This is a really serious and unneccessary action, before people take offense to something they should figure out where it come s from Niger-Brown (which is not pronounced nigger) is a colour with origins from the niger river which is historically refered to as the strong brown God, it is a specific shade like navy blue, it was used on clothing labels, furniture labels all types of things however because of its spelling it was mispronounced and because of derogatory connotation many manufactures discontinued the use. There are still older people from the UK who use the color and dont mean any negativity by it, they just havent been able to move on, it is not outlandish to believe that a japanese country could mistakingly translate niger-brown to nigger-brown Moore should be teaching her daughter about racial tolerance instead of causing her to belief someone is targeting her by posting a label on a couch.

to lisa, the uninformed..Doris is a black woman in a racist society..she does not have to teach her child about racial tolerance..she will teach her about prejudiced and racism BECAUSE IT EXIST..this could be just a innocent mistake..but are you implying that she is overreacting because the media got wind of the "nigger brown" color?..or maybe she's reacting to the fact that at 7yr of age she had to teach her daughter about the origins and use (both black and white) of the word...if you haven't walked the walk..please shut up

Okay, Okay. We know the history of Niger brown and all that good stuff, but what does that change? If the Mrs. Moore feels as if it was done purposely, let her voice her concern. Let them investigate. This will only turn out to be good. If it were a spelling error, this will only encourage the manufacturers to check the labels before attaching it. And after rereading the article several times, I see nothing of Moore teaching her daughter racial intolerance. She was actually giving her daughter the history of the word "Nigger" in the United States. Should I, as a person of African descent, raise my children to be ignorant of their history? I'm personally grateful that I was taught my history. If it were left up to some people, the history of slavery would never be taught.

Hey Paula...Toronto is a Racist Society?

I found the x-brown from a dictionary too, means dark brown.

"Doris is a black woman in a racist society..she does not have to teach her child about racial tolerance"

Yes, yes she does. Anyone -- black or white -- has an obligation to preach and teach racial tolerance to their children, in order to help things improve, in order to be the change we want to see in the world.

I'm sure good ol' jesse jackson and the NAACP are gonna have s/t to say about this

lisa, what are you talking about, this women did mistake niger for nigger, the label clearly says nigger.....duh

Lisa, I agree with your comments. Niger-Brown was a commonly used term in textiles, printing and other industries which involved the differentiation of color shades. But what is a 'japanese country'?

It may be cause for corrective action, informing the distribution chain that they may be using an out dated term for the color... but my fear that the general over reaction and 'outrage' that people are expressing will escalate.

There are many other words, as offensive as 'nigger' that are still used indiscriminately (coolie, chinaman etc) and have the same negative connotation. I don't see the Indian or Chinese populations raise their fists in anger or perpetuate the hate, they just move on.

And before Paula tells me to shut up, yes, I have walked the walk. Growing up in Trinidad, third/fourth generation, of mixed heritage, all of which are slave stock (black, indian and chinese - yes the work 'indentured' is the essentially the equivalent of slavery) I often wonder, why is it that my Indian and Chinese brothers can move on, but my African brothers cannot? Slavery, it happened, but it was in the past, let's keep it in the past. Do something better for yourself, stop fighting yesterdays fight.

The stories I heard from my towns elders, the 'indentured' workers (my grand and great-grandfathers) were likely kidnapped or tricked into boarding the ships that took them to the Caribbean to work the sugarcane fields. This was after abolishment of African slavery, they turned to Asia, so the wounds would be a little fresher. So I ask again, can we please move on?

Let's teach our children something besides 'getting back at the man', how about teaching them respect, not just for our own, for everybody. For themselves. For the generations to come. I see a downward spiral, starting with our youth using 'nigga' as a friendly term, shooting each other over nonsense, believing that only dealing or becoming a 'baller' or rapper are the only goals to be met as a black man.

I did a search on the internet for "nigger-brown" and came up with this:

Please Note: The information below is a copy of the 1959 prospectus for the school.

Note the emphasis on pupils staying to take GCE 'O Levels at age of 16. At the time it was written the school leaving age was 15, I am only aware of two pupils who left WMGS at this age, it was not encouraged since the school was trying to prepare as many pupils as possible for 6th Form and University education. The school also took in 6th Form pupils transferring from some of the town's secondary modern schools who did not teach pupils beyong the age of 16.

Note also the reference to the colour of some of the girls attire (Nigger brown). In 1959 this was the school uniform supplier's description of the rather plain mid brown colour of the uniform. At about this time Wolverhampton started to get its share of Afro-Carribean and Asian immigrants and it was not long after this that the description 'nigger' in the description of the colour was dropped as it was deemed to be a racial slur that is now considered offensive.

Since the main source for the sofa was China, this is probably just a translation error based on an old dictionary.

Oh, the link for the school prospectus is:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/bob.tame/muni/prospect1.htm

Okay Cameron, nice points made, but I think you are very wrong for comparing Asians to Africans. I grew up in Jamaica. My mother's family were slaves from India. My father's family were most likely from Ghana, but not sure. Anyways, my mother's family was super prejudiced against my father's family. They always thought that Indians were better than blacks and they were very upset that my mother was with a black man. I have friends whose parents were disowned by their Chinese parents for marrying black. White men were okay, but blacks were never. Trinidad and Guyana has some of the most prejudiced Indians I know. The fact is, Africans have always been treated the worst. We are at the bottom of society's bucket. Do you have any idea of how many Africans were taken from Africa. Not counting the estimated 20 million who died on the journeys. They were not only taken to Europe and the Americas, some were also traded into India and some other parts of Asia by Arabs. Africans for the most part are moving on. Some of us are still so enslaved mentally, that we will never move on. But how can we erase all those years of slavery? Are we forgetting that Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were just fighting a little over forty years ago. Are we forgetting that African Americans could not drink fromt the same water fountains or use the same bathrooms in the South just 50 years ago. I still get racism. I even get it at the workplace. People need to know that racism is not okay. If we sweep it under the rug everytime it happens, it's going to keep happening. I am 23 years old, and I do not want to bring kids into this world having an inferiority complex. And by the way, I have an Indian friend from Trinidad who went back to India trying to say he was Indian, ha! Was he in for the surprise of his life. They rejected it. They said he wasn't pure. Use better examples please.

Just imagine if she'd bickered with the salesman over the price and he'd used a synonym for 'cheap' to describe her.

Jackpot!

Look, the word is agreeably bad. But are you REALLY that emotionally delicate? Why do you need compensated? Does that make all that hurt go away? Show that it DOES represent principle and donate a lawsuit settlement to charity to prove you aren't riding the gravy train. Your friends wouldnt sit on the couch? Come onnnnnnnnn.....how sad this society is.

Talk about overreacting. Perhaps visit www.engrish.com? Not everyone in the world speaks English very well and the meanings and implications of such things are not always understood overseas where people use English as their second/third language, therefore it's perfectly reasonable to see how such a foreign company would think nothing of this. It is just as how in the United States many foreign things are glossed over or insulted similarly.

Now this does not make it 'acceptable'. Clearly it was a mistake and everyone involved acknowledged that. An importing company cannot be expected to review every label on every item at the risk that it says something offensive. That's just silly.

If she doesn't want the couch just return it. Again, there is no evidence that this slur was placed on the couch INTENTIONALLY and there is no reason companies should be expected to police every labelling detail of items they transship/distribute.

Why is it so hard to get over this issue. What if this piece of furniture came from Africa? Would the owner raise such a nonsense storm? Probably not as they would say it is OK as it came from the motherland....
Why is it OK for the black people to use the nigger word? And if a none-black uses the same term it is all of a sudden not appropriate word to be used. Pick your battles people and move on...The only way to eliminate this word is to put a zero $ value on it...

I am so sick of this. This was a mistake on the part of the company, now Mrs. Moore wants compensation. Typical, lets sue someone.

The latest news on this is that it was a result of an error in some translation software. The software company promptly issued a personal apology to Doris after realizing and explaining the error to her. Seriously now, they sent her a personal apology and explained it to her. What else does she want? She now has a lawyer and is looking for someone (maybe anyone) to sue. Her indignation was justified, but now I'm starting to think she's craving attention/money. Either way, she's trying to take advantage of an honest mistake.

I agree that the woman has the right to voice her concerns so that the label is removed but to make such a big deal over it is not right.It obviously was a mistake and not meant in a racial tone.What manufactorer in their right mind would knowingly print racial slurs on labels? Get a clue people!I too come from a diverse background.My great grandmother was Native American and if anyone has a right to complain it is them but just like someone posted above you don't see them causing a commotion over the word indian.Lots of races were treated badly in the past and I think it is important to teach heritage,after all in History class we all have to learn about war,Why? So that it is not repeated.

Dear Dorris,

Are you retarted? Have you ever heard of a different culture? In some places they use the word "nigger" as a description as easily as one would say that I'm a hominid - it's not an insult.

"In order for something to come into the country, don't they read it first? Doesn't the manufacturer? The supplier?" If it's such a concern, why didn't you read it first before bringing it into your home?

If this caused a "toll" on your family, and you "don't just need a personal apology" but "compensation", perhaps you shouldn't be allowed outside.

Beware of other people in the world, they think differently than you and that might be offensive and take a toll on your family.

OK, what is the real motivation that this lady has. MONEY MONEY MONEY. She runs off and gets a lawer. What a great move. Buy a couch, find a word on it you dont like and expect to get paid. Get real. What a joke.

I will say right off the bat that I have never "walked the walk". I have been black my entire life, but I refuse to let something as trivial as a misprinted lable enrage or upset me. In my life I have had to deal with real and hurtful racism and refuse to feel any symphathy for this woman. Thsi was not an attack aimed at her and it was not intentional. She had to teach her daughter about racism....GOOD. Her daughter will have to learn about it on her own very soon so maybe it isn't a bad thing that she received a little guideance before hand. CAN WE PLEASE STOP WORRING ABOUT PETTY ISSUES AND FOCUS OR REAL MEANINGFUL RACE I SSUES?

Evil will ALWAYS exist in the hearts of men. Racism will always exist to one degree or another in this world.

Get used to it. As long as there is "good", there will be "evil".

Learn to deal with it. Teach your kids the ugliness of it and show them by example how to live as a better person.

What else you gonna do? Whine a lot, or sue someone?

How much dem couches cost?

It's Sad that the World is still by gripped with hatred and Idiotic racial views. And though Niger is truly mispronouce by the truly Ignorant sector of this World. The word stating it's color is used for the sole purpose of Racism. It's funny how people excuse this type of behavior by saying things such as, "Mistakes happen, what more do you people want from us?" The Fact these so called mistakes happen do to a lack of Respect ones self and others. One will Never be forgiven if Repentence is never Truly ment. And as they say,"Action speak Louder than Words. Have things really changed or are the Sneaks just trying to be Sneaker? my Race is (American)

Interesting to note that the people who generally rush to quell Ms. Moore's aproppriate anger have probably never been on the receiving end of a vicious racial slur. Someone here claims to be an Indian; does the phrase Indian Red or Washington Redskin NOT bother them? I don't know if Ms. Moore should demand a settlement but she deserves an apology from all parties at the least.

Please people,JUST STOP THE FOOLISHNESS. Doris is correct. We can all tell the difference between "NIGER" the river and "NIGGER" and anyone who says forget it is content to live with their heads in the sand. I guess that Doris will not get this type of response if we had colours like "COOLIE or PAKI RED" or "CHINK YELLOW" or "HONKY CREAM" sounds good!!!Come on people just stop the Racism NOW! before it is too late.Shutting up does not send it away.BY the way for the person from Trinidad."indentured is similar to "enslaved " so it does not compare to NIGGER.
Let us deal with it not sweep it under the rug. Doris I understand.It is such a pity that we have to teach our children this.Progress will only be achieved when we admit to the problem.Let us talk about fixing it.NIGGER BROWN IS WRONG!

I think racism of any kind is not in the best interest of a country be it our US or other. There should be NO compensation though for a word or any slur whether intentional or not. If this was to be the case we would have to go back to before the white man came to America for the Indians were used as slaves, then you have the so called "indentured servants" who were never paid and kept if they could ever work off their so called servitude. All were treated as to however the owner wanted. A word is just a word and if you let it hurt you then they (the person inflicting) wins. I think we should be bigger then a word whether on a couch or said. Just return the couch and don't do business there if it bothers you. I am sick of people sueing over any little thing whether implied or not...