From unilad.co.uk:
One of the UK’s most prominent theatres has said it will stop using the word ‘spooky’ after it was pointed out that it has previously been used as a racial slur.
The National Theatre of Scotland said it had taken the decision to drop the word as part of its move to tackle the use of prejudicial and discriminatory language, after it was flagged that variations of the term have historically been used to negatively describe Black people.
‘Spooky’ stems from the word ‘spook,’ which itself originates from the Dutch word for ghost. Most people associate the terms with Halloween – though the word ‘spook’ has also been used to refer to spies – however, according to academics and historians, there are a number of examples of ‘spook’ being used in a far more derogatory context.
The Times reports that the word may first have been used as a slur during the Second World War, when military officers would apparently describe Black pilots as ‘spooks.’