Do people still use 'Moon Cricket' today?

The term is rarely used today and is considered outdated. However, occasional racist incidents still involve the phrase in the U.S. South.

Moon Cricket: Meaning, Origin & History Explained

Moon Cricket – at first glance, it might sound like something harmless or whimsical. In reality, “moon cricket” is a derogatory slang term with a dark history behind it. This article breaks down the meaning of moon cricket, explores its origin story, and traces its usage through history. By the end, you’ll understand what moon cricket means, where it came from, and why it’s considered highly offensive.

Meaning of “Moon Cricket”

“Moon cricket” is a racial slur referring to Black people in the United States. Despite its seemingly innocent sound, the term has no benign meaning – it has been used to demean and insult African Americans. In slang dictionaries, moon cricket is categorized as an ethnic slur, and it carries the same weight of offensiveness as other racist epithets. In essence, calling someone a moon cricket is a racist attack on their identity.

To summarize the key facts about moon cricket:

Derogatory Slang: Moon cricket is a derogatory nickname for African Americans, not a literal animal or creature. It may sound fanciful, but it is absolutely not innocuous.
Origin of the Metaphor: The term likely emerged by comparing Black people’s night-time singing to the chirping of crickets under the moonlight (hence “moon cricket”). This metaphor was used to belittle enslaved people’s songs at night.
Extremely Offensive: It is widely recognized as an extremely offensive racial slur and is considered hate speech. There is no appropriate context to use moon cricket outside of explaining its meaning or history.
Regional Usage: Historically, moon cricket has appeared mostly in the Southeastern United States (states like Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee). It’s largely unknown or archaic in other regions.
Modern Rarity: The term is rarely heard in modern times. When it does surface, it sparks outrage – for example, a coach in Maine was sued in 2015 after calling Black players “moon crickets,” and a 2017 incident involved racist social media posts using the slur. In general, only older generations or overt racists recognize and use this term today.

Origin of the Term “Moon Cricket”

The exact origin of “moon cricket” is somewhat obscure, but it is commonly believed to date back to the era of American slavery. The most cited theory is that it originated as slave slang in the antebellum South. Enslaved African Americans would often sing, chant, or hum spirituals at night after their grueling work – sometimes to lift their spirits or communicate messages.

Slave owners and overseers, hearing these songs at night, derogatorily likened the sound to crickets chirping under the moonlight. In other words, Black people singing after dark were mockingly called “moon crickets,” equating them to nocturnal insects. This crude metaphor reduced the slaves’ heartfelt night-time songs to something trivial, effectively shrouding their suffering in a fanciful image.

It’s important to note that while this slavery-origin story is widely referenced, documented evidence of the term “moon cricket” is sparse. In fact, Green’s Dictionary of Slang only records the term beginning in the 1990s as prison slang. This suggests that moon cricket may have been a long-standing oral insult that was not written down in mainstream sources until much later More post.

The lack of early written citations means the term’s early usage was likely informal and regional, passed along in dialect or used privately by those who knew it. Nonetheless, the consistent recollection (especially among older generations) of the slave-origin explanation gives credence to that theory.

A cricket chirping under the moonlight at night. This image evokes the origin story behind the term “moon cricket,” which likened enslaved people singing at night to chirping crickets under a moonlit sky.

The construction of the phrase itself reinforces this origin story: “moon” indicates nighttime, and “cricket” refers to the chirping insect known for its nightly sounds. Thus, moon cricket imagery perfectly fits the scenario of slaves singing after dark – a sound that would carry through the night much like crickets chirping. This derogatory label was a way for slaveholders to demean those songs and the people singing them, reducing their voices to an “annoyance” one might associate with insects. As one source describes, the term was used to belittle the plight of slaves by wrapping it in a seemingly quaint concept.

Historical Usage and Modern Context

After the abolition of slavery, “moon cricket” remained an obscure slur, not as prevalent as other racist terms. It saw some continued use in certain communities – particularly in parts of the American South – but overall it never entered widespread national vocabulary. In the 20th century, the slur lingered primarily in localized or subcultural contexts (for example, among some white Southerners or even within prison populations). Many people in other regions never even heard of the term.

In fact, those who have encountered it often note that younger people or outsiders have no idea what “moon cricket” means, while older folks recognize it as an old-time slur. This generational knowledge gap underscores how moon cricket has largely faded from common usage over time.

However, the term has not disappeared entirely. On a few occasions in recent history, moon cricket made headlines due to racist incidents:

2015 – High School Coach Incident: In Maine, a white basketball coach referred to two Black players as “moon crickets” during practice. This led to outrage, a lawsuit, and the coach’s eventual resignation/settlement. The incident shocked many who were unfamiliar with the term, but it affirmed that the slur was understood well enough to cause offense, even in a northern state.
2017 – Police Officer Controversy: In Oklahoma, a police officer’s Facebook account posted a racist rant calling NFL protesters “moon crickets.” The officer claimed his account was hacked, but the incident again brought the term into public discussion. It demonstrated that moon cricket is still recognized in some circles as derogatory hate speech.
Regional Lingering: In states like Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, and Tennessee, the phrase has been noted occasionally in racist jokes or comments. It’s in these southeastern states that the slur seems to have lingered the longest, likely passed down within certain racist subcultures.

Aside from overt racist usage, most Americans today never encounter the term “moon cricket.” It’s considered archaic and extremely offensive – so much so that even hate groups seldom use it publicly (more common slurs have overtaken it).

As one commentator noted, “Only the elders seem to know what it was” in reference to moon cricket, indicating its obscurity among younger generations. Nevertheless, the term’s existence is a reminder of the many creative ways language was used to dehumanize people in the past.

Innocent Uses and Misunderstandings

Because moon cricket sounds like it could refer to an actual creature or a quirky concept, there have been a few instances of well-intentioned (but arguably ignorant) uses of the term in non-racist contexts. One notable example is the Moon Cricket Grille in Florida – a café established in 1995 that chose the name “Moon Cricket” supposedly for its fun, whimsical vibe.

The owners claimed they thought it conveyed a “fun, hoppin’ place” and were unaware of the racial slur meaning. This has understandably been met with criticism and disbelief (how could one not Google the name?). The restaurant’s name remains controversial, illustrating how a lack of awareness can inadvertently perpetuate a slur.

Similarly, some individuals have attempted to reclaim or repurpose “Moon Cricket” as a personal or cultural label. For instance, a Black filmmaker adopted the moniker “Mooncricket” for his creative projects, finding personal meaning in the idea of singing under the moon after a hard day’s work.

And in 2019, an art event for Black History Month was titled “Moon Cricket” as an act of reclaiming resilience in darkness. These cases are outliers, and they come with nuanced intent – they do not make the term acceptable in general use. For the vast majority of people, moon cricket remains firmly a slur, and any casual or ignorant use will likely result in offense.

Modern Perception

Today, “moon cricket” is universally recognized as a derogatory term by those who know its meaning. It’s the kind of antiquated slur that might need explanation to someone who hears it for the first time – which is exactly why articles like this exist. Linguistically, it serves as a historical footnote illustrating how language can be weaponized to demean. Culturally, it’s a reminder of the songs enslaved people sang under oppression, and how even those acts of hope were cruelly twisted by oppressors into something mockable.

Importantly, Black Americans themselves are aware of the term’s absurdity and offensiveness. Occasionally, you might even see Black individuals using “moon crickets” in a joking or mocking way to refer to other Black people, playing on the ridiculousness of the slur. For example, someone might sarcastically say, “What y’all moon crickets up to?” in an internal joke.

This kind of usage is comparable to the way some slurs are reappropriated within the community that was targeted. However, such use is very niche and tongue-in-cheek – it doesn’t mean the term is any less offensive when used by outsiders. In public discourse, moon cricket is firmly considered hate speech, and using it seriously (or at someone) will be viewed as overt racism.

Conclusion

In summary, “moon cricket” is a racist term with its roots in the slavery era. Its meaning is neither mysterious nor benign – it was created to demean Black people, likening their night-time singing to chirping insects. The origin of the term harks back to enslaved Africans in America singing under the moonlight, a practice cruelly trivialized by slave owners.

Throughout history, the phrase remained a regional slur, seldom documented but passed along in certain circles. Even though it’s largely fallen out of use today, it occasionally resurfaces, reminding us of its ugly legacy.

Understanding the meaning and origin of moon cricket serves as a cautionary tale about language: what sounds like a playful phrase can hide a history of pain and oppression. In 2025 and beyond, with increased awareness, one hopes terms like this continue to fade into obscurity. Moon cricket should live on only in historical explanation – as a reminder of attitudes we’ve moved away from – and not in any form of everyday speech.

Remember:* If you ever come across the term moon cricket*, know that it is not an animal or a joke – it’s a derogatory label with a painful past, and it has no place in respectful conversation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What does “Moon Cricket” mean?

“Moon cricket” means a Black person – but in a derogatory, racist sense. It is an ethnic slur used to insult African Americans. The term was historically used by racists (especially in the American South) to demean Black people, and it remains extremely offensive. In short, moon cricket is a racial insult and not a creature or literal cricket.

Where did the term “Moon Cricket” originate?

The term originated in the United States, likely during the slavery era (19th century). Folklore and historical accounts suggest it began with enslaved Black people who would sing at night after working. White slave owners mockingly compared those nighttime songs to the sounds of crickets chirping under the moon – hence they coined “moon crickets.” This is the most widely accepted origin. (Notably, the term wasn’t widely documented in print until much later, indicating it was mainly an oral/slang expression.)

Is “Moon Cricket” offensive?

Yes, absolutely. “Moon cricket” is a highly offensive racial slur. Calling someone that term is equivalent to using other well-known racist epithets. It demeans a person based on race and has a hurtful history behind it. The phrase might sound innocuous to the uninformed, but because of its meaning and origin, it is considered hate speech. You should never use moon cricket to refer to anyone, except when discussing its derogatory meaning in a historical or educational context.

Do people still use the term “Moon Cricket” today?

Only very rarely. Moon cricket is not a common phrase in modern conversation (unlike some other slurs that unfortunately persist). Most younger people have never heard of it. However, it does still pop up occasionally – usually among individuals with racist attitudes, or in places where the slang survived regionally.

There have been a few modern instances (e.g. a 2015 news story about a coach using it) that show the term hasn’t vanished entirely. Generally, though, if you hear it today, it’s likely in a historical discussion or coming from someone who is deliberately being hateful.

Can “Moon Cricket” be used in a non-offensive way?

In general, no – “moon cricket” is nearly impossible to detach from its racist meaning. Any use of it is likely to offend. There have been a couple of attempts to use the phrase in a “innocent” way, but they are exceptions. For example, a restaurant in Florida once chose the name “MoonCricket Grille” thinking it was quirky, not realizing the slur.

And a few Black individuals have jokingly used moon cricket among themselves to poke fun at its absurdity. These instances are very rare. For all practical purposes, moon cricket is viewed as a derogatory term, and it’s safest to avoid it entirely unless you’re explaining its history.

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