Driving While Black, abbreviated as DWB, is a phrase in the contemporary American vernacular that refers to the racial profiling of black drivers. 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 history of institutional racism in the United States, United Kingdom, and other countries.
"Driving While Black" is word play on the name of a real U.S. crime, driving while intoxicated, commonly referred to as DWI.
Read more about Driving While Black: Generalization, Examples, Criticism of The Concept, Plays On The Phrase, In Popular Culture
Famous quotes containing the words driving and/or black:
“There is a blessed necessity by which the interest of men is always driving them to the right; and, again, making all crime mean and ugly.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Sometimes we see a cloud that’s dragonish,
A vapor sometimes like a bear or lion,
A towered citadel, a pendant rock,
A forked mountain, or blue promontory
With trees upon ‘t that nod unto the world
And mock our eyes with air. Thou hast seen these signs;
They are black vesper’s pageants.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)