thank you, terry, for checking up on that--i too had wondered. i know several members have done quite a bit of work on racism--anyone else have insight on the word and it's entrance into usage? surely there was another, similar word which was used in its place? i'm thinking "bigotry" maybe "bias." wasn't the idea of race something that came out of social darwinism? that predates the 1940's. i wonder if the OED is online? my dictionary lists a similar word--"racialism" perhaps that was in use instead? any ideas? kathy farretta northern arizona university