many production areas, while also making a point to ensure the show's employees were unionized. For the show's title sequence, graphic designer Chris Harvey put together the...
.
In 2001, the American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
convinced the United States Drug Enforcement Administration to repay $7,000 that it had seized from a black businessman in the Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
airport
Eppley Airfield
Eppley Airfield is a medium hub primary airport located three miles northeast of the central business district of Omaha, a city in Douglas County, Nebraska, United States. It is the largest airport in the state of Nebraska...
on the false theory that it was drug money; the ACLU called it "flying while black". A pain specialist who treats sickle-cell disease
Sickle-cell disease
Sickle-cell disease , or sickle-cell anaemia or drepanocytosis, is an autosomal recessive genetic blood disorder with overdominance, characterized by red blood cells that assume an abnormal, rigid, sickle shape. Sickling decreases the cells' flexibility and results in a risk of various...
patients at Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's Beth Israel Medical Center
Beth Israel Medical Center
Beth Israel Medical Center is a 1,368-bed, full-service tertiary teaching hospital in New York City. Originally dedicated to serving immigrant Jews living in the tenement slums of the Lower East Side, it was founded at the turn of the 20th century. The main hospital location is the Petrie...
reported that for many years doctors forced African American sickle-cell sufferers to endure pain because they assumed that blacks would become addicted to medication; Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine labeled this "ailing while black."
Criticism of the term
On October 31, 2007, black conservative Thomas SowellThomas Sowell
Thomas Sowell is an American economist, social theorist, political philosopher, and author. A National Humanities Medal winner, he advocates laissez-faire economics and writes from a libertarian perspective...
devoted an editorial column to rebutting the common claim that police officers stop black drivers because of their race.
Sowell refers to the book Are Cops Racist? by Heather MacDonald. According to Sowell, MacDonald examined the claim that police officers pull black drivers over because they are black, and found that the empirical evidence did not support the claim. Sowell claims that the mainstream media has ignored this book and its evidence.
See also
- Flying while MuslimFlying while MuslimFlying while Muslim or Muslim while flying is an expression referring to the problems Muslim passengers on airplanes can face in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks. It is constructed in an analogy to the older expression walking/driving while black, which similarly satirizes racial...
- Contempt of copContempt of copContempt of cop is law enforcement jargon in the United States for behavior by citizens towards law enforcement officers that the officers perceive as disrespectful or insufficiently deferential to their authority...
- De-policingDe-policingDe-policing is a "law enforcement strategy in which police avoid accusations of racial profiling by ignoring traffic violations and other petty crimes committed by members of visible minorities." In a sense de-policing is the opposite of racial profiling....
- Police misconductPolice misconductPolice misconduct refers to inappropriate actions taken by police officers in connection with their official duties. Police misconduct can lead to a miscarriage of justice and sometimes involves discrimination...
- Race and crime in the United StatesRace and crime in the United StatesThe relationship between race and crime in the United States has been a topic of public controversy and scholarly debate for more than a century...