Pickaninny (also picaninny or piccaninny) is a term – generally considered derogatory – that in English usage refers to black children, or a caricature of them which is widely considered racist. It is a pidgin word form, which may be derived from the Portuguese pequenino ("little little [one]"). Usage In the Southern United States, pickaninny was long used to refer to the children of African slaves or (later) of African American citizens. While this use of the term was popularized i… (More on Pickaninny)