On Sat, 23 Jun 2007 12:18:42 -0700  Anita wrote:
 
> I heard many years ago that pic nic, was a derogatory term for African 
> Americans. I did not research this term, but understood that it referred to 
> finding and killing a black person, and then having a Pic nic. Maybe someone 
> else knows exactly what the historical significance is of this word.
> 
> Anita

Dear Anita, 
This sounds like an urban legend to me, perhaps based on the aural similarity
between the word "picnic" and "piccaninny."  The word "picnic" actually
originates long ago in the usual context, and I haven't ever heard of the usage
you mention.  I've included below the two Oxford English Dictionary definitions
(with historical examples).  If you've ever come across a reference to this in
print, I'm sure the lexicographers would like to know.   Of course it's
possible that at some point people developed or invented this usage.  And, I
think, some lynching parties did include a picnic.  James Baldwin mentions this
in his disturbing short story "Going to Meet the Man."

Cheers -- Kevin

PICNIC
A. n.

    1. a. Originally: a fashionable social event at which each guest contributed
a share of the food (obs.). Now: an informal meal eaten out of doors, esp. as
part of an excursion to the countryside, coast, etc.

1748 LD. CHESTERFIELD Let. 29 Oct. (1932) (modernized text) IV. 1255, I like the
description of your pic-nic [in Germany; 1774 Pic-nic], where I take it for
granted that your cards are only to break the formality of a circle. c1800 E.
C. KNIGHT Autobiogr. I. 45 We stayed here [i.e. at Toulon] till the 17th [Feb.
1777] and on the previous day went to a ‘pique-nique’ at a little country
house not far from the town. 1807 J. BERESFORD Miseries Human Life II. xv. 38
She's so full of Fête, and Pic-nic and Opera. 1826 B. DISRAELI Vivian Grey
III. iv, Nature had intended the spot for pic-nics. 1859 E. C. GASKELL Fear for
Future in Fraser's Mag. Feb., We were very happy, with our summer picnics and
our winter card-playing. 1890 Otago Witness (Dunedin) 23 Jan. 41 The annual
school picnic at Dunrobin took place on the 3rd inst. 1909 Daily Chron. 10 Mar.
9/1 After all, what is a picnic? An amusement which mainly consists in an
inadequate supply of crockery and making one's own tea. 1958 F. COPELAND Land
between: Middle East ix. 99 No picnic is complete without a special salad
called tabbouleh. 2004 Advertiser (Adelaide) (Nexis) 17 Sept. 40 There is a
wealth of..trails which are perfect for a pleasant family ride where you can
stop for a picnic along the way.

    b. Something which has multiple contributors or sources; a miscellany, a
collection, an anthology. by picnic (rare): by means of a contribution from
each member. Obs.

1803 Pic Nic 8 Jan. 1/1 The title of Pic Nic, given to this Paper, is used in
the sense applied to it by a neighbouring Nation, signifying a Repast supplied
by Contribution; and to this Miscellany all persons of genius and talent are
invited to contribute. 1818 KEATS Let. Dec. (1958) II. 13 Perhaps as you were
fond of giving me sketches of character you may like a little pic nic of
scandal. 1832 Examiner 324/2 A sort of pasticcio, made up apparently by picnic
from the portmanteaus of the performers. 1836 (title) Pic Nics from the Dublin
Penny Journal, being a selection from the legends, tales, and stories of
Ireland, which have appeared in the published volumes.

    2. A member of the Pic-Nic Society; the society itself. Now hist.
1802 J. GILLRAY Caricature 2 Apr. in T. Wright Wks. J. Gillray (plate facing p.
288), Blowing up the Pic Nic's:{em}or{em}Harlequin Quixotte attacking the
Puppets. 1830 H. ANGELO Reminisc. II. 5 General A...was the most prominent
pic-nic of our dramatis personae. 1878 W. H. HUSK in G. Grove Dict. Music I. 82
A fashionable association termed the Pic-nics, who had burlettas, vaudevilles
and ballets on a small scale performed there. 1944 F. D. KLINGENDER Hogarth &
Eng. Caricature 44 The Pic-Nics were a fashionable amateur society producing
musical and dramatic entertainments. 1978 S. ROSENFELD Temples of Thespis i. 12
The first amateur dramatic society..was the famous Pic Nic..which gave
performances..in 1802 and 1803.

    3. colloq. (orig. U.S.).

    a. A pleasant or enjoyable occasion, experience, etc.; something easy or
straightforward (esp. in comparison with something else), a pushover.
1870 J. J. MCCLOSKEY Across Continent in America's Lost Plays (1940) 81 Oh,
wouldn't that fellow be a picnic for me! 1886 Lantern (New Orleans) 27 Oct. 6/1
Hanley sparred with a smile on his face much as to say, ‘What a picnic I've
got with this kid.’ 1891 R. KIPLING Head of District in Life's Handicap 125 A
knot of furious brother officers demanding the court-martial of Tommy Dodd for
‘spoiling the picnic’. 1909 ‘O. HENRY’ Roads of Destiny xxii. 365 It
was a picnic for the census takers. They just counted the marshal's posse that
it took to subdue us, and there was your population. 1910 G. B. MCCUTCHEON
Truxton King ii. 29 The school-room, he confessed, was a ‘picnic’ compared
to the ‘Room of Wrangles’. 1974 J. STUBBS Painted Face xxiii. 286 What do
you know of prison? This here's a picnic compared to what it will be. 2004
Jerusalem Post (Nexis) 28 May 17 The first intifada, which Oslo ended, was a
picnic compared to the second, which Oslo engendered.

    b. In negative contexts (esp. in no picnic, not a picnic).
1884 Daily News (Frederick, Maryland) (Electronic text) 2 Aug., It is not a
picnic by any means to write up columns of ‘copy’ day after day and week
after week. 1886 Morning Oregonian 14 Dec. 2 He reports plenty of snow in the
Simcoe mountains and herding no picnic at this time of year. 1888 R. KIPLING
Wee Willie Winkie 84 'Taint no bloomin' picnic in those parts I can tell you.
1926 J. GALSWORTHY Escape II. iv. 50 If you want to get thin. It's a top-hole
cure for adipose. An escape's no picnic. 1961 B. FERGUSSON Watery Maze xvi. 394
It was going to be no picnic co-ordinating land, sea and air forces from so
many different points of departure at so many different speeds. 2004 Daily Tel.
(Nexis) 26 July 3 The second-innings demon, Harmison, will make sure batting is
not a picnic for the West Indies today.

    c. Austral. and N.Z. (ironic). A hard time; a source of trouble. Now rare.
1896 in E. E. Morris Austral Eng. (1898) 351/1 If a man's horse is awkward and
gives him trouble, he will say, ‘I had a picnic with that horse,’ and so of
any misadventure or disagreeable experience in travelling. a1904 S. E. WHITE
Blazed Trail Stories i. 15 Even old Jim Shearer would have a picnic to make out
just where the key-logs are. 1939 N. MARSH Overture to Death xiii. 125 I'm
sorry to have neglected you like this; but we're in for a picnic, and no
mistake, with this case up at Moorton Park. 1955 D. NILAND Shiralee 38 All I
know is I'm going to have one helluva picnic if she doesn't find it. 1959 N.
CATO Time, Swiftly Flow 122 She's going to be a picnic this trip. 1988 D.
MCGILL Dict. Kiwi Slang 83 Picnic problem; ironic, reversal of what is usually
a pleasant occasion; eg ‘If you take the boat out in that weather, mate, it's
your picnic.’

    4. N. Amer. = picnic ham n. at Compounds 2.
1910 L. D. HALL Market Classes Meat 281 Picnics or calas (formerly termed
California hams) are cut 2- ribs wide... They..are sold almost entirely as
sweet-pickled, smoked and boiled meats. 1949 New Harmony (Indiana) Times 5 Aug.
6/2 (advt.) Smoked Picnics, 3 to 5 lb. average lb. 45c. 1988 D. MACCARTHY
Prodfact 88 27 The fore (or shoulder) is divided into the collar and hock (may
also be known as butt and picnic) and these are normally sold as bacon joints.
2003 Herald-Sun (Durham, N. Carolina) (Nexis) 8 Oct. E1 Look for whole smoked
picnics for just 69 cents per pound.

    B. adj. (attrib.)    Of, relating to, or characteristic of a picnic; (now
esp.) befitting a picnic, relaxed, convivial.
  In early use: spec. {dag}made up of components contributed by several
individuals (obs.).
1802 Britannic Mag. 9 251/2 ‘What fortune does Old Scrape give his
daughter?’ ‘What? Why, a pic-nic one.’ 1807 Director I. 267 A pic-nic
conversation, where each contributes in his turn from his stores of reading and
observation. 1818 J. BENTHAM Church-of-Englandism 81 [The history] of the
pic-nic formation of this Creed by its putative fathers the Apostles, may be
found in their proper places. 1871 V. LUSH Jrnl. 14 June (1975) 111 It seems
that the ‘upper ten thousand’ have commenced a series of ‘Pic-nic
Balls’. 1905 Gleaner (Kingston, Jamaica) 13 Oct. 9/1 The [Kingston]
Athenæum's tendency is to be too popular and pretty{em}a sort of literary
institution with a picnic atmosphere. 1930 A. POUND & R. E. DAY Johnson of
Mohawks xxix. 310 These hardy voyagers, accustomed to forlorn hopes and
desperate enterprises, set forth in a picnic mood on the long, risky journey.
1994 Outdoor Canada Summer 57/2, I wanted a place that would offer easy fishing
for the kids and a picnic atmosphere.

    C. adv.    In the manner of a picnic; spec. impromptu, informally. Obs.
rare.
1803 J. DAVIS Trav. U.S.A. 176 A sum that may enable him to ask a friend to dine
with him pic nic. 1815 F. BURNEY Let. 6 Mar. (1980) 119, I beg your kind aunt
Charlotte to lodge and board you pick nick chez Elle.
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piccaninny [Forms: 16 pickaninnie, 16 pickoning (transmission error), 17
piganinny, 17- piccaninny, 17- pickaninny, 17- pickaniny, 18 picanine, 18
picaninni, 18 piccanini, 18 piccaninni, 18 piccaniny, 18 piccinini, 18
pickanene, 18 pickeeninnee, 18 pickeninny, 18 pickeniny, 18 pickerninny, 18
pickininny, 18 pickinnine, 18- picaninny, 18- picanniny, 19- picanini, 19-
picaniny, 19- picannini, 19- picinniny, 19- pikinini, 19- pikkanienie.{beta}.
Chiefly Caribbean 17 pickinny, 18 piccanny, 18 pickini, 18 pickne, 18 pick'ny,
18- picknie, 18- pickny, 19- piccney, 19- pickney, 19- picnie, 19- picnii, 19-
picny, 19- pikni, 19- pikny; U.S. regional (south.) 18 pickney, 19- picanny; S.
Afr. 18 picanny.{gamma}. 18 pickin (Caribbean), 19- piccin (chiefly W. Afr.),
19- picken (chiefly W. Afr.).{delta}. 19- picanin (Austral. and S. Afr.), 19-
picannin (Austral. and S. Afr.), 19- piccanin (Austral. and S. Afr.), 19-
piccannin (Austral. and S. Afr.), 19- pickanin (Austral. and S. Afr.), 19-
piekanien (Austral. and S. Afr.), 19- pikanin (Austral. and S. Afr.). 

1. A black child. (Now considered offensive when used by a white person of a
black child.)

    a. Caribbean and U.S. A black child of African origin or descent. Also: an
American Indian child.
  In African-American usage, freq. with uninflected pl.
{alpha} 1653 in N. & Q. (1905) 4th Ser. 10 129/1 Some women [in Barbados], whose
pickaninnies are three yeares old, will, as they worke at weeding..suffer the
hee Pickaninnie, to sit astride upon their backs. 1657 R. LIGON True Hist.
Barbados 48 When the child is borne, (which she calls her Pickaninnie) she [sc.
a neighbour] helps to make a little fire nere her feet... In a fortnight, this
woman is at worke with her Pickaninny at her back. 1681 Will of J. Vaughan of
Antigua in Misc. Gen. & Her. 2nd Ser. IV. 255 To my sister Mrs. Hannah Bell,
four negroes and one Pickoniny [printed Pickoning] boy. 1707 H. SLOANE Voy.
Islands I. p. lii, Their children call'd Piganinnies or rather Pequenos Ninnos,
go naked till they are fit to be put to clean paths, bring firewood [etc.].
1828 Life Planter Jamaica 93 The pickeniny gang consisted of the children who
were taken to the field. 1847 Knickerbocker 30 216 It might be very pleasant to
be surrounded by half-a-dozen negro waiting-women, with their picaninnies. 1867
L. M. CHILD Romance of Republic ii. 16 The negroes at their work, and their
black picaninnies rolling about on the ground. 1971 R. FITZGERALD Spring Shade
80 Wide-eyed pickaninnies Curl their toes in the sweet air. 1994 A. AUBERT
Coll. Poems 78, I just saw a alligator goin' down the creek with a lil
pickaninny in his mouth.
{beta} 1790 J. B. MORETON Manners & Customs West India Islands 152 The
women..are obliged to..take their pickinnies (i.e. children) on their backs, to
which they are tied with handkerchiefs. 1868 T. RUSSELL Etymol. Jamaica Gram. 6
Pickini, a child. 1907 W. JEKYLL Jamaican Song & Story 40 Now Toad have twenty
picny. 1958 J. CAREW Wild Coast viii. 117 All you is, is a maugre,
skin-and-bone pickny. 1969 S. M. SADEEK Windswept & Other Stories 37 ‘I was
working for the estate, until..’ ‘Until alyou get busy making picknie.’
1977 Westindian World 3-9 June 4/1 It has been made very plain that quite a
number of teachers in schools up and down de country are in many cases more
dunce than de pickney dem teach themselves. 1990 R. FOSTER Remember Wen? 121
Dey use tuh call him Ba Joe. Dey Shudda call him Beau Joe. He had plenty
pickney.

    b. Austral. and N.Z. An Aboriginal or Maori child.
{alpha} 1817 Sydney Gaz. 4 Jan. 2/3 Governor,{em}that will make good
Settler{em}that's my Pickaninny! 1817 J. L. NICHOLAS Narr. Voy. N.Z. II. 171
This fellow [sc. a native servant]..met me..telling me that Mrs. King had got a
pickeeninnee, (a child,) he began to describe her groans..while..under the
pains of labour. 1847 F. W. L. LEICHHARDT Jrnl. Overland Exped. Austral. xv.
520 Bilge introduced several old warriors..adding always the number of
piccaninies, that each of them had. 1889 R. C. PRAED Romance of Station 16
Three or four half-naked gins, with their picaninnies slung on their tattooed
backs. 1925 J. MANDER Allen Adair (1971) 85 He loved to carry her about in a
shawl on his back as the Maoris did their picaninnies. 1963 Sydney Morning
Herald 19 Nov. 6/4 The use of such words as ‘boy’, ‘lubra’
and..‘piccaninny’ to describe aborigines has been banned to Northern
Territory welfare officers. 1964 R. H. MORRIESON Came a Hot Friday (1981) 170
Pakeha visitors..were few and far between and news of the occupancy of the
guest chamber soon circulated among the piccaninnies. 1983 K. W. MANNING In
their own Hands 188 As a lad..he was referred to by the Islanders as ‘white
fella piccaninny b'long Boss’.
{delta} 1938 X. HERBERT Capricornia 48 ‘These his piccanins?’ She nodded to
Nawnim and muttered, ‘Dat one belong Mark.’ 1946 I. L. IDRIESS In Crocodile
Land xxvi. 180 With the little black kewpie of a piccanin aboard her tiny
canoe, Wagis paddled downstream towards the river mouth.

    c. chiefly S. Afr. and W. Afr. A small black African child; a young black
African boy.
{alpha} 1855 in J. W. Colenso Ten Weeks in Natal Add. 3 What will the poor
little piccaninnies do, Boy? 1893 Voice (N.Y.) 14 Dec., Even the pickaninnies
and pygmies of the Congo valley are..entitled to protection from drink. 1986 F.
KARODIA Daughters of Twilight 76 ‘How many pickaninnies you got?’ the
Afrikaner fired at the man. ‘Five, Baas.’
{beta} 1851 J. F. CHURCHILL Diary 29 June (Killie Campbell Africana Library
MS37), We were soon surrounded inside by men women and picannies laughing and
chattering all the time.
{gamma} 1925 Brit. Weekly 31 Dec. 340/2 A mother..crooned gently to her
‘piccin’ not more than a few weeks old. 1961 G. GREENE Burnt-out Case IV.
i. 100 The piccin that stole sugar from the white man's cupboard.
{delta} 1900 S. CHAMBERS Rhodesians 50 Attended by a sable piccanin. 1911 P.
GIBBON Margaret Harding 66 Picanin all right; plenty scoff, plenty mahli,
plenty everything. 1939 Outspan (Bloemfontein) 20 Oct. 70 (advt.) Jim is a
pickanin learning to be a houseboy. 1966 C. SWEENEY Scurrying Bush xiv. 199 He
guided me about half a mile up the road, the rest of the piccannins scampering
behind. 2002 C. SLAUGHTER Before the Knife xi. 176 We..watched the piccanins
jumping up and down outside our windows, asking for pennies.

    2. More generally: any small child. Cf. PINKANINNY n. Also fig.
1774 Story Aeneas & Dido Burlesqued 45 I'd freely give a golden guinea If I
could have a pickaninny, By any means, before we part, Like thee in face, but
not in heart. 1817 SCOTT Let. 29 Apr. (1932) IV. 438 The little pickaninny has
my kindest wishes. 1859 THACKERAY Virginians lxviii, A little box at Richmond
or Kew, and a half-score of little picaninnies. 1899 Westm. Gaz. 15 Dec. 12/1
She's Britannia's Picaninny, If she isn't very big! She's a Daughter of the
Empire,..Natal! 1917 S. T. PLAATJE Native Life 273 The naughty white
piccaninnies who always insult inoffensive black passers-by. 1954 J. A.
WEINGARTEN Amer. Dict. Slang, Pickaninny, used humorously for any child. 1970
Forum (Johannesburg) 6 48 You yourself were my little pikinini.

    3. Austral. and N.Z. In extended use: the offspring of an animal.
1824 Methodist Missionary Soc. Rec. 14 Sept., Young{em}shot her down: and he
thought she had something in her belly, so he took his knife and cut her open,
and a little pickerninny tumbled out. 1850 Bell's Life in Sydney 22 June 3/2
About twenty kangaroos of all sizes, from the old man down to the piccaninny.
1853 G. B. EARP N.Z. 145 [The natives] are very fond of horses... They will buy
nothing but mares, having a great desire to have ‘pickaninny’ horses of
their own. 1965 R. OTTLEY By Sandhills 132, I show you kangaroo. Big fella one,
an' mary gottim piccanin. Piccanin along belly.

    B. adj.    Little; tiny; very young. Now rare.
1707 H. SLOANE Voy. Islands I. p. lii, They have..Christmas Holidays, Easter
call'd little or Piganinny, Christmas, and some other great Feasts. 1791
Festival of Wit II. 39 Dey be only a piccaninny cork-screw, and a piccaninny
knife; one cost sixpence, and tudda a shilling. 1840 R. H. DANA Two Years
before Mast (1965) xix. 116 Me pickaninny{em}small{em}so high{em}no more! 1876
J. R. GREEN Let. 9 Oct. (1901) 439 A series which begins in the thirteenth
century is a very young and pickaninny series. a1912 ‘T. COLLINS’ Buln-Buln
& Brolga (1948) 107 Blackfellers mostly goes in for a piccaninny fire{em}jist
three sticks, with the ends kep' together. 1951 E. HILL Territory 322 Somewhere
there he had heard of a native well or soak{em}picaninny water, he showed them
with his hand. 1961 T. V. BULPIN White Whirlwind 233 ‘How old are you?’
‘Nineteen.’ ‘Oh, you are a piccanin white man.’ 1971 J. A. WRIGHT Coll.
Poems 211 Aren't they cute little pickaninny fawns?