Do You Know The History Behind The Word PICNIC?

Do you know the history of PICNIC?


Only recently I was made aware of the history of the word 'picnic. I was told that expression came from the Southern American Whites, during and after slavery, when wanted to 'lynch' a Black, they would say, 'Lets us go "pic a Nigga," and sling um up!
All of my younger years growing up in Guyana, we have been using that term innocently, because we never knew what it really meant. To us back there, it meant having some food prepared, put it in a basket, and along with family and friends, go to the park or some public square, and have a good time.
A Picnic to us meant, and still mean having an outdoor party or cookout. Now that I know what it means, I decided mentally never to refer to any outdoor revelry, or cookout as a picnic ever again.
Not that it bothers me, but for the memory of the history and barbarism, that this activity condoned!
Om Shanti.
Derryck.
Yahoo IM: derryckgrifith
and derryck_mimbari
AOL IM: Ecmimbari