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This article examines the use of slurs among members of different ethnic groups within the black racial category in the United States. Studies on inter-group usage of slurs have mostly focused on the use of racial slurs targeting African Americans, the use of racial and ethnic slurs targeting non-black racial/ethnic groups, and the use of sexist slurs targeting people of different gender and sexual orientation. There has been limited analysis of use of slurs between ethnic groups within the black racial category in the United States. The investigation of the exchange of slurs between the second generation of Nigerian ancestry and African Americans show that slurs are part of the process of identity formation for the second generation. Also, the exchange of slurs between these two ethnic groups within the black category provide more evidence for Croom’s (2011, 2013) point that slurs do not always have to be used in a derogatory manner. It adds to what we know about the non-derogatory use of slurs by showing that a slur can be used as a socialization tool for young in-group members. What I show in this article is that slurs can be appropriated by the group using the slur to target out-group members and used within their own group to send a cautionary message to group members based on the derogatory meanings that are infused into the slur.