If you were raised anywhere near an African American household, you probably understand what C.P. time is. Colored people's time is an American expression referring to a negative stereotype of African Americans as frequently being late. The expression is often described as a derogatory racist stereotype.
However, have you ever wondered WHY or where this habit comes from? Is it just a genetic thing where people of a certain color can't seem to get where they need to go "on time" simply because they are irresponsible or unorganized? It is a genetic thing, but not for the reasons you might think.
Think of it this way...for over 250 years Black people and most people of color had no use for time pieces otherwise known as clocks or watches. Especially if you'd just spent several months in the bottom of a dark boat on your way to an unknown place that ended up being as horrible as you could imagine. All you would know or remembered was that it was either daytime or nighttime; everything else in between was just being alive or dead.
The first mechanical clocks were invented in Europe at around the start of the 14th century, and became the standard timekeeping device until the pendulum clock was invented in 1656. Therefore, apparently...Europeans had a need to know what time it was, AND to be prompt for at least a few hundred years, before people of color. In other words, they invented the need to be mindful of being someplace at a certain time, and/or being punished for not getting there "on time".
During the time of Slavery in America, it was common knowledge that the slaves worked from "can't see in the morning until can't see at night." What time is can't see in the morning? Some time before dawn, I guess. And, can't see at night? Some time after the sun went down. But, there was no need to be specific. If someone gave a function which they needed to attend, they were lucky if the person even showed up, sometimes. Maybe the horse or the carriage broke down or their car ran out of gas on the road. Maybe they needed to stop to take care of some other important business along the way and they were multi-tasking.
It wasn't until the slaves were free and even had access to a pocket watch or some other time keeping apparatus that knowing EXACTLY what time it was made any difference to them. They didn't need to get to work at any particular time, because most of them didn't even have jobs. There were no "banking hours" because they didn't keep their money in the bank; that is...if they had any and it was usually kept in a jar in the kitchen or under the mattress. Therefore, former slaves basically had a problem keeping up with the Europeans' obsession with being someplace within the parameters of being there at a certain time of the day.
So the next time you get angry at someone of color not being where you need them to be at a certain time; exactly at a certain time...cut them some slack. It's not their fault unless they go by the old adage:
"If you're on time...your LATE!"
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